It is fantasy baseball draft season right now and things could not be any more difficult for GM’s who have to navigate through the cesspool that is the injury report.  It seems that every day more players are dropping like flies due to various ailments.  Granted, some of these injuries are relatively minor and MLB teams will have the luxury of being cautious.  However, some other injuries are more serious and could affect your draft strategy.  So without further adieu, here is the next spring training edition of the walking wounded.

Jacoby Ellsbury (OF-NYY)

Ellsbury went for an MRI this week which revealed a low grade oblique strain and he will be shut down by the Yankees for at least a week.  This is potentially disturbing news for GM’s who have already drafted him because an injury like this could take weeks of rest before healing.  If he has any type of setback or recurrence when he resumes baseball activities next week, it could jeopardize his status for Opening Day.  Normally Ellsbury is a Roto heartthrob, but this injury may have GM’s thinking twice before taking him in the second round.

Zack Wheeler (SP-NYM)

Once it was publicized that Zack Wheeler was going for an MRI due to alleged tendinitis in his right elbow, everyone assumed the worst.  The MRI revealed a tear of Wheeler’s UCL in his right elbow which means he needs Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2015 season.  This is an unfortunate blow to fantasy GM’s who were expecting Wheeler to take the next step in his progression as part of a stellar Mets’ rotation.  If he has the surgery soon, there is an outside chance he could be ready shortly after Opening Day in 2016.

Alex Cobb (SP-TB)

Alex Cobb was slated to be Tampa Bay’s starting pitcher on Opening Day, but those plans have fallen to the wayside.  Cobb has been shut down temporarily after experiencing pain in his last spring training start.  He has been diagnosed with tendinitis in his right forearm and no exact timetable for his return.  Cobb was in line for a breakout season on top of the Rays’ rotation, but now there could be serious questions about his health.

Matt Wieters (C-BAL)

Wieters is coming off of Tommy John surgery and caught in a game this week for the first time since last year.  Unfortunately Wieters experienced some discomfort in his elbow and will be given a rest to let the elbow calm down.  It is unknown at this point whether Baltimore would simply let Wieters be the designated hitter, but it is already apparent that his elbow will be an ongoing concern.  His draft value will likely slip with news of this injury.

Cliff Lee (SP-PHI)

After attempting to keep throwing and see whether his pain subsided, Cliff Lee continued to feel the same pain in his arm since last year.  The Phillies have officially placed him on the 60-day disabled list and surgery is highly likely.  This all but means his season would be over, and perhaps his career as well.  There is no reason to draft him in any format. 

Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service, and is also the co-host of the Fantasy Alarm podcast. You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment),