Below are some guys who have impressed or have been absolutely miserable.  There are familiar names and there are some surprises.  Can it carry over if they’re doing well?  Will it carry over if they’re doing poorly?  Only time will tell, but it’s nice to dream that:

Melky Cabrera is a future Hall of Famer

.410/.425/.769, 5 2B, 3 HR, and 9 RBI

Cabrera hit .468/.471/.742 last spring, then he went on to have a career year, posting a .305/.339/.470 slash with 44 2B, 5 3B, 18 HR, 87 RBI, and 20 SB.  He is now in San Francisco instead of Kansas City, but he could use the spacious gaps to post similar numbers this season.

The Tigers have two stars and they aren’t Cabrera and Fielder

Delmon Young: .472/.487/1.000, 4 2B, 5 HR, 19 RBI

Ryan Raburn: .462/.464/1.308, 2 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 18 RBI

Raburn looks like he shouldn’t have to share second base with Ramon Santiago.  He’s always had excellent power, so this is something that should continue…as long as he keeps making contact, which is where his problem has always been.

Young is also raking, the same thing he has done since joining Detroit.  Keep in mind that Young scored 28 runs, ripped 5 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, and drove in 32 runs in just 40 games when he arrived in Western Windsor Canada last season.  If he cuts down on his strikeouts, Young, too, could develop into a star…the one everyone thought he was going to be several years ago.

Short people can play baseball

Colin Cowgill: .419/.469/.605, 4 2B, 2 3B, 4 SB

It is still a crowded A’s outfield, and the 5’9″ University of Kentucky product will have trouble finding playing time because of it.  With Coco Crisp in left, Yoenis Cespedes in center, and Josh Reddick in right, Cowgill will battle Seth Smith and Jonny Gomes for backup outfield time and occasional starts at DH.  Cowgill may never get a serious shot due to his size, and that would be a short-coming…pun intended…by the organizations that continue to overlook him.

He Cain lead the league in OPS

Lorenzo Cain: .500/.553/.971, 7 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI

With Eric Hosmer, Billy Butler, and Mike Moustakas becoming the elite players that everyone anticipated them becoming, what would make the Royals really happy?  How about ANYONE from the Zack Greinke trade working out for them!?  Cain won’t be killing any of his brothers, but he could destroy some pitching and become one of the best center fielders in baseball in his rookie season.

Francisco Liriano is good again

2.77 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, .143 BAA, 18/2 K/BB in 13 IP

Dude can pitch when the Twins let him pitch in the Dominican Winter League…which they didn’t let him do prior to an absolutely disgusting 2011.

The most dominant pitcher this spring won’t have a job when camp breaks…sorry about your luck Wade LeBlanc

0.61 ERA, 0.41 WHIP, .083 BAA, 15/2 K/BB in 14 2/3 IP

Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, and Carlos Zambrano will be ahead of him, but LeBlanc should get a shot at some point between Johnson and Sanchez shoulder woes and a Zambrano breakdown.

The Suckers

Jair Jurrjens: 10.13 ERA, 2.63 WHIP, .403 BAA, 8/10 K/BB in 13 1/3 IP

Jurrjens would do better just sitting a ball on a tee.  The only guys who aren’t hitting against him are the ball boys, and his ugly K/BB ratio is concerning, as are his consistent shoulder woes.  Stay away.

Mike Pelfrey: 14.90 ERA, 2.69 WHIP, .426 BAA, 4/6 K/BB in 9 2/3 IP

Not even Pelfrey’s ears can hold the ball back this spring.  It looks like his two pitch arsenal is finally not working, but no one saw that coming…except Ray Charles.

Raul Ibanez: .059/.111/.088, 2 for 34 with 0 XBH and 2 RBI

Wonder why he was still available when the Yankees finally signed him?  Oh…I know.  He’s old and can’t hit a fastball.  Andruw Jones will get a lot of at bats at DH in 2012.

Freddie Freeman: .174/.191/.171, 8 for 46, 0 XBH, and 3 RBI

Freeman had some issues with a knee dislocation earlier in the spring, so he may get a small pass for that; however, the Braves need him to have it in high gear when things really get going, as he is one of their key bats.

Jason Heyward: .208/.236/.358, 11 for 53, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 16 K!

So much for refining his swing.  Heyward has picked up where he left off in 2011.  There is still time for him to get it going, but if both Freeman AND Heyward are hitting like this in April, the Braves will be alongside the Mets in the NL East basement.