Warning signs for young pitchers

Prepping for fantasy baseball season? It's never too early, you know, especially with that magical time of year unfolding here in sunny Florida and out in Arizona.

As you begin to consider who will make up your fantasy squad this year, Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci offers a very helpful guide to young pitchers who may be at risk of injury or ineffectiveness. The venerable baseball scribe identifies those hurlers who could suffer from what he's coined the "Verducci Effect," a breakdown that occurs after pitching too many innings too soon.

It's just a guide, of course, but among those at most risk: the Yankees' Joba Chamberlain, the Reds' Homer Bailey and Rick Porcello of the Tigers. Just something to think about as you start setting your big board for the draft.