A consumer’s guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, played, heard, observed, worn, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it’s in play here.

Although this book is geared toward those who play fantasy baseball or simulated games--and working under the implicit understanding that by reviewing it I will be branded a “roto-geek” by colleagues--even the everyday fan will find “Baseball Forecaster” informative and amusing.

For 13 years, Ron Shandler has been forecasting offensive and pitching statistics for major league players. He focuses on performance indicators of players’ raw skills--such as power, speed and batting eye for hitters; control ratio, strikeout, walk and strand rates for pitchers--to predict statistical output.

Among players of local interest (predicted statistics in parentheses):

* Kevin Brown (15-8, 2.92 earned-run average): “. . . At 34, this is likely his peak year, so don’t go chasing him if the bidding goes into the $30s.”

* Mo Vaughn (.327, 42 home runs, 118 runs batted in): “Batting eye and OB average have been edging down while his power index has been edging up, but overall gauges have remained steady. That makes him a sure thing for 1999, with a chance for a power spike.”

* Todd Hollandsworth (.264, six HR, 30 RBIs): “Took the NL by surprise in ‘96, collected his rookie-of-the-year award, and came back to Earth. And how many fantasy leaguers will still bid on him in hopes of a return to form? 1997 was the return to form.”

* Darin Erstad (.289, 24 HR, 95 RBIs): “Was en route to a monster season when hamstring woes derailed his second half. If healthy, there’s 30-30 potential here very soon.”

And the players everyone wants to know about? Shandler projects 57 homers and 130 RBIs for Mark McGwire and 59 homers and 142 RBIs for Sammy Sosa. Of Sosa, Shandler writes, “Less pure power skills than McGwire, a season that was more out of character with his past, but at 30, more upside potential. Will he ever hit 70? Not likely. Can he repeat over 60? Very good chance.”

Of course, these projections aren’t foolproof. Shandler emphasizes that opportunity and avoiding injury are huge factors.

Still, you’ll have fun if you buy this book to see how your favorite players might perform. And if you use it to prepare for your fantasy draft, you’re much more likely to win.