Outfielder Rankings | LestersLegends.com

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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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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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB | Tagged: 2012 OF rankings, 2012 outfielder rankings, AL Only rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB, OF rankings, Outfielder rankings |

2012 Fantasy Baseball Value Oufielder Options

28 February 2012

Be sure to enter the 2012 Fantasy Baseball Team Name Contest
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After the first 180 players have come off the board (15 rounds in twelve team leagues), there are still plenty of value outfielder options available.
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Carlos Lee, Houston Astros: After a tough 2010 season that saw Lee’s average dip to .246, he bounced back with a .275-66-18-94-4 line. Unfortunately the runs will likely continue to be sub-70, but he can still help in the HR and RBI categories. He has 1B/OF eligibility, which helps his cause. His Mock Draft Central ADP is 187.
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Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland A’s: His ADP will likely rise, but currently Cespedes’ sits at 188. The A’s believed in him. I expect fantasy owners will as well.
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Jeff Francoeur, Kansas City Royals: He lagged in May and June, but his overall .285-77-20-87-22 line was quite impressive. If you can get that kind of production from an ADP of 192, you’ll be in great shape.
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Martin Prado, Atlanta Braves: Prado had a down year hitting .260, but he’s a career .293 hitter. His average and his third base eligibility give him nice value.
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Colby Rasmus, Toronto Blue Jays: It would be easy to write off Rasmus after he hit .225 last year, especially when he hit .173 after coming over from St. Louis. Still, he hit 39 HRs in his first two seasons and is just 25. His ADP of 205 makes him worth a look.
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Alex Rios, Chicago White Sox: I don’t blame you if you don’t trust Rios after his miserable .227-64-13-44-11 line. With an ADP of 217 he is a good player to take a chance on given his previous production.
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Youth Served?
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Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals: Harper has a decent chance to make the Opening Day roster. His ADP of 221 will change dramatically through the spring if it looks like he’s going to stick. There could be some growing pains, but he is a serious talent.
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Brandon Belt , San Francisco Giants: Belt struggled with Major League pitching, hitting .225. He did hit nine HRs in 63 games though. With a .343 Minor League average, I expect him to do much better. His ADP is 204.
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Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels: Trout hit .220 in his first taste in the bigs last year. He hit .337 with a .930 OPS in the Minors though and he’s just 20. His ADP is 212.
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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, MLB | Tagged: 2012 OF rankings, 2012 outfielder rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, fantasy baseball sleeper, MLB, OF rankings, Outfielder rankings |

2012 Fantasy Baseball Additional Oufielder Options

26 February 2012

Be sure to enter the 2012 Fantasy Baseball Team Name Contest
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We already looked at the LestersLegends’ top 25 outfielders for 2012, but there are plenty of solid options out there.
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Power Options
Desmond Jennings, Tampa Bay Rays: Jennings is a combo guy. In 63 games he hit 10 HRs and stole 20 bases. His upside is off the charts.
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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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Alfonso Soriano, Chicago Cubs: Yes, he’s 36, but he still has pop in his bat. He hit 26 HRs last year, hit tenth straight year with 20 or more.
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Vernon Wells and Torii Hunter, 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. Hunter has averaged 24.3 HRs over the past 11 years.
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Nick Swisher, New York Yankees: Swisher has averaged 26.1 HRs over the past seven seasons.
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Carlos Beltran, St. Louis Cardinals: After injuries cut short his 2009 and 2010 seasons, Beltran rebounded with 22 HRs.
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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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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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Michael Cuddyer, Colorado Rockies: Cuddy hit 20 last year for Minnesota, a number that could increase in Colorado.
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Jason Kubel, Arizona Diamondbacks: Kubel also escaped Minnesota, and should be more productive in his more hitter-friendly park.
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Carlos Quentin, San Diego Padres: He has 107 HRs over the past four seasons, though his move to San Diego does hurt his value.
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Raul Ibanez, New York Yankees: He’ll turn 40 this summer, but there is still some pop in his bat (20 HRs last year). It’s a matter of how many ABs he gets for the Yankees.
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Speed Options
Coco Crisp, Oakland A’s: Speed isn’t his issue. Staying healthy is.
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Brett Gardner, New York Yankees: He has averaged 48 stolen bases over the past two seasons.
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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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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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Emilio Bonifacio, Miami Marlins: Miami is going to run, run run. I don’t know if Bonifacio will reach 40 SBs again, but he’s a solid option with positional flexibility.
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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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Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera, San Francisco Giants: Stole 32 last year giving him 69 over the past two. Cabrera was a nice mix of everything last year finishing with a .305-102-18-87-20 line for the Royals. One of the two is expected to lead off for the Giants. Both are solid options.
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Jason Bourgeois, Houston Astros: Swiped 31 bags in 93 games last year.
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Juan Pierre, Philadelphia Phillies: You know the deal with Pierre. If he gets the ABs, he’ll steal the bases and hit for average, though he won’t do much else.
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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, MLB | Tagged: 2012 OF rankings, 2012 outfielder rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB, OF rankings, Outfielder rankings |

2012 Fantasy Baseball Outfielder Rankings

23 February 2012

Be sure to enter the 2012 Fantasy Baseball Team Name Contest
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Ryan Braun is in the clear, which puts him right back near the top. Here are the 2012 Lester’s Legends fantasy baseball outfielder rankings.
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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. 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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4. 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 easily be top two.
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5. 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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6. 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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7. 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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8. 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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9. 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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10. 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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11. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers: Let’s go with a little risk/reward play. Hamilton can flat out rake. He’d be a top five option if you didn’t have to worry about injury or his addictions.
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12. 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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13. 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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14. 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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15. 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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16. 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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17. 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 two fantasy outfielder.
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18. 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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19. 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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20. 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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21. 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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22. 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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23. 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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24. 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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25. 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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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB | Tagged: 2012 OF rankings, 2012 outfielder rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB, OF rankings, Outfielder rankings |

Fantasy Baseball: 2011 N.L. Only Top 20 Outfielder Rankings

10 March 2011

Click here to enter the 2011 Fantasy Baseball Team Name Contest
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Here’s an look at the N.L. Only 2011 Outfielder rankings
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1. Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies: All CarGo did last year was hit .336 with 111 runs, 34 HRs, 117 RBI, and 26 SBs. He’s the total package.
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2. Ryan Braun – Milwaukee Brewers: Braun regressed in 2010 (-12 runs, 7 HRs, -11 RBI, – 6 RBI), but he has still averaged a .307-99-32-105-16 line in his four years. You may prefer Braun over CarGo, but I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice.
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3. Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals: Holliday is a little less sexy, but you have to be pleased with a .312-95-28-103-9 season. He won’t put up the gaudy numbers that he produced while with the Rockies, but he’s remains a top three N.L. fantasy outfielder.
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4. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers: Kemp struggled last year (.249-82-28-89-19), but he is still one of the few candidates to produce a 30-30 season. I blame last year on Rihanna. Just kidding, but if you think she had a Jessica Simpsonesque effect on him, they have broken up.
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5. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates: Looking for a solid average, a healthy amount of steals, a bunch of runs, and decent power. You’ve just describe McCutchen, who displayed no signs of a sophomore slump posting a .286-94-16-56-33 line last year. A move to third in the lineup would mean more RBI opportunities.
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6. Andre Ethier, Los Angeles Dodgers: Ethier got off to an unbelievable start hitting .380 with 25 runs, 11 HRs, and 38 RBI in the first two months (129 ABs). He wasn’t quite the same after fracturing his knuckle, hitting .263 with 46 runs, 12 HRs, and 44 RBI the rest of the season (388 ABs). He’s a solid bet for 90 runs, 30 HRs, and 100 RBI though.
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7. Jason Heyward,Atlanta Braves: Heyward was 20 a good chunk of the season and hit .277 with 83 runs, 18 HR, 72 RBI, and 11 SB. While 11 of his 18 HRs came before the All-Star Break, his OPS was .055 higher in the second half (.876 compared to .821). As good of a prospect as Heyward was, I’m not concerned of a sophomore slump.
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8. Hunter Pence, Houston Astros: Pence is just a solid performer. He has exactly 25 HRs in his past three seasons. He set career highs in runs (93), RBI (91), and SBs (18). My only concern is Houston’s lineup, but it hasn’t exactly been the ’27 Yankees those past three years.
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9. Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks: Upton regressed to a .273-73-17-69-18 season, but his age and HR/SB potential still make him a desirable fantasy option. So you had to pump your brakes on his expectations, that just means he’ll come at more of a discount.
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10. Colby Rasmus, St. Louis Cardinals: Rasmus (.276-85-23-66-12) improved across the board (+13 runs, +7 HR, +14 RBI, +9 SB, +.025 BA, +.145 OPS). Another step forward would put him with the best fantasy outfielders in baseball, and with Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday in the lineup, it is certainly possible.
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11. Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds: Bruce may not have reached full-fledged stardom like Joey Votto, but he did take a major step forward with a career best average (.281), runs (80), HRs (25), and RBI (70). A 30 HR, 90 RBI season is a strong likelihood. His wrist is fully healed and a 40 HR season isn’t out of the question.
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12. Jayson Werth, Washington Nationals: I’m a little concerned how Werth will produce without Phillies’ lineup. Still he’s been one of the most productive outfielders over the past two seasons.
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13. Chris Young, Arizona Diamondbacks: It took him some time, but Young finally figured some things out last year posting a .257-94-27-91-28 line. It’s been a bumpy couple of years for Young, but if you can stomach the average, which was actually a career high last year, you get a nice HR/SB combo.
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14. Mike Stanton, Florida Marlins: Stanton is loaded with potential. His .259-45-22-59-5 line in 100 games was solid. The tear he went on in September when he hit .316 with 16 runs, eight HRs, and 19 RBI has fantasy owners salivating. He carries a big bat, and this should be the last year that you get him at such a value.
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15. Corey Hart, Milwaukee Brewers: Hart bounced back last year with a .282-91-31-102-7 line. The power is good, but his fantasy value took a hit when he started running less (13 SBs attempts compared to 30 in 2007 & 2008).
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16. Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies: Victorino (.259-84-18-69-34) doesn’t bring elite speed to the table, but he’s averaged 33 SBs over the past four seasons. If his career high 18 HRs can be matched, he’ll be a quality second outfielder.
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17. Drew Stubbs, Cincinnati Reds: He has a nice power/speed combination if you can stomach his average, though he did hit .281 in the second half last year.
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18. Michael Bourn, Houston Astros: With 154 stolen bases over the past three years, you acquire his services to get a leg up on your competition in that category. He’s also averaged 90.5 runs the past two years.
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19. Jason Bay, New York Mets: The concussion that ended his season prematurely scares me a bit, but Bay has been one of the more steady five category outfielders over the past seven years.
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20. Alfonso Soriano, Chicago Cubs: His days of fantasy dominance are over. His days of terrorizing opposing catchers on the basepaths are a distant memory. He has enough pop to remain an low-end second outfielder in N.L. Only leagues.
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| Posted by LestersLegends | Categories: fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings | Tagged: 2011 OF rankings, 2011 outfielder rankings, fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball rankings, MLB, OF rankings, Outfielder rankings |

Fantasy Baseball: 2011 A.L. Only Top 20 Outfielder Rankings

9 March 2011

Click here to enter the 2011 Fantasy Baseball Team Name Contest
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Here’s an look at the A.L. Only 2011 Outfielder rankings.
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1. Carl Crawford, Boston Red Sox: Crawford won’t give you the power as some of the elite outfielders, but he makes up for it with his speed. He’s familiar with the AL East pitching and should flourish in Boston’s lineup. He’ll help in all five categories. He could hit 15+ home runs with 40+ stolen bases.
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2. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers: Hamilton was a beast last yea, leading the majors with a 1.044 OPS and a .359 batting average. He added 95 runs, 32 HRs, 100 RBI, and eight SBs, easily making him one of the top hitters in the game. His only downside is the risk of injury, but he plays in a great lineup in a great hitters’ park.
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3. Alex Rios, Chicago White Sox: Rios (.284-89-21-88-34) was one of two outfielders with 20+ HRs and 30+ SBs. He has averaged 89.3 runs, 19.3 HRs, 80.8 RBI, and 26.8 SBs over the past four seasons. He’s a poor man’s Carl Crawford.
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4. Shin-Soo Choo, Cleveland Indians: He gets little fanfare because he plays in Clevleand, but Choo has averaged a .300-84-21-88-21.5 line over the past two seasons.
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5. Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers: He’s only averaged 118 games in the past two seasons, but when he’s played he’s been a force averaging 67.5 runs, 27.5 HRs, 77 RBI, and 18.5 SBs. There is risk associated with Cruz, but there is also plenty of reward.
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6. Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees: It took him a little while to get going with New York, but Granderson hit 17 HRs in his final 241 at bats after hitting just seven in his first 225. In his second season in the Bronx, Granderson should approach 30 HRs with 90 runs, 70 RBI, and 20 SBs. Last year’s average should get him to you at a slight discount.
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7. Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays: While a sharp decline in HRs (54) and RBI (124) is expected, it’s still hard to overlook that kind of production, especially when it comes with positional flexibility (3B).
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8. Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners: The run total (74) slipped for the second straight year and he makes barely a blip in your HR category, but the .310+ average and the 40+ SBs are enough to earn him a slot in the top ten slot in A.L. Only leagues.
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9. B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays: The average is brutal, but he’s swiped 40+ bases the past three years. He hit 18 home runs last year, meaning a 20 HR/40 SB season is not out of the question.
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10. Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles: Markakis hit around .300 last year, but dropped off in most categories. A better O’s lineup should help Markakis produce more like the player that averaged 99 runs, 20.3 HRs, and 100 RBI from 2007-2009.
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11. Torii Hunter, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: It’s not likely that he’ll steal 15+ bases like he did from 2007-2009 with the Halos, but he should give you solid contributions in the other four categories.
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12. Vernon Wells, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Last year’s numbers are out of reach, but Vernon should hit 20+ HRs with 80+ RBIs.
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13. Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians: Thanks to his injuries, Sizemore has become a huge risk/reward player. No way he approaches 2008 numbers, but 20 HRs and 20 SBs is a possibility.
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14. Bobby Abreau, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Until he shows that he’s lost a step, you can’t bet against Abreau, who churns out 85+ run, 20+ HR, 80+ RBI, 20+ SB seasons with relative ease.
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15. Delmon Young, Minnesota Twins: Young made huge strides last year, knocking in 112 runs. His defense remains shaky, and if the Twins can stay healthy, he could see fewer at bats as they try to fit Delmon, Denard Span, Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, and Jim Thome into three outfield spots and DH.
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16. Nick Swisher, New York Yankees: His two seasons in the Bronx have produced similar numbers, aside from his average last year. That number will come down, but 80+ Runs, 25+ HRs, and 80+ RBI are well within reach.
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17. Denard Span, Minnesota Twins: Span battled injuries and a below normal .295 BABIP. His average should increase to around .300 and he should scored close to 100 runs with 20+ stolen bases.
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18. Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox: Ellsbury has the type of speed to give you a huge leg up in the stolen base category while providing a solid average and a bunch of runs.
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19. Juan Pierre, Chicago White Sox: Similar to Ellsbury. He’ll give you runs, average, and stolen bases, though Pierre will come at a better value.
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20. Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles: Jones struggled last year, but like Markakis should rebound in 2011. Five category potential.
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