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Not unlike Derek Jeter and A-Rod (on a smaller scale) joining forces, the Miami Marlins have two of the elite shortstops. Here are the Lester’s Legends 2012 fantasy baseball Shortstop rankings.
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1. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies: My top-ranked shortstop last year holds onto the top spot thanks to a .302-81-30-105-9 line. I’d like to see 100 runs, but given his other numbers it’s hard to complain.
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2. Hanley Ramirez, Miami Marlins: It was a lost year of sorts for Han-Ram with his meager .243-55-10-45-20 line. I expect him to bounce back, especially with Jose Reyes joining the lineup. Plus, he’s moving to third base, which enhances his value.
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3. Jose Reyes, Miami Marlins: Was he a contract year wonder? Hard to say. It’s also hard to argue with the .337-101-7-44-39 line he posted.
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4. Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs: He’s turn just 22 next month. He has already posted two .300 seasons. His run total jumped dramatically to 91 and he provided a solid amount of RBI (66) and SBs (22). He has arrived.
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5. Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians: Defininitely the biggest surprise of the position. He smacked 25 HRs after totaling 18 in his first 387 games. Regression is a possibility, but I wouldn’t bet against him.
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6. Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies: Can he stay healthy again? That is a concern at 33, but he was just one of two players (Cabrera) with 15+ HRs and 15+ SBs.
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7. Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers: If he could get his average close to .300 he’d likely move into the top five discussion. You know he’s going to score runs in Texas’ offense. He could easily lead the position in stolen bases.
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8. Erick Aybar, Los Angeles Angels: Posted a solid .279-71-10-59-30 line. Albert Pujols’ presence should help.
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9. Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox: Ramirez doesn’t dominate any category, but he typically gives you solid numbers across the board. I expect his batting average and stolen base total to increase.
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10. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees: Jeter pressed en route to 3000 hits. He killed it in the second half though posting a .327 average and a .811 OPS.
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11. J.J. Hardy, Baltimore Orioles: Led all shortstops with 30 HRs. He combined for 50 in 2007 and 2008 so it’s not a fluke. He flopped in 2009 and 2010 and hasn’t played 130 games since 2008 so he is a slight risk.
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12. Dee Gordon, Los Angeles Dodgers: Swiped 24 bases in 56 games. He should also be in the running for most SBs at the position.
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13. Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers: Has averaged 18.3 HRs and 79.6 RBI over the past seven years.
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14. Emilio Bonifacio, Miami Marlins: Stole 40 bases last year. Has eligibility at SS, 3B, and OF. He didn’t do much besides steal though.
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15. Yunel Escobar, Toronto Blue Jays: Career .289 hitter so he’ll help in that category. He can also give you OK run, HR, and RBI numbers.
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Also check out:

• 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Rankings
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Options

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Cleveland Indian Third Baseman Lonnie Chisenhall had a modest .255-27-7-22-1 line in his 66-game debut. He didn’t blow you away, but remember that Chisenhall turned just 23 as the season came to a close. Obviously at that age there is plenty of room for improvement.
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He is locked in along with second baseman Jason Kipnis and catcher Carlos Santana as Cleveland goes with a youth movement.
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Chisenhall’s overall numbers weren’t great, but he did finish strong. After hitting .238 in 126 at bats from June-August, Lonnie hit .279 in 86 September at bats. He hit four home runs in September (21.5 HR/AB) and three prior (42.0 AB/HR). While you would like to see more at bats per strikeout than the 5.05 he averaged in September, it was more than a full at bat per strikeout better than June-August.
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Chisenhall didn’t exactly tear it up in the minors hitting .262 at the Double-A level and .267 for Triple-A Columbus. That said, he continued to move up the ranks to make it to the show at 22. The fact that he wasn’t overwhelmed with the jump is encouraging.
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The fact that he held his own against left-handed pitching also serves him well. He actually hit lefties (.260, .888 OPS) much better than righties (.253, .640).
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Chisenhall should not be thought of as your fantasy starter, even at a shallow position like third base. I wouldn’t even want him as my corner infielder either. Not with the bevy of first basemen available. You won’t have to either. With a Mock Draft Central ADP of 366, that would be the 31st round, which is more than most leagues have.
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Chisenhall is a guy to keep an eye on if he starts the season of the way he finished last year. He can also help out if your third baseman goes down with an injury.
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Also check out:

• 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Rankings
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Options

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We already looked at the LestersLegends’ top 15 fantasy baseball third basemen for 2012, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t additional options if you choose to wait on filling your third base slot to address other positions. Alternatively, many leagues offer corner infield slots, which put these options on your radar.
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David Freese was a monster during the postseason for the Cardinals, setting the record with 21 RBI. He wasn’t too shabby during the regular season either, posting a .297-41-10-55-1 line in 333 at bats. He’ll need to step up his game with Albert Pujols moving on.
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Atlanta’s Chipper Jones just keeps going. He will turn 40 in April, but is still productive. In 126 games Jones posted a solid .275-56-18-70-2 line. You have to be prepared that Chipper will miss some time, but he could give you some pop from the hot corner slot.
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Toronto’s Edwin Encarnacion will be used primarily at designated hitter, but will also get some time at both corner infield positions. He too can provide home runs, though he doesn’t tend to drive many runs in. He hit .272 last year, but regression in that category is likely for the career .260 hitter.
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Ty Wiggington will get his work at first base for the Phillies early on until Ryan Howard returns from injury. He will likely see time at third base and in the outfield as well. He doesn’t do much for average, but he should be able to provide some HRs and RBI.
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Minnesota’s Danny Valencia regressed from his 85-game debut in 2010 to post a .246-63-15-72-2 line. There is definite room for improvement, he’ll just need to work on his consistency.
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Pittsburgh’s Casey McGahee was acquired after Aramis Ramirez signed with Milwaukee. He will compete for time with Pedro Alvarez. Both struggled last year, and despite a horrific .191 average and .561 OPS, it is Alvarez’s job to lose. At 25, Alvarez is worth the risk. McGahee isn’t worth drafting unless he somehow wins a starting job.
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Also check out:

• 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Options

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Prior to the Prince Fielder signing Jose Bautista was my top hot corner option. With Miguel Cabrera moving over, here are the Lester’s Legends 2012 fantasy baseball Third Base rankings. Here’s the initial list.
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1. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers:  He was probably the top first baseman before the Prince Fielder signing. Now that he’s moving over to the hot corner, he easily tops this shallow position.
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2. Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays:  Proved that 2010 was not a fluke with 43 home runs last year. His 3B/OF eligibility is a bonus.
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3. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays:  Had a down year, but still mashed 31 HRs. His four-year average of 28.3 HRs and 100.3 RBI speaks for itself.
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4.  Hanley Ramirez, Miami Marlins:  He had a down year, and could struggle switching to third base, but his power/speed combo, plus SS eligibility make him an attractive option.
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5. Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers:  He was limited to 124 games last year, but still managed 32 HRs and 105 RBI. Expect big things if he can stay healthy.
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6. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals:  Only played in 101 games last year, and saw his OPS did a full 100 points to .798, but he has shown that he’s a big time hitter when he can stay healthy.
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7. David Wright, New York Mets:  Only played 102 games and had a career low .772 OPS. He should bounce back though as he did in 2010. His stolen bases give him a bump.
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8. Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants:  With a lot of third basemen missing significant time and/or experiencing a down year, it was nice to see Kung Fu Panda return to form. His .315-55-23-70-2 line in 117 games is encouraging. He hit .325 with a .963 OPS after the break.
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9. Brett Lawrie, Toronto Blue Jays: Sparkled in his 150 at bats, hitting .293 with 26 runs, nine HRs, and 25 RBI.
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10. Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox:  The Greek God of Walks hit just .258 with 17 HRs. He has yet to play 150 games in a season and has missed 102 games over the past two years. When he plays he’s effective, but you’ll need a contingency plan.
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11.  Michael Young, Texas Rangers:  The dude doesn’t age or slow down. You’re not going to get home runs from him, but expect a .300+ average and a solid number of runs and RBI.
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12.  Aramis Ramirez, Milwaukee Brewers:  He moved north to Milwaukee. He was healthy last year, playing in 149 games after combining for 206 in the previous two seasons. He has good power and will give you a decent average, but he’ll miss Prince and Braun during his suspension.
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13.  Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees:  It’s hard not to consider A-Rod a top-ten third base option, but he will turn 37 and hit just 16 home runs in 99 games. Plus, he was brutal during the postseason. Regression has clearly began.
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14.  Mark Reynolds, Baltimore Orioles:  The average is going to be brutal (.238 lifetime hitter), but he has averaged 38.3 HRs over the past four years. Unfortunately the stolen bases have taken a hit.
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15.  Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals:  He wasn’t entirely impressive, hitting .263 with a .675 OPS. He finished strong though, hittin g.352 with four HRs and 12 RBI in September.
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Also check out:

• 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Options

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Playing on a team that finished with a Major League worst 56-106 record doesn’t get many people noticed. Neither does a .276-26-2-12-7 line. That said, Houston second baseman Jose Altuve is a player to at least keep an eye on.
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His numbers obviously don’t come out and grab you, but if you projected the numbers out to a 162 game schedule he would finish with 74 runs, six HRs, 34 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. There isn’t much there in the power category, but he can be helpful in runs, stolen bases, and possibly average.
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His minor league numbers suggest that he can be useful in those categories. He hit .324 in the minors, and the .276 average in the bigs is pretty impressive considering he jumped Triple-A ball. He scored three runs for every four games he played and stole one base for every three games he played.
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He will be turn 22 early in the season and given the way he handled himself in his first taste of the majors, I think he could be a bench option at second base or a decent option for your middle infield slot.
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What has me especially optimistic was his low BABIP for a player with his speed. It was just .309. He was at .438 in A+ ball and at .373 for Double-A Corpus Christi. If he can get that number up even into the .340s his average, runs, and stolen bases are sure to climb.
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Altuve has a Mock Draft Central ADP of 273, which puts him in the 23rd round of 12-team fantasy drafts. With the potential to hit .300 with 20+ stolen bases, he’s not a bad option there.
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Also check out:

• 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Options