first base rankings

2010 Adjusted ESPN First Base Rankings

First base always seems to be deep and this year is no different. There’s a handful of elite first-basemen with very few questions and the position’s about 14 players deep before questions start popping up.

The only problems you’ll run into with first basemen is getting enough of them before they start falling off the board into UTIL spots across your league.

The Box-Plot to the left contains a total of 27 first basemen, all of whom exceed the minimum required for a beneficial UTIL-spot.

You’re almost guaranteed to get 30HR out of your first basemen and should be planning a contingency plan if you’re drafting a light-hitting first-basemen like James Loney.

As ESPN refuses to allow us access to their H/AB and rather just throws us a bone with AVG, we have to use CHONE’s AB guestimates.

Presented below are the standardized total points (Tts) and as you can see, the difference between Pujols’ and Howard’s batting average is large, but almost eliminated by Howard’s impressive HR and RBI totals.

PLAYER_NAME	R	HR	RBI	SB	ESPN_AVG	Tts
Albert Pujols	114	43	122	11	0.34	393.86
Ryan Howard	104	47	145	5	0.27	365.91
Prince Fielder	100	45	127	2	0.29	351.05
Mark Teixeira	104	38	125	2	0.3	341.34
Miguel Cabrera	106	32	102	3	0.31	324.83
Adrian Gonzalez	96	41	106	0	0.28	315.53
Mark Reynolds	96	38	102	18	0.25	312.04
Kevin Youkilis	97	28	102	5	0.31	299.31
Justin Morneau	88	33	111	0	0.28	288.99
Joey Votto	85	31	92	7	0.3	286.08
Derrek Lee	96	27	102	2	0.3	283.86
Billy Butler	90	29	99	1	0.3	283.28
Kendry Morales	88	30	101	3	0.3	282.07
Carlos Pena	90	39	103	1	0.24	275.13
Adam Dunn	83	38	100	2	0.24	271.02
Chris Davis	77	35	97	2	0.27	266.73
Lance Berkman	88	26	91	7	0.28	265.9
Pablo Sandoval	85	24	88	3	0.32	265.2
Michael Cuddyer	84	24	86	6	0.27	251.75
Adam LaRoche	72	28	88	1	0.27	245.78
Victor Martinez	86	18	93	0	0.29	244.83
Jorge Cantu	72	21	93	4	0.28	239.4
James Loney	69	17	85	5	0.3	237.16
Carlos Delgado	76	25	94	2	0.26	233.12
Paul Konerko	71	28	81	1	0.26	232.17
Nick Swisher	87	27	78	1	0.24	231.11
Garrett Jones	71	21	78	7	0.26	224.2
Todd Helton	75	13	75	0	0.31	216.87

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As you can see in the Histogram to the right, there’s one or two players in each tier after 300pts.  At 300pts, it becomes a complete and total crap-shoot.  If you care to compete, you absolutely need to get a first baseman no later than this tier.

Kevin Youkilis, Justin Morneau, Joey Votto, Derrek Lee, Billy Butler, Kendry Morales, Carlos Pena and Adam Dunn are all very capable starters at first base.

The Differences:

In the ESPN Rankings, Ryan Howard is the fifth overall first basemen despite crazy projections.  It’s become fairly clear that ESPN over-values batting average and what a .270 Batting Average means in the overall scheme of things.

Assuming we have 9 positions with 600 AB each, the difference between Howard’s .270 average and Mark Teixeira’s .300 Average is about 20 Hits over the course of 600 AB.  With Ryan Howard as your first baseman on a team that hits .300 — You end up with a .2965 or almost a .297 Average.  With Teixiera on a .300 Hitting team, you end up with .300 obviously.  Whether or not you think 3pts in BA is equal to 9HR and 20 RBI is up to you…

Pablo Sandoval also takes a huge hit for the opposite reason.  In order to take advantage of Sandoval’s .323 Projected Average, you’ll have to live with the San Francisco Giants inept offense.  Sandoval’s ability to play third definitely helps his overall value, but in the first base rankings, he’s just too high.  I find it hard to believe that he hit line-drives less than 20% of the time, considering that he wasn’t smash-killing homers.

Teams made it abundantly clear that they have absolutely no problem pitching Sandoval outside the zone by throwing 60 percent of pitches off the plate.  Teams will continue to pitch Sandoval way out there until Sandoval actually stops swinging at ‘em:  Sandoval’s 41.5% swing rate on pitches outside of the zone is 16% higher than average and trails only Bengie Molina in the overall standings.   It’ll come down to whether or not you think Sandoval has the type of plate coverage to back it up.  I’m not sure if I throw Sandoval into the Guerrero/Suzuki realm of plate coverage at this point…

He did show the ability to take a walk last year, which is a good sign when you’re 2008 BB% was not even 3%.  In a nutshell, Sandoval absolutely kills the fastball-changeup combination.  Last year, he improved dramatically against the old uncle charlie, but that was more than likely statistical error in 2008– the kid can hit, but just how far he’ll chase pitches off the plate remains to be seen.  At this point, there’s just no reason to throw him anything even remotely close to the strike-zone.

Here are the averages and standard deviations from Pujols to Helton:

AVERAGE	CAT	STD_DEV
87.5	R	11.99
30.21	HR	8.66
98.79	RBI	16.05
3.61	SB	3.9
0.28	AVG	0.02

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With the Z-Scores, or standard deviations away from the mean, for just first basemen.   This is a great reference point for how much a first basemen will hurt vs. help you in any given category –  We’re assuming everyone get’s the same number of AB in this chart, which is different from the overall rankings which uses projections for AB.

PLAYER_NAME	Z-Score-R	Z-Score-HR	Z-Score-RBI	Z-Score-SB	Z-Score-AVG	Total
Albert Pujols	2.23	1.48	1.45	1.89	2.85	9.89
Ryan Howard	1.39	1.94	2.88	0.36	-0.6	5.96
Prince Fielder	1.05	1.71	1.76	-0.41	0.6	4.7
Mark Teixeira	1.39	0.9	1.63	-0.41	0.95	4.46
Miguel Cabrera	1.55	0.21	0.2	-0.16	1.6	3.4
Adrian Gonzalez	0.71	1.25	0.45	-0.93	0.2	1.68
Mark Reynolds	0.71	0.9	0.2	3.69	-1.6	3.9
Kevin Youkilis	0.8	-0.26	0.2	0.36	1.3	2.4
Justin Morneau	0.04	0.32	0.76	-0.93	-0.1	0.1
Joey Votto	-0.21	0.09	-0.42	0.87	1.15	1.48
Derrek Lee	0.71	-0.37	0.2	-0.41	0.75	0.88
Billy Butler	0.21	-0.14	0.01	-0.67	0.95	0.36
Kendry Morales	0.04	-0.02	0.14	-0.16	1.05	1.05
Carlos Pena	0.21	1.02	0.26	-0.67	-1.9	-1.08
Adam Dunn	-0.38	0.9	0.08	-0.41	-1.85	-1.67
Chris Davis	-0.88	0.55	-0.11	-0.41	-0.75	-1.6
Lance Berkman	0.04	-0.49	-0.49	0.87	-0.1	-0.16
Pablo Sandoval	-0.21	-0.72	-0.67	-0.16	2.15	0.39
Michael Cuddyer	-0.29	-0.72	-0.8	0.61	-0.45	-1.65
Adam LaRoche	-1.3	-0.26	-0.67	-0.67	-0.3	-3.2
Victor Martinez	-0.13	-1.41	-0.36	-0.93	0.5	-2.32
Jorge Cantu	-1.3	-1.06	-0.36	0.1	0	-2.63
James Loney	-1.55	-1.53	-0.86	0.36	1.1	-2.48
Carlos Delgado	-0.97	-0.6	-0.3	-0.41	-0.95	-3.23
Paul Konerko	-1.39	-0.26	-1.11	-0.67	-0.9	-4.32
Nick Swisher	-0.04	-0.37	-1.3	-0.67	-1.9	-4.28
Garrett Jones	-1.39	-1.06	-1.3	0.87	-0.8	-3.68
Todd Helton	-1.05	-1.99	-1.48	-0.93	1.45	-4

Top First Basemen In Keeper Dynasty League

The Top First Basemen In A Dynasty League

Here we go with the Top First Basemen in a keeper or dynasty league format.  As always, these rankings are based on keeping a large portion of your roster in a deep league.  In shallower leagues, or ‘contract’ leagues, you should focus  on keeping players in their prime.

First basemen enter their power-prime around age 27ish and commence  a steady, predictable decline around age 30-31ish.  First basemen generally continue to produce well into their mid-30’s.

Unlike other positions, first basemen stick around for a while and often get moved to DH, prolonging their careers; thus, taking risks is generally quite advisable, as the waiver wire should be stacked with talent.

C- 1B – 2B – SS – 3B – OF - SP – RP

1. Miguel Cabrera – DET Tigers – 25 - This is a tough one because you’re guaranteed three more years of first round production from Albert Pujols. Cabrera on the other hand is just entering his prime, and you’ll probably get 8 years worth of top-15 production.  If you’re allowed to keep a player for an unlimited number of years, Cabrera’s the pick.

2. Albert Pujols – STL Cardinals – 29 - As mentioned above, Pujols is going to put up top-5 numbers for the next few years.  Throw in three or four more years of being a top-5 first basemen, and we’re golden.  There will probably be an injury plagued season somewhere in that run, but he’s still better than the next couple guys.

3. Mark Texeira – NY Yankees – 28 – Teixeira is a beast, and now that he’s in pinstripes, you should be expecting ridiculous RBI and RUN totals. I’m still not sold on Teixera as a high-30’s HR threat or a .300+ hitter, but he’ll contribute across the board. Not that it really matters, but Texeira’s defense is also stellar.

4. Prince Fielder – MIL Brewers – 24 - Fielder hasn’t quite reached elite status, but he’s well on his way.  A return to 50 HR isn’t out of the question, but I wouldn’t expect him to repeat the feat more than once or twice in his career.  Expecting high-30’s to low-40’s HR power for the next 8 to 10 years, seems like a fair guess-ti-mate.  Fielder seems locked in at 12% BB-rate and 20% K rate, which is just dandy for a power hitting first baseman.  If you’re a risk taker, feel free to take Fielder as the number-1 first baseman.

5. Justin Morneau – MIN Twins – 27 - Prior to crumbling down the stretch, Morneau showed all of the signs you’d like to see from a maturing hitter.  At first look, Morneau’s sharp decline in ISO ( .199 after two years of .220+) and HR (23 after two seasons of 30+) is troublesome.

That is until you take a peak at his decreased strike-out rate and increased walk rate which reveal maturation as a hitter.  Morneau also swung less (50% -> 48%), made more contact (82% – > 85%) , and drew less first pitch strikes (59% -> 56%).  Morneau hit more line-drives, and his HR/FB rate dropped. HR/FB is *generally* just a luck issue, and you should expect Morneau to improve upon his paltry 11.2% rate of 2008.

6. Ryan Howard – PHI Phillies – 29 - Nothing interesting here.  Howard will eclipse 40 HR for the next 4 or 5 years, and he’ll strike-out a whole hoot of a lot. Howard’s batting average was pretty awful last year, but that had a lot to due with luck.  He should finish his career with an average around .275-.280 when all is said and done.

7. Adrian Gonzalez – SD Padres – 26 - Drafted first overall  by the Rangers in the 2000 draft, Gonzalez couldn’t find his mojo in one of the most hitter friendly parks in the show.  Then, through some crazy twist of fate, Gonzalez developed into a power-hitting beast in one of the worst parks for hitters, PETCO. If Gonzalez can ever get his butt out of San Diego, he’ll be a monster.  In 2008, Gonzalez went for 22 road home runs and 14 at home.  His SLG percentage splits of .578 (road) / .433 (home), are downright ridiculous. Even if he sticks around in San Diego, he’ll be darn good.

8. Joey Votto – CIN Reds – 25 – This is where it starts to get interesting, as Votto’s really the only youngster with a track record.  Votto’s in a great park, but he’s not quite superstar material.  Mind you, neither is fellow canuck Justin Morneau and he won an MVP.  Votto and Morneau are just plain ol’ hitters, and while Votto doesn’t quite have the raw power, he should grow into a yearly 30-HR guy.

9. Chris Davis – TEX Rangers – 23 - I really don’t know where I sit with Davis.  The experts are buying Davis’ smash-killing numbers from last year, but I can’t stop looking at that awful .23 BB:K ratio.  If Davis can get that walk rate to 10%, he’ll prove the experts right.  If you think Davis succeeds, this is where you draft him.  Otherwise, you might as well drop him to 20th overall.  I couldn’t bring myself to drop him 10 spots, so I put him here. Solid logic, right?

10. Adam Dunn – WAS Nationals – 29 - He’ll hit 40 home runs, and strike out about 30 percent of the time.  He’ll probably keep this up for at least 4 or 5 more years, and the Nats have a young and improving line-up.  If you’re in an OBP league, Dunn’s value goes up a good bit.

11. Kevin Youkilis – BOS Red Sox – 30 – Youkilis’ skill set is an interesting one to say the least. In 2008, he posted an OPS of .958, which I doubt he’ll repeat. At the same time, if he continues hitting 29 HR a year, he’ll be useful.  However, Youkilis is 30 years old, and probably had his career year in 2008.  He’ll be with the Sox for at least 4 more years, which guarantees him ’round about 100 Runs and RBI each year.  If you hate risk like the plague, Youkilis is your guy.

12. Billy Butler – KC Royals – 22 - Butler’s a professional hitter, and should develop into one hell of a hitter.  He won’t put up ridiculous power numbers and you’ll probably have to endure a couple prolonged slumps over the coming years, but it’ll be worth the wait.  The Royals should continue to improve, and Butler could bust out as soon as this year.

13. Lance Berkman – HOU Astros – 33 - Berkman is one of the better hitters at this point, and should put up top 5 or 6 first basemen numbers in 2009. He’s starting to get old though, and the speed numbers could abandon him as soon as this year.  He’ll probably decline 5 spots  in the first basemen rankings each year,  for the next 2 or 3 years.

14. James Loney – LA Dodgers – 24 – He should eventually develop into an across the board producer.

15. Matt LaPorta – CLE Indians – 24 - LaPorta’s an unique talent, and selecting him or one of the next couple guys over someone like Derrek Lee, Adam LaRoche, or Casey Kotchman is probably a wise idea.

16. Lars Anderson – BOS Red Sox – 21 - He’s in the player pool, and I’d have no problem jumping all over Baseball America’s 17th ranked prospect.  It’s too bad that Justin Smoak isn’t in the player pool too.

17. Conor Jackson – ARI Diamondbacks – 26 - Jackson’s entering his prime, and he should continue to add power while maintaining a solid .300-AVG

18.  Daric Barton – OAK Athletics – 23 - Barton’s a better hitter than he displayed last year. Barton is also better on field than he is on the stat-sheet.  If you’re in an OBP league, his value sky-rockets.  You may have to wait a couple years, but he should eventually fulfill his potential.

19. Pablo Sandoval – SF Giants – 22 – Sandoval won’t continue to tear the hide of the ball like he did in 2008, but he does have legit 20 HR power.  Sandoval doesn’t walk all that much, but he also keeps his K-Rate at a respectable 10%

20. Adam LaRoche – PIT Pirates – 29 - Lots of power, and is just starting to come into his own.  If LaRoche ever figures out how to hit before the All Star break like he does after it, he’ll be a legitimate keeper.  With lots of talent in the Pittsburgh pipeline (McCutchen, Pearce, Tabata, and Alvarez,) you’d have to expect improved R & RBI numbers as he ages.

20.5 Derrek Lee – CHI Cubs – 33 – Woopsie, I forgot Derrek Lee.  Lee’s a solid bet for another year or two of usefulness.  Counting on those stolen bases could be risky.

21. Jorge Cantu – FLA Marlins – 27 - Strikes out too much, but doesn’t everyone in Florida? With McPherson gone and Sanchez in the pipe-line, I’d expect a return to third. Unless of course you think that Emilio Bonifacio is a steady option at third.

22. Carlos Pena – TAM Rays – 30 - If he returns to the 2007 version, he’ll be a solid investment for 3 to 5 years.  If not, the 2008 version provides a solid, yet not spectacular, stop-gap at your first base spot until Smoak, Hosmer, or Alonso become draft eligible.

23. Casey Kotchman – ATL Braves – 26 - Kotchman’s the epitome of average.  Even if he develops 20-HR power, he’s nothing more than a steady presence at first base.  If you’re in a deep league and the waiver wire holds guys like Frank Catalanotto, Ross Gload and Darin Erstad — Kotchman is definitely worth a keeper spot.

24. Kendry Morales – LA Angels – 25 - Morales has more potential than Kotchman, but a skimpy track record.  He’s also been tagged fat and lazy, which isn’t good unless you’re hitting 50-HR. Morales tore up AAA last year, and a 25-HR season wouldn’t surprise me.

25. Gaby Sanchez – FLA Marlins – 25 – Optioned to AAA, but should be back up at some point this year.

26. Kyle Blanks – SD Padres – 22 – Great talent.  Baseball America has this 270 pounder as their 50th best prospect.  If you’re in a deep league, he’s worth the risk.  Not sure where he plays, though.

27. Mike Jacobs – KC Royals – 28 – Not sure why the Royals brought Jacobs in with Kila Ka’aihue waiting in the wings.  Why did they bring Jacobs in?  Anyone?  He’ll hit home-runs but he strikes out a shit-tonne.

It’s time to lump some players together. Here are a few guys that really aren’t keepers, and you’ll only get a year or two out of them; realistically they’re just roster fillers. Konerko’s the youngest of the bunch, but he’ll also probably retire at the youngest age.

28a) Carlos Delgado – NY Mets – 36

28b) Todd Helton – COL Rockies – 35

28c) Jason Giambi – OAK Athletics – 38

28d) Paul Konerko – CHI White Sox – 33

29. Ryan Garko – CLE Indians – 28 - Starting to get crowded in Cleveland.

30. Travis Ishikawa – SF Giants – 25 – Should be a serviceable starter for at least a few years.

31. Hank Blalock – TEX Rangers – 28 - I feel more comfortable predicting a resurgence in a 1 year league.

32. Nick Johnson – WAS Nationals – 30 - I’m willing to bet that Johnson stays healthy this year, but not consecutive years.

33. Chad Tracy – ARI Diamondbacks – 28 - Could have a solid year in 2009, assuming Eric Byrnes doesn’t indirectly steal his job.

34. Joe Koshansky – TEX Rangers – 26 - Out from Todd Helton’s Shadow.  Who knows what he can do if he’s ever given a chance.

I think it’s fairly clear to see how you should readjust your rankings if you’re not in a deep league.  There’s a good amount of roster-filler at the first base position, so taking a risk on the young guns is definitely worth it.

There a couple more heavy hitting first basemen in the Minors, but with LaPorta, Butler, Barton, Sandoval, Lars Anderson and Chris Davis around — I’d grab one this year.

ESPN 2009 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Examining First Basemen.

As I mentioned earlier, ESPN released their NEW AND IMPROVED fantasy baseball rankings for 2009 a couple days ago.  I’m not sure how improved they are, but they’re definitely new.

Let’s take a look at the first base rankings, and there are some notable exceptions:

POS	OVR	Name	Team	Position(s)	Mixed $	AL/NL $	MOV
1	2	Albert Pujols	STL	1B	36	37
Here we have the no-brainer to end all no-brainers. I can’t see him posting another season with such a ridiculous BA though. Still worth every penny of the 35-40 Dollars you spend on him, though.
2	7	Miguel Cabrera	DET	1B	31	29
Cabrera or Texiera? Who’s the better deal? Whoever falls further, or costs less. Other than that, it’s a toss up.
3	10	Mark Teixeira	NYY	1B	29	27
Texiera’s RUN and RBI totals should be off the charts but his real value comes from his defense. New York Pitchers will be thanking him.
4	13	Lance Berkman	HOU	1B	28	28	down
There will be a decline from last years numbers, the question is “how much?”. The steals just seem to linger, and it’s getting to the point where you can count on Berkman to snag more than his fair share of bags. I think Howard surpasses him.
5	19	Ryan Howard	PHI	1B	24	26	up
Howard is a beast, and last year’s BA was awful. There’s no way he’s that awful again, and he’ll be a steal. The strike-outs are ugly, but don’t count in fantasy. I’ve talked about punting batting average before, and in a competitive league it might make sense to do that if Howard falls into your lap.
6	22	Prince Fielder	MIL	1B	23	25
Fielder is a curious case: All the talent in the world, but hasn’t quite put it together. He’s clearly got the power, but guys ahead of him have to get on base, which is a problem in Milwaukee. There’s a good amount of boom/bust in Milwaukee this year.
7	32	Justin Morneau	MIN	1B	19	25
Morneau gets overrated due to his MVP and HR Derby win, but he’s a solid run producer. If Mauer is out, Morneau takes a huge hit – but with an improving Minny offense, it’d be wise to expect a slight increase in 2008’s numbers for Morneau.
8	39	Kevin Youkilis	BOS	3B/1B	16	23
In my books, Youk should have won MVP last year. The man was a cog, both offensively and defensively. While the scorekeepers were kind to Kevin, he is a gold-glove callibre first baseman.
9	55	Derrek Lee	CHC	1B	13	21	down
Lee’s the first pick I really disagree with. He’s getting old, has lost the speed that made him special, and is a long ways away from his golden power years. He’s still a beast when healthy, but at this point there’s a lot more value out there.
10	57	Adrian Gonzalez	SD	1B	13	21	up
Adrian Gonzalez is that value. I’d have no problem with someone ranking Gonzalez a full tier ahead of where he sits, in Youkilis territory. San Diego doesn’t have a great ballclub, nor do they have a great park but…but…but…half of his games are on the road.
11	67	Chris Davis	TEX	3B/1B	12	21	down
Davis will start incredibly hot, and I’ll get emails telling me I’m retarded for saying he’s ranked far too high but Davis is too high here. Way too high. His strike-out rate is ridiculous, and while his SLG percentage makes up for a lot of it – he’s still young and this is going to be an up and down year. If he can prove that he’s a productive high-K guy like Ryan Howard, then I’ll buy it. But for now, drop, drop, drop.
12	74	Carlos Pena	TAM	1B	11	19	up
Pena’s a steal, and while I think the Rays over-achieved last year – Pena wasn’t one of them. His 31 HR was a major decline from 2007’s 46 dingers. The batting average will never be there, but he’ll top the .247 he put up last year. Pena’s entire career has been a roller-coaster ride.
13	80	Joey Votto	CIN	1B	10	19	up
As a Canadian, I love me some Joey Votto. Votto has been having a great camp, and had an amazing stint, however brief, at the WBC. Originally down on Votto, I think he outperforms Chris Davis by a hair.
14	85	Garrett Atkins	COL	3B/1B	9	18
I’m not a huge Garrett Atkins fan, but he puts up numbers. If you’re drafting Atkins, you’re probably taking him as your third baseman, or corner infielder. He’ll put up very solid power numbers, to go along with a very solid .300 BA. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Atkins get closer to 30HR than his projected low-20’s.
15	119	Conor Jackson	ARI	1B/OF	7	17
Speaking of a power-outage at first base, here’s Conor Jackson. He’s an unconventional first baseman, in that he’ll help you in the R & AVG category rather than RBI and HR. Right now he’s set to be playing left-field, with Chad Tracy manning first but if Byrnes returns to form – Jackson will return to first.
16	138	Adam LaRoche	PIT	1B	6	16
…and now the polar opposite of Conor Jackson, Adam LaRoche. LaRoche is a notorious slow-starter, but I’m expecting bigger things this year. If he comes into camp ready to play, he’ll top 30 HR easily. He’s a pure power hitter and he’s improved his average from awful to respectable.
17	140	Carlos Delgado	NYM	1B	5	15
Carlos Delgado is old and boring, but he’ll produce. I’m not sure how many games he’ll get in, but planning for injury always comes back to bite you in the ass. If the robots say Carlos is going to hit 30HR and drive in 100 runs, who am I to argue. The batting average is always the first to go though, and maybe you should expect something in the .260-.265 range.
18	151	Pablo Sandoval	SF	1B	5	14	down
Sandoval hammered the ball last year, and like Atkins, you’ll probably be playing Pablo as your third baseman. However, he’s not a terrible option at first. His SLG percentage in limited action last year was almost .500. His BABIP was a smidgen high, so expect regression but Pablo can ball. His miniscule walk rate is concerning however. I’m not quite as high on Sandoval as some others.
19	154	James Loney	LAD	1B	4	14	up
Loney is Conor Jackson v2.0. When you look at Loney, you figure he’s gotta develop power at some point, but it’s proving to be quite the chore for James. My projection for last year was 20HR and a .300 AVG, and it’ll be the same thing this year.
20	162	Paul Konerko	CHW	1B	4	15	down
Even if Paul Konerko exceeds expectations, I’d still rather have anyone else on this list. There is reason to believe though, but I can’t bring myself to say it aloud so: http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/index.php/konerkos-not-dead-yet
21	189	Jorge Cantu	FLA	3B/1B	2	13
If nothing else, Florida will be a blast to watch. The line-up is filled with boom or bust free swingers, and Cantu definitely fits that mold. Cantu had a career year last year, and it’s unlikely he’ll repeat but…if Gaby Sanchez or Dallas McPherson fall flat on their face, Cantu will play the full sched. 29 HR is probably out of the question, but anywhere between 20 and 25 seems completely reasonable. The RBI and R numbers should be solid.
22	190	Carlos Guillen	DET	3B/1B	2	13
Another guy you’re not going to play at first, but his versatility escalates his value. Guillen’s been aging well enough, and he’ll always hit for a solid average and score runs. A healthy Carlos Guillen is a steal even if he only hits 15 HR. It’s tough to find 180 RBI + R at this point, especially when you throw in a .290+ AVG
23	261	Casey Kotchman	ATL	1B	$-	11	up
I like the Casey Kotchman, and I like him a lot. He should flourish with a full-time gig in Atlanta. Atlanta’s currently rostering a pretty boring outfield, but the kids infront of Kotchman should get on base. He wont put up crazy power numbers, but he’ll hit ‘em where they aint. Expect solid R & RBI totals. Kotchman is probably the most likely of the bunch to add 10-15 HR to his totals, and leave your opponents scratching their heads.
24	269	Mike Jacobs	KC	1B	$-	10	down
Jacobs is a bit of a downer with the talent KC has waiting in the wings for the first base job. With that said, if you’re punting batting average – Jacobs is the man. If you can tolerate a sub-.250 BA, Jacobs is the man. If you’re in a HR only league, Jacobs is the man. There’s no reason why Jacobs shouldn’t be able to eclipse the 30-HR mark.
25	274	Billy Butler	KC	1B/DH	$-	10
Big-Fat-Billy-Butler did not have a good start to the 2008 campaign. The man is still a professional hitter, and I think the Royals get on base this year. He’ll have plenty-o-chances to knock ‘em in, and score some himself. Good call here, ESPN.
26	282	Todd Helton	COL	1B	$-	9	down
This is where we have to ask ourselves the question of whether or not Todd Helton lost “it”. Everything points to Helton still being a competant .300 hitter, that just had major injury issues in 2008. Helton’s back is shot, and 20 HR looks like his ceiling. Other stats are nice though, it’s painful to take Helton but at some point, you must.
27	286	Lyle Overbay	TOR	1B	$-	9	down
As someone who watched Lyle Overbay on a daily basis, I cannot give a fair opinion on him. He’s awful, though – just incase you were curious.
28	291	Hank Blalock	TEX	3B/1B	$-	9	down
Blalock’s interesting as a third baseman, and boring as a first baseman. Davis appears to have the first base job on lock-down, and Michael Young has the third-base gig. Elvis Andrus and Omar Vizquel are by no means “sure-things” but it looks like Blalock will be manning the DH spot. From the looks of it, he’ll have to share it with David Murphy, Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton or Andruw Jones.
29	292	Casey Blake	LAD	3B/1B	$-	9
Blake’s a solid contributor in a great line-up. He does everything well, but I have him below the next two guys.
30	293	Nick Swisher	NYY	1B/OF	$-	9	up
Swisher has to find a spot to play, but once he does he’ll be unstoppable. Swisher is a high OBP guy, who strikes out a good amount. He was also one of the unluckiest gentlemen in the majors last year. Expect a better batting average, more runs scored, more runs knocked in – Sleeper Supreme.
31	296	Jason Giambi	OAK	1B/DH	$-	9	up
Giambi returns to Oakland, and Oaklands put together a fairly solid team. They may just be the best team in the West. It’ll largely depend on the maturation of their prospect-laden starting staff. Anyways, Giambi should have a full-time gig at First/DH and has show he still has stuff left in the tank. Go ahead and draft him.
32	303	Ryan Garko	CLE	1B	$-	8	up
I’m back on the fence about Garko after feeling like he’d be a sleeper-steal this year. The Indians have been playing him out in left field, and LaPorta is looking solid. Even banking on the fact that Pronk can’t stay healthy, Garko’s job is still in jeopardy with V-Mart and LaPorta breathing down his neck.
33	329	Gaby Sanchez	FLA	1B	$-	7	up
Gaby Sanchez is a sexy rookie, and I’m surprised that ESPN has him all the way down here. Mike Jacobs proved that you can score a lot of runs, and knock in even more in that Florida line-up. If Sanchez is able maintain a job, he’ll be a steal. Especially at 329th overall.
34	336	Chad Tracy	ARI	1B	$-	7	down
Not a fan of Tracy, as I tend to think Eric Byrnes’ giganto contract will force him into a starting gig.
35	385	Chris Duncan	STL	1B/OF	$-	5
Duncan is interesting as we approach 400th overall. Skip Schumaker has been making a smooth enough transition to second base, leaving an outfield spot up for grabs. Smart money was on Colby Rasmus, but if he continues to struggle the Cardinals’ outfield may just be Duncan, Ankiel, Ludwick.
36	423	Travis Ishikawa	SF	1B	$-	4
The Giants are begging Ishikawa for production, and the “kid” has impressed so far. I like him slightly less than Sanchez in a terrible Giants offense.
37	426	Nick Johnson	WAS	1B	$-	4
Johnson isn’t going to stay healthy, and most leagues don’t count OBP. In addition to this, the Nats’ first base/outfield situation is a mess. Johnson could be a steal but there’s a lot of risk here.
38	427	Ronnie Belliard	WAS	2B/3B/1B	$-	4
Belliard quietly put up a solid season last year, but I doubt he’ll find a place to play this year. Monitor him if someone goes down.
39	428	Cody Ransom	NYY	1B	$-	6	hrm
Too much depth in New York, but I guess someone has to play third base while A-Roid recovers.
40	434	Kevin Millar	TOR	1B	$-	5
The Jays could have done worse, and why Millar would be here and Overbay all the way up there boggles my mind.
41	479	Jeff Baker	COL	2B/1B	$-	2
He might snag AB once Helton goes down but for now it looks like the infield is full.
42	490	Wilson Betemit	CHW	3B/1B	$-	2
A solid safety net as Josh Fields is as untested as they come.
43	520	Daric Barton	OAK	1B	$-	2	up!
I’m not sure how ESPN got so down on this once-prized-prospect. Barton should produce well above the 2 dollar range.
44	530	Willy Aybar	TAM	3B/1B/DH	$-	1
Playing time is going to be the problem.
45	666	Chris Shelton	SEA	1B	$-	1
Seattle is bad, real bad.
46	729	Rich Aurilia	FA	1B	$-	$-
Seriously?
47	747	Michael Aubrey	CLE	1B	$-	$-
Interesting, but I’m not buying it this year.
48	782	Doug Mientkiewicz	LAD	1B	$-	$-
No Way In Hell.
49	785	John Bowker	SF	1B	$-	$-
This is why the Giants want Travis Ishikawa to succeed.
50	786	Aaron Boone	HOU	1B	$-	$-
Could provide some solid numbers if he finds a place to play.

What’s Missing?

Kendry Morales – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: I know I’m higher on Morales than others, but to completely leave him off the list seems a bit goofy. I’m parking him somewhere in the range of former Angels’ first basemen, Casey Kotchman.

Micah Hoffpauir – Chicago Cubs of Chicago: Obviously the ESPN loves the Derrek Lee, but I think Hoffpauir manages to grab himself at least a couple hundy at-bats this year.  If Lee goes down, Hoffpauir has the tools to be a nice fill-in in deep leagues.

Nick Evans – New York Mets: He’s almost certainly going to start in Triple-A (maybe double-A, if they’re cautious), but he’s been killing the ball in spring training.  As I mentioned earlier, I’m not certain that Delgado stays healthy.  Evans may get an early audition and could stick if given the chance.

The Baltimore Orioles: Who knows who ESPN has playing first base for Baltimore, but considering the guys they list as “first basemen” you’d figure they’d include Aubrey Huff? Ty Wigginton? Someone has to play first base, and whoever does should excel.  Obviously it’s going to be Huff, who has greater value as a third basemen but that didn’t stop them from listing Atkins and Sandoval.

Ryan Shealy and Kila Ka’aihue – Kansas City Royals: Both are parked behind Billy Butler and Mike Jacobs in the 1st base / DH log-jam.  Shealy’s proven to be a resiliant hitter, and Ka’aihue was one of my favourite prospects coming into the year.  The odds favour Shealy and his ability to play the outfield, but if Kila keeps mashing — he’ll find himself some AB.

Fantasy Baseball 1st Base, First Base, Rankings in 2009

The first base position in fantasy baseball 2009 is deep, deep, deep. Due to the depth of the position, a few guys are going to be listed at the position which they can contribute the most, these include: Jorge Cantu, Garrett Atkins, Jeff Baker, Chris Davis, Ronnie Belliard, Rich Aurilia, Hank Blalock, Pablo Sandoval, Chris Duncan, Aubrey Huff.

Jorge Cantu, Garrett Atkins and Chris Davis are all top 20 fantasy first basemen but they’re quite a bit more valuable in other places.  If you already have a star third baseman, there’s no harm in drafting Chris Davis at first, but you’re not getting full value.

And then there is Pablo, Pablo, Pablo Sandoval.  Everyone’s loving him as a super sleeper at third base, as that .847 OPS and almost .500 SLG is the shit fantasy dreams are made of.

Lots of names on this list, and the old forgotten veterans or post-hype sleepers are generally where the value lies.

1. Albert Pujols

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Albert Pujols	524	37	7	100	116	0.357	0.462	0.653	1.93	1.114

Yah, he’s the best. He dominates every category, and that .357 batting average spread over that many at-bats can really help your fantasy squad.  Alot of folk have him as the 1st overall player, but i’d prefer Hanley’s SB over Pujols AVG, and Power.

2. Mark Teixeira

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Mark Teixeira	574	33	2	102	121	0.308	0.41	0.552	1.04	0.962

Everyone’s going to have Teixeira too high, including myself and I can’t do anything about it. He’s got a good eye, and great power and if he’s set free, he has 45 homers in him.  It’s always difficult to judge a players psychological fortitude, and how well he’ll adapt to the big apple but I’m sure Tex will be fine.

A return to 2005 seems in order: 112 R, 144 RBI, 43HR, .300 AVG and a handful of steals.

3. Ryan Howard

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Ryan Howard	610	48	1	105	146	0.251	0.339	0.543	0.41	0.881

Howard-Smash! Ryan Howard started out 2008 as awful as you can when you have your own commercial.

.251 wont happen again, and he shouldn’t even come close to .251. While his strike out rate is …concerning? He should be fine.  Expecting a .280 season seems to make a good deal of sense.  When you combine that with the guarantee of 40-50 HR, you’ve got yourself a fantasy all-star.

While I’m not sure where he falls overall just yet, I’m putting him here based solely on his insane RBI and HR totals.

Keep an eye on the littlest of the bash brothers, Chase Utley.  Howard’s numbers are always going to be linked with Utley’s, and if Utley misses a good deal of time Howard’s numbers will suffer.

4. Miguel Cabrera

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Miguel Cabrera	616	37	1	85	127	0.292	0.349	0.537	0.44	0.887

Miguel Cabrera started out pretty damn cold last year as well. The Detroit Tigers were a huge dissapointment last year, and somethings gotta change when you spend that much money.

I’m going to chalk Cabrera’s massive regression in the batting average department up to switching leagues.  I have no statistical data at all to back this up, but it seems about right.  Players don’t lose 30 pts off their batting average for no good reason, unless they decide they’re going to aim for the fences on every go.

From Cabrera, It makes sense to expect at least a .320 average, 35 HR, 100 Runs, and 130 RBI.

5. Lance Berkman

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Lance Berkman	554	29	18	114	106	0.312	0.42	0.567	0.92	0.986

I don’t know how the hell Lance Berkman stole 18 bases last year. It’s not like it was quantity over quality, Berkman only got caught 4 times!

Without the stolen bases, Berkman’s value drops a good bit.  I’m banking on about 5-10 steals, and that’s why he’s not the number two overall first baseman.

100 Runs, 30 HR, 120 RBI, 10SB, .300 average seems about right.

6. Prince Fielder

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Prince Fielder	588	34	3	86	102	0.276	0.372	0.507	0.63	0.879

You’d assume the potential energy that Fielder stores in his gut would provide a rather tremendous bounce-back year; and you’d be right!

I’m expecting Prince to fall somewhere between his 2007 and 2008 numbers: Just watch his Line Drive percentage over the first couple months.  He lowered it 6 percent! from 2007 to 2008 and just about everything suffered because of it.

So, Halfway between 2007 and 2008 brings us to: 42 HR, 95 Runs, 110 RBI, .285 average and 2.5 steals / defensive indifferences.

7. Justin Morneau

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Justin Morneau	623	23	0	97	129	0.3	0.374	0.499	0.89	0.873

I wonder how Morneau would do if he got out of Minnesota.  He’s an  MVP contender, just about every year and contributes across the board. While no-one compares to Pujols in the BB / K category, Morneau does a good job of keeping his strike-outs down for a power hitting first baseman.

His power numbers aren’t going to be elite, but he’ll definitely improve on last year’s 23HR.

Expect: 30 HR, 95R, 120RBI, .310 AVG and maybe a stolen base or two.

8. Adrian Gonzalez

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Adrian Gonzalez	616	36	0	103	119	0.279	0.361	0.51	0.52	0.871

Gonzalez is really progressing nicely, and while the Rangers seem like genius’ for grabbing former #1 pick Josh  Hamilton; they seem like fools for letting go of Adrian Gonzalez.  You win some, you lose some — i guess.

36 Home Runs may be asking a bitch much in 2008, but you never know.  I’ll take 30 HR, 100 R, 110 RBI, and a .280 average any day.

9. Kevin Youkilis

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Kevin Youkilis	538	29	3	91	115	0.312	0.39	0.569	0.57	0.958

A lot of folk, myself included, think that Youkilis was a better MVP candidate than his teammate Pedroia.

I really don’t know if Youkilis will keep up those power numbers, but everything else should stay consistent or improve.  Youkilis is even more valuable in leagues that use OBP instead of AVG.

29 Home Runs seems right, but I can’t bring myself to say he’ll top 25. Other than that, his Runs and RBI should add up to about 210, depending on where he’s batted.  His average will remain on the right side of .300, and he’ll continue to ball out.

10. Carlos Delgado

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Carlos Delgado	598	38	1	96	115	0.271	0.353	0.518	0.58	0.871

No reason to think that Delgado doesn’t swat 30 HR, 90 R, 110 RBI, while hitting .270.

Oh wait, there is one reason — he’s getting up there in age.  He really doesn’t miss mass amounts of games though, so even if you have to deal with a DL stint or two: Delgado still brings solid value as the 10th ranked first-baseman.

11. Derrek Lee

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Derrek Lee	623	20	8	93	90	0.291	0.361	0.462	0.6	0.823

When Derrek Lee was hitting 40 HR, or stealing 20 bases — he was extremely useful. Like Berkman-type-useful.

Lee isn’t doing that anymore, but the potential is still there to improve in both of those categories. Lee stole eight bases last year, yet he still has the potential to swipe 20.  I bet he easily beats Berkman in a foot-race, and he gets a great jump.

I’m cautiously optimistic with Lee, because if he doesn’t improve you’ve wasted a fairly high draft-pick on him.

His  numbers should be similar to last year 90R, 90RBI, 20-25HR, a nice BA, and about 10 steals but the potential for him to go for 30HR, and 15-20 Steals makes him very intriguing.

12. Joey Votto

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Joey Votto	526	24	7	69	84	0.297	0.368	0.506	0.58	0.874

Votto is Canadian, and I like Canadians.  I was certain that Dusty Baker would ruin Votto, and turn him into a shell of his former-prospect self.

Now, as we all know, rookies either get better or go through a sophomore slump.  Playing in the bandbox that is the Great American Ballpark, should help Votto improve.

Maybe Votto goes out and hits 28HR, 80 R, 100RBI, 10SB, and hits .280.

That’ll make his owners happy enough.

13. Carlos Pena

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Carlos Pena	490	31	1	76	102	0.247	0.377	0.494	0.58	0.871

I’m not sure what you’ll get from Carlos Pena this year, but anyone who can knock in 102 R in only 490AB requires a second look.

Pena was once  a Tiger’s prized prospect that never seemed to pan out, and then upon his arrival in Tampa, he brought the awesome.

Carlos Pena probably wont  top 40 HR again, but 30 is reachable along with  100RBI.  Just depends if he plays or not — he can also steal 10 bases, if he’s allowed to run.  Ten SB might be optimistic, so lets go with 30HR, 80 R, 90RBI, .265 AVG, and 6 SB.

14. James Loney

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
James Loney	595	13	7	66	90	0.289	0.338	0.434	0.53	0.772

I love me some James Loney.  I figured he’d break out last year, and I got screwed. If James Loney can follow Derrek Lee’s career path, he should be good.

Until Loney develops power, he’s going  to be average. I figure this is the year that he develops enough power to become a legitimate threat to opposing teams. Every prediction system known to man has Loney hitting 13-14 HR.  I have Loney hitting 22HR

Dont ask why, but it’s Loney time: 22HR, 100RBI, 75R, .290 AVG, 6-10HR.

He’s a super-sleeper! He should out-preform his dollar-value by at least 5 bucks.

15. Conor Jackson

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Conor Jackson	540	12	10	87	75	0.3	0.376	0.446	0.97	0.823

Another light-hitting contact hitter in a position that almost demands 25 HR. Conor Jackson’s eye alone, should keep him relevant in the fantasy community.

The Runs and RBI keep him at least somewhat roster-able as a first baseman, but there’s plenty of other places to get 12HR, and 10SB.

I’m almost as high on Jackson as I am on Loney, so I’ll go with 18HR, and 10SB and the rest of the stats are pretty much set in stone unless he can score himself more than 600 Plate Appearances. In which case, his stats will go up as you’d expect them too.

16. Casey Kotchman

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Casey Kotchman	525	14	2	65	74	0.272	0.328	0.41	0.92	0.738

I’m making a bad habit of putting these light-hitting first-basemen over some guarenteed heavy hitters.

These guys will all grow into their power, and Kotchman should continue to improve upon last years numbers.

Expect 20+ homers on a shiny-brand-new-braves-team.

17. Ryan Garko

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Ryan Garko	495	14	0	61	90	0.273	0.346	0.404	0.52	0.75

Everyone was high on Garko last year, and he disappointed just about everyone. Last year was just a mistake, and he’ll improve on the 21 HR he hit in 2007.

25 Home Runs is a very very reasonable expectation.  Garko’s another sleeper for me, and in that Indians’ offense — he should produce.

18. Mike Jacobs

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Mike Jacobs	477	32	1	67	93	0.247	0.299	0.514	0.3	0.812

Jacobs can smash it.  If you’re so inclined, go ahead and move the newly branded KC Royal up above those light-hitting average guys.

Jacobs’ numbers are hard to predict with the move, but his power numbers should hover around that 30 mark.  Jacobs has got a boat-load of pure power, but he tends to miss the ball quite a bit when he’s aiming for those fences.

19. Jason Giambi

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Jason Giambi	458	32	2	68	96	0.247	0.373	0.502	0.68	0.876

Rebirth. Sweet Sweet Rebirth. I’ve always admired Giambi for admitting his mistakes, and the Yankees definitely knew he was juicing when they signed him to that mega-deal.

Unfortunately, crap happens.  There’s a lot of risk associated with Giambi and his pimple-ridden steroid back — but he could also go for 30 dingers  and  90 RBI.

20. Billy Butler

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Billy Butler	443	11	0	44	55	0.275	0.324	0.4	0.58	0.724

Big-Fat-Billy-Butler. He can hit, and he has hit in every level except the major league level.  You may think .275 is fine for a first baseman, but Butler’s value is going  to come based on the number of points he hits above 300.

He’s primed for a decent year, but there’s going to be more than a few bumps.  Get on him while he’s hot, and enjoy the ride while it lasts.

21. Todd Helton

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Todd Helton	299	7	0	39	29	0.264	0.391	0.388	1.22	0.779

I suppose Helton was primed for an injury plagued season sooner or later, considering he’d played 140 games each and every year since that eventful day his father forgot to pull-out.

He’s not the guy that hit 30 Homers, and knocked in 120 anymore. But there’s still value in a guy that can hit 20+ HR, and carry a 300 average.

There’s great value here, and it’s probably worth the risk.  I’ll keep bouncing Helton up this board as it gets closer and closer to opening day.  Let’s just make sure he’s healthy by opening day, before we go and do that though.

22. Paul Konerko

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Paul Konerko	438	22	2	59	62	0.24	0.344	0.438	0.81	0.783

We’re getting into the junk-pile here.  Konerko is like Helton, but without the average.  Sure he’s got the potential to hit 20-25HR, but the average will kill you.

23. Adam LaRoche

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Adam LaRoche	492	25	1	66	85	0.27	0.341	0.5	0.44	0.841

LaRoche has solid big-league power, but he’s yet to harness it — quite yet.  LaRoche, like Helton, will start moving up this draft board as I start convincing myself that he can maintain his offensive output.

A couple of years ago LaRoche looked like the next big thing, hitting 30 HR and essentially 90 R and 90RBI while hitting .285.

He’s about this far (  ) from repeating a season like that.  Obviously the R and RBI may be harder to come by in Pittsburgh, but he’s primed for a solid year.  Actually, i’ve decided to bounce him up — I’m just too lazy to do it now.

24. Nick Swisher

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Nick Swisher	497	24	3	86	69	0.219	0.332	0.41	0.61	0.743

Swisher moves way up if you’re in a OBP over AVG league.  With that said, he needs to swing the damn bat.  He’s not that far removed from being a 20HR, 80RBI, 80R, 260AVG guy.

He should bounce back, if he’s given opportunity.  Right now, the Yankee’s outfield looks like a mess and I’m not sure how the depth chart will shape up.  If he plays, he contributes.

He gets on base, and he’ll score a boatload of runs but with the resigning of Melky Cabrera, he may be on the way out.  Just keep an eye on the Yankees roster, and adjust your Swisher Ranking accordingly.

If Swisher gets an everyday gig, he’s amazing value as I’m sure he’ll be closer to .275 than the .220 he put up last year.

25. Daric Barton

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Daric Barton	446	9	2	59	47	0.226	0.327	0.348	0.66	0.674

talent’s there.

26. Nick Johnson

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Nick Johnson	109	5	0	15	20	0.22	0.415	0.431	1.32	0.846

It’s here too, unfortunately Nick Johnson should have been Bruce’s Willis’ nemesis in “Unbreakable”.

27. Hank Blalock

2008 stats	AB	HR	SB	R	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB/K	OPS
Hank Blalock	258	12	1	37	38	0.287	0.338	0.508	0.48	0.846

And to think there was a time when Blalock was just the prospect that Teixiera was…and to think.

Anyways, Blalock is here because I personally hate the man.  He’ll be moved up to 20th or so, as he can still swat.

25 Home Runs, here we come.