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2012 Fantasy Baseball Additional First Base Options

25 January 2012

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We already looked at the LestersLegends’ top 15 fantasy baseball first basemen for 2012, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t additional options if you choose to wait on filling your first base slot to address shallower positions. Alternatively, many leagues offer corner infield slots, which put these options on your radar.
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Miami’s Gaby Sanchez had nearly identical 2009 and 2010 seasons. Both years he had 572 at bats, scored 72 runs, and hit 19 HRs. His hit totals were within four of each other (156, 152), his RBI were within seven (85, 78), and his average within 7 points (.273, .266). While those certainly aren’t elite numbers, a .270-72-19-80-4 line isn’t the worst you can do, especially if it means you have an distinct advantage elsewhere.
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Toronto’s Adam Lind didn’t return to his ridiculous .305-93-35-114-1 line that he posted in 2009, but his 2011 line of .251-56-26-87-1 was a solid enough improvement over 2010 (.237-57-23-72-0). He’s basically a two-category player (HR, RBI), which is fine if you can address the other categories elsewhere.
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Minnesota’s Justin Morneau is a risk/reward option. When he’s on, he is as good as almost any first basemen in the league. He’s dealt with concussions and other injuries that have limited him to just 150 games combined over the past two years. Concussions are serious business, but he claims to feel much better than at this time last year. Have a backup plan if you roll with the former MVP.
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Carlos Pena returned to Tampa Bay. You know the deal with Pena. He’ll give you power, but you’ll have to live with his miserable batting average. His high water mark over the past three years is .227, which makes it a little tougher to swallow the 31.7 HRs and 88 RBI he averaged. He hit just .133 against lefties last year, and the Rays will likely sit him in those situations this year. That means his power numbers can take a hit, but he won’t be as damaging in the batting average department.
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It took an smoking second half (.320 average, .914 OPS) for James Loney to recover from his feeble first half (.268, .653) to at least allow him to finish with a solid .288 batting average and mediocre .755 OPS. He’s never been a power threat, but he averaged 89.3 RBI from 2008-2010. That number dropped to 65 last year. I’d only consider Loney a late round option at best.
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Todd Helton isn’t the player he once was, and you have to worry that his back will give him fits at some point given his age (38), but he still hit .302 last year with a .850 OPS.
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Seattle’s Justin Smoak did not impress last year hitting .234 with a .719 OPS and 15 HRs in 427 ABs. He did start the year strong hitting .284 with four HRs and 17 RBI in April. He’s a player to take a flier on late to see if he finally lives up to his potential.
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Billy Butler played 11 games at first base last year. If he has (or gains) first base eligibility in your league, he’s definitely a player to plug in that slot. He’ll be drafted regardless, but has more value if he’s not just listed as a DH/Utility.
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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, MLB | Tagged: 1B rankings, 2012 1B rankings, 2012 fantasy baseball rankings, 2012 First Base rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, First Base rankings, MLB |

2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings

24 January 2012

By Alex Gallardo, AP
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For the second straight year an elite first baseman switched leagues. Albert Pujols’ departure was a much bigger deal than Adrian Gonzalez’s though. Prince Fielder made it two.
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Here’s the first look at the 2012 LestersLegends First Base Rankings.
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1. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers: Cabrera is entering the 2012 season in a better place than he was last year. His personal issues did not affect his play. Adding Prince Fielder makes him even more dangerous. What sets Cabrera apart from Pujols and A-Gone is his switch to third base.
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2. Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: The move to the American League does not concern me. He can get a day off at DH from time to time. There is adjustment when switching leagues, but I think the American League pitchers are going to be the ones that need adjusting in this case.
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3. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox were disappointing last year, but that wasn’t on A-Gone. He was right in line with Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols on most categories. He finished first in the AL in RBI and that was with Carl Crawford having a down year. I expect him to bounce back, which could help Gonzalez win the RBI title.
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4. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds: Votto took a step back last year, but who can take issue with a .309-101-29-103-8 line? You aren’t losing much if you have to “settle” for Votto.
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5. Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers: I did not see this signing coming. That makes five of the big six first basemen in the American League. It will be interesting to see if Prince or Cabrera is the primary DH. I give Votto a slight edge because of his ability to steal bases, but any of the top six first basemen are money.
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6. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees: Tex has turned into a Ryan Howard of sorts (minus the strikeouts). You know he’s going to give you ample HRs (37.0 average since joining the Yankees) and RBI (113.7 average since joining the Yankees), but you have to deal with his falling batting average (.292 to .256 to .248). I still think he’s more likely to bounce back in taht department than not.
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7. Mike Napoli, Texas Rangers: Napoli caught fire in July last year and remained hot through the World Series. He hit .320 with 30 HRs. With 1B/C eligibility, he’s a valuable option.
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8. Michael Morse, Washington Nationals: I like Morse for his production the past 1.5 years (46 HRs since June 2010) and his positional flexibility (1B, OF). He could be even more dangerous if Fielder signs with the Nats.
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9. Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals: He came in with huge expectations and delivered posting a .293-66-19-78-11 line. Playing in KC could limit his run and RBI totals, but the future is bright for this guy.
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10. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves: Freeman also came in with high expectations. His .282-67-21-76-4 line did not disappoint. He could easily reach those numbers again, with a great possibility of improving.
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11. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians: He’s young and has plenty to improve on (.239 average), but he’s got big time power (27 HRs last year) and with 1B/C eligibility he gets a boost in value.
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12. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies: Howard will miss time with an Achilles injury, but he should still give you power when he returns. Even though he is going in the wrong direction, he is worth a look as a low-end starting first basemen or a high-end corner infield option.
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13. Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox: I’m not sure if this guy ages. He’ll turn 36 this year and you would think his decline would have begun, but he is coming off back-to-back .300+, 30+ HR, 100+ RBI seasons.
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14. Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Trumbo will take a look at third base, as well as DH duties to get him at bats as he’s a man without a position right now. He answered the call last year with 29 HRs. As long as his foot doesn’t keep him out, he should be productive.
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15. Ike Davis, New York Mets: Davis was hitting .302 with seven HRs and 25 RBI through 36 games. The Mets have made changes to Citi Field that should make it a little more hitter-friendly.

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Fantasy Baseball: 2011 N.L. Only Top 10 First Basemen Rankings

28 February 2011

Click here to enter the 2011 Fantasy Baseball Team Name Contest
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Here’s an early look at the 2011 N.L. Only First Base rankings.
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1. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals: The only concern I have with Albert is the contract situation, but I think he is professional enough to put that aside when the season starts.
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2. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds: Votto put up monster numbers last year and should only get better as Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs solidify the Reds’ lineup.
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3. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies: Howard’s numbers dropped last year, but he’s far from finished. He’s as good a bet as anyone to lead the league in HRs and RBI.
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4. Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers: Another bopper that struggled to get on track. His 141 RBIs in 2009 seems like a fluke, but he’s a good bet for 35 HRs and 100+ RBIs.
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5. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants: Like V-Mart in A.L. and mixed leagues, Posey will largely be drafted as a catcher, but he does maintain 1B eligibility. He really showed maturity for his age (23 when the season start) hitting .288 in the playoffs. He hit .305 with 18 HRs and 67 RBIs as a rookie. Assuming he can avoid the sophomore slump, he should be in line for 20+ HRs and 75+ RBIs.
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6. Aubrey Huff, San Francisco Giants: The Giants aren’t known for their offense, but with Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval, who is in much better shape, Huff should be a fine first base option in N.L. leagues. He hit .290 last year with 26 HR and 86 RBI and has quietly averaged 24 HRs and 86.6 RBI since 2002.
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7. Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals: LaRoche is another one of those players that flies under the radar. He’s hit 25 HRs in each of his past three seasons, and has averaged 24.7 HRs and 87.3 RBI the past six years.
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8. Carlos Pena, Chicago Cubs: Pena is a bona fide power hitter. He hit 28 HRs last year and has averaged 36 over the past four years. His average was terrible, but he was terribly unlucky sporting a .222 BABIP.
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9. Ike Davis, New York Mets: Davis is coming off a solid .264-73-19-71-3 rookie season. If the Mets can stay healthy, he will be in a tough lineup featuring David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, and Angel Pagan. With that kind of talent around him, he should be even stronger in 2011.
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10. Gaby Sanchez, Florida Marlins: A far cry from sexy, but Sanchez did his Jorge Cantu impression last year with a solid .273-72-19-85-5 season. He narrowly beat out James Loney.
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Fantasy Baseball: 2011 A.L. Only Top 10 First Basemen Rankings

27 February 2011

Click here to enter the 2011 Fantasy Baseball Team Name Contest
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Here’s a last minute look at the 2011 A.L. Only First Base rankings.
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1. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox: A-Gone averaged 34.3 HRs and 104.8 HRs in his past four seasons with the Padres. Now he goes to more of a hitter’s park with a lineup that includes Carl Crawford, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Big Papi and Kevin Youkilis. This could be a monster year.
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2. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers: Miggy didn’t have any setbacks and it appears he won’t miss any time. Now that he’s back to a structured schedule I don’t expect a relapse.
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3. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees: Tex had a down year by hitting .256, yet he still managed to score 113 runs with 33 HRs and 108 RBIs. He’s a strong bet to rebound in a big way this year.
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4. Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox: Youk’s problem isn’t performing, it’s staying healthy. He was limited to 102 games last year. In fact, his career high in games played is 147 so you’re taking a little bit of a risk drafting him, especially considering he’s returning to the hot corner. Still, in that lineup he’s good for .300+, 90+ runs, 25+ HRs, and 90+ RBIs, and those are low estimates.
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5. Adam Dunn, Chicago White Sox: Dunn isn’t a sexy pick, but has averaged 40.3 HRs and 101.3 RBIs in his past seven seasons. It’s his first time playing for an American League team and is a career .250 hitter so there is a little concern.
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6. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins: Morneau is on the right track to recover from his season-sending concussion. He is a high risk/reward option.
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7. Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals: Butler can hit .300, but has yet to show the power that he is capable of. If he can make that jump this year, look out.
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8. Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers: You’re most likely drafting him as your catcher, but he does have 1B eligibility. Plus, he can flat out rake. The move to Detroit will cost him some production, but he’s still a solid option.
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9. Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox: Konerko is 35, but he continues to deliver the long ball. His average won’t hold up, but hopefully his back will.
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10. Kendry Morales, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Morales’ had one of his biggest highs and the definite low on the same play. The good news is that in his brief playing time, he proved that 2009 wasn’t a fluke.
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Fantasy Baseball: 2011 Top 20 First Basemen Rankings

10 January 2011

Click here to enter the 2011 Fantasy Baseball Team Name Contest
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Here’s a last minute updated look at the 2011 First Base rankings.
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1. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals: Turned in another fabulous season hitting .312 with 115 runs, 183 hits, 42 HRs, 118 RBIs, 14 SBs, 103 walks, and a 1.011 OPS. He truly is a machine and should be the number one player taken in fantasy drafts.
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2. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers: Miggy didn’t have any setbacks and it appears he won’t miss any time. Now that he’s back to a structured schedule I don’t expect a relapse.
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3. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds: Potential realized. Votto went from a guy known in fantasy circles to a guy who edged the great Albert Pujols in MVP voting. Votto hit .324 with 106 runs, 177 hits, 37 HRs, 113 RBIs, 16 SBs, 81 walks, and a 1.024 OPS.
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4. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox: A-Gone averaged 34.3 HRs and 104.8 HRs in his past four seasons with the Padres. Now he goes to more of a hitter’s park with a lineup that includes Carl Crawford, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis. Get your popcorn ready Sox fans.
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5. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees: Tex struggled by his standards hitting .256. He still managed to score 113 runs with 33 HRs and 108 RBIs. He’s too good to continue to struggle so look for a return to form in 2011.
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6. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies: Speaking of regression, Howard saw his runs scored (-18), HRs (-14), and RBIs (-33) take major hits in 2010. He averaged 49.5 HRs and 143 RBIs in his previous four seasons, so I’m not expecting his regression to continue at just 31 years of age.
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7. Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers: Another bopper that struggled to get on track. His 141 RBIs in 2009 seems like a fluke, but he’s a good bet for 35 HRs and 100+ RBIs.
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8. Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox: Youk’s problem isn’t performing, it’s staying healthy. He was limited to 102 games last year. In fact, his career high in games played is 147 so you’re taking a little bit of a risk drafting him, especially considering he’s returning to the hot corner. Still, in that lineup he’s good for .300+, 90+ runs, 25+ HRs, and 90+ RBIs, and those are low estimates.
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9. Adam Dunn, Chicago White Sox: Dunn isn’t a sexy pick, but has averaged 40.3 HRs and 101.3 RBIs in his past seven seasons. It’s his first time playing for an American League team and is a career .250 hitter so there is a little concern.
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10. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins: Speaking of staying healthy, Morneau had an MVP caliber season going before being lost mid-season with a concussion. He hit .345 with a 1.055 WHIP. He scored 53 runs with 18 HRs, and 56 RBIs in 81 games. He’s also a considerable risk because the next concussion could end not only his season, but his career. He does, however, come with substantial reward potential.
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11. Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals: Butler saw his HRs (-6) and RBIs (-15) dip in 2010, but he hit a career high .318. I expect the power to return while maintaining a .310+ season.
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12. Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers: Let’s face it, you’re drafting V-Mart as a catcher. He won’t see may games at first base because of Cabrera, but should see his named penciled in the lineup card as the DH from time to time. If he can stay healthy, you’re looking at a .300, 20 HR, 100 RBI season.
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13. Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox: Konerko displayed his usual penchant for the long ball with 39 HRs and 111 RBIs last year, but added a new facet to his game by hitting .312. Considering he’ll be 35 this year, I’m hesitant to believe he can match the power numbers. I certainly think the average will fall back towards his career mark of .280.
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14. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants: Like V-Mart, Posey will largely be drafted as a catcher, but he does maintain 1B eligibility. He really showed maturity for his age (23 when the season start) hitting .288 in the playoffs. He hit .305 with 18 HRs and 67 RBIs as a rookie. Assuming he can avoid the sophomore slump, he should be in line for 20+ HRs and 75+ RBIs.
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15. Kendry Morales, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Hopefully for Morales, the freak accidents are behind him. Rolling with Kendry as your #1 will also be a leap of faith considering he only had 51 games to prove his 2009 breakout season wasn’t a fluke.
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16. Aubrey Huff, San Francisco Giants: He’s playing in the outfield, but that only adds to his value. He hit .290 last year with 26 HR and 86 RBI and has quietly averaged 24 HRs and 86.6 RBI since 2002.
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17. Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals: LaRoche is another one of those players that flies under the radar. He’s hit 25 HRs in each of his past three seasons, and has averaged 24.7 HRs and 87.3 RBI the past six years.
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18. Carlos Pena, Chicago Cubs: Pena is a bona fide power hitter. He hit 28 HRs last year and has averaged 36 over the past four years. His average was terrible, but he was terribly unlucky sporting a .222 BABIP.
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19. Ike Davis, New York Mets: Davis is coming off a solid .264-73-19-71-3 rookie season. If the Mets can stay healthy, he will be in a tough lineup featuring David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, and Angel Pagan. With that kind of talent around him, he should be even stronger in 2011.
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20. Gaby Sanchez, Florida Marlins: A far cry from sexy, but Sanchez did his Jorge Cantu impression last year with a solid .273-72-19-85-5 season. He narrowly beat out James Loney.
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