Who the heck was I going to stick in there? Alfonso Soriano? Long gone. Bret Boone? Dream on. Jeff Kent? Nope. Marcus Giles, Jose Vidro, Luis Castillo, Adam Kennedy? No such luck. Heck, Roberto Alomar? Not even.

By the time I got around to grabbing a second sacker, my choice was a painful one - Todd Walker. All bat, no glove, but capable of hitting .300, or so I hoped. Of course Walker debuted for my fantasy team by planting his fanny on the bench while Mark Grudzielanek went 3-for-5 and started at second in the Cubs' opener.

While it's too early to get too worked up about any one position, second base already has me steaming. And if you're like me, you're scouring the waiver wire to see what's left. Here's what I'm finding:

Milwaukee's Junior Spivey will bat fifth this year and should be capable of 15-20 homers and 70-80 runs batted in if all goes as planned with the Brewers. Of course, you'll have to live with relying on a guy who should top 100 strikeouts again in 2004. Placido Polanco will bat second in a powerful Philadelphia lineup and has started the season well. The 27-year-old should approach .300 this year and hit around 10-15 homers.

D'Angelo Jimenez got off to a hot start with the Reds, going 3-for-4 against the Cubs on Opening Day. One game does not a season make, but Jimenez is known as a streaky hitter and might be somebody you can plug into your lineup at different times this season.

Brian Roberts swiped 23 bases last year for Baltimore, and he could top that this season. Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli said he plans to run more in 2004, and that's got to be music to Roberts' ears.

He could be a decent sleeper in the stolen base department.

Speaking of speedsters, the White Sox's Willie Harris could steal 25-30 bases this season if he can hang onto his role as the leadoff man in Chicago's potent offense.

If you're into finding guys who should be motivated by the money, try Minnesota's Luis Rivas. While they won't say it publicly, the Twins are about ready to send Rivas packing if he doesn't live up to the hype in 2004. Memories of his stellar 2001 rookie season (.266-7-47 and 31 steals) are fading fast, and the injury-plagued Rivas was signed to a one-year contract over the winter. It's obvious that whatever he does this season is going to have a gigantic impact on his future with the Twins or any other team.

Fernando Vina turns 36 this month and hasn't hit above .300 since 2001, but he's starting at second base for Detroit and is off to a decent start. If you believe in those loveable Tigers, you might want to roll the dice on Vina, but keep in mind that selecting a guy like him means you're almost as desperate as me when it comes to finding help at second.

Hot box

Pick him up: Shigetoshi Hasegawa, RP, Mariners. Hasegawa began the season as Seattle's closer when Eddie Guardado's shoulder began bothering him. Everyday Eddie is a warrior and it's doubtful he'll miss much time, but just in case the injury is more serious than he's letting on, Hasegawa would make a fantastic addition to any fantasy squad.

Sit him down: Hideo Nomo, SP, Dodgers. Hideo followed up a stellar spring (8.13 ERA) by getting pounded for seven hits and seven runs in five innings by the Padres. For good measure, he gave up two homers to make sure he punished fantasy owners sufficiently. Stay away - far, far away - from Nomo this season. I'm convinced he'll be a colossal flop in 2004.

Keep an eye on: Abraham Nunez, OF, Marlins. Spring fling or sleeper-in-waiting? The 27-year-old Nunez blasted 10 home runs during spring training and made the Florida roster as a reserve outfielder. He's not likely to see a lot of action unless one of the Marlins' regulars gets hurt, but he's worth tracking the next few weeks in case the hot hitting continues.

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John Nemo can be reached at johnmnemo@yahoo.com

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