Why the Prince Fielder Signing Could Make Miguel Cabrera the #1 Pick in Fantasy Baseball Drafts

Jan 26, 2012

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Perhaps the happiest fantasy baseball players out there are those that hold Miguel Cabrera’s rights in keeper leagues. Even prior to the Prince Fielder signing, he was a consensus top three pick. Suddenly, he just became even more attractive to fantasy owners, which is hard to believe could even be possible.
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For starters, adding a bat like Fielder’s means Cabrera is going to get pitched to more frequently. They form a 1-2 punch that is even better than the combination that he formed with Ryan Braun in Milwaukee.
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You know Cabrera credentials. He is a lifetime .317 hitter. He doesn’t give you gaudy HR numbers, with a career high of 38, but he is consistent, averaging 33.1 over the past eight years. He has also hit .320 during that span with averages of 101.6 runs, 115.3 RBI and even 3.6 stolen bases. Cabrera had his two lowest RBI totals during full seasons in the past three years, but Fielder’s presence should get him back 115+ RBI territory.
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It’s not just Fielder’s bat that likely propels Cabrera to the number one spot in most leagues. While Fielder and Cabrera will likely each take terms at designated hitter, it’s Cabrera’s return to third base that puts him over the top.
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When you compare his numbers to Albert Pujols, Adrian Gonzalez, Prince Fielder, and Joey Votto, there isn’t much difference. If Mark Teixeira could get his batting average figured out, he could enter the discussion as well.
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However, when you put him up against the likes of David Wright, Adrian Beltre and Evan Longoria, not to mention the quick, steep dropoff, you’re looking at the biggest positional differential in the league, and it’s not even close.
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