Although the regular season begins in earnest Monday, debate continues to rage in fantasy baseball drafts. Alex Rodriguez

is the unquestioned No. 1 pick, but is Marlins shortstop

Hanley Ramirez worthy of No. 2? Sports writers Kelly Beaton and Sean Hylton clash on the subject:

I enter into today's debate feeling a significant amount of guilt. After all, this week's assignment is a slam dunk.

It's like taking candy from a baby (or my kids' Halloween stash while they're in school).

It's so easy, even a caveman can do it (or at least a Neanderthal not named Kelly Beaton.)

Shamelessly, fantasy baseball is somewhat of an obsession with me. I started studying for today's 2008 Paperboyz auction league draft in, well, 2007.

Beaton? He probably stumbled onto some 1999 cheat sheet on the Internet and believes Roberto Alomar is a great option at second base. Oh yeah, Kelly … Brady Anderson is a great bounce-back candidate.

For instance, I won both of my fantasy leagues last year, which is more than the number of people Beaton finished ahead of (zero) when we last clashed in a rotisserie league.

So, yes, I'm standing in Ramirez's corner and as far away from Beaton's side of the argument as possible. Sure, Jose Reyes is a tremendous base stealer and contributes in several other categories, but he doesn't do it the way Ramirez does.

As a fantasy owner, when you get a chance to acquire a player who is going to approach a .328 average, 27 home runs, 54 steals, you're only move is to be certain the first drafter did indeed take A-Rod.

Certainly, Jimmy Rollins will give you across-the-board production, but his average will be about 30 points and 15 steals off Hanley's pace.

And, yes, David Wright is a quality investment, but if he hits just one more homer than Ramirez (as was the case in 2007), why would you choose a player with a lower average and far fewer steals?

Miguel Cabrera? He's got 17 steals in his career - the same number Ramirez might have after the first two months.

Albert Pujols? He'll likely persevere with that troublesome elbow until the ill-equipped Cardinals are well out of the chase, then he'll opt for season-ending surgery in July.

So, you see, you're only choices with the No. 2 pick are to nab Ramirez and ignore Beaton, a man who plays rotisserie baseball as if someone yelled "Nello!"