Writing through a codeine-induced haze, here's a few more thoughts inspired part by the weekend's news as well as a few other observations:

• Ted Lillydoesn't have a set return date yet, but I'm betting on him returning later than most expect. The best guess right now is that he'll miss two weeks to a month, but after his throwing session on Saturday, I'm firmer in the belief that even if returns on the first of May, we won't see the effective version of him until later. He felt "weak" but not sore after that session. Keep in mind that not only is he dealing with a shoulder issue, which should be scary enough, he's also coming back from a knee procedure. Mechanically, there are two parts he'll have to think about when he's ramping back up. He's not going to jump right back in at the same pace he had last year when he ultimately comes off the DL. So unless he starts getting discounted a whole lot more (current ADP on MDC is 155), I won't be owning him.
• The Felipe Lopez signing really crushes the chance of David Freese and Allen Craig having a lot of early value. In fact, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said that Craig's best chance of making the team is in the outfield. Given the veteran alternatives that La Russa has in Lopez and Julio Lugo, you might also consider downgrading Skip Schumaker and Brendan Ryan a tad.
• A lot has been made of Heath Bell's potential trade risk this offseason, after his name was in rumors at the deadline last year. But you might also consider that Chad Qualls is in the same boat - he'll be a free agent at the end of the season, and the Diamondbacks have a ready alternative in Juan Gutierrez. I like Qualls, quite a bit actually, but there's a small risk that he'll get dealt to a team where he won't be asked to close.
• Logan Morrison is a solid prospect, and he might very well end up getting the full-time job at first base with the Marlins this year. But I don't think much of his 2010 fantasy prospects. The thing that bothers me the most is that his wrist still hurts occasionally when he swings. We've often seen a lingering wrist or hand injury sap a hitter's power long after he returns to the field. Given that Morrison hasn't yet hit for the power that many expected out of him anyhow, I'd caution that it probably won't happen at the big league level this year. Factor in that he hasn't yet beaten out Gaby Sanchez, and that the Marlins have talked with Hank Blalock, and Morrison is probably a bad short-term bet. That said, that might make him a better target in dynasty leagues if you can wait out this year, as I still like his long-term upside, especially with his superb batting eye.
• I came close to trading Josh Vitters for Jesus Flores in an NL Scoresheet keeper league earlier in the winter, before the Nats signed Ivan Rodriguez to a two-year deal that effectively blocks Flores. Consider it a lucky dodged bullet. Flores still isn't throwing the ball back to the pitcher in bullpen sessions, let alone throwing in more strenuous situations. Flores' shoulder injury has taken on a much longer life than initially expected after he got hit by a foul tip last May. At first, he was first considered to have just a contusion, but that eventually was diagnosed as a stress fracture in June, with a later diagnosis of a torn labrum in September. It's a shame that all of this happened to Flores, who was really pounding the ball before he got hurt. Now he's blocked for the next two years, with Derek Norris rapidly climbing the ladder behind him.
• I'm having a hard time figuring out how the playing time will work out between Kosuke Fukudome and Xavier Nady with the Cubs. I suppose they could go with a strict platoon, but I get the idea that if Nady can prove that he can throw adequately, he'll get more playing time than that. Right now I have too many at-bats projected between the foursome of Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd and Fukdome/Nady. Attrition will take care of some of that - Soriano is probably a good bet to miss 15+ games, but even then, there's still too much left. What sort of split do you see there?