No column this week, but I’ll have at least a couple of blog posts. I’m very much in the middle of the magazine blitz right now, so I’m not quite sure when the next column will be done. It’s going to be a review of my 2003 Top 150 Prospects. After that, I’ll be moving right on to by top-10s by team. I’ll dedicate six columns to them before posting the 2008 Top 150 Prospects in early March.

Here’s my preliminary top-10 third basemen:

1. Alex Rodriguez
2. David Wright
3. Ryan Braun
4. Miguel Cabrera
5. Chone Figgins
6. Aramis Ramirez
7. Garrett Atkins
8. Ryan Zimmerman
9. Chipper Jones
10. Adrian Beltre

I’ve given Cabrera a stronger projection than I did a year ago, when he just edged out Wright for the second spot in the rankings. Still, Braun ranked well ahead of him. Cabrera is still on the way up as a prospect, but he has to adapt to a whole new set of pitchers. Plus, there’s a legitimate difference in the level of competition between the two leagues right now.

Zimmerman could be the best value pick of the guys in the 5-10 range. Getting out of RFK will make a difference, and he’s likely to get more help from his teammates than he did last season.

Though I do think they deserve their spots in the top 10, I doubt I’ll end up with Jones or Beltre in any league. Once away from the elite third basemen, I’d rather gamble on Alex Gordon, Edwin Encarnacion, Hank Blalock or Josh Fields.