" "It ain't easy being green," bemoaned Kermit the Frog. While this assertion referred to the color of Kermit's complexion, the world's preeminent puppet could have easily been speculating on the arduous nature of inexperience. Nowhere is this disposition more evident than the baseball diamond, where the untested are chewed up and spit out like sunflower seeds.

Rookies will emerge at various times in the season, seemingly ready to deliver fantasy fruition to astute owners who have monitored their march through the minors. Highly-touted hitter Eric Hosmer (.293, 19 homers, 78 RBI, 66 runs) produced a power jolt with his arrival in May, and the long-awaited advent of the Desmond Jennings Era in Tampa served as a much-needed second-half stimulus for Tampa Bay. Jennings wasn't the only greenhorn that prospered for the Rays, as Jeremy Hellickson's fantastic freshman foray equated to Rookie of the Year honors.

However, sustained success from these prodigies is rare; for every Hosmer and Hellickson, there are a dozen disappointments like Mike Moustakas and Tyler Chatwood. Not that I don't like the forecast for the latter duo, but in their initial spell in the majors, their bite didn't live up to their bark. Unfortunately, their appraisal is more in line with the historical output from rookies. (That sound you just heard was Justin Smoak owners sighing in agreement).

Yet one can't totally dismiss the contributions of beginners in "the bigs" in the fantasy realm. As long as proprietors of prospects don't rely too heavily on the fulfillment of rookies and avoid reaching for their attainment in drafts, fledgling ballplayers can serve a purpose on your squad. Today we present a list of hitting newcomers who could make a difference in the 2012 season, with a focus on pitchers later in the week:"