I can’t be the only one who, by the time we get to the third week of March, has already set up the new spreadsheet filled with many names of baseball players for the upcoming season. No, these are not my rankings but, they are for, um, personal reasons. I mean, there has to be others doing this, right? Right?!? The reason for the file is simple. I have, shall we say, more than a few baseball teams for the season, whether they are fantasy or simulation or something else -- and once in a while a name or five can get lost.

• Hmm, so J.D. Martinez is hurt. I don’t have him on any teams, right? Right?!?

Turns out I do and, oh well, he claims he won’t miss much time in April, so I’m looking forward to his return by mid-June. Nevertheless, while easy, one-stop tracking of my players is the principal reason for the file, it’s also another way to find out which players I like more than others. Yes, I can waste hours of your time relaying the players do or don't like, but the ultimate test, really, is if they’re ending up on my teams. When push comes to shove, I’ve got a fixed amount of time to choose a player so, here’s a general answer.

• So, you really like Michael Conforto? Prove it!

The annual “Plant My Flag” blog entry is really an announcement of who I keep drafting or paying auction dollars for, and I find it’s not overly dependent on fantasy format -- be it standard or points or NL-only, or even the simulation game with last year’s numbers and future relevance. If I like a player, I like a player. He gets the proverbial flag, as it were. Because I don’t do much planting, you know.

Let’s make it simple and go by position, because in a perfect fantasy world I’d own Trea Turner and Mookie Betts and Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw and all would be rainbows and Kit Kats. This is the first time in a while Red Sox slugger David Ortiz doesn’t make my list but hey, he didn’t give us much choice.

• Just one more year, Papi?

Catcher: To be honest, and it should be clear from my recent blog entries, I generally avoid this position -- so it’s not a great place to start. As written in the somewhat dour “Do Not Draft” blog entry this week, Buster Posey isn’t quite awesome enough to end up on my rosters. The Cardinals’ Yadier Molina, with his safe batting average and reliability, is, because it’s a minimal investment. Oakland’s Stephen Vogt and Philly’s Cameron Rupp, each surely capable of hitting more home runs than Posey at a fraction the cost are also showing up on my teams. I also believe future Phillies backstop Jorge Alfaro is worth waiting for.

First base: Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera should always be on my “Plant My Flag” list because anytime someone either thinks a reasonable argument against him continuing at his Hall of Fame pace is his advancing age, or dares compare him to Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder or another first baseman of that ilk, there’s a bargain to be had. There will be players in their mid-30s on my teams for this very reason, and Cabrera remains a first-round pick to me. Yes, even over Turner. It appears I’ve been patient at first base in early drafting, with few cornerstones, and that’s likely due to value and my liking five-category providers more.

For example, I like Cleveland’s Carlos Santana and believe he can do it again, but I don’t need to spend a top-50 selection there. Since I’m generally partial to five-category providers, I view San Diego’s Wil Myers as underrated. Plus, he told me himself he’ll keep running and we all know players never, ever lie. Giant Brandon Belt might never truly break out in his home ballpark, but he’s trending upward. A year ago Jose Abreu of the White Sox and Adrian Gonzalez of the Dodgers were picks No. 19 and 47, respectively in ADP. Now they’re Nos. 46 and 133. What changed? Now they’re too old? Puh-leeze. Later on, I have no issue making the Yankees’ Greg Bird or the Phillies’ Tommy Joseph my utility guy or corner infielder in a deeper league. Both are capable of mashing 30 home runs.

Second base: Longtime pals and followers will find this crazy, but yeah, I’m all in on White Sox rookie Yoan Moncada. I’ve branched out. I no longer draft only old players. Moncada is actually not eligible at this position yet, nor is he in the majors, but in about six weeks, each issue will be handled. I guess he’s next up in my Betts-Turner young player flag planting series, and that’s gone well the past two years!

For veteran options, let’s start with Robinson Cano. As with Cabrera, if I can actually get proven mashers who are showing no signs of slowing down with my second- and third-round picks, that’s excellent. I’m also all-in with the Cardinals’ Matt Carpenter, with his new lineup spot (hitting third) and with eligibility at three infield spots. He’s going to approach 100 runs batted in and no, his second-half slump doesn’t bother me because he was hurt. Later on, I’ll take his teammate Jedd Gyorko, similarly eligible at three infield spots, and the 30 home runs were not a fluke. Even later in the proceedings, I do believe Philadelphia’s Cesar Hernandez can steal 30 bases without being caught 20 times.

Shortstop: With myriad options here in the early rounds, I tend to get one or more of them -- starting with Houston’s Carlos Correa and Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor, but also Milwaukee’s Jonathan Villar. I don’t believe Villar will be quite that statistically amazing again, but for 15 homers and 50 steals, sign me up! I also believe Seattle’s Jean Segura has become a modest bargain based on expectations. Certainly some of his 2016 stats are real, no? The same is true for the Giants’ Eduardo Nunez, who also should see some decline in power. He can run and he will play.

Much later on, there are a few names I seem to be investing in, mainly in deeper formats, like Minnesota switch-hitter Jorge Polanco and Arizona speedster Ketel Marte. However, they’re free agent fodder in ESPN standard mixed.

Third base: There's plenty to like in the early rounds at this position as well, with three members in the first round and Rangers legend Adrian Beltre a sixth-round bargain. I’d go one round earlier, perhaps two, and same holds true for Houston’s Alex Bregman. I look at Minnesota’s Miguel Sano and again compare his current ADP to last year. Um, what changed? He’s down 80 spots in ADP and he’s all of 23 years old. People forget how young these players are. We knew he’d need to adjust but there should be improvement.

Maikel Franco of the Phillies will improve, and so will Detroit’s Nick Castellanos. Later on, I have to admit I would take the chance on Pablo Sandoval -- a career .287 hitter who now is apparently motivated and capable of 18-20 home runs and 75-plus RBI. Look what Jackie Bradley Jr. did in the Boston lineup last season.

Outfield: In the early rounds, the Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon, Mariners’ Nelson Cruz, Brewers’ Ryan Braun and Pirates’ Gregory Polanco are players I like for the price. Three of them provide five-category goodness and we’re way past the point of doubting Cruz’s power. He’s not too old to keep hitting the home runs, either. Neither is Toronto’s Jose Bautista, for that matter. Again, many liked him a year ago and now he’s what, toast? The Royals’ Lorenzo Cain is no different than he was a season ago, but his ADP is taking a major hit, which doesn’t make sense. Meanwhile, it’s cheap, repeatable power with Oakland’s Khris Davis and while that’s worth a top-100 pick. He probably falls to later, though, for some unknown reason.

In the middle rounds, I’ve spoken enough about San Diego rookie Manuel Margot over the past month, but the bottom line is, assuming health, he’s ready to be owned in standard mixed leagues. I’d take him in the 12th round, the same place as talented Brewer Keon Broxton. These guys can run and, with Broxton, there’s modest power potential. The Twins’ Max Kepler, Rangers’ Nomar Mazara, Diamondbacks’ David Peralta and yes, apparent Mets (but not mine) afterthought Michael Conforto, are all sweet-swinging lefties who should put up numbers commensurate with a better ADP. Perhaps my favorite No. 5 outfielder of all is Seattle’s Mitch Haniger. If he fails, let’s just say I’ll notice it on quite a few of my squads.

Starting pitcher: While I’m all about building the roster with power early, it’s not a terribly good feeling when you’re reaching for Michael Pineda or Robbie Ray in the middle rounds because none of your top starters figure to amass 200 strikeouts. So I have been dipping into the pool of starters in the fifth round or so, centering on Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez, Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom (he’s healthy), Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello (he’s actually legit), White Sox lefty Jose Quintana and Royals lefty Danny Duffy. If I can get two of those hurlers by Round 10 or so, it’s a good start.

Later on, I seem to be getting shares of Cubs right-hander John Lackey more than I figured I would, but I think he can repeat his season and his ADP doesn’t reflect that. That’s right, people believe he’s too old to do it again! (I don’t.) I also tend to end up with Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark when he gets ignored because people still believe the one rough season in the past three years is the one that reflects his talent. I’m also in favor of investing in Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker, Giants lefty Matt Moore and Mariners right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma with top-200 picks. I have been filling out rotations with Brewers right-hander Zach Davies, Phillies right-handers Jerad Eickhoff and Jeremy Hellickson, Athletics right-hander Jharel Cotton, Pirates right-hander Ivan Nova, Nationals right-hander Joe Ross and Braves right-hander Mike Foltynewicz.

Relief pitcher: I don’t want to recommend Tigers right-hander Francisco Rodriguez too much, because it’s more about opportunity and consistency. At some point each will cease, but saves are saves and he provides them a good ten rounds after the top tier of options. That’s value. Earlier on I’ll take the plunge, after the 10th or 11th round in general, with Royals right-hander Kelvin Herrera and Indians right-hander Cody Allen, but I’m still mindful of overpaying for saves. Braves right-hander Jim Johnson could be just as good as those guys at a fraction of the cost.

In the final rounds I’ll take my chances, since it’s a low-risk commitment, with Padres right-hander Brandon Maurer and Athletics right-hander Ryan Madson. Much has to go right for Carter Capps to be healthy enough to steal Maurer’s job and it’s tough to expect consistent health, sorry to say, for Oakland’s Sean Doolittle. When it comes to speculative saves among current setup men, if the roster size allows for such dreaming -- in ESPN standard formats there’s little point -- Nationals right-hander Koda Glover, White Sox right-hander Nate Jones, Rangers right-hander Matt Bush and Brewers right-hander Corey Knebel are the ones I’m watching.