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2012 Fantasy Baseball Designated Hitter Rankings

26 March 2012

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Here are the 2012 Lester’s Legends fantasy baseball designated hitter rankings.
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1. David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox: Big Papi returned to form posting a .309-84-29-96-1 line. With a power-packed lineup, Papi should continue to produce.
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2. Michael Young, Texas Rangers: His power dipped to 11 HRs last year, but he hit .338 with 106 RBI. The nice thing about Young is his eligibility at first base, third base, and potentially second base gives you more flexibility than a standard DH.
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3. Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals: He played just 11 games at first base last year so you likely won’t have that positional flexibility. Coming off a rock solid .291-74-19-95-2 season and turning 26 in April make him a solid candidate once again.
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4. Delmon Young, Detroit Tigers: He has outfield eligibility and will spend some time there, but he’ll also spend time as the Tigers’ designated hitter. He was much better following the move to Detroit last year and should continue to produce.
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5. Jesus Montero, Seattle Mariners: If he can gain catcher eligibility his value will soar. Regardless if he does so or not, he should still be a valuable commodity at the plate.
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6. Raul Ibanez, New York Yankees: He will turn 40 this summer so there is some concern, but he has power and is well-suited for Yankee Stadium.
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7. Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays: He has the power (38 HRs over the past two years) and if he can keep his average around .270 again he will be a solid fantasy option. Having first and third base eligibility helps.
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8. Adam Dunn, Chicago White Sox: His first year with the White Sox couldn’t have gone much worse. He hit .159 last year. He has first base eligibility going for him, but when you hit that poorly there is some serious cause for concern. If he can bounce back he’ll be a decent discount. If not, at least he won’t come at as high of an asking price.
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9. Travis Hafner, Cleveland Indians: He can deliver when healthy (13 HRs in 94 games), but that seems to be an issue with Pronk.
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10. Luke Scott, Tampa Bay Rays: He was limited to 64 games last year, but has power when healthy.
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11. Kendrys Morales, Los Angeles Angels: Speaking of injury risk, Morales hasn’t played since 2010. He was tearing it up at the time of his injury. Use caution with him though.
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2012 Fantasy Baseball NL-Only Closer Rankings

25 March 2012

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Here’s the 2012 LestersLegends Closer Rankings for NL-Only Leagues.
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1. Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves: Recorded 46 saves last year with a 2.10 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and an absurd 127 strikeouts in 77 innings. With a top-notch pitching staff, he should see plenty of save opportunities once again.
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2. John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers: The Brew Crew will miss Prince Fielder, but they still have a rock solid rotation. Axford picked up 46 saves with a 1.95 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 86 Ks in 73-2/3 innings. He more than proved that 2010 wasn’t a fluke.
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3. Jonathan Papelbon, Philadelphia Phillies: Talk about having a good starting rotation to pitch behind. Papelbon saved 31 games last year with a 2.94 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 87 Ks in 64-1/3 innings. His only issue is that his starters often finish their games.
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4. Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants: Wilson’s health had a lot to with his struggles last year. Still he managed 36 saves with a 3.11 ERA, a 1.47 WHIP, and 54 Ks in 55.0 innings. I expect much more this year.
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5. Heath Bell, Miami Marlins: I don’t love the fact that he is no longer in PETCO, but Bell is still a top tier closer. He had 43 saves last year with a 2.44 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and 51 Ks in 62-2/3 innings.
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6. Drew Storen, Washington Nationals: Certainly met his lofty expectations with 43 saves, a 2.75 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 74 Ks in 75-1/3 innings.
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7. J.J. Putz, Arizona Diamondbacks: Putz has a solid pitching staff to finish up for. Plus he had 45 saves, a 2.17 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and 61 Ks in 58.0 innings.
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8. Huston Street, San Diego Padres: Speaking of oft-injured, Street also fits that bill. Escaping from Colorado to San Diego is about as dramatic an improvements as you can make. Plus, he stays within the division.
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9. Joel Hanrahan, Pittsburgh Pirates: Collected 40 saves last year to go along with a 1.83 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and 61 Ks in 68-2/3 IP.
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10. Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs: Picked up 34 saves and racked up 99 Ks in 74.0 IP, but his ERA was at 4.01 and his WHIP at 1.38.
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11. Jason Motte, St. Louis Cardinals: Finally solidified the Cardinals’ ninth-inning duties with nine saves, a 2.25 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and 63 Ks in 68 innings.
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12. Rafael Betancourt, Colorado Rockies: He was a tale of two seasons. Before the All-Star Break he posted a 4.84 ERA in 35-1/3 innings. After the break he gave up just one earned run (0.33 ERA) in 27.0 innings. He’s somewhere in between.
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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB | Tagged: 2012 closer rankings, Closer rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB, NL Only rankings |

2012 Fantasy Baseball AL-Only Closer Rankings

24 March 2012

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Here’s the 2012 LestersLegends Closer Rankings for AL-Only Leagues.
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1. Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees: I admittedly ranked Mo way too low last year. I figured Rafael Soriano’s presence would lead to less work. Until Mo hangs it up, he’s an elite option. Last year he had 44 saves, a 1.44 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and 60 Ks in 61-1/3 innings. With a better rotation he should easily be able to cruise to another banner year.
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2. Andrew Bailey, Boston Red Sox: Makes the move to Boston coming off a 24 save, 3.24 ERA, 1.10 ERA, and 41 Ks (41-2/3 IP) season. He has the ability, but is oft-injured.
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3. Jordan Walden, Los Angeles Angels: Walden ran with his opportunity last year picking up 32 saves with a 2.98 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 67 Ks in 60-1/3 innings. He has a great rotation in front of him.
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4. Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers: Saved all 49 of his attempts last year with a 2.24 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and 69 Ks in 72-1/3 innings. I can’t imagine that he can repeat that kind of success.
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5. Joe Nathan, Texas Rangers: Nathan has a new home as well, and it’s tougher on pitcher’s, but he has a solid staff in front of him, a great offense behind him, and an excellent track record.
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6. Sergio Santos, Toronto Blue Jays: Saved 30 games last year for the White Sox with a 3.55 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 92 Ks in 63-1/3 innings. Francisco Cordero is there is Santos struggles, which is a bit of a concern.
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7. Brandon League, Seattle Mariners: Delivered with 37 saves, a 2.79 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 45 Ks in 61-1/3 IP.
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8. Chris Perez, Cleveland Indians: Saved 36 games last year with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 39 Ks in 59-2/3 innings. The strikeout rates scares me.
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9. Kyle Farnsworth, Tampa Bay Rays: He was brilliant last year despite on 25 saves, thanks to his sparkling 2.18 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 51 Ks in 57-2/3 IP. Given his history and his age (36 in April), he makes me a little nervous of serious regression.
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10. Matt Capps, Minnesota Twins: Capps saved 15 last year, but blew nine save opportunities. Not exactly a comforting feeling.
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11. Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles: He was solid last year with nine saves, a 2.67 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 58 Ks in 91.0 IP. Matt Lindstrom’s presence concerns me.
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12. Grant Balfour, Oakland A’s: He’s the favorite to close for Oakland, though he doesn’t have much experience in that role. He was rock solid last year (2.47 ERA, 1.03 WHIP), but closing is a different animal.
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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB | Tagged: 2012 closer rankings, AL Only rankings, Closer rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB |

2012 Fantasy Baseball NL-Only Starting Pitcher Rankings

23 March 2012

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Here’s the 2012 LestersLegends Starting Pitcher Rankings for NL-Only Leagues.
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1. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies: Going 19-6 with a 2.35 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 220 Ks is nothing to sneeze at.
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2. Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies: Did not disappoint in his return to Philly going 17-8 with a 2.40 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 238 Ks.
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3. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers: Coming off a brilliant 21-5, 2.28 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 248 Ks season that resembled Verlander’s gem.
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4. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants: He had a sub-.500 winning percentage, but hard to argue with his 2.74 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 220 Ks. Look for him to bounce back.
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5. Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies: Easy to undervalue him because of Halladay and Lee, but his 14-9, 2.79 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 194 Ks were plain nasty.
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6. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals: The Nationals will be cautious, but Strasburg is nearly unhittable.
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7. Yovani Gallardo, Milwaukee Brewers: Nasty stuff led to a 17-10, 3.52 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 207 Ks season.
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8. Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants: Once again struggled to pick up wins (12) despite a 2.88 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 179 Ks. It’s a crime he can’t get better offensive support.
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9. Zack Greinke, Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers will find it tougher to score runs without Prince Fielder. If Greinke can avoid the early season ineffectiveness that led to a 5.45 pre-All-Star Game ERA, he should be a force.
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10. Ian Kennedy, Arizona Diamondbacks: Quietly produced a 21-4, 2.88 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 198 Ks season.
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11. Josh Johnson, Miami Marlins: You know what he can do when he’s healthy. That is the big question mark though.
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12. Mat Latos, Cincinnati Reds: His new park is a far cry from PETCO, but when healthy Latos can get the job done just about anywhere.
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13. Tommy Hanson, Atlanta Braves: Limited to 22 starts last year, but produced a solid 11-7, 3.60 ERA, 1.17 ERA, 142 Ks season.
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14. Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants: Vogelson was the surprise last year, but Bumgarner has the potential. Finished 13-13 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 191 Ks. Posted a 2.52 ERA after the All-Star Break.
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15. Daniel Hudson, Arizona Diamondbacks: He turned in an impressive 16-12, 3.49 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 169 K season. He’ll turn just 25 next week. Definitely reason to believe he can build on his success.
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16. Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals: It may take him some time to round into form, but he should still be one of the game’s elite pitchers.
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17. Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals: His age makes him a risk, but he continually turns in solid performances.
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18. Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds: He was brilliant (9-5, 2.31, 1.09, 104) in 24 starts. He has improved every year, but I expect he’ll be closer to his 2010 numbers (3.64, 1.28).
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19. Brandon Beachy, Atlanta Braves: He was better than his final numbers indicate (7-3, 3.68, 1.21, 169).
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20. Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals: He (16-12, 3.12, 1.32, 197 Ks), who forms a nice trio with Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann.
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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB | Tagged: 2012 SP rankings, 2012 starting pitcher rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB, NL Only rankings, SP rankings, Starting Pitcher rankings |

2012 Fantasy Baseball AL-Only Starting Pitcher Rankings

22 March 2012

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Here’s the 2012 LestersLegends Starting Pitcher Rankings for AL-Only Leagues.
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1. Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers: Coming off one of the finest seasons a pitcher has ever thrown. 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and 250 Ks. He was unhittable.
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2. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners: Unfortunately the wins could be hard to come by, but expect his ERA (3.47) and WHIP (1.22) to come down and his strikeouts (222) to go up.
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3. C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees: Turned in a typically solid 19-8, 3.00 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 230 Ks season.
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4. Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels: Could see his wins increase, which would be impressive considering the 18-8, 2.41 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 198 Ks he produced last year.
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5. Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox: I expect the Red Sox to be a much more disciplined team. Lester should be better than the 15-9, 3.47 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 182 Ks he produced last year.
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6. Dan Haren, Los Angeles Angels: Haren and Weaver form a nasty 1-2 punch. His 16-10, 3.17 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 192 Ks can be bettered.
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7. David Price, Tampa Bay Rays: Anchors perhaps the deepest rotation in the league. He was only 12-13, but he still posted solid peripherals (3.49 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 218 Ks) so a bounce back should be in order.
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8. James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays: Returned to form with a 16-12, 2.82 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 225 Ks season.
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9. Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays: He could see his innings monitored down the stretch, but he has no fear and very few peers at his age.
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10. C.J. Wilson, Los Angeles Angels: Escapes Texas where he put up a 16-7, 2.94 ERA, 1.19 ERA, 206 Ks season. His road ERA last year was 2.31.
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11. Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox: Health is a concern, but he made 30 starts last year and was highly effective (13-7, 2.89 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 175 Ks).
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12. Ricky Romero, Toronto Blue Jays: He continues to improve. Last year he set career highs in wins (15), ERA (2.92), WHIP (1.14), and strikeouts (178). I’m not sure he can post another sub-3.00 ERA, but he’s definitely a solid third fantasy starting pitcher.
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13. Micael Pineda, New York Yankees: I don’t love his move to the Yankees, at least for his peripherals (3.74 ERA, 1.10 WHIP), but his win total (nine) should increase.
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14. Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers: He comes in with a ton of anticipation and excitement. He was nearly unhittable in Japan. There is little reason to believe he won’t be sensational over here.
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15. Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays: It’s easy to overlook Hellickson considering he’s in the same staff with David Price, James Shields, and Matt Moore. Try not to overlook the 13-10, 2.95, 1.15, 117 season he posted.
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16. Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers: Verlander was insane, but Scherzer (15-9, 4.43, 1.35, 174) also turned in a solid year for the Tigers.
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17. Ubaldo Jimenez, Cleveland Indians: He actually pitched worse when he was dealt by Colorado. He’s too good not to bounce back.
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18. Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels: He easily (11-12, 3.38, 1.22, 178) is one of the game’s best number four starters
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19. Doug Fister, Detroit Tigers: He won’t be as good as he was after coming over to Detroit (8-1, 1.79, 0.84), but he should be a decent option.
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20. Brandon Morrow, Toronto Blue Jays: He can rack up the strikeouts (207 Ks), but he is an ERA threat.
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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB | Tagged: 2012 SP rankings, 2012 starting pitcher rankings, AL Only rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB, SP rankings, Starting Pitcher rankings |

2012 Fantasy Baseball NL-Only Outfielder Rankings

21 March 2012

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Here’s the 2012 LestersLegends Outfielder Rankings for NL-Only Leagues.
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1. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers: Matt Kemp was one home run shy of reaching the 40-40 club. Throw in 115 runs, 126 RBI, and a .324 batting average (.986 OPS) and you have the most complete fantasy outfielder in baseball.
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2. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers: Assuming that his production won’t dip following his failed test and overturned suspension, he’s a fantasy monster.
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3. Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies: CarGo was a disappointment, but he still managed a .295-92-26-92-20 campaign despite missing 35 games.
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4. Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks: Hard to argue with a .289-105-31-88-21 line, especially from a 24-year old.
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5. Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins: Slugged 34 HRs last year, and the addition of Jose Reyes should provide more RBI opportunities. He could easily lead the league in HRs and RBI.
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6. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates: Had a rough season (.259 average) by his standards, but he saw his power jump to 23 HRs. He should be a solid contributor in all five categories.
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7. Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds: The power is definitely there. He slugged 34 HRs last year with 97 RBI. He already has 100 career home runs and he’ll turn just 25 in April.
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8. Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals: Albert Pujols is going to be missed. How could he not be? Still, Holliday is coming off a .296-83-22-75-2 line in 124 games. At 32 he’s not quite ready to lose OF1 status.
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9. Hunter Pence, Philadelphia Phillies: Nothing wrong with a .314-84-22-97-8 line. He was even better for the Phillies posting a .324 average and .954 OPS.
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10. Michael Bourn, Atlanta Braves: I don’t like overpaying for steals, but Bourn gets you so many. He has averaged 58 SBs over the past three seasons. He should post a decent average and approach 100 runs.
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11. Michael Morse, Washington Nationals: He followed up a strong 2010 second half with a .305-73-31-95-2 line. I’m a believer.
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12. Corey Hart, Milwaukee Brewers: Hart has averaged 28.5 HRs over the past two seasons, and has hit 20 or more in four of the past five. He’ll also steal you a few bases.
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13. Andre Ethier, Los Angeles Dodgers: Ethier was a shell of himself last year with 11 HRs. He combined for 74 HRs his previous three seasons though. Health is an issue as Ethier has missed 50 games over the past two seasons.
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14. Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies: Fresh off a .279-95-17-61-19 season, you know what you’re getting from Victorino. A solid run total, decent HRs, and nice SBs. It’s a bonus if he can get his average back around .290.
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15. Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves: Heyward had a tough year (.227-50-14-42-9). I feel he’s too good not to bounce back.
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16. Drew Stubbs, Cincinnati Reds: He’s a power/speed combo guy, but his 40 SBs were more impressive than his 15 HRs.
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17. Cameron Maybin, San Diego Padres: Swiped 40 bases last year. He will turn 25 this year so he likely just scratched the surface.
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18. Jayson Werth, Washington Nationals: Werth missed playing at Citizens Bank Park. He still managed 20 HRs and has the potential for more.
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19. Michael Cuddyer, Colorado Rockies: Cuddy hit 20 last year for Minnesota, a number that could increase in Colorado.
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20. Carlos Beltran, St. Louis Cardinals: After injuries cut short his 2009 and 2010 seasons, Beltran rebounded with 22 HRs.
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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB | Tagged: 2012 OF rankings, 2012 outfielder rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB, NL Only rankings, OF rankings, Outfielder rankings |

2012 Fantasy Baseball AL-Only Outfielder Rankings

20 March 2012

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Here’s the 2012 LestersLegends Oufielder Rankings for AL-Only Leagues.
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1. Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays: Bautista followed up his 54 HR campaign with another 43 long balls. Just as impressive was his batting average improvement to .302 (1.055 OPS).
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2. Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees: I was high on Granderson last year and he delivered to the tune of a .262-136-41-119-25 season. If he could improve the average he could challenge for the top spot in AL-Only leagues.
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3. Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox: I’d say you were lying if you said you saw the power coming. Ellsbury slugged 32 HRs. With a .321 average, 119 runs, 105 RBI, and 39 SBs he was easily one of the most complete outfielders last year. He’s just 28 so there is no reason to think he’ll fall off.
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4. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers: Let’s go with a little risk/reward play. Hamilton can flat out rake. He could be the top option if you didn’t have to worry about injury or his addictions.
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5. Carl Crawford, Boston Red Sox: Crawford crashed and burned in Boston, and could miss the start of the season. I feel he is too talented not to bounce back though.
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6. Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals: After four mostly disappointing seasons Gordon finally figured things out. He posted a .303-101-23-87-17 line. With his pedigree, he should be able to build on his success.
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7. Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles: Jones does a bit of everything, as evidenced by his .280-68-25-83-12 line. Assuming he can get his run total back around 80 he should be a solid number one AL-Only fantasy outfielder.
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8. Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays: Zobrist is nice because you can also use him at second base. Aside from his average, his .269-99-20-91-19 line is rock solid.
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9. Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers: Cruz can mash (84 HRs over the past three years), but can he stay healthy (130 missed games over the same span)?
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10. B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays: He continues to struggle with his average (.241, .237, .243 over past three years), but he has 52 HRs and 120 SBs over the span.
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11. Shin-Cho Choo, Cleveland Indians: Choo was limited to 85 games last year, but he has been a solid across the board contributor the past 2.5 years.
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12. Desmond Jennings, Tampa Bay Rays: In 63 games he hit 10 HRs and stole 20 bases. His upside is off the charts.
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13. Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners: Moving to third in the lineup will likely mean less stolen bases, but he could still steal 25+. You know the average will be there. The runs could decrease, but he’ll have the opportunity to drive in more runs.
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14. Nick Swisher, New York Yankees: Swisher has averaged 26.1 HRs over the past seven seasons.
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15. Brett Gardner, New York Yankees: He has averaged 48 stolen bases over the past two seasons.
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16. Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland A’s: I know he is a bit of the unknown, and not playing in a potent offense, but the power potential is huge.
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17. Vernon Wells,, Los Angeles Angels: Wells has combined for 56 HRs over the past two years. The Angels could move him, but he should be productive wherever he ends up.
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18. Josh Willingham, Minnesota Twins: Smacked 29 HRs last year and has averaged 21.8 long balls over the past six seasons. Coming to Minnesota could sap his power, but he still should approach twenty or more.
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19. Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles: He does a bit of everything, he just doesn’t excel in any category.
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20. Torii Hunter, Los Angeles Angels: Hunter has averaged 24.3 HRs over the past 11 years.
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