2011 Fantasy Baseball Downloadable Draft Kit
American League Head-to-Head Scoring
Draft Preparation Guide | baseball.cbssports.com
Updated: March 30, 2011
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Table Of Contents
Top 300 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Player Rankings/Auction Values ....................................................................................................................................................5-7
Multiposition-Eligible Players for 2011..........................................................................................................................................8-9
Primary Position Changes for 2011 .......................................................................................................................................... 10-11
Draft Day Cheat Sheet ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12
2011 Projections ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13-21
Player Profiles ............................................................................................................................................................................. 22-57
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Top 300
1. Miguel Cabrera, DET, 1B............ $45 76. Kurt Suzuki, OAK, C ................. $13 151. Rajai Davis, TOR, OF ............... $1 226. Octavio Dotel, TOR, RP ............ $1
2. Robinson Cano, NYY, 2B ........... $43 77. David Ortiz, BOS, DH ............... $12 152. Derek Holland, TEX, SP ........... $1 227. Dan Wheeler, BOS, RP ............ $1
3. Mark Teixeira, NYY, 1B .............. $41 78. Ricky Romero, TOR, SP ........... $12 153. Mitch Moreland, TEX, 1B .......... $1 228. Jon Rauch, TOR, RP ................ $1
4. Evan Longoria, TB, 3B ............... $40 79. Trevor Cahill, OAK, SP ............. $12 154. Luke Hochevar, KC, SP ............ $1 229. Scott Downs, ANA, RP ............. $1
5. Adrian Gonzalez, BOS, 1B ......... $40 80. Alexei Ramirez, CHW, SS ........ $12 155. Rick Porcello, DET, SP ............. $1 230. Brian Fuentes, OAK, RP ........... $1
6. Carl Crawford, BOS, OF ............. $40 81. Adam Lind, TOR, DH ................ $11 156. Jim Thome, MIN, DH ................ $1 231. Jason Kendall, KC, C................ $1
7. Joe Mauer, MIN, C ..................... $37 82. Dallas Braden, OAK, SP ........... $11 157. Matt Joyce, TB, OF ................... $1 232. Jeff Mathis, ANA, C .................. $1
8. Felix Hernandez, SEA, SP.......... $36 83. Chone Figgins, SEA, 2B ........... $11 158. Peter Bourjos, ANA, OF ............ $1 233. Orlando Cabrera, CLE, SS ....... $0
9. Josh Hamilton, TEX, OF ............. $36 84. Derrek Lee, BAL, 1B ................. $10 159. A.J. Burnett, NYY, SP ............... $1 234. Dan Johnson, TB, DH ............... $0
10. Alex Rodriguez, NYY, 3B.......... $36 85. Vladimir Guerrero, BAL, DH...... $10 160. Jeff Francoeur, KC, OF ............. $1 235. Scott Podsednik, TOR, OF ....... $0
11. Dustin Pedroia, BOS, 2B .......... $35 86. Ervin Santana, ANA, SP ........... $10 161. Jack Cust, SEA, DH.................. $1 236. Travis Hafner, CLE, DH ............ $0
12. Jose Bautista, TOR, OF/3B ...... $34 87. Edwin Jackson, CHW, SP ........ $10 162. Alex Gordon, KC, OF ................ $1 237. Milton Bradley, SEA, OF ........... $0
13. Kevin Youkilis, BOS, 1B ........... $34 88. Carlos Quentin, CHW, OF ........ $10 163. Erick Aybar, ANA, SS ............... $1 238. Melky Cabrera, KC, OF............. $0
14. Adam Dunn, CHW, 1B .............. $33 89. Matt Thornton, CHW, RP .......... $10 164. Brad Bergesen, BAL, SP .......... $1 239. Michael Saunders, SEA, OF ..... $0
15. Victor Martinez, DET, C ............ $33 90. Chris Perez, CLE, RP ............... $10 165. Nick Blackburn, MIN, SP........... $1 240. Scott Sizemore, DET, 2B .......... $0
16. Jon Lester, BOS, SP ................ $32 91. Jose Valverde, DET, RP ........... $10 166. Lorenzo Cain, KC, OF .............. $1 241. Juan Rivera, TOR, OF .............. $0
17. Shin-Soo Choo, CLE, OF ......... $32 92. Matt Wieters, BAL, C ................ $10 167. Coco Crisp, OAK, OF ............... $1 242. Troy Glaus, FA, 1B ................... $0
18. Ian Kinsler, TEX, 2B ................. $32 93. Andrew Bailey, OAK, RP .......... $10 168. Brandon Webb, TEX, SP .......... $1 243. Mitch Maier, KC, OF ................. $0
19. Justin Morneau, MIN, 1B .......... $32 94. David DeJesus, OAK, OF ........... $9 169. Ivan Nova, NYY, SP ................. $1 244. Hisanori Takahashi, ANA, RP/SP. $0
20. CC Sabathia, NYY, SP ............. $31 95. Brian Matusz, BAL, SP ............... $9 170. Alcides Escobar, KC, SS .......... $1 245. Felix Pie, BAL, OF .................... $0
21. Dan Haren, ANA, SP ................ $29 96. Gio Gonzalez, OAK, SP.............. $9 171. Julio Borbon, TEX, OF .............. $1 246. David Eckstein, FA, 2B ............. $0
22. Kendry Morales, ANA, 1B ......... $29 97. Fausto Carmona, CLE, SP ......... $9 172. David Murphy, TEX, OF ............ $1 247. Lastings Milledge, CHW, OF ..... $0
23. Justin Verlander, DET, SP ........ $28 98. Yunel Escobar, TOR, SS ............ $9 173. J.J. Hardy, BAL, SS .................. $1 248. Carlos Guillen, DET, 2B ............ $0
24. Nick Markakis, BAL, OF............ $28 99. Howard Kendrick, ANA, 2B ......... $9 174. Michael Brantley, CLE, OF ....... $1 249. Garrett Atkins, FA, 1B ............... $0
25. Francisco Liriano, MIN, SP ....... $27 100. David Aardsma, SEA, RP ......... $8 175. Brent Morel, CHW, 3B .............. $1 250. Jarrod Dyson, KC, OF .............. $0
26. Derek Jeter, NYY, SS ............... $27 101. Mike Napoli, TEX, 1B/C ............ $8 176. Danny Valencia, MIN, 3B .......... $1 251. Jayson Nix, TOR, 3B/2B ........... $0
27. Jered Weaver, ANA, SP ........... $26 102. Brett Cecil, TOR, SP ................. $7 177. Josh Tomlin, CLE, SP............... $1 252. Lonnie Chisenhall, CLE, 3B ...... $0
28. David Price, TB, SP .................. $26 103. Jeremy Guthrie, BAL, SP .......... $7 178. Ryan Sweeney, OAK, OF ......... $1 253. Conor Jackson, OAK, OF ......... $0
29. Brett Gardner, NYY, OF............ $26 104. Mark Buehrle, CHW, SP ........... $7 179. Manny Ramirez, TB, OF ........... $1 254. Cesar Izturis, BAL, SS .............. $0
30. Nelson Cruz, TEX, OF .............. $26 105. C.J. Wilson, TEX, SP ................ $7 180. Justin Masterson, CLE, SP ....... $1 255. Brett Lawrie, TOR, 2B ............... $0
31. Ichiro Suzuki, SEA, OF ............. $26 106. Joe Nathan, MIN, RP ................ $7 181. Jeff Francis, KC, SP ................. $1 256. Ryan Church, FA, OF ............... $0
32. Adrian Beltre, TEX, 3B ............. $26 107. Magglio Ordonez, DET, OF ...... $6 182. Carlos Carrasco, CLE, SP ........ $1 257. Willy Aybar, FA, DH .................. $0
33. Billy Butler, KC, 1B ................... $25 108. Jeff Niemann, TB, SP ............... $6 183. Brandon Inge, DET, 3B............. $1 258. Andy LaRoche, OAK, 3B .......... $0
34. Curtis Granderson, NYY, OF .... $25 109. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN, 2B ...... $6 184. Brennan Boesch, DET, OF ....... $1 259. Andruw Jones, NYY, OF ........... $0
35. Alex Rios, CHW, OF ................. $25 110. Koji Uehara, BAL, RP ............... $6 185. Vin Mazzaro, KC, SP ................ $1 260. Hank Blalock, FA, 3B ................ $0
36. Carlos Santana, CLE, C ........... $25 111. Daric Barton, OAK, 1B .............. $5 186. Sean Rodriguez, TB, 2B/OF ..... $1 261. Gabe Gross, FA, OF ................. $0
37. B.J. Upton, TB, OF ................... $24 112. Jason Kubel, MIN, OF .............. $5 187. Mark Ellis, OAK, 2B .................. $1 262. Bobby Crosby, FA, SS .............. $0
38. Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS, OF ........ $24 113. Cliff Pennington, OAK, SS ........ $5 188. Maicer Izturis, ANA, 3B/2B ....... $1 263. Jack Wilson, SEA, SS ............... $0
39. Michael Young, TEX, 3B........... $24 114. Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE, SS ...... $5 189. Mark Teahen, CHW, 3B ............ $1 264. Dustin Ackley, SEA, 1B............. $0
40. Neftali Feliz, TEX, RP ............... $23 115. Luke Scott, BAL, DH ................. $5 190. Alexi Casilla, MIN, SS/2B.......... $1 265. Nick Johnson, CLE, DH ............ $0
41. Vernon Wells, ANA, OF ............ $23 116. Chris Sale, CHW, RP................ $5 191. Mike Cameron, BOS, OF .......... $1 266. Trevor Crowe, CLE, OF ............ $0
42. Nick Swisher, NYY, OF............. $22 117. Jorge Posada, NYY, C.............. $5 192. Phil Coke, DET, RP .................. $1 267. Austin Kearns, CLE, OF............ $0
43. Ben Zobrist, TB, OF/2B ............ $22 118. Russell Martin, NYY, C ............. $5 193. Reid Brignac, TB, 2B/SS........... $1 268. Brendan Harris, BAL, 3B........... $0
44. Bobby Abreu, ANA, OF............. $22 119. Edwin Encarnacion, TOR, 3B ... $4 194. Casey Kotchman, TB, 1B.......... $1 269. Nolan Reimold, BAL, OF........... $0
45. Delmon Young, MIN, OF .......... $21 120. Doug Fister, SEA, SP ............... $4 195. Kyle Drabek, TOR, SP .............. $1 270. Chris Davis, TEX, 1B ................ $0
46. Colby Lewis, TEX, SP .............. $20 121. Jason Vargas, SEA, SP ............ $4 196. Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS, SP .. $1 271. Kyle Farnsworth, TB, RP .......... $0
47. John Danks, CHW, SP ............. $20 122. Carl Pavano, MIN, SP............... $4 197. Jesse Litsch, TOR, SP .............. $1 272. Darren Oliver, TEX, RP............. $0
48. Josh Beckett, BOS, SP ............. $20 123. Jake Peavy, CHW, SP .............. $4 198. Michael Pineda, SEA, SP ......... $1 273. Rich Harden, OAK, SP ............. $0
49. Mark Reynolds, BAL, 3B........... $20 124. Jhonny Peralta, DET, 3B/SS ..... $4 199. Kevin Kouzmanoff, OAK, 3B ..... $1 274. Bobby Jenks, BOS, RP ............. $0
50. Joakim Soria, KC, RP ............... $20 125. Mike Aviles, KC, 2B .................. $4 200. Erik Bedard, SEA, SP ............... $1 275. Scott Feldman, TEX, SP ........... $0
51. Elvis Andrus, TEX, SS .............. $20 126. Jed Lowrie, BOS, 2B/SS ........... $4 201. David Pauley, SEA, SP............. $1 276. Julio Lugo, FA, 2B/SS............... $0
52. Max Scherzer, DET, SP............ $18 127. John Jaso, TB, C ...................... $4 202. Brendan Ryan, SEA, SS ........... $1 277. Jason Frasor, TOR, RP ............ $0
53. Michael Cuddyer, MIN, 1B/OF .. $18 128. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW, C ........... $4 203. Tommy Hunter, TEX, SP .......... $1 278. Gregor Blanco, KC, OF ............. $0
54. Aaron Hill, TOR, 2B .................. $18 129. Alberto Callaspo, ANA, 3B ........ $3 204. Desmond Jennings, TB, OF...... $1 279. Felipe Lopez, TB, 3B/2B/SS ..... $0
55. Marco Scutaro, BOS, SS .......... $18 130. Joel Pineiro, ANA, SP ............... $3 205. Brandon McCarthy, OAK, SP .... $1 280. Craig Breslow, OAK, RP ........... $0
56. Mariano Rivera, NYY, RP ......... $18 131. Wilson Betemit, KC, 3B ............ $3 206. Brandon League, SEA, RP ....... $1 281. Ramon Santiago, DET, SS/2B .. $0
57. Phil Hughes, NYY, SP .............. $17 132. Wade Davis, TB, SP ................. $3 207. Jason Donald, CLE, SS/2B ....... $1 282. Mark Trumbo, ANA, 1B ............. $0
58. Paul Konerko, CHW, 1B ........... $17 133. Hideki Matsui, OAK, DH ........... $3 208. Kevin Slowey, MIN, SP ............. $1 283. Michael Gonzalez, BAL, RP ...... $0
59. Brandon Morrow, TOR, SP ....... $16 134. Jake McGee, TB, RP ................ $3 209. Justin Duchscherer, BAL, SP .... $1 284. Omar Vizquel, CHW, 3B ........... $0
60. Clay Buchholz, BOS, SP .......... $16 135. Frank Francisco, TOR, RP........ $3 210. Brad Penny, DET, SP ............... $1 285. Corey Patterson, TOR, OF ....... $0
61. Brian Roberts, BAL, 2B............. $16 136. J.P. Arencibia, TOR, C ............. $3 211. Alex Avila, DET, C .................... $1 286. Darnell McDonald, BOS, OF ..... $0
62. Jonathan Papelbon, BOS, RP .. $16 137. Yorvit Torrealba, TEX, C ........... $3 212. Tim Wakefield, BOS, SP/RP ..... $1 287. Michael Wuertz, OAK, RP......... $0
63. Gavin Floyd, CHW, SP ............. $15 138. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, BOS, C $3 213. Alexi Ogando, TEX, RP ............ $1 288. Chad Tracy, TEX, 3B ................ $0
64. Brett Anderson, OAK, SP ......... $15 139. Miguel Olivo, SEA, C ................ $3 214. Kevin Gregg, BAL, RP .............. $1 289. Casper Wells, DET, OF ............ $0
65. John Lackey, BOS, SP ............. $15 140. Kila Ka'aihue, KC, 1B ............... $2 215. Josh Outman, OAK, SP ............ $1 290. Chris Getz, KC, 2B ................... $0
66. Denard Span, MIN, OF ............. $15 141. J.D. Drew, BOS, OF ................. $2 216. Matt Capps, MIN, RP ................ $1 291. Darren O'Day, TEX, RP ............ $0
67. Gordon Beckham, CHW, 2B ..... $15 142. Johnny Damon, TB, OF ............ $2 217. Bruce Chen, KC, SP/RP ........... $1 292. Will Rhymes, DET, 2B .............. $0
68. Juan Pierre, CHW, OF.............. $14 143. Ryan Raburn, DET, OF ............ $2 218. Kevin Jepsen, ANA, RP ............ $1 293. Ryan Kalish, BOS, OF .............. $0
69. Grady Sizemore, CLE, OF ........ $14 144. Travis Snider, TOR, OF ............ $2 219. Hank Conger, ANA, C............... $1 294. Marc Rzepczynski, TOR, SP..... $0
70. Adam Jones, BAL, OF .............. $14 145. Franklin Gutierrez, SEA, OF ..... $2 220. Jason Varitek, BOS, C .............. $1 295. Jack Hannahan, BOS, 3B ......... $0
71. Torii Hunter, ANA, OF .............. $14 146. Fernando Rodney, ANA, RP ..... $2 221. Daniel Bard, BOS, RP .............. $1 296. Arthur Rhodes, TEX, RP ........... $0
72. James Shields, TB, SP ............. $13 147. Brian Duensing, MIN, RP/SP .... $1 222. Brayan Pena, KC, C ................. $1 297. Luis Valbuena, CLE, 2B ............ $0
73. Jeremy Hellickson, TB, SP ....... $13 148. Matt LaPorta, CLE, 1B .............. $1 223. Kelly Shoppach, TB, C.............. $1 298. Josh Wilson, FA, SS ................. $0
74. Scott Baker, MIN, SP ................ $13 149. Justin Smoak, SEA, 1B............. $1 224. Grant Balfour, OAK, RP ............ $1 299. Brandon Wood, ANA, 3B/SS..... $0
75. Austin Jackson, DET, OF ......... $13 150. Josh Willingham, OAK, OF ....... $1 225. Rafael Soriano, NYY, RP .......... $1 300. J.P. Howell, TB, RP .................. $0
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2
Player Rankings/Auction Values
Catchers First Basemen Second Basemen Shortstops
1. Joe Mauer, MIN ....................... $37 1. Miguel Cabrera, DET ............... $45 1. Robinson Cano, NYY .............. $43 1. Derek Jeter, NYY .................... $27
2. Victor Martinez, DET ............... $33 2. Mark Teixeira, NYY.................. $41 2. Dustin Pedroia, BOS ............... $35 2. Elvis Andrus, TEX ................... $20
3. Carlos Santana, CLE ............... $25 3. Adrian Gonzalez, BOS ............. $40 3. Ian Kinsler, TEX ...................... $32 3. Marco Scutaro, BOS ............... $18
4. Kurt Suzuki, OAK .................... $13 4. Kevin Youkilis, BOS ................. $34 4. Ben Zobrist, TB ....................... $22 4. Alexei Ramirez, CHW .............. $12
5. Matt Wieters, BAL ................... $10 5. Adam Dunn, CHW ................... $33 5. Aaron Hill, TOR ....................... $18 5. Yunel Escobar, TOR ................. $9
6. Mike Napoli, TEX....................... $8 6. Justin Morneau, MIN................ $32 6. Brian Roberts, BAL ................. $16 6. Cliff Pennington, OAK ............... $5
7. Jorge Posada, NYY ................... $5 7. Kendry Morales, ANA .............. $29 7. Gordon Beckham, CHW .......... $15 7. Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE ............. $5
8. Russell Martin, NYY .................. $5 8. Billy Butler, KC......................... $25 8. Chone Figgins, SEA ................ $11 8. Jhonny Peralta, DET ................. $4
9. John Jaso, TB ........................... $4 9. Michael Cuddyer, MIN ............. $18 9. Howard Kendrick, ANA ............. $9 9. Jed Lowrie, BOS ....................... $4
10. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW .............. $4 10. Paul Konerko, CHW ............... $17 10. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN .......... $6 10. Erick Aybar, ANA .................... $1
11. J.P. Arencibia, TOR ................. $3 11. Derrek Lee, BAL .................... $10 11. Mike Aviles, KC ....................... $4 11. Alcides Escobar, KC................ $1
12. Yorvit Torrealba, TEX .............. $3 12. Mike Napoli, TEX ..................... $8 12. Jed Lowrie, BOS ..................... $4 12. J.J. Hardy, BAL ....................... $1
13. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, BOS .... $3 13. Daric Barton, OAK ................... $5 13. Sean Rodriguez, TB ................ $1 13. Alexi Casilla, MIN .................... $1
14. Miguel Olivo, SEA.................... $3 14. Kila Ka'aihue, KC ..................... $2 14. Mark Ellis, OAK ....................... $1 14. Reid Brignac, TB ..................... $1
15. Alex Avila, DET ....................... $1 15. Matt LaPorta, CLE ................... $1 15. Maicer Izturis, ANA ................. $1 15. Brendan Ryan, SEA ................ $1
16. Hank Conger, ANA .................. $1 16. Justin Smoak, SEA .................. $1 16. Alexi Casilla, MIN .................... $1 16. Jason Donald, CLE ................. $1
17. Jason Varitek, BOS ................. $1 17. Mitch Moreland, TEX ............... $1 17. Reid Brignac, TB ..................... $1 17. Orlando Cabrera, CLE............. $0
18. Brayan Pena, KC ..................... $1 18. Casey Kotchman, TB ............... $1 18. Jason Donald, CLE ................. $1 18. Cesar Izturis, BAL ................... $0
19. Kelly Shoppach, TB ................. $1 19. Troy Glaus, FA ........................ $0 19. Scott Sizemore, DET............... $0 19. Bobby Crosby, FA ................... $0
20. Jason Kendall, KC ................... $1 20. Garrett Atkins, FA .................... $0 20. David Eckstein, FA .................. $0 20. Jack Wilson, SEA .................... $0
21. Jeff Mathis, ANA...................... $1 21. Dustin Ackley, SEA .................. $0 21. Carlos Guillen, DET ................ $0 21. Julio Lugo, FA ......................... $0
22. Adam Moore, SEA ................... $0 22. Chris Davis, TEX ..................... $0 22. Jayson Nix, TOR ..................... $0 22. Felipe Lopez, TB ..................... $0
23. Ramon Castro, CHW ............... $0 23. Mark Trumbo, ANA .................. $0 23. Brett Lawrie, TOR ................... $0 23. Ramon Santiago, DET ............ $0
24. Josh Bard, SEA ....................... $0 24. Don Kelly, DET ........................ $0 24. Julio Lugo, FA ......................... $0 24. Josh Wilson, FA ...................... $0
25. Jose Molina, TOR .................... $0 25. Adam Kennedy, SEA ............... $0 25. Felipe Lopez, TB ..................... $0 25. Brandon Wood, ANA ............... $0
26. Francisco Cervelli, NYY ........... $0 26. Ryan Shealy, TOR ................... $0 26. Ramon Santiago, DET ............ $0 26. Adam Everett, CLE.................. $0
27. Matt Treanor, KC ..................... $0 27. Chris Getz, KC ........................ $0 27. Luis O. Rodriguez, CHW ......... $0
28. Taylor Teagarden, TEX ........... $0 28. Will Rhymes, DET ................... $0 28. Ramiro Pena, NYY .................. $0
29. Lou Marson, CLE .................... $0 29. Luis Valbuena, CLE ................ $0 29. Daniel Worth, DET .................. $0
30. Landon Powell, OAK ............... $0 30. John McDonald, TOR.............. $0 30. Drew Sutton, CLE ................... $0
31. Omir Santos, DET ................... $0 31. Adam Rosales, OAK ............... $0
32. Lucas May, KC ........................ $0 32. Matt Tolbert, MIN .................... $0
33. Raul Chavez, TOR .................. $0 33. Ronnie Belliard, FA ................. $0
34. Jose Morales, MIN................... $0 34. Andres Blanco, TEX ................ $0
35. Adam Kennedy, SEA .............. $0
36. Esteban German, TEX ............ $0
37. Robert Andino, BAL ................ $0
38. Joaquin Arias, KC ................... $0
39. Brent Lillibridge, CHW ............. $0
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Third Basemen Outfielders Designated Hitters
1. Evan Longoria, TB ................... $40 1. Carl Crawford, BOS ................. $40 1. David Ortiz, BOS..................... $12
2. Alex Rodriguez, NYY ............... $36 2. Josh Hamilton, TEX ................. $36 2. Adam Lind, TOR ..................... $11
3. Jose Bautista, TOR ................. $34 3. Jose Bautista, TOR.................. $34 3. Vladimir Guerrero, BAL ........... $10
4. Adrian Beltre, TEX................... $26 4. Shin-Soo Choo, CLE ............... $32 4. Luke Scott, BAL ........................ $5
5. Michael Young, TEX ................ $24 5. Nick Markakis, BAL.................. $28 5. Hideki Matsui, OAK ................... $3
6. Mark Reynolds, BAL ................ $20 6. Brett Gardner, NYY.................. $26 6. Jim Thome, MIN........................ $1
7. Edwin Encarnacion, TOR .......... $4 7. Nelson Cruz, TEX .................... $26 7. Jack Cust, SEA ......................... $1
8. Jhonny Peralta, DET ................. $4 8. Ichiro Suzuki, SEA ................... $26 8. Dan Johnson, TB ...................... $0
9. Alberto Callaspo, ANA ............... $3 9. Curtis Granderson, NYY .......... $25 9. Travis Hafner, CLE ................... $0
10. Wilson Betemit, KC.................. $3 10. Alex Rios, CHW ..................... $25 10. Willy Aybar, FA ....................... $0
11. Brent Morel, CHW ................... $1 11. B.J. Upton, TB ....................... $24 11. Nick Johnson, CLE ................. $0
12. Danny Valencia, MIN ............... $1 12. Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS ............ $24 12. Jake Fox, BAL ........................ $0
13. Brandon Inge, DET .................. $1 13. Vernon Wells, ANA ................ $23
14. Maicer Izturis, ANA .................. $1 14. Nick Swisher, NYY................. $22
15. Mark Teahen, CHW ................. $1 15. Ben Zobrist, TB ...................... $22
16. Kevin Kouzmanoff, OAK .......... $1 16. Bobby Abreu, ANA................. $22
17. Jayson Nix, TOR ..................... $0 17. Delmon Young, MIN .............. $21
18. Lonnie Chisenhall, CLE ........... $0 18. Michael Cuddyer, MIN ........... $18
19. Andy LaRoche, OAK ............... $0 19. Denard Span, MIN ................. $15
20. Hank Blalock, FA ..................... $0 20. Juan Pierre, CHW .................. $14
21. Brendan Harris, BAL................ $0 21. Grady Sizemore, CLE ............ $14
22. Felipe Lopez, TB ..................... $0 22. Adam Jones, BAL .................. $14
23. Omar Vizquel, CHW ................ $0 23. Torii Hunter, ANA................... $14
24. Chad Tracy, TEX ..................... $0 24. Austin Jackson, DET ............. $13
25. Jack Hannahan, BOS .............. $0 25. Carlos Quentin, CHW ............ $10
26. Brandon Wood, ANA ............... $0 26. David DeJesus, OAK ............... $9
27. Josh Bell, BAL ......................... $0 27. Magglio Ordonez, DET ............ $6
28. Ramiro Pena, NYY .................. $0 28. Jason Kubel, MIN .................... $5
29. Eric Bruntlett, NYY................... $0 29. J.D. Drew, BOS ....................... $2
30. Eduardo Nunez, NYY .............. $0 30. Johnny Damon, TB .................. $2
31. Dayan Viciedo, CHW ............... $0 31. Ryan Raburn, DET .................. $2
32. Travis Snider, TOR .................. $2
33. Franklin Gutierrez, SEA ........... $2
34. Josh Willingham, OAK ............. $1
35. Rajai Davis, TOR ..................... $1
36. Matt Joyce, TB ......................... $1
37. Peter Bourjos, ANA.................. $1
38. Jeff Francoeur, KC................... $1
39. Alex Gordon, KC ...................... $1
40. Lorenzo Cain, KC .................... $1
41. Coco Crisp, OAK ..................... $1
42. Julio Borbon, TEX .................... $1
43. David Murphy, TEX.................. $1
44. Michael Brantley, CLE ............. $1
45. Ryan Sweeney, OAK ............... $1
46. Manny Ramirez, TB ................. $1
47. Brennan Boesch, DET ............. $1
48. Sean Rodriguez, TB ................ $1
49. Mike Cameron, BOS ................ $1
50. Desmond Jennings, TB............ $1
51. Scott Podsednik, TOR ............. $0
52. Milton Bradley, SEA ................. $0
53. Melky Cabrera, KC .................. $0
54. Michael Saunders, SEA ........... $0
55. Juan Rivera, TOR .................... $0
56. Mitch Maier, KC ....................... $0
57. Felix Pie, BAL .......................... $0
58. Lastings Milledge, CHW ........... $0
59. Jarrod Dyson, KC .................... $0
60. Conor Jackson, OAK ............... $0
61. Ryan Church, FA ..................... $0
62. Andruw Jones, NYY ................. $0
63. Gabe Gross, FA ....................... $0
64. Trevor Crowe, CLE .................. $0
65. Austin Kearns, CLE ................. $0
66. Nolan Reimold, BAL ................ $0
67. Gregor Blanco, KC................... $0
68. Corey Patterson, TOR ............. $0
69. Darnell McDonald, BOS ........... $0
70. Casper Wells, DET .................. $0
71. Ryan Kalish, BOS .................... $0
72. Chris Dickerson, NYY .............. $0
73. Daniel Nava, BOS.................... $0
74. Oscar Salazar, FA ................... $0
75. Don Kelly, DET ........................ $0
76. Randy Winn, BAL .................... $0
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Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers
1. Felix Hernandez, SEA ............. $36 37. Carl Pavano, MIN .................... $4 1. Neftali Feliz, TEX .................... $23
2. Jon Lester, BOS ...................... $32 38. Jake Peavy, CHW .................... $4 2. Joakim Soria, KC .................... $20
3. CC Sabathia, NYY ................... $31 39. Joel Pineiro, ANA..................... $3 3. Mariano Rivera, NYY .............. $18
4. Dan Haren, ANA...................... $29 40. Wade Davis, TB ....................... $3 4. Jonathan Papelbon, BOS........ $16
5. Justin Verlander, DET ............. $28 41. Brian Duensing, MIN ................ $1 5. Matt Thornton, CHW ............... $10
6. Francisco Liriano, MIN............. $27 42. Derek Holland, TEX ................. $1 6. Chris Perez, CLE .................... $10
7. Jered Weaver, ANA ................. $26 43. Luke Hochevar, KC.................. $1 7. Jose Valverde, DET ................ $10
8. David Price, TB ....................... $26 44. Rick Porcello, DET................... $1 8. Andrew Bailey, OAK ............... $10
9. Colby Lewis, TEX .................... $20 45. A.J. Burnett, NYY..................... $1 9. David Aardsma, SEA ................ $8
10. John Danks, CHW ................. $20 46. Brad Bergesen, BAL ................ $1 10. Joe Nathan, MIN ..................... $7
11. Josh Beckett, BOS ................ $20 47. Nick Blackburn, MIN ................ $1 11. Koji Uehara, BAL .................... $6
12. Max Scherzer, DET ............... $18 48. Brandon Webb, TEX ................ $1 12. Chris Sale, CHW ..................... $5
13. Phil Hughes, NYY .................. $17 49. Ivan Nova, NYY ....................... $1 13. Jake McGee, TB ..................... $3
14. Brandon Morrow, TOR .......... $16 50. Josh Tomlin, CLE .................... $1 14. Frank Francisco, TOR ............. $3
15. Clay Buchholz, BOS .............. $16 51. Justin Masterson, CLE ............. $1 15. Fernando Rodney, ANA .......... $2
16. Gavin Floyd, CHW ................. $15 52. Jeff Francis, KC ....................... $1 16. Brian Duensing, MIN ............... $1
17. Brett Anderson, OAK ............. $15 53. Carlos Carrasco, CLE .............. $1 17. Phil Coke, DET ....................... $1
18. John Lackey, BOS ................. $15 54. Vin Mazzaro, KC ...................... $1 18. Brandon League, SEA ............ $1
19. James Shields, TB................. $13 55. Kyle Drabek, TOR.................... $1 19. Tim Wakefield, BOS ................ $1
20. Jeremy Hellickson, TB ........... $13 56. Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS ........ $1 20. Alexi Ogando, TEX ................. $1
21. Scott Baker, MIN ................... $13 57. Jesse Litsch, TOR ................... $1 21. Kevin Gregg, BAL ................... $1
22. Ricky Romero, TOR .............. $12 58. Michael Pineda, SEA ............... $1 22. Matt Capps, MIN ..................... $1
23. Trevor Cahill, OAK................. $12 59. Erik Bedard, SEA ..................... $1 23. Bruce Chen, KC ...................... $1
24. Dallas Braden, OAK .............. $11 60. David Pauley, SEA .................. $1 24. Kevin Jepsen, ANA ................. $1
25. Ervin Santana, ANA............... $10 61. Tommy Hunter, TEX ................ $1 25. Daniel Bard, BOS.................... $1
26. Edwin Jackson, CHW ............ $10 62. Brandon McCarthy, OAK ......... $1 26. Grant Balfour, OAK ................. $1
27. Brian Matusz, BAL ................... $9 63. Kevin Slowey, MIN................... $1 27. Rafael Soriano, NYY ............... $1
28. Gio Gonzalez, OAK ................. $9 64. Justin Duchscherer, BAL ......... $1 28. Octavio Dotel, TOR ................. $1
29. Fausto Carmona, CLE ............. $9 65. Brad Penny, DET ..................... $1 29. Jon Rauch, TOR ..................... $1
30. Brett Cecil, TOR ...................... $7 66. Tim Wakefield, BOS ................ $1 30. Dan Wheeler, BOS ................. $1
31. Jeremy Guthrie, BAL ............... $7 67. Josh Outman, OAK .................. $1 31. Scott Downs, ANA .................. $1
32. Mark Buehrle, CHW ................. $7 68. Bruce Chen, KC ....................... $1 32. Brian Fuentes, OAK ................ $1
33. C.J. Wilson, TEX ..................... $7 69. Hisanori Takahashi, ANA ......... $0 33. Hisanori Takahashi, ANA ........ $0
34. Jeff Niemann, TB ..................... $6 70. Rich Harden, OAK ................... $0 34. Kyle Farnsworth, TB................ $0
35. Doug Fister, SEA ..................... $4 71. Scott Feldman, TEX................. $0 35. Darren Oliver, TEX.................. $0
36. Jason Vargas, SEA ................. $4 72. Marc Rzepczynski, TOR .......... $0 36. Bobby Jenks, BOS .................. $0
37. Jason Frasor, TOR ................. $0
38. Craig Breslow, OAK ................ $0
39. Michael Gonzalez, BAL ........... $0
40. Michael Wuertz, OAK .............. $0
41. Darren O'Day, TEX ................. $0
42. Arthur Rhodes, TEX ................ $0
43. J.P. Howell, TB ....................... $0
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Multiposition-Eligible Players for 2011
We break down the 45 hitters and 24 pitchers who will be eligible at more than one position in a standard Fantasy Baseball league on
CBSSports.com for 2011. For reference, we listed the games played by position in 2010.
The standard we use for hitters is at least 20 games at a position in the previous season. Each of these players have played 20-plus games at
the positions assigned to them. The first position listed will be their primary position for next season in our Fantasy Baseball leagues.
Multiposition-Eligibile Players for Draft Day 2011
Player POS1 POS2 POS3 C 1B 2B 3B SS OF DH
Jeff Baker 3B 2B 4 26 33 4
Clint Barmes 2B SS 88 1 47
Jose A. Bautista OF 3B 4 48 114 2
Reid Brignac 2B SS 68 50 2 1
Jorge Cantu 3B 1B 63 1 89 9
Jamey Carroll SS 2B 48 11 69 5
Alexi Casilla SS 2B 24 6 30 1 7
Craig Counsell SS 3B 3 20 42
Michael Cuddyer 1B OF 84 1 14 68
Jason Donald SS 2B 41 47 1
Alberto Gonzalez 2B 3B 3 38 27 16 1
Cristian Guzman 2B SS 72 23 8 4
Jerry Hairston SS 2B 47 3 62 12
Bill Hall OF 2B 51 5 6 71
Eric Hinske OF 1B 32 1 50 1
Aubrey Huff 1B OF 100 80
Omar Infante 2B 3B OF 65 29 19 21
Maicer Izturis 3B 2B 22 28 7 3
Garrett Jones 1B OF 112 49 1
Don Kelly OF 1B 28 15 79
Adam Kennedy 2B 1B 51 86 8
Carlos N. Lee OF 1B 20 133 7
Felipe Lopez 3B 2B SS 2 27 60 25 1
Jed Lowrie 2B SS 7 28 1 23
Julio Lugo 2B SS 59 7 26 1 2
Andy Marte 3B 1B 32 45 3
Melvin Mora 3B 1B 25 19 63 4
Xavier Nady 1B OF 52 29 2
Mike Napoli 1B C 66 70 2
Jayson Nix 3B 2B 28 56 2 3 10
Ramiro Pena 3B SS 8 48 23 2 3
Jhonny Peralta 3B SS 2 100 46 4
Buster Posey C 1B 76 30
Martin Prado 2B 3B 5 98 43
Nick Punto 3B SS 12 48 31 2
Sean Rodriguez 2B OF 3 92 7 5 22 4
Rusty Ryal OF 1B 24 8 36 1
Ramon Santiago SS 2B 25 85 2
Miguel Tejada 3B SS 97 58 4
Ryan Theriot 2B SS 119 29
Juan Uribe SS 3B 2B 24 26 103 2
Wilson Valdez SS 2B 42 7 59
Ty Wigginton 1B 2B 3B 98 40 22 7
Brandon Wood 3B SS 2 56 22 1
Ben Zobrist OF 2B 14 55 2 118
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For pitchers, dual eligibility at relief pitcher and starting pitcher is determined by at least five starts and 10 relief appearances last season.
Dual-Eligible Pitchers for Draft Day 2011
Pitcher POS1 POS2 Games Started Relief Appearances
Trevor Bell SP RP 7 18
Chris Capuano SP RP 9 15
Bruce Chen SP RP 23 10
Brian Duensing SP RP 13 40
Nelson Figueroa SP RP 11 20
Matt Harrison SP RP 6 31
Blake Hawksworth RP SP 8 37
David Hernandez SP RP 8 33
Aaron Laffey SP RP 5 24
Daniel McCutchen SP RP 9 19
Gil Meche SP RP 9 11
Kris Medlen RP SP 14 17
Brian Moehler SP RP 8 12
Carlo Monasterios RP SP 13 19
Manny Parra SP RP 16 26
Oliver Perez SP RP 7 10
Esmil Rogers SP RP 8 20
Craig Stammen SP RP 19 16
Tim Stauffer SP RP 7 25
Jeff Suppan SP RP 15 15
Hisanori Takahashi SP RP 12 41
Brian Tallet SP RP 5 29
Tim Wakefield SP RP 19 13
Carlos Zambrano SP RP 20 16
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Primary Position Changes for 2011
A total of 207 players will have new primary positions for 2011 on CBSSports.com. We list the 106 hitters and 101 pitchers below with their old
and new positions for next spring.
Hitters with new 2011 primary positions on CBSSports.com
Old Primary New Primary Old Primary New Primary
Player TM POS POS Player TM POS POS
Tony Abreu ARI 2B 3B Kila Ka'aihue KC DH 1B
Brandon Allen ARI 1B OF Jeff Keppinger HOU 3B 2B
Robert Andino BAL SS 2B Mark Kotsay MIL OF 1B
Garrett Atkins PIT 3B 1B Mike Lamb FA 3B 1B
Mike Aviles KC SS 2B Matt LaPorta CLE OF 1B
Jeff Baker CHC 2B 3B Felipe Lopez TB 2B 3B
Gordon Beckham CHW 3B 2B Jose Lopez COL 2B 3B
Hank Blalock FA 1B 3B Mike Lowell BOS 3B 1B
Willie Bloomquist ARI SS OF Jed Lowrie BOS SS 2B
Geoff Blum ARI 3B SS Julio Lugo FA SS 2B
Emilio Bonifacio FLA 3B OF Andy Marte PIT 1B 3B
Reid Brignac TB SS 2B Paul McAnulty ANA OF 1B
Jordan Brown CLE OF 1B Mike McCoy TOR 2B OF
Pat Burrell SF DH OF John McDonald TOR SS 2B
Miguel Cairo CIN 2B 3B Russell Mitchell LA 1B 3B
Alberto Callaspo ANA 2B 3B Scott Moore CHC 3B 2B
Jorge Cantu SD 1B 3B Mitch Moreland TEX OF 1B
Jamey Carroll LA 2B SS Logan Morrison FLA 1B OF
Chris V. Carter OAK 1B OF Mike Morse WAS 1B OF
Alexi Casilla MIN 2B SS Xavier Nady ARI RF 1B
Eric Chavez NYY 3B 1B Mike Napoli TEX C 1B
Jeff Clement PIT C 1B Chris Nelson COL SS 2B
Brooks Conrad ATL 2B 3B Jayson Nix CLE 2B 3B
Alex Cora WAS SS 2B Eduardo Nunez NYY SS 3B
Craig Counsell MIL 2B SS Ramiro Pena NYY SS 3B
Bobby Crosby FA 3B SS Placido Polanco PHI 2B 3B
Michael Cuddyer MIN RF 1B Nick Punto STL 2B 3B
Mark DeRosa SF 3B OF Robb Quinlan PHI OF 1B
Daniel Descalso STL 2B 3B Ryan Roberts ARI 2B OF
Blake DeWitt CHC 3B 2B Ryan Rohlinger SF 3B SS
Lucas Duda NYM 1B OF Niuman Romero BOS SS 2B
Adam Dunn CHW OF 1B Adam Rosales OAK 3B 2B
Danny Espinosa WAS SS 2B Kevin Russo NYY 2B 3B
Chone Figgins SEA 3B 2B Rusty Ryal FA 2B OF
Jake Fox BAL 3B C Bobby Scales CHC OF 3B
Kevin Frandsen FA 2B 3B Luke Scott BAL OF 1B
Esteban German TEX 3B 2B Fernando Tatis FA OF 1B
Chris Gimenez SEA OF C Miguel Tejada SF SS 3B
Troy Glaus FA 3B 1B Ruben Tejada NYM SS 2B
Alex Gordon KC 3B OF Ryan Theriot LA SS 2B
Nick Green BAL SS 2B Chad Tracy FA 1B 3B
Carlos Guillen DET OF 2B Matt Tuiasosopo SEA 2B OF
Cristian Guzman TEX SS 2B Juan Uribe LAD 2B SS
Bill Hall HOU 3B OF Chris Valaika CIN SS 2B
Chase Headley SD OF 3B Omar Vizquel CHW SS 3B
Anderson Hernandez HOU 2B SS Neil Walker PIT 3B 2B
Luis Hernandez NYM SS 2B Brett Wallace HOU 3B 1B
Brandon Hicks ATL SS 3B Ty Wigginton COL 3B 1B
Jarrett Hoffpauir TOR 2B 3B Chris Woodward FA 3B SS
Luke Hughes MIN 2B 3B Daniel Worth DET 2B SS
Maicer Izturis ANA 2B 3B Delwyn Young PHI 2B OF
Andruw Jones NYY DH OF Lance Zawadzki SD SS 2B
Garrett Jones PIT RF 1B Ben Zobrist TB 2B OF
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Pitchers with new 2011 primary positions on CBSSports.com
Old Primary New Primary Old Primary New Primary
Player TM POS POS Player TM POS POS
Collin Balester WAS SP RP Jake McGee TB SP RP
Antonio Bastardo PHI SP RP Kris Medlen ATL RP SP
Jason Berken BAL SP RP Jenrry Mejia NYM SP RP
Mitchell Boggs STL SP RP Brad Mills TOR SP RP
Jeremy Bonderman FA RP SP Sergio Mitre MIL SP RP
Eddie Bonine PHI SP RP Carlos Monasterios LA RP SP
Boof Bonser NYM SP RP Kevin Mulvey ARI SP RP
Jay Buente FLA SP RP Chris Narveson MIL RP SP
Bryan Bullington KC RP SP Fernando Nieve PIT SP RP
Andrew Carpenter PHI SP RP Dustin Nippert FA SP RP
Andrew Cashner CHC SP RP Jordan Norberto ARI SP RP
Gustavo Chacin FA SP RP Andrew Oliver DET RP SP
Jhoulys Chacin COL RP SP Garrett Olson SEA SP RP
Joba Chamberlain NYY SP RP Ramon Ortiz TB SP RP
Aroldis Chapman CIN SP RP Russ Ortiz LA SP RP
Jose Contreras PHI SP RP Micah Owings ARI SP RP
Danny Cortes SEA SP RP Matt Palmer ANA SP RP
Samuel Deduno SD SP RP Chan Ho Park FA SP RP
Thomas Diamond CHC SP RP Bobby Parnell NYM SP RP
R.A. Dickey NYM RP SP Troy Patton BAL SP RP
Felix Doubront BOS SP RP Glen Perkins MIN SP RP
John Ely LA RP SP David Purcey TOR SP RP
Edgmer Escalona COL SP RP Cesar Ramos TB SP RP
Marco Estrada MIL SP RP Robert Ray TOR SP RP
Alfredo Figaro FA SP RP Jo-Jo Reyes TOR SP RP
Matt Fox BOS SP RP Nate Robertson SEA RP SP
Armando Gabino BAL SP RP Sandy Rosario FLA P RP
Chad Gaudin WAS SP RP Tyson Ross OAK SP RP
Justin Germano CLE SP RP Chris Sale CHW SP RP
Mike Hampton FA SP RP Alex Sanabia FLA P SP
Lucas Harrell CHW SP RP Chris Seddon SEA SP RP
Blake Hawksworth STL RP SP Alfredo Simon BAL SP RP
Jeremy Hellickson TB SP RP Brett Sinkbeil FLA SP RP
Mark Hendrickson BAL SP RP Jordan Smith CIN SP RP
Rich Hill BOS SP RP Andy Sonnanstine TB SP RP
James Houser BAL SP RP Robinson Tejeda KC SP RP
Gregory Infante CHW SP RP Justin Thomas PIT SP RP
Casey Janssen TOR SP RP Brad Thompson HOU SP RP
Jeremy Jeffress KC SP RP Carlos Torres CHW SP RP
Michael Kirkman TEX SP RP Koji Uehara BAL SP RP
Colby Lewis TEX RP SP Raul Valdes STL SP RP
Rommie Lewis TOR SP RP Cesar Valdez PIT SP RP
Evan MacLane FA SP RP Rick VandenHurk BAL SP RP
Matt Maloney CIN SP RP Jonny Venters ATL SP RP
Jeff Manship MIN SP RP Carlos Villanueva TOR SP RP
Jeff Marquez CHW SP RP Jordan Walden ANA SP RP
Sean Marshall CHC SP RP Jeff Weaver FA SP RP
Joe Martinez CLE SP RP C.J. Wilson TEX RP SP
Frank Mata FLA SP RP Blake Wood KC SP RP
Scott Mathieson PHI SP RP Vance Worley PHI SP RP
James McDonald PIT RP SP
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Draft Day Cheat Sheet
1. Miguel Cabrera, DET, 1B ............... $45 51. Elvis Andrus, TEX, SS .................. $20 101. Mike Napoli, TEX, 1B/C ................ $8 151. Rajai Davis, TOR, OF ................... $1 201. David Pauley, SEA, SP ................ $1 251. Jayson Nix, TOR, 3B/2B ............... $0
2. Robinson Cano, NYY, 2B ............... $43 52. Max Scherzer, DET, SP ................ $18 102. Brett Cecil, TOR, SP .................... $7 152. Derek Holland, TEX, SP................ $1 202. Brendan Ryan, SEA, SS ............... $1 252. Lonnie Chisenhall, CLE, 3B .......... $0
3. Mark Teixeira, NYY, 1B .................. $41 53. Michael Cuddyer, MIN, 1B/OF ...... $18 103. Jeremy Guthrie, BAL, SP.............. $7 153. Mitch Moreland, TEX, 1B .............. $1 203. Tommy Hunter, TEX, SP .............. $1 253. Conor Jackson, OAK, OF.............. $0
4. Evan Longoria, TB, 3B ................... $40 54. Aaron Hill, TOR, 2B ...................... $18 104. Mark Buehrle, CHW, SP ............... $7 154. Luke Hochevar, KC, SP ................ $1 204. Desmond Jennings, TB, OF ......... $1 254. Cesar Izturis, BAL, SS .................. $0
5. Adrian Gonzalez, BOS, 1B ............. $40 55. Marco Scutaro, BOS, SS .............. $18 105. C.J. Wilson, TEX, SP.................... $7 155. Rick Porcello, DET, SP ................. $1 205. Brandon McCarthy, OAK, SP........ $1 255. Brett Lawrie, TOR, 2B ................... $0
6. Carl Crawford, BOS, OF ................. $40 56. Mariano Rivera, NYY, RP ............. $18 106. Joe Nathan, MIN, RP.................... $7 156. Jim Thome, MIN, DH .................... $1 206. Brandon League, SEA, RP ........... $1 256. Ryan Church, FA, OF ................... $0
7. Joe Mauer, MIN, C ......................... $37 57. Phil Hughes, NYY, SP .................. $17 107. Magglio Ordonez, DET, OF .......... $6 157. Matt Joyce, TB, OF ....................... $1 207. Jason Donald, CLE, SS/2B........... $1 257. Willy Aybar, FA, DH ...................... $0
8. Felix Hernandez, SEA, SP ............. $36 58. Paul Konerko, CHW, 1B................ $17 108. Jeff Niemann, TB, SP ................... $6 158. Peter Bourjos, ANA, OF ................ $1 208. Kevin Slowey, MIN, SP................. $1 258. Andy LaRoche, OAK, 3B............... $0
9. Josh Hamilton, TEX, OF ................. $36 59. Brandon Morrow, TOR, SP ........... $16 109. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN, 2B.......... $6 159. A.J. Burnett, NYY, SP ................... $1 209. Justin Duchscherer, BAL, SP........ $1 259. Andruw Jones, NYY, OF ............... $0
10. Alex Rodriguez, NYY, 3B ............. $36 60. Clay Buchholz, BOS, SP............... $16 110. Koji Uehara, BAL, RP ................... $6 160. Jeff Francoeur, KC, OF ................. $1 210. Brad Penny, DET, SP ................... $1 260. Hank Blalock, FA, 3B .................... $0
11. Dustin Pedroia, BOS, 2B .............. $35 61. Brian Roberts, BAL, 2B ................. $16 111. Daric Barton, OAK, 1B.................. $5 161. Jack Cust, SEA, DH ...................... $1 211. Alex Avila, DET, C ........................ $1 261. Gabe Gross, FA, OF ..................... $0
12. Jose Bautista, TOR, OF/3B .......... $34 62. Jonathan Papelbon, BOS, RP ....... $16 112. Jason Kubel, MIN, OF .................. $5 162. Alex Gordon, KC, OF .................... $1 212. Tim Wakefield, BOS, SP/RP ......... $1 262. Bobby Crosby, FA, SS .................. $0
13. Kevin Youkilis, BOS, 1B ............... $34 63. Gavin Floyd, CHW, SP ................. $15 113. Cliff Pennington, OAK, SS ............ $5 163. Erick Aybar, ANA, SS ................... $1 213. Alexi Ogando, TEX, RP ................ $1 263. Jack Wilson, SEA, SS ................... $0
14. Adam Dunn, CHW, 1B.................. $33 64. Brett Anderson, OAK, SP .............. $15 114. Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE, SS .......... $5 164. Brad Bergesen, BAL, SP............... $1 214. Kevin Gregg, BAL, RP .................. $1 264. Dustin Ackley, SEA, 1B................. $0
15. Victor Martinez, DET, C ................ $33 65. John Lackey, BOS, SP ................. $15 115. Luke Scott, BAL, DH .................... $5 165. Nick Blackburn, MIN, SP ............... $1 215. Josh Outman, OAK, SP ................ $1 265. Nick Johnson, CLE, DH ................ $0
16. Jon Lester, BOS, SP .................... $32 66. Denard Span, MIN, OF ................. $15 116. Chris Sale, CHW, RP ................... $5 166. Lorenzo Cain, KC, OF................... $1 216. Matt Capps, MIN, RP.................... $1 266. Trevor Crowe, CLE, OF ................ $0
17. Shin-Soo Choo, CLE, OF ............. $32 67. Gordon Beckham, CHW, 2B ......... $15 117. Jorge Posada, NYY, C ................. $5 167. Coco Crisp, OAK, OF.................... $1 217. Bruce Chen, KC, SP/RP ............... $1 267. Austin Kearns, CLE, OF ................ $0
18. Ian Kinsler, TEX, 2B ..................... $32 68. Juan Pierre, CHW, OF .................. $14 118. Russell Martin, NYY, C ................. $5 168. Brandon Webb, TEX, SP .............. $1 218. Kevin Jepsen, ANA, RP................ $1 268. Brendan Harris, BAL, 3B ............... $0
19. Justin Morneau, MIN, 1B .............. $32 69. Grady Sizemore, CLE, OF ............ $14 119. Edwin Encarnacion, TOR, 3B ....... $4 169. Ivan Nova, NYY, SP...................... $1 219. Hank Conger, ANA, C .................. $1 269. Nolan Reimold, BAL, OF ............... $0
20. CC Sabathia, NYY, SP ................. $31 70. Adam Jones, BAL, OF .................. $14 120. Doug Fister, SEA, SP ................... $4 170. Alcides Escobar, KC, SS............... $1 220. Jason Varitek, BOS, C.................. $1 270. Chris Davis, TEX, 1B .................... $0
21. Dan Haren, ANA, SP .................... $29 71. Torii Hunter, ANA, OF ................... $14 121. Jason Vargas, SEA, SP................ $4 171. Julio Borbon, TEX, OF .................. $1 221. Daniel Bard, BOS, RP .................. $1 271. Kyle Farnsworth, TB, RP............... $0
22. Kendry Morales, ANA, 1B ............. $29 72. James Shields, TB, SP ................. $13 122. Carl Pavano, MIN, SP .................. $4 172. David Murphy, TEX, OF ................ $1 222. Brayan Pena, KC, C ..................... $1 272. Darren Oliver, TEX, RP................. $0
23. Justin Verlander, DET, SP ............ $28 73. Jeremy Hellickson, TB, SP............ $13 123. Jake Peavy, CHW, SP.................. $4 173. J.J. Hardy, BAL, SS ...................... $1 223. Kelly Shoppach, TB, C ................. $1 273. Rich Harden, OAK, SP.................. $0
24. Nick Markakis, BAL, OF ............... $28 74. Scott Baker, MIN, SP .................... $13 124. Jhonny Peralta, DET, 3B/SS......... $4 174. Michael Brantley, CLE, OF ............ $1 224. Grant Balfour, OAK, RP................ $1 274. Bobby Jenks, BOS, RP ................. $0
25. Francisco Liriano, MIN, SP ........... $27 75. Austin Jackson, DET, OF .............. $13 125. Mike Aviles, KC, 2B ...................... $4 175. Brent Morel, CHW, 3B .................. $1 225. Rafael Soriano, NYY, RP.............. $1 275. Scott Feldman, TEX, SP ............... $0
26. Derek Jeter, NYY, SS ................... $27 76. Kurt Suzuki, OAK, C ..................... $13 126. Jed Lowrie, BOS, 2B/SS .............. $4 176. Danny Valencia, MIN, 3B .............. $1 226. Octavio Dotel, TOR, RP ............... $1 276. Julio Lugo, FA, 2B/SS ................... $0
27. Jered Weaver, ANA, SP ............... $26 77. David Ortiz, BOS, DH ................... $12 127. John Jaso, TB, C.......................... $4 177. Josh Tomlin, CLE, SP ................... $1 227. Dan Wheeler, BOS, RP ................ $1 277. Jason Frasor, TOR, RP................. $0
28. David Price, TB, SP...................... $26 78. Ricky Romero, TOR, SP ............... $12 128. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW, C ............... $4 178. Ryan Sweeney, OAK, OF ............. $1 228. Jon Rauch, TOR, RP .................... $1 278. Gregor Blanco, KC, OF ................. $0
29. Brett Gardner, NYY, OF ............... $26 79. Trevor Cahill, OAK, SP ................. $12 129. Alberto Callaspo, ANA, 3B............ $3 179. Manny Ramirez, TB, OF ............... $1 229. Scott Downs, ANA, RP ................. $1 279. Felipe Lopez, TB, 3B/2B/SS.......... $0
30. Nelson Cruz, TEX, OF .................. $26 80. Alexei Ramirez, CHW, SS............. $12 130. Joel Pineiro, ANA, SP................... $3 180. Justin Masterson, CLE, SP ........... $1 230. Brian Fuentes, OAK, RP ............... $1 280. Craig Breslow, OAK, RP ............... $0
31. Ichiro Suzuki, SEA, OF ................. $26 81. Adam Lind, TOR, DH .................... $11 131. Wilson Betemit, KC, 3B ................ $3 181. Jeff Francis, KC, SP...................... $1 231. Jason Kendall, KC, C ................... $1 281. Ramon Santiago, DET, SS/2B ...... $0
32. Adrian Beltre, TEX, 3B ................. $26 82. Dallas Braden, OAK, SP ............... $11 132. Wade Davis, TB, SP..................... $3 182. Carlos Carrasco, CLE, SP ............ $1 232. Jeff Mathis, ANA, C ...................... $1 282. Mark Trumbo, ANA, 1B ................. $0
33. Billy Butler, KC, 1B ....................... $25 83. Chone Figgins, SEA, 2B ............... $11 133. Hideki Matsui, OAK, DH ............... $3 183. Brandon Inge, DET, 3B ................. $1 233. Orlando Cabrera, CLE, SS ........... $0 283. Michael Gonzalez, BAL, RP .......... $0
34. Curtis Granderson, NYY, OF ........ $25 84. Derrek Lee, BAL, 1B ..................... $10 134. Jake McGee, TB, RP.................... $3 184. Brennan Boesch, DET, OF............ $1 234. Dan Johnson, TB, DH................... $0 284. Omar Vizquel, CHW, 3B ............... $0
35. Alex Rios, CHW, OF..................... $25 85. Vladimir Guerrero, BAL, DH .......... $10 135. Frank Francisco, TOR, RP ........... $3 185. Vin Mazzaro, KC, SP .................... $1 235. Scott Podsednik, TOR, OF ........... $0 285. Corey Patterson, TOR, OF ............ $0
36. Carlos Santana, CLE, C ............... $25 86. Ervin Santana, ANA, SP ............... $10 136. J.P. Arencibia, TOR, C ................. $3 186. Sean Rodriguez, TB, 2B/OF.......... $1 236. Travis Hafner, CLE, DH ................ $0 286. Darnell McDonald, BOS, OF ......... $0
37. B.J. Upton, TB, OF ....................... $24 87. Edwin Jackson, CHW, SP ............. $10 137. Yorvit Torrealba, TEX, C .............. $3 187. Mark Ellis, OAK, 2B ...................... $1 237. Milton Bradley, SEA, OF ............... $0 287. Michael Wuertz, OAK, RP ............. $0
38. Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS, OF ............ $24 88. Carlos Quentin, CHW, OF............. $10 138. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, BOS, C .... $3 188. Maicer Izturis, ANA, 3B/2B ............ $1 238. Melky Cabrera, KC, OF ................ $0 288. Chad Tracy, TEX, 3B .................... $0
39. Michael Young, TEX, 3B .............. $24 89. Matt Thornton, CHW, RP .............. $10 139. Miguel Olivo, SEA, C .................... $3 189. Mark Teahen, CHW, 3B ................ $1 239. Michael Saunders, SEA, OF ......... $0 289. Casper Wells, DET, OF................. $0
40. Neftali Feliz, TEX, RP ................... $23 90. Chris Perez, CLE, RP ................... $10 140. Kila Ka'aihue, KC, 1B ................... $2 190. Alexi Casilla, MIN, SS/2B .............. $1 240. Scott Sizemore, DET, 2B .............. $0 290. Chris Getz, KC, 2B ....................... $0
41. Vernon Wells, ANA, OF ................ $23 91. Jose Valverde, DET, RP ............... $10 141. J.D. Drew, BOS, OF ..................... $2 191. Mike Cameron, BOS, OF .............. $1 241. Juan Rivera, TOR, OF .................. $0 291. Darren O'Day, TEX, RP ................ $0
42. Nick Swisher, NYY, OF ................ $22 92. Matt Wieters, BAL, C .................... $10 142. Johnny Damon, TB, OF ................ $2 192. Phil Coke, DET, RP ...................... $1 242. Troy Glaus, FA, 1B ....................... $0 292. Will Rhymes, DET, 2B .................. $0
43. Ben Zobrist, TB, OF/2B ................ $22 93. Andrew Bailey, OAK, RP............... $10 143. Ryan Raburn, DET, OF ................ $2 193. Reid Brignac, TB, 2B/SS ............... $1 243. Mitch Maier, KC, OF ..................... $0 293. Ryan Kalish, BOS, OF .................. $0
44. Bobby Abreu, ANA, OF ................ $22 94. David DeJesus, OAK, OF ............... $9 144. Travis Snider, TOR, OF ................ $2 194. Casey Kotchman, TB, 1B .............. $1 244. Hisanori Takahashi, ANA, RP/SP . $0 294. Marc Rzepczynski, TOR, SP ......... $0
45. Delmon Young, MIN, OF .............. $21 95. Brian Matusz, BAL, SP ................... $9 145. Franklin Gutierrez, SEA, OF ......... $2 195. Kyle Drabek, TOR, SP .................. $1 245. Felix Pie, BAL, OF ........................ $0 295. Jack Hannahan, BOS, 3B ............. $0
46. Colby Lewis, TEX, SP .................. $20 96. Gio Gonzalez, OAK, SP .................. $9 146. Fernando Rodney, ANA, RP......... $2 196. Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS, SP ....... $1 246. David Eckstein, FA, 2B ................. $0 296. Arthur Rhodes, TEX, RP ............... $0
47. John Danks, CHW, SP ................. $20 97. Fausto Carmona, CLE, SP.............. $9 147. Brian Duensing, MIN, RP/SP ........ $1 197. Jesse Litsch, TOR, SP .................. $1 247. Lastings Milledge, CHW, OF......... $0 297. Luis Valbuena, CLE, 2B ................ $0
48. Josh Beckett, BOS, SP................. $20 98. Yunel Escobar, TOR, SS ................ $9 148. Matt LaPorta, CLE, 1B.................. $1 198. Michael Pineda, SEA, SP.............. $1 248. Carlos Guillen, DET, 2B ............... $0 298. Josh Wilson, FA, SS ..................... $0
49. Mark Reynolds, BAL, 3B .............. $20 99. Howard Kendrick, ANA, 2B ............. $9 149. Justin Smoak, SEA, 1B ................ $1 199. Kevin Kouzmanoff, OAK, 3B ......... $1 249. Garrett Atkins, FA, 1B................... $0 299. Brandon Wood, ANA, 3B/SS ......... $0
50. Joakim Soria, KC, RP ................... $20 100. David Aardsma, SEA, RP ............. $8 150. Josh Willingham, OAK, OF ........... $1 200. Erik Bedard, SEA, SP ................... $1 250. Jarrod Dyson, KC, OF .................. $0 300. J.P. Howell, TB, RP ...................... $0
Catchers First Basemen Second Basemen Shortstops Third Basemen Designated Hitters
1. Joe Mauer, MIN ............................. $37 1. Miguel Cabrera, DET ...................... $45 1. Robinson Cano, NYY ..................... $43 1. Derek Jeter, NYY............................ $27 1. Evan Longoria, TB ......................... $40 1. David Ortiz, BOS ............................ $12
2. Victor Martinez, DET ...................... $33 2. Mark Teixeira, NYY......................... $41 2. Dustin Pedroia, BOS ...................... $35 2. Elvis Andrus, TEX ........................... $20 2. Alex Rodriguez, NYY...................... $36 2. Adam Lind, TOR ............................. $11
3. Carlos Santana, CLE...................... $25 3. Adrian Gonzalez, BOS.................... $40 3. Ian Kinsler, TEX ............................. $32 3. Marco Scutaro, BOS ....................... $18 3. Jose Bautista, TOR ........................ $34 3. Vladimir Guerrero, BAL ................... $10
4. Kurt Suzuki, OAK ........................... $13 4. Kevin Youkilis, BOS ........................ $34 4. Ben Zobrist, TB .............................. $22 4. Alexei Ramirez, CHW ..................... $12 4. Adrian Beltre, TEX ......................... $26 4. Luke Scott, BAL ................................ $5
5. Matt Wieters, BAL .......................... $10 5. Adam Dunn, CHW .......................... $33 5. Aaron Hill, TOR .............................. $18 5. Yunel Escobar, TOR ......................... $9 5. Michael Young, TEX....................... $24 5. Hideki Matsui, OAK........................... $3
6. Mike Napoli, TEX ............................. $8 6. Justin Morneau, MIN....................... $32 6. Brian Roberts, BAL ........................ $16 6. Cliff Pennington, OAK ....................... $5 6. Mark Reynolds, BAL....................... $20 6. Jim Thome, MIN ............................... $1
7. Jorge Posada, NYY.......................... $5 7. Kendry Morales, ANA ..................... $29 7. Gordon Beckham, CHW ................. $15 7. Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE ..................... $5 7. Edwin Encarnacion, TOR ................. $4 7. Jack Cust, SEA................................. $1
8. Russell Martin, NYY ......................... $5 8. Billy Butler, KC................................ $25 8. Chone Figgins, SEA ....................... $11 8. Jhonny Peralta, DET......................... $4 8. Jhonny Peralta, DET ........................ $4 8. Dan Johnson, TB .............................. $0
9. John Jaso, TB .................................. $4 9. Michael Cuddyer, MIN .................... $18 9. Howard Kendrick, ANA..................... $9 9. Jed Lowrie, BOS............................... $4 9. Alberto Callaspo, ANA...................... $3 9. Travis Hafner, CLE ........................... $0
10. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW ..................... $4 10. Paul Konerko, CHW ...................... $17 10. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN .................. $6 10. Erick Aybar, ANA ............................ $1 10. Wilson Betemit, KC ........................ $3 10. Willy Aybar, FA ............................... $0
11. J.P. Arencibia, TOR........................ $3 11. Derrek Lee, BAL ........................... $10 11. Mike Aviles, KC .............................. $4 11. Alcides Escobar, KC ....................... $1 11. Brent Morel, CHW .......................... $1 11. Nick Johnson, CLE ......................... $0
12. Yorvit Torrealba, TEX ..................... $3 12. Mike Napoli, TEX ............................ $8 12. Jed Lowrie, BOS ............................ $4 12. J.J. Hardy, BAL............................... $1 12. Danny Valencia, MIN...................... $1 12. Jake Fox, BAL ................................ $0
13. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, BOS........... $3 13. Daric Barton, OAK .......................... $5 13. Sean Rodriguez, TB ....................... $1 13. Alexi Casilla, MIN............................ $1 13. Brandon Inge, DET......................... $1
14. Miguel Olivo, SEA .......................... $3 14. Kila Ka'aihue, KC ............................ $2 14. Mark Ellis, OAK .............................. $1 14. Reid Brignac, TB............................. $1 14. Maicer Izturis, ANA......................... $1
15. Alex Avila, DET .............................. $1 15. Matt LaPorta, CLE .......................... $1 15. Maicer Izturis, ANA......................... $1 15. Brendan Ryan, SEA........................ $1 15. Mark Teahen, CHW........................ $1
16. Hank Conger, ANA......................... $1 16. Justin Smoak, SEA ......................... $1 16. Alexi Casilla, MIN ........................... $1 16. Jason Donald, CLE ......................... $1 16. Kevin Kouzmanoff, OAK ................. $1
17. Jason Varitek, BOS ........................ $1 17. Mitch Moreland, TEX ...................... $1 17. Reid Brignac, TB ............................ $1 17. Orlando Cabrera, CLE .................... $0 17. Jayson Nix, TOR ............................ $0
18. Brayan Pena, KC ........................... $1 18. Casey Kotchman, TB ...................... $1 18. Jason Donald, CLE ........................ $1 18. Cesar Izturis, BAL ........................... $0 18. Lonnie Chisenhall, CLE .................. $0
19. Kelly Shoppach, TB ........................ $1 19. Troy Glaus, FA ............................... $0 19. Scott Sizemore, DET ...................... $0 19. Bobby Crosby, FA........................... $0 19. Andy LaRoche, OAK ...................... $0
20. Jason Kendall, KC.......................... $1 20. Garrett Atkins, FA ........................... $0 20. David Eckstein, FA ......................... $0 20. Jack Wilson, SEA ........................... $0 20. Hank Blalock, FA............................ $0
21. Jeff Mathis, ANA ............................ $1 21. Dustin Ackley, SEA ......................... $0 21. Carlos Guillen, DET........................ $0 21. Julio Lugo, FA................................. $0 21. Brendan Harris, BAL ...................... $0
22. Adam Moore, SEA ......................... $0 22. Chris Davis, TEX ............................ $0 22. Jayson Nix, TOR ............................ $0 22. Felipe Lopez, TB ............................ $0 22. Felipe Lopez, TB ............................ $0
23. Ramon Castro, CHW ...................... $0 23. Mark Trumbo, ANA ......................... $0 23. Brett Lawrie, TOR .......................... $0 23. Ramon Santiago, DET .................... $0 23. Omar Vizquel, CHW ....................... $0
24. Josh Bard, SEA.............................. $0 24. Don Kelly, DET ............................... $0 24. Julio Lugo, FA ................................ $0 24. Josh Wilson, FA.............................. $0 24. Chad Tracy, TEX............................ $0
25. Jose Molina, TOR .......................... $0 25. Adam Kennedy, SEA ...................... $0 25. Felipe Lopez, TB ............................ $0 25. Brandon Wood, ANA....................... $0 25. Jack Hannahan, BOS ..................... $0
26. Francisco Cervelli, NYY.................. $0 26. Ryan Shealy, TOR .......................... $0 26. Ramon Santiago, DET.................... $0 26. Adam Everett, CLE ......................... $0 26. Brandon Wood, ANA ...................... $0
27. Matt Treanor, KC............................ $0 27. Chris Getz, KC ............................... $0 27. Luis O. Rodriguez, CHW ................. $0 27. Josh Bell, BAL................................ $0
28. Taylor Teagarden, TEX .................. $0 28. Will Rhymes, DET .......................... $0 28. Ramiro Pena, NYY ......................... $0 28. Ramiro Pena, NYY ......................... $0
29. Lou Marson, CLE ........................... $0 29. Luis Valbuena, CLE........................ $0 29. Daniel Worth, DET .......................... $0 29. Eric Bruntlett, NYY ......................... $0
30. Landon Powell, OAK ...................... $0 30. John McDonald, TOR ..................... $0 30. Drew Sutton, CLE ........................... $0 30. Eduardo Nunez, NYY ..................... $0
Outfielders Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers
1. Carl Crawford, BOS ....................... $40 36. Matt Joyce, TB................................ $1 1. Felix Hernandez, SEA .................... $36 25. Ervin Santana, ANA ...................... $10 49. Ivan Nova, NYY.............................. $1 1. Neftali Feliz, TEX ............................ $23
2. Josh Hamilton, TEX ....................... $36 37. Peter Bourjos, ANA......................... $1 2. Jon Lester, BOS............................. $32 26. Edwin Jackson, CHW ................... $10 50. Josh Tomlin, CLE ........................... $1 2. Joakim Soria, KC ............................ $20
3. Jose Bautista, TOR ........................ $34 38. Jeff Francoeur, KC.......................... $1 3. CC Sabathia, NYY ......................... $31 27. Brian Matusz, BAL .......................... $9 51. Justin Masterson, CLE ................... $1 3. Mariano Rivera, NYY ...................... $18
4. Shin-Soo Choo, CLE ...................... $32 39. Alex Gordon, KC............................. $1 4. Dan Haren, ANA ............................ $29 28. Gio Gonzalez, OAK ........................ $9 52. Jeff Francis, KC.............................. $1 4. Jonathan Papelbon, BOS ............... $16
5. Nick Markakis, BAL ........................ $28 40. Lorenzo Cain, KC ........................... $1 5. Justin Verlander, DET .................... $28 29. Fausto Carmona, CLE .................... $9 53. Carlos Carrasco, CLE .................... $1 5. Matt Thornton, CHW ....................... $10
6. Brett Gardner, NYY ........................ $26 41. Coco Crisp, OAK ............................ $1 6. Francisco Liriano, MIN ................... $27 30. Brett Cecil, TOR ............................. $7 54. Vin Mazzaro, KC ............................ $1 6. Chris Perez, CLE ............................ $10
7. Nelson Cruz, TEX .......................... $26 42. Julio Borbon, TEX........................... $1 7. Jered Weaver, ANA ....................... $26 31. Jeremy Guthrie, BAL....................... $7 55. Kyle Drabek, TOR .......................... $1 7. Jose Valverde, DET ........................ $10
8. Ichiro Suzuki, SEA ......................... $26 43. David Murphy, TEX......................... $1 8. David Price, TB .............................. $26 32. Mark Buehrle, CHW ........................ $7 56. Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS ............... $1 8. Andrew Bailey, OAK ....................... $10
9. Curtis Granderson, NYY ................. $25 44. Michael Brantley, CLE .................... $1 9. Colby Lewis, TEX ........................... $20 33. C.J. Wilson, TEX............................. $7 57. Jesse Litsch, TOR .......................... $1 9. David Aardsma, SEA ........................ $8
10. Alex Rios, CHW ........................... $25 45. Ryan Sweeney, OAK ...................... $1 10. John Danks, CHW ........................ $20 34. Jeff Niemann, TB ............................ $6 58. Michael Pineda, SEA...................... $1 10. Joe Nathan, MIN............................. $7
11. B.J. Upton, TB.............................. $24 46. Manny Ramirez, TB ........................ $1 11. Josh Beckett, BOS ....................... $20 35. Doug Fister, SEA ............................ $4 59. Erik Bedard, SEA ........................... $1 11. Koji Uehara, BAL ............................ $6
12. Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS ................... $24 47. Brennan Boesch, DET .................... $1 12. Max Scherzer, DET ...................... $18 36. Jason Vargas, SEA......................... $4 60. David Pauley, SEA ......................... $1 12. Chris Sale, CHW............................. $5
13. Vernon Wells, ANA....................... $23 48. Sean Rodriguez, TB ....................... $1 13. Phil Hughes, NYY ........................ $17 37. Carl Pavano, MIN ........................... $4 61. Tommy Hunter, TEX....................... $1 13. Jake McGee, TB ............................. $3
14. Nick Swisher, NYY ....................... $22 49. Mike Cameron, BOS ....................... $1 14. Brandon Morrow, TOR ................. $16 38. Jake Peavy, CHW........................... $4 62. Brandon McCarthy, OAK ................ $1 14. Frank Francisco, TOR..................... $3
15. Ben Zobrist, TB ............................ $22 50. Desmond Jennings, TB................... $1 15. Clay Buchholz, BOS ..................... $16 39. Joel Pineiro, ANA............................ $3 63. Kevin Slowey, MIN ......................... $1 15. Fernando Rodney, ANA .................. $2
16. Bobby Abreu, ANA ....................... $22 51. Scott Podsednik, TOR .................... $0 16. Gavin Floyd, CHW ....................... $15 40. Wade Davis, TB.............................. $3 64. Justin Duchscherer, BAL ................ $1 16. Brian Duensing, MIN....................... $1
17. Delmon Young, MIN ..................... $21 52. Milton Bradley, SEA ........................ $0 17. Brett Anderson, OAK .................... $15 41. Brian Duensing, MIN....................... $1 65. Brad Penny, DET ........................... $1 17. Phil Coke, DET ............................... $1
18. Michael Cuddyer, MIN .................. $18 53. Melky Cabrera, KC ......................... $0 18. John Lackey, BOS ....................... $15 42. Derek Holland, TEX ........................ $1 66. Tim Wakefield, BOS ....................... $1 18. Brandon League, SEA .................... $1
19. Denard Span, MIN ....................... $15 54. Michael Saunders, SEA .................. $0 19. James Shields, TB ....................... $13 43. Luke Hochevar, KC......................... $1 67. Josh Outman, OAK ........................ $1 19. Tim Wakefield, BOS ....................... $1
20. Juan Pierre, CHW ........................ $14 55. Juan Rivera, TOR ........................... $0 20. Jeremy Hellickson, TB .................. $13 44. Rick Porcello, DET.......................... $1 68. Bruce Chen, KC ............................. $1 20. Alexi Ogando, TEX ......................... $1
21. Grady Sizemore, CLE .................. $14 56. Mitch Maier, KC .............................. $0 21. Scott Baker, MIN .......................... $13 45. A.J. Burnett, NYY............................ $1 69. Hisanori Takahashi, ANA ............... $0 21. Kevin Gregg, BAL ........................... $1
22. Adam Jones, BAL ........................ $14 57. Felix Pie, BAL ................................. $0 22. Ricky Romero, TOR ..................... $12 46. Brad Bergesen, BAL ....................... $1 70. Rich Harden, OAK .......................... $0 22. Matt Capps, MIN............................. $1
23. Torii Hunter, ANA ......................... $14 58. Lastings Milledge, CHW .................. $0 23. Trevor Cahill, OAK ....................... $12 47. Nick Blackburn, MIN ....................... $1 71. Scott Feldman, TEX ....................... $0 23. Bruce Chen, KC.............................. $1
24. Austin Jackson, DET .................... $13 59. Jarrod Dyson, KC ........................... $0 24. Dallas Braden, OAK ..................... $11 48. Brandon Webb, TEX ....................... $1 72. Marc Rzepczynski, TOR ................. $0 24. Kevin Jepsen, ANA ......................... $1
25. Carlos Quentin, CHW ................... $10 60. Conor Jackson, OAK ...................... $0 25. Daniel Bard, BOS ........................... $1
26. David DeJesus, OAK...................... $9 61. Ryan Church, FA ............................ $0 26. Grant Balfour, OAK ......................... $1
27. Magglio Ordonez, DET ................... $6 62. Andruw Jones, NYY........................ $0 27. Rafael Soriano, NYY....................... $1
28. Jason Kubel, MIN ........................... $5 63. Gabe Gross, FA.............................. $0 28. Octavio Dotel, TOR......................... $1
29. J.D. Drew, BOS.............................. $2 64. Trevor Crowe, CLE ......................... $0 29. Jon Rauch, TOR ............................. $1
30. Johnny Damon, TB......................... $2 65. Austin Kearns, CLE ........................ $0 30. Dan Wheeler, BOS ......................... $1
31. Ryan Raburn, DET ......................... $2 66. Nolan Reimold, BAL ....................... $0
32. Travis Snider, TOR......................... $2 67. Gregor Blanco, KC.......................... $0
33. Franklin Gutierrez, SEA .................. $2 68. Corey Patterson, TOR .................... $0
34. Josh Willingham, OAK .................... $1 69. Darnell McDonald, BOS .................. $0
35. Rajai Davis, TOR ........................... $1 70. Casper Wells, DET ......................... $0
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2011 Projections
Catchers
Player G AB R H TB 1B 2B 3B HR RBI BB KO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS H2H
Joe Mauer, MIN, C 140 520 92 174 259 118 41 1 14 84 74 57 1 2 .335 .418 .498 .916 480.8
Victor Martinez, DET, C 145 555 80 169 274 110 36 0 23 102 53 67 0 0 .305 .365 .494 .859 476.0
Carlos Santana, CLE, C 135 450 65 114 210 58 35 2 19 66 104 95 5 2 .253 .393 .467 .860 405.7
Kurt Suzuki, OAK, C 145 540 66 147 209 110 24 1 12 82 32 54 7 3 .272 .313 .387 .700 373.4
Matt Wieters, BAL, C 135 465 43 128 203 86 25 1 16 62 53 88 0 0 .275 .349 .437 .786 316.8
Mike Napoli, TEX, 1B/C 130 400 55 101 195 55 22 0 24 65 46 116 4 3 .253 .330 .488 .818 308.4
Jorge Posada, NYY, C 120 390 51 98 172 59 21 1 17 63 59 98 1 1 .251 .349 .441 .790 296.8
Russell Martin, NYY, C 120 420 58 114 153 89 18 0 7 48 57 71 9 4 .271 .359 .364 .723 294.4
John Jaso, TB, C 125 385 62 101 140 76 17 2 6 46 60 50 2 1 .262 .362 .364 .726 286.0
A.J. Pierzynski, CHW, C 125 470 46 129 186 92 27 0 10 55 19 47 1 2 .274 .302 .396 .698 282.3
J.P. Arencibia, TOR, C 105 400 53 90 172 44 28 0 18 59 27 108 0 0 .225 .274 .430 .704 257.0
Yorvit Torrealba, TEX, C 110 375 38 106 155 76 20 1 9 45 36 71 4 2 .283 .345 .413 .758 244.0
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, BOS, C 120 365 50 92 146 64 15 0 13 50 33 110 0 0 .252 .314 .400 .714 224.1
Miguel Olivo, SEA, C 100 350 47 83 139 54 14 3 12 56 21 105 5 3 .237 .280 .397 .677 217.5
Alex Avila, DET, C 115 350 34 90 137 63 17 0 10 39 40 81 1 1 .257 .334 .391 .725 211.0
Hank Conger, ANA, C 80 250 35 67 104 44 15 2 6 32 33 48 3 1 .268 .354 .416 .770 185.5
Jason Varitek, BOS, C 93 300 32 65 115 37 17 0 11 37 39 82 0 0 .217 .307 .383 .690 182.0
Brayan Pena, KC, C 80 275 24 78 110 56 17 0 5 34 20 33 1 1 .284 .332 .400 .732 172.3
Kelly Shoppach, TB, C 88 260 39 60 115 31 16 0 13 37 30 101 0 0 .231 .310 .442 .753 170.5
Jason Kendall, KC, C 75 260 23 62 75 49 13 0 0 25 21 26 3 1 .238 .295 .288 .583 135.8
Jeff Mathis, ANA, C 90 270 30 57 86 42 8 0 7 29 24 81 2 1 .211 .276 .319 .595 131.8
Adam Moore, SEA, C 70 195 17 49 72 34 11 0 4 18 14 47 0 0 .251 .302 .369 .671 97.6
Ramon Castro, CHW, C 49 138 15 34 61 21 6 0 7 23 13 33 0 0 .246 .311 .442 .753 95.5
Josh Bard, SEA, C 62 188 13 41 60 26 11 0 3 19 17 34 0 0 .218 .283 .319 .602 92.0
Jose Molina, TOR, C 70 191 20 43 59 31 8 0 3 14 12 39 0 0 .225 .271 .309 .580 85.5
Francisco Cervelli, NYY, C 46 122 13 33 40 27 5 1 0 16 12 19 0 1 .270 .336 .328 .664 70.5
Matt Treanor, KC, C 50 152 13 33 42 26 4 0 2 17 14 33 1 1 .217 .283 .276 .559 70.5
Taylor Teagarden, TEX, C 35 105 15 23 43 11 6 0 5 16 9 43 0 0 .219 .281 .410 .690 61.5
Lou Marson, CLE, C 36 109 13 23 32 14 7 0 1 9 12 26 3 0 .211 .289 .294 .583 59.0
Landon Powell, OAK, C 29 84 11 19 32 12 4 0 3 14 10 22 0 0 .226 .309 .381 .689 56.0
Omir Santos, DET, C 36 97 9 25 35 17 5 0 2 13 5 15 0 0 .258 .294 .361 .655 54.5
Lucas May, KC, C 25 75 9 20 32 14 3 0 3 8 8 16 0 0 .267 .337 .427 .764 49.0
Raul Chavez, TOR, C 31 92 7 24 31 19 4 0 1 8 3 12 0 0 .261 .284 .337 .621 43.0
Jose Morales, MIN, C 24 52 6 15 18 12 3 0 0 5 7 12 0 0 .288 .373 .346 .719 30.0
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First Basemen
Player G AB R H TB 1B 2B 3B HR RBI BB KO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS H2H
Miguel Cabrera, DET, 1B 160 615 105 201 372 115 43 1 42 118 89 111 2 3 .327 .412 .605 1.016 629.2
Mark Teixeira, NYY, 1B 157 590 110 167 320 90 39 0 38 119 84 112 0 0 .283 .372 .542 .915 577.0
Adrian Gonzalez, BOS, 1B 160 580 101 172 319 98 37 1 36 114 87 116 0 1 .297 .388 .550 .938 562.0
Kevin Youkilis, BOS, 1B 140 515 97 161 290 90 41 2 28 101 72 103 3 2 .313 .397 .563 .960 512.6
Adam Dunn, CHW, 1B 160 530 89 139 293 68 29 1 41 108 102 170 0 0 .262 .381 .553 .934 507.0
Justin Morneau, MIN, 1B 140 530 88 153 279 89 32 2 30 104 76 95 0 0 .289 .378 .526 .905 499.6
Kendry Morales, ANA, 1B 150 600 88 179 312 105 44 1 29 106 43 108 3 4 .298 .345 .520 .865 497.2
Billy Butler, KC, 1B 158 605 81 190 301 120 49 1 20 89 68 85 0 0 .314 .383 .498 .881 496.4
Michael Cuddyer, MIN, 1B/OF 155 600 91 167 270 107 36 5 19 86 58 96 7 2 .278 .342 .450 .792 468.6
Paul Konerko, CHW, 1B 150 550 77 152 274 91 30 1 30 90 69 99 1 1 .276 .357 .498 .856 461.8
Derrek Lee, BAL, 1B 150 570 88 158 256 102 35 0 21 85 79 131 1 1 .277 .365 .449 .814 443.1
Mike Napoli, TEX, 1B/C 130 400 55 101 195 55 22 0 24 65 46 116 4 3 .253 .330 .488 .818 308.4
Daric Barton, OAK, 1B 160 570 77 157 236 105 36 5 11 58 100 91 6 2 .275 .384 .414 .798 435.7
Kila Ka'aihue, KC, 1B 150 520 70 127 241 71 26 2 28 81 84 120 0 0 .244 .349 .463 .812 415.9
Matt LaPorta, CLE, 1B 145 550 62 141 236 91 27 1 22 70 69 116 0 0 .256 .340 .429 .769 379.6
Justin Smoak, SEA, 1B 150 525 70 135 223 87 28 0 20 78 72 131 0 0 .257 .347 .425 .772 377.6
Mitch Moreland, TEX, 1B 140 460 70 123 204 76 29 2 16 76 55 92 2 2 .267 .346 .443 .789 361.2
Casey Kotchman, TB, 1B 131 441 46 112 167 78 24 1 10 58 37 46 1 0 .254 .312 .379 .690 287.0
Troy Glaus, FA, 1B 98 328 41 84 145 51 18 0 14 57 51 71 0 0 .256 .356 .442 .798 258.5
Garrett Atkins, FA, 1B 108 368 43 95 143 66 17 1 10 52 31 63 0 0 .258 .316 .389 .704 237.5
Dustin Ackley, SEA, 1B 75 270 35 69 102 45 18 3 3 26 41 51 4 2 .256 .354 .378 .732 184.4
Chris Davis, TEX, 1B 79 269 35 67 124 37 16 1 13 39 20 93 1 1 .249 .301 .461 .762 172.5
Mark Trumbo, ANA, 1B 60 200 28 53 91 33 10 2 8 35 15 45 2 2 .265 .316 .455 .771 148.5
Don Kelly, DET, OF/1B 75 147 19 36 52 28 4 0 4 15 6 26 2 0 .245 .275 .354 .628 83.0
Adam Kennedy, SEA, 2B/1B 32 101 13 28 38 21 5 1 1 11 9 15 3 1 .275 .332 .377 .709 67.8
Ryan Shealy, TOR, 1B 8 27 4 7 13 5 0 0 2 7 2 7 0 0 .259 .310 .481 .792 22.5
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Second Basemen
Player G AB R H TB 1B 2B 3B HR RBI BB KO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS H2H
Robinson Cano, NYY, 2B 160 630 101 197 329 123 44 2 28 104 35 69 2 4 .313 .349 .522 .871 534.0
Dustin Pedroia, BOS, 2B 150 600 106 181 286 115 46 1 19 70 54 54 18 6 .302 .359 .477 .836 519.0
Ian Kinsler, TEX, 2B 140 560 96 167 268 107 38 3 19 70 71 78 20 4 .298 .377 .479 .855 501.4
Ben Zobrist, TB, OF/2B 150 530 79 139 221 91 29 4 15 79 95 106 18 5 .262 .375 .417 .792 452.4
Aaron Hill, TOR, 2B 155 680 94 164 277 105 32 0 27 83 54 109 1 2 .241 .297 .407 .705 454.0
Brian Roberts, BAL, 2B 140 550 85 168 243 115 41 2 10 50 65 94 28 8 .305 .379 .442 .821 444.7
Gordon Beckham, CHW, 2B 150 570 86 152 253 90 42 1 19 85 48 97 10 6 .267 .324 .444 .768 438.0
Chone Figgins, SEA, 2B 160 600 68 164 201 135 23 4 2 43 76 108 38 13 .273 .355 .335 .690 396.6
Howard Kendrick, ANA, 2B 150 580 63 165 245 110 41 3 11 70 30 99 15 5 .284 .319 .422 .742 383.3
Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN, 2B 150 600 71 161 227 118 29 5 9 46 55 95 18 9 .268 .330 .378 .708 378.5
Mike Aviles, KC, 2B 145 504 68 149 217 108 25 5 11 53 23 66 9 3 .296 .326 .431 .757 343.2
Jed Lowrie, BOS, 2B/SS 130 420 65 112 191 61 36 2 13 60 59 84 3 2 .267 .357 .455 .811 336.8
Sean Rodriguez, TB, 2B/OF 140 450 67 110 185 67 26 2 15 54 39 131 15 4 .244 .305 .411 .716 305.9
Mark Ellis, OAK, 2B 125 440 50 120 176 84 26 0 10 56 43 62 6 4 .273 .338 .400 .738 302.3
Maicer Izturis, ANA, 3B/2B 110 370 62 103 145 75 20 2 6 59 37 41 10 4 .278 .343 .392 .735 298.3
Alexi Casilla, MIN, SS/2B 115 420 61 111 156 84 17 2 8 50 35 50 8 2 .264 .321 .371 .693 291.1
Reid Brignac, TB, 2B/SS 140 440 64 117 174 82 23 2 10 62 26 88 5 4 .266 .307 .395 .703 288.4
Jason Donald, CLE, SS/2B 120 400 50 100 153 61 30 4 5 36 31 104 8 2 .250 .304 .383 .687 232.2
Scott Sizemore, DET, 2B 135 420 61 109 166 71 28 1 9 46 40 101 6 3 .260 .324 .395 .720 271.9
David Eckstein, FA, 2B 115 423 48 112 142 86 24 1 2 36 32 38 4 1 .265 .316 .336 .652 246.0
Carlos Guillen, DET, 2B 87 317 43 85 135 56 19 2 9 43 40 55 4 3 .268 .350 .426 .776 238.5
Jayson Nix, TOR, 3B/2B 120 380 38 89 158 54 18 0 17 40 36 91 4 2 .234 .301 .416 .717 232.9
Brett Lawrie, TOR, 2B 80 270 41 73 113 48 15 5 5 31 22 60 12 5 .270 .325 .419 .744 196.0
Julio Lugo, FA, 2B/SS 88 253 31 67 84 54 10 2 1 21 26 49 9 4 .265 .333 .332 .665 151.5
Felipe Lopez, TB, 3B/2B/SS 90 220 31 60 85 42 14 1 3 26 24 42 4 3 .273 .344 .386 .731 150.0
Ramon Santiago, DET, SS/2B 88 235 32 63 90 50 7 2 5 25 23 43 1 1 .268 .333 .383 .716 149.5
Chris Getz, KC, 2B 63 202 25 51 65 40 9 1 1 17 16 28 14 2 .252 .307 .322 .629 135.0
Will Rhymes, DET, 2B 54 191 30 58 79 42 12 3 1 19 14 16 0 3 .304 .351 .414 .765 131.0
Luis Valbuena, CLE, 2B 71 231 27 52 80 33 14 1 4 19 19 52 1 2 .225 .284 .346 .630 119.0
John McDonald, TOR, 2B 73 163 22 39 61 26 8 1 4 18 6 23 2 1 .239 .266 .374 .641 98.5
Adam Rosales, OAK, 2B 62 171 18 41 61 30 6 1 4 17 15 38 1 1 .240 .301 .357 .658 93.0
Matt Tolbert, MIN, 2B 53 133 18 33 46 24 6 2 1 14 12 25 5 1 .248 .310 .346 .656 86.5
Ronnie Belliard, FA, 2B 48 120 16 32 52 20 8 0 4 17 12 25 1 1 .267 .333 .433 .767 85.5
Andres Blanco, TEX, 2B 60 144 16 38 46 28 9 0 0 12 10 19 0 2 .264 .312 .319 .631 72.5
Adam Kennedy, SEA, 2B/1B 32 101 13 28 38 21 5 1 1 11 9 15 3 1 .275 .332 .377 .709 67.8
Esteban German, TEX, 2B 40 92 15 23 31 16 6 1 0 9 8 17 4 1 .250 .310 .337 .647 61.5
Robert Andino, BAL, 2B 46 107 15 25 35 19 4 0 2 8 7 28 1 1 .234 .281 .327 .608 52.0
Joaquin Arias, KC, 2B 36 82 13 22 27 16 4 1 0 7 4 13 2 0 .268 .302 .329 .632 48.5
Brent Lillibridge, CHW, 2B 46 91 12 18 26 11 4 1 1 9 7 28 4 2 .198 .255 .286 .541 46.0
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Shortstops
Player G AB R H TB 1B 2B 3B HR RBI BB KO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS H2H
Derek Jeter, NYY, SS 155 640 104 182 253 138 29 3 12 62 61 102 16 7 .284 .347 .395 .742 454.2
Elvis Andrus, TEX, SS 155 610 94 171 209 144 19 5 3 43 64 92 35 9 .280 .349 .343 .691 425.3
Marco Scutaro, BOS, SS 150 620 87 170 238 123 36 1 10 60 67 74 6 3 .274 .345 .384 .729 423.8
Alexei Ramirez, CHW, SS 150 550 80 156 241 109 27 2 18 73 29 72 14 7 .284 .319 .438 .757 407.9
Yunel Escobar, TOR, SS 140 530 80 154 213 117 25 2 10 58 64 64 6 3 .291 .367 .402 .768 391.8
Cliff Pennington, OAK, SS 155 500 69 130 184 94 24 6 6 50 51 85 32 6 .260 .328 .368 .696 369.5
Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE, SS 130 520 72 149 215 100 39 3 7 62 42 83 13 6 .287 .339 .413 .753 369.0
Jhonny Peralta, DET, 3B/SS 150 570 70 153 227 106 33 1 13 78 46 114 1 1 .268 .323 .398 .721 364.6
Jed Lowrie, BOS, 2B/SS 130 420 65 112 191 61 36 2 13 60 59 84 3 2 .267 .357 .455 .811 336.8
Erick Aybar, ANA, SS 140 540 70 150 201 116 23 5 6 45 35 70 20 9 .278 .322 .372 .694 347.0
Alcides Escobar, KC, SS 145 500 69 137 188 106 17 8 6 48 38 75 18 5 .274 .325 .376 .701 336.0
J.J. Hardy, BAL, SS 135 510 66 134 203 91 28 4 11 57 43 87 1 1 .263 .321 .398 .719 327.0
Alexi Casilla, MIN, SS/2B 115 420 61 111 156 84 17 2 8 50 35 50 8 2 .264 .321 .371 .693 291.1
Reid Brignac, TB, 2B/SS 140 440 64 117 174 82 23 2 10 62 26 88 5 4 .266 .307 .395 .703 288.4
Brendan Ryan, SEA, SS 135 420 48 110 147 82 21 5 2 34 32 59 13 5 .262 .315 .350 .665 252.9
Jason Donald, CLE, SS/2B 120 400 50 100 153 61 30 4 5 36 31 104 8 2 .250 .304 .383 .687 232.2
Orlando Cabrera, CLE, SS 145 590 74 157 215 112 38 1 6 51 32 65 10 5 .266 .304 .364 .669 355.0
Cesar Izturis, BAL, SS 135 420 40 105 124 90 12 2 1 24 25 42 9 5 .250 .292 .295 .588 205.2
Bobby Crosby, FA, SS 104 321 37 74 110 49 20 1 5 34 29 59 3 2 .231 .294 .343 .637 184.5
Jack Wilson, SEA, SS 110 395 35 96 122 74 20 0 2 31 22 55 2 2 .243 .283 .309 .592 184.5
Julio Lugo, FA, 2B/SS 88 253 31 67 84 54 10 2 1 21 26 49 9 4 .265 .333 .332 .665 151.5
Felipe Lopez, TB, 3B/2B/SS 90 220 31 60 85 42 14 1 3 26 24 42 4 3 .273 .344 .386 .731 150.0
Ramon Santiago, DET, SS/2B 88 235 32 63 90 50 7 2 5 25 23 43 1 1 .268 .333 .383 .716 149.5
Josh Wilson, FA, SS 90 276 20 62 84 46 12 2 2 19 13 59 3 1 .225 .260 .304 .564 111.5
Brandon Wood, ANA, 3B/SS 75 170 25 37 65 23 7 0 7 28 10 51 2 0 .218 .262 .382 .644 106.7
Adam Everett, CLE, SS 66 184 23 41 59 29 11 0 2 23 13 31 2 1 .223 .274 .321 .595 105.5
Luis O. Rodriguez, CHW, SS 52 137 13 33 43 27 6 0 1 9 17 12 1 0 .241 .325 .314 .639 78.0
Ramiro Pena, NYY, 3B/SS 77 134 18 34 40 29 4 1 0 14 6 24 6 1 .254 .286 .299 .584 77.0
Daniel Worth, DET, SS 39 106 10 27 38 20 5 0 2 8 6 13 1 2 .255 .295 .358 .653 55.5
Drew Sutton, CLE, SS 28 52 8 12 20 8 2 0 2 8 5 16 0 1 .231 .298 .385 .683 32.0
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Third Basemen
Player G AB R H TB 1B 2B 3B HR RBI BB KO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS H2H
Evan Longoria, TB, 3B 155 585 100 171 318 90 46 4 31 111 81 135 14 4 .292 .378 .544 .922 566.5
Alex Rodriguez, NYY, 3B 140 540 92 156 292 89 32 1 34 110 81 108 6 4 .289 .382 .541 .922 529.0
Jose Bautista, TOR, OF/3B 160 580 99 148 293 82 25 3 38 108 84 139 8 2 .255 .349 .505 .854 527.9
Adrian Beltre, TEX, 3B 145 575 80 166 286 99 40 1 26 90 46 92 5 2 .289 .341 .497 .839 464.0
Michael Young, TEX, 3B 155 650 91 189 286 133 34 3 19 84 50 111 5 3 .291 .341 .440 .781 462.5
Mark Reynolds, BAL, 3B 150 530 89 122 248 61 28 1 32 99 85 212 12 6 .230 .336 .468 .804 432.8
Edwin Encarnacion, TOR, 3B 140 500 68 126 237 70 28 1 27 75 52 95 1 0 .252 .323 .474 .797 386.8
Jhonny Peralta, DET, 3B/SS 150 570 70 153 227 106 33 1 13 78 46 114 1 1 .268 .323 .398 .721 364.6
Alberto Callaspo, ANA, 3B 150 570 65 161 225 120 28 3 10 60 36 46 4 2 .282 .326 .395 .720 369.7
Wilson Betemit, KC, 3B 140 520 65 138 241 79 37 0 22 76 58 146 0 0 .265 .339 .463 .803 367.4
Brent Morel, CHW, 3B 135 490 64 135 214 85 34 3 13 57 22 88 7 3 .276 .307 .437 .743 324.0
Danny Valencia, MIN, 3B 145 510 51 139 211 92 33 3 11 66 35 87 2 1 .273 .319 .414 .733 322.3
Brandon Inge, DET, 3B 150 535 52 123 204 78 26 2 17 68 60 150 3 3 .230 .307 .381 .689 312.0
Maicer Izturis, ANA, 3B/2B 110 370 62 103 145 75 20 2 6 59 37 41 10 4 .278 .343 .392 .735 298.3
Mark Teahen, CHW, 3B 130 460 63 122 183 82 28 3 9 48 42 106 7 4 .265 .327 .398 .725 293.4
Kevin Kouzmanoff, OAK, 3B 135 450 46 113 185 71 27 0 15 58 26 86 0 1 .251 .291 .411 .703 270.9
Jayson Nix, TOR, 3B/2B 120 380 38 89 158 54 18 0 17 40 36 91 4 2 .234 .301 .416 .717 232.9
Lonnie Chisenhall, CLE, 3B 90 300 49 79 124 55 13 1 10 46 30 50 2 1 .263 .330 .413 .744 227.0
Andy LaRoche, OAK, 3B 109 331 36 74 113 52 14 2 7 33 31 55 2 1 .224 .290 .341 .631 188.5
Hank Blalock, FA, 3B 71 261 36 66 123 37 14 2 13 37 17 54 1 0 .253 .299 .471 .770 188.0
Brendan Harris, BAL, 3B 99 319 37 80 115 56 18 1 5 30 26 66 0 1 .251 .307 .361 .668 174.0
Felipe Lopez, TB, 3B/2B/SS 90 220 31 60 85 42 14 1 3 26 24 42 4 3 .273 .344 .386 .731 150.0
Omar Vizquel, CHW, 3B 87 262 26 67 80 55 9 1 1 22 24 34 7 4 .256 .318 .305 .624 145.0
Chad Tracy, TEX, 3B 85 225 22 57 87 38 13 0 6 31 18 41 0 0 .253 .309 .387 .695 137.5
Jack Hannahan, BOS, 3B 82 234 25 51 79 32 14 1 4 22 28 67 1 0 .218 .302 .338 .639 122.5
Brandon Wood, ANA, 3B/SS 75 170 25 37 65 23 7 0 7 28 10 51 2 0 .218 .262 .382 .644 106.7
Josh Bell, BAL, 3B 65 160 20 41 67 25 11 0 5 22 13 43 1 2 .256 .312 .419 .731 100.4
Ramiro Pena, NYY, 3B/SS 77 134 18 34 40 29 4 1 0 14 6 24 6 1 .254 .286 .299 .584 77.0
Eric Bruntlett, NYY, 3B 64 106 17 21 29 15 5 0 1 7 9 20 4 1 .198 .261 .274 .534 59.0
Eduardo Nunez, NYY, 3B 30 50 12 14 18 12 1 0 1 7 3 2 5 0 .280 .321 .360 .681 49.0
Dayan Viciedo, CHW, 3B 19 52 8 16 26 10 4 0 2 6 1 12 0 0 .308 .321 .500 .821 35.0
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Outfielders
Player G AB R H TB 1B 2B 3B HR RBI BB KO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS H2H
Carl Crawford, BOS, OF 155 600 105 180 283 122 30 11 17 80 45 90 45 12 .300 .349 .472 .821 546.0
Josh Hamilton, TEX, OF 145 560 97 177 312 106 38 2 31 102 53 106 10 1 .316 .375 .557 .933 530.0
Jose Bautista, TOR, OF/3B 160 580 99 148 293 82 25 3 38 108 84 139 8 2 .255 .349 .505 .854 527.9
Shin-Soo Choo, CLE, OF 150 570 85 174 286 112 35 4 23 92 85 131 21 7 .305 .396 .502 .897 517.7
Nick Markakis, BAL, OF 160 630 91 188 282 126 45 2 15 88 76 95 8 3 .298 .374 .448 .821 502.4
Brett Gardner, NYY, OF 155 525 110 148 202 112 22 10 4 54 89 105 45 10 .282 .386 .385 .771 482.8
Nelson Cruz, TEX, OF 130 490 82 147 276 85 27 3 32 89 49 108 22 6 .300 .363 .563 .926 479.6
Ichiro Suzuki, SEA, OF 160 675 85 218 273 179 29 4 6 47 45 74 37 7 .323 .365 .404 .769 479.4
Curtis Granderson, NYY, OF 155 600 94 151 289 85 26 8 32 73 68 150 15 5 .252 .327 .482 .809 473.5
Alex Rios, CHW, OF 150 580 90 160 256 105 33 3 19 86 39 99 30 10 .276 .322 .441 .763 472.1
B.J. Upton, TB, OF 155 540 86 136 243 73 39 4 20 68 66 146 45 12 .252 .333 .450 .783 467.7
Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS, OF 140 550 90 162 222 123 25 7 7 48 50 72 49 9 .295 .353 .404 .757 463.3
Vernon Wells, ANA, OF 158 610 80 167 288 100 39 2 26 82 51 85 4 4 .274 .330 .472 .802 462.5
Nick Swisher, NYY, OF 150 520 88 138 261 76 31 1 30 86 85 130 1 2 .265 .368 .502 .870 454.5
Ben Zobrist, TB, OF/2B 150 530 79 139 221 91 29 4 15 79 95 106 18 5 .262 .375 .417 .792 452.4
Bobby Abreu, ANA, OF 150 550 85 142 235 84 40 1 17 75 85 121 20 8 .258 .357 .427 .784 451.2
Delmon Young, MIN, OF 155 580 79 173 282 110 39 2 22 99 28 93 4 4 .298 .330 .486 .817 445.4
Michael Cuddyer, MIN, 1B/OF 155 600 91 167 270 107 36 5 19 86 58 96 7 2 .278 .342 .450 .792 468.6
Denard Span, MIN, OF 150 600 87 168 229 130 22 9 7 58 62 78 25 6 .280 .348 .382 .729 441.4
Juan Pierre, CHW, OF 150 610 90 167 195 145 17 4 1 38 43 43 54 15 .274 .321 .320 .641 437.4
Grady Sizemore, CLE, OF 130 520 85 141 238 90 26 4 21 63 87 125 16 8 .271 .376 .458 .834 435.0
Adam Jones, BAL, OF 155 605 84 176 281 120 29 5 22 75 34 115 9 5 .291 .329 .464 .794 430.0
Torii Hunter, ANA, OF 150 560 75 155 254 98 36 0 21 85 53 106 8 6 .277 .340 .454 .793 424.0
Austin Jackson, DET, OF 155 630 101 175 245 128 30 11 6 46 57 164 30 8 .278 .338 .389 .727 419.4
Carlos Quentin, CHW, OF 130 470 78 119 227 64 28 1 26 94 52 80 1 2 .253 .328 .483 .810 411.0
David DeJesus, OAK, OF 145 565 72 165 246 116 29 8 12 72 55 79 4 4 .292 .355 .435 .791 409.8
Magglio Ordonez, DET, OF 145 500 68 153 235 106 29 1 17 79 52 65 1 1 .306 .371 .470 .841 402.5
Jason Kubel, MIN, OF 145 520 70 139 237 89 25 2 23 95 55 109 0 1 .267 .337 .456 .793 401.0
J.D. Drew, BOS, OF 140 470 76 128 229 75 28 2 23 64 76 108 2 1 .272 .373 .487 .860 393.6
Johnny Damon, TB, OF 140 530 79 142 210 96 33 4 9 54 68 85 9 2 .268 .351 .396 .747 384.4
Ryan Raburn, DET, OF 140 490 73 137 234 82 33 2 20 83 47 118 3 2 .280 .343 .478 .820 382.2
Travis Snider, TOR, OF 150 500 80 135 242 77 33 1 24 80 42 140 5 2 .270 .327 .484 .811 382.0
Franklin Gutierrez, SEA, OF 140 515 63 131 203 90 24 3 14 61 45 113 21 5 .254 .315 .394 .709 352.7
Josh Willingham, OAK, OF 135 450 66 117 209 69 25 2 21 70 72 104 5 2 .260 .363 .464 .827 373.7
Rajai Davis, TOR, OF 140 480 62 140 192 105 25 3 7 47 31 77 45 14 .292 .334 .400 .734 369.3
Matt Joyce, TB, OF 140 440 56 108 210 53 29 5 21 73 66 110 3 2 .245 .344 .477 .821 354.0
Peter Bourjos, ANA, OF 150 520 60 137 211 93 24 10 10 45 31 104 32 9 .263 .305 .406 .711 350.2
Jeff Francoeur, KC, OF 155 590 63 145 223 98 30 3 14 68 37 106 8 5 .246 .290 .378 .668 349.1
Alex Gordon, KC, OF 140 520 68 132 216 81 34 1 16 61 65 130 3 4 .254 .337 .415 .752 347.0
Lorenzo Cain, KC, OF 135 480 68 132 184 95 26 7 4 45 53 106 25 6 .275 .347 .383 .730 341.0
Coco Crisp, OAK, OF 110 400 67 108 163 76 18 5 9 42 39 64 33 6 .270 .335 .408 .742 339.0
Julio Borbon, TEX, OF 150 500 72 145 185 121 14 4 6 49 26 65 22 8 .290 .325 .370 .695 335.5
David Murphy, TEX, OF 125 422 60 117 191 75 26 2 15 65 42 82 10 3 .277 .343 .453 .795 334.0
Michael Brantley, CLE, OF 140 520 63 144 184 119 15 5 5 34 47 68 18 5 .277 .337 .354 .691 325.5
Ryan Sweeney, OAK, OF 135 470 64 141 194 104 28 2 7 50 37 61 4 4 .300 .351 .413 .763 318.1
Manny Ramirez, TB, OF 110 380 55 108 178 68 25 0 15 59 70 87 0 1 .284 .395 .468 .864 317.2
Brennan Boesch, DET, OF 140 460 45 114 198 69 24 3 18 72 35 115 10 2 .248 .300 .430 .731 310.0
Sean Rodriguez, TB, 2B/OF 140 450 67 110 185 67 26 2 15 54 39 131 15 4 .244 .305 .411 .716 305.9
Mike Cameron, BOS, OF 106 383 57 95 177 53 23 2 18 52 48 114 8 3 .248 .332 .462 .794 290.0
Desmond Jennings, TB, OF 95 310 51 84 120 60 16 4 4 32 31 56 20 5 .271 .337 .387 .724 240.8
Scott Podsednik, TOR, OF 120 413 53 121 160 96 16 5 5 38 32 62 26 11 .293 .344 .387 .731 293.0
Milton Bradley, SEA, OF 108 350 56 95 158 60 19 1 14 49 58 94 5 3 .271 .375 .451 .826 281.0
Melky Cabrera, KC, OF 145 450 45 119 168 85 26 1 7 40 41 59 9 2 .264 .326 .373 .699 280.7
Michael Saunders, SEA, OF 135 430 45 97 170 59 19 3 16 58 48 120 11 5 .226 .304 .395 .699 278.0
Juan Rivera, TOR, OF 115 380 48 98 163 63 20 0 15 50 30 49 1 1 .258 .312 .429 .741 266.9
Mitch Maier, KC, OF 130 410 45 108 153 80 17 5 6 44 47 78 5 2 .263 .339 .373 .712 257.8
Felix Pie, BAL, OF 105 380 51 104 164 70 18 6 10 40 22 72 6 2 .274 .313 .432 .744 250.6
Lastings Milledge, CHW, OF 105 382 41 104 148 77 19 2 7 39 26 68 12 5 .272 .319 .387 .706 239.0
Jarrod Dyson, KC, OF 120 360 55 91 115 70 18 3 0 29 32 79 26 6 .253 .313 .319 .633 237.1
Conor Jackson, OAK, OF 78 282 40 76 111 53 16 2 5 35 34 35 7 1 .270 .348 .394 .742 215.5
Ryan Church, FA, OF 102 299 42 77 119 50 19 1 7 38 27 69 3 2 .258 .319 .398 .717 195.5
Andruw Jones, NYY, OF 88 256 35 52 107 26 13 1 13 35 39 74 5 1 .203 .308 .418 .726 188.0
Gabe Gross, FA, OF 121 283 35 66 106 44 14 2 7 34 36 67 5 2 .233 .320 .375 .694 185.5
Trevor Crowe, CLE, OF 95 312 35 77 104 56 16 3 2 26 20 56 13 4 .247 .292 .333 .626 179.0
Austin Kearns, CLE, OF 95 297 38 69 104 49 12 1 7 33 38 77 2 1 .232 .319 .350 .670 177.5
Nolan Reimold, BAL, OF 72 237 29 62 103 40 12 1 9 30 30 52 4 1 .262 .345 .435 .779 173.0
Gregor Blanco, KC, OF 84 237 29 61 79 50 8 3 1 18 36 53 9 3 .257 .355 .333 .689 150.5
Corey Patterson, TOR, OF 80 234 30 54 85 36 11 1 6 22 12 48 12 5 .231 .268 .363 .632 144.0
Darnell McDonald, BOS, OF 82 212 26 57 92 38 12 2 6 22 18 58 5 0 .269 .326 .434 .760 139.0
Casper Wells, DET, OF 70 220 30 52 94 30 12 0 10 16 18 56 3 0 .236 .294 .427 .721 136.0
Ryan Kalish, BOS, OF 53 163 26 41 66 25 11 1 4 24 12 38 10 1 .252 .303 .405 .708 128.0
Chris Dickerson, NYY, OF 58 151 21 40 61 27 8 2 3 12 21 45 7 2 .265 .355 .404 .759 104.5
Daniel Nava, BOS, OF 60 161 23 39 58 23 14 1 1 26 19 46 1 1 .242 .322 .360 .682 104.0
Oscar Salazar, FA, OF 64 117 16 32 51 22 5 1 4 20 14 19 0 1 .274 .351 .436 .787 90.5
Don Kelly, DET, OF/1B 75 147 19 36 52 28 4 0 4 15 6 26 2 0 .245 .275 .354 .628 83.0
Randy Winn, BAL, OF 35 110 12 28 39 20 6 1 1 11 10 18 4 0 .255 .317 .355 .671 71.0
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Designated Hitters
Player G AB R H TB 1B 2B 3B HR RBI BB KO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS H2H
David Ortiz, BOS, DH 150 550 84 139 270 71 36 1 31 104 89 149 0 0 .253 .357 .491 .848 472.9
Adam Lind, TOR, DH 150 570 77 160 288 92 37 2 29 89 51 114 0 0 .281 .340 .505 .845 448.3
Vladimir Guerrero, BAL, DH 150 590 76 175 272 126 25 0 24 85 39 65 2 3 .297 .340 .461 .801 440.5
Luke Scott, BAL, DH 130 450 65 121 226 67 28 1 25 70 54 99 1 0 .269 .348 .502 .850 368.0
Hideki Matsui, OAK, DH 140 450 53 125 207 83 22 0 20 80 57 81 0 0 .278 .359 .460 .819 356.2
Jim Thome, MIN, DH 127 380 65 97 200 49 20 1 27 75 73 117 0 0 .255 .375 .526 .902 354.5
Jack Cust, SEA, DH 135 450 77 117 194 78 20 0 19 67 87 158 2 1 .260 .379 .431 .811 348.9
Dan Johnson, TB, DH 110 405 53 98 173 59 21 0 18 64 73 81 0 0 .242 .358 .427 .785 322.4
Travis Hafner, CLE, DH 120 400 50 108 184 64 28 0 16 55 44 88 1 1 .270 .342 .460 .802 290.0
Willy Aybar, FA, DH 100 297 31 73 116 49 14 1 9 39 32 53 1 1 .246 .319 .391 .710 192.5
Nick Johnson, CLE, DH 65 213 33 56 86 39 12 1 5 30 52 44 1 2 .263 .408 .404 .811 179.0
Jake Fox, BAL, DH 53 138 15 33 57 19 7 0 6 22 7 32 0 0 .239 .276 .413 .689 85.0
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Starting Pitchers
Player W L ERA APP GS QS CG SO GF HD SV BS INN HA ER HRA BBI K WHIP H2H
Felix Hernandez, SEA, SP 17 7 2.38 33 33 26 3 1 0 0 0 0 231.0 191 61 15 59 213 1.08 650.5
Jon Lester, BOS, SP 19 7 3.26 32 32 25 2 1 0 0 0 0 210.0 180 76 14 72 231 1.20 590.2
CC Sabathia, NYY, SP 18 10 3.22 34 34 24 4 2 0 0 0 0 232.0 204 83 21 75 196 1.20 580.2
Dan Haren, ANA, SP 14 9 3.40 34 34 26 3 1 0 0 0 0 230.0 212 87 28 51 204 1.14 571.6
Justin Verlander, DET, SP 17 11 3.42 33 33 23 3 0 0 0 0 0 224.0 195 85 17 70 214 1.18 562.3
Francisco Liriano, MIN, SP 19 7 3.31 33 33 23 3 1 0 0 0 0 204.0 190 75 14 68 202 1.26 546.9
Jered Weaver, ANA, SP 15 9 3.50 32 32 24 2 1 0 0 0 0 211.0 188 82 23 59 199 1.17 536.0
David Price, TB, SP 15 9 3.47 33 33 21 2 1 0 0 0 0 210.0 181 81 23 75 196 1.22 514.3
Colby Lewis, TEX, SP 15 10 3.90 32 32 21 2 1 0 0 0 0 203.0 183 88 25 63 187 1.21 486.5
John Danks, CHW, SP 15 9 3.46 32 32 22 2 1 0 0 0 0 203.0 182 78 23 68 158 1.23 486.3
Josh Beckett, BOS, SP 16 8 3.69 30 30 22 2 1 0 0 0 0 188.0 170 77 21 58 175 1.22 484.2
Max Scherzer, DET, SP 14 9 3.46 31 31 21 0 0 1 0 0 0 190.0 167 73 19 63 186 1.21 475.6
Phil Hughes, NYY, SP 15 9 3.70 32 32 20 2 1 0 0 0 0 192.0 174 79 26 58 169 1.21 469.7
Brandon Morrow, TOR, SP 14 9 3.71 30 30 19 2 0 0 0 0 0 182.0 150 75 20 77 212 1.25 460.3
Clay Buchholz, BOS, SP 15 8 3.46 30 30 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 190.0 180 73 17 65 152 1.29 449.6
Gavin Floyd, CHW, SP 13 9 3.88 31 31 21 1 1 0 0 0 0 195.0 179 84 17 65 163 1.25 447.3
Brett Anderson, OAK, SP 14 7 2.96 28 28 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 170.0 156 56 13 36 136 1.13 447.1
John Lackey, BOS, SP 14 10 3.86 32 32 18 1 0 0 0 0 0 210.0 209 90 23 65 159 1.31 447.0
James Shields, TB, SP 13 13 4.02 33 33 20 1 1 0 0 0 0 215.0 225 96 29 55 182 1.30 445.8
Jeremy Hellickson, TB, SP 13 9 3.98 31 31 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 190.0 175 84 27 53 179 1.20 444.9
Scott Baker, MIN, SP 13 9 4.19 32 32 18 1 0 0 0 0 0 200.0 200 93 27 47 167 1.23 443.7
Ricky Romero, TOR, SP 14 10 3.78 32 32 20 2 1 0 0 0 0 195.0 191 82 15 72 167 1.35 431.9
Trevor Cahill, OAK, SP 13 12 3.59 33 33 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 198.0 172 79 15 68 128 1.21 426.6
Dallas Braden, OAK, SP 13 11 3.78 33 33 21 2 1 0 0 0 0 200.0 203 84 20 51 122 1.27 422.0
Ervin Santana, ANA, SP 12 10 4.10 32 32 21 1 1 0 0 0 0 200.0 200 91 27 67 156 1.33 416.5
Edwin Jackson, CHW, SP 13 11 4.05 32 32 20 1 0 0 0 0 0 200.0 195 90 22 78 158 1.36 412.1
Brian Matusz, BAL, SP 11 11 4.09 32 32 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 196.0 185 89 22 65 168 1.28 408.5
Gio Gonzalez, OAK, SP 12 10 3.80 32 32 17 1 0 0 0 0 0 192.0 176 81 19 83 171 1.35 406.1
Fausto Carmona, CLE, SP 13 12 3.69 32 32 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 200.0 194 82 18 64 122 1.29 405.7
Brett Cecil, TOR, SP 12 11 4.09 32 32 17 1 0 0 0 0 0 198.0 192 90 24 68 152 1.31 399.7
Jeremy Guthrie, BAL, SP 11 12 3.96 32 32 19 2 0 0 0 0 0 200.0 190 88 24 56 118 1.23 399.3
Mark Buehrle, CHW, SP 13 12 4.00 32 32 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 205.0 230 91 21 46 103 1.34 387.7
C.J. Wilson, TEX, SP 12 11 4.13 32 32 18 1 0 0 0 0 0 196.0 177 90 17 96 157 1.39 386.6
Jeff Niemann, TB, SP 11 9 3.91 30 30 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 184.0 178 80 20 63 143 1.31 382.2
Doug Fister, SEA, SP 10 10 4.05 32 32 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 200.0 217 90 18 42 107 1.30 375.1
Jason Vargas, SEA, SP 10 11 4.06 32 32 17 0 0 1 0 0 0 195.0 193 88 22 56 121 1.28 374.3
Carl Pavano, MIN, SP 11 10 4.01 30 30 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 182.0 180 81 22 38 101 1.20 372.1
Jake Peavy, CHW, SP 9 6 3.62 25 25 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 154.0 134 62 17 51 140 1.20 371.8
Joel Pineiro, ANA, SP 11 10 3.95 30 30 19 1 1 0 0 0 0 180.0 186 79 18 40 100 1.26 369.0
Wade Davis, TB, SP 10 11 4.02 31 31 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 188.0 181 84 25 67 142 1.32 366.2
Brian Duensing, MIN, RP/SP 11 7 3.51 31 31 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 190.0 185 74 17 59 112 1.28 400.8
Derek Holland, TEX, SP 10 12 4.21 31 31 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 188.0 180 88 23 67 150 1.31 362.4
Luke Hochevar, KC, SP 11 13 4.50 32 32 17 1 0 0 0 0 0 200.0 213 100 18 67 153 1.40 360.0
Rick Porcello, DET, SP 12 10 4.06 31 31 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 184.0 196 83 18 47 102 1.32 359.1
A.J. Burnett, NYY, SP 11 13 4.59 32 32 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 198.0 196 101 26 88 161 1.43 349.3
Brad Bergesen, BAL, SP 10 11 3.97 31 31 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 186.0 200 82 21 45 101 1.32 344.2
Nick Blackburn, MIN, SP 11 11 4.12 31 31 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 190.0 216 87 23 42 93 1.36 341.2
Brandon Webb, TEX, SP 10 7 3.60 24 24 17 1 0 0 0 0 0 150.0 146 60 12 47 108 1.28 337.5
Ivan Nova, NYY, SP 11 10 4.31 32 32 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 190.0 198 91 19 80 122 1.46 337.0
Josh Tomlin, CLE, SP 9 10 4.45 29 29 14 1 0 0 0 0 0 174.0 171 86 23 56 110 1.30 319.0
Justin Masterson, CLE, SP 9 12 4.45 31 31 15 1 0 3 4 0 0 186.0 193 92 14 81 153 1.47 316.9
Jeff Francis, KC, SP 8 11 4.27 29 29 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 177.0 189 84 18 47 122 1.33 314.8
Carlos Carrasco, CLE, SP 10 11 4.17 28 28 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 166.0 173 77 17 59 136 1.40 314.2
Vin Mazzaro, KC, SP 8 11 4.60 31 31 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 188.0 195 96 25 73 123 1.43 307.5
Kyle Drabek, TOR, SP 8 11 4.66 28 28 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 172.0 176 89 23 69 122 1.42 286.4
Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS, SP 8 9 4.50 25 25 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 150.0 135 75 17 75 128 1.40 282.2
Jesse Litsch, TOR, SP 8 12 4.15 28 28 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 156.0 164 72 20 36 84 1.28 276.0
Michael Pineda, SEA, SP 7 8 3.67 28 22 13 0 0 2 2 0 0 125.0 116 51 14 40 115 1.25 273.5
Erik Bedard, SEA, SP 7 5 3.60 18 18 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 110.0 92 44 12 42 111 1.21 265.1
David Pauley, SEA, SP 7 11 4.28 28 28 13 0 0 2 0 0 0 160.0 173 76 20 53 96 1.41 258.7
Tommy Hunter, TEX, SP 7 10 4.66 24 24 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 145.0 153 75 21 32 79 1.28 252.3
Brandon McCarthy, OAK, SP 3 2 4.20 22 22 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 120.0 116 56 13 43 83 1.32 233.7
Kevin Slowey, MIN, SP 7 5 4.38 35 14 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 115.0 130 56 15 19 88 1.30 231.9
Justin Duchscherer, BAL, SP 7 5 3.35 18 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 102.0 104 38 9 32 68 1.33 220.3
Brad Penny, DET, SP 7 5 4.08 19 19 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 108.0 118 49 10 30 66 1.37 214.0
Tim Wakefield, BOS, SP/RP 5 6 4.36 35 15 7 1 0 3 0 0 0 130.0 141 63 16 42 72 1.41 206.2
Josh Outman, OAK, SP 6 5 4.11 26 13 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 103.0 95 47 13 42 80 1.33 202.7
Bruce Chen, KC, SP/RP 7 8 4.62 32 18 9 0 0 0 2 0 0 115.0 116 59 15 47 78 1.42 197.7
Hisanori Takahashi, ANA, RP/SP 9 6 4.13 45 15 7 0 0 14 5 2 0 120.0 122 55 13 43 91 1.37 253.7
Rich Harden, OAK, SP 4 5 4.39 45 5 2 0 0 6 10 3 0 80.0 72 39 11 40 71 1.40 154.6
Scott Feldman, TEX, SP 4 5 4.55 29 12 6 0 0 1 0 0 0 95.0 100 48 10 30 51 1.36 153.8
Marc Rzepczynski, TOR, SP 5 6 4.02 30 8 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 65.0 58 29 7 29 62 1.34 127.2
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 20
Relief Pitchers
Player W L ERA APP GS QS CG SO GF HD SV BS INN HA ER HRA BBI K WHIP H2H
Neftali Feliz, TEX, RP 4 3 2.25 72 0 0 0 0 64 0 42 5 72.0 51 18 6 20 78 0.99 473.2
Joakim Soria, KC, RP 4 4 2.14 63 0 0 0 0 55 0 40 6 63.0 49 15 5 18 67 1.06 428.8
Mariano Rivera, NYY, RP 3 4 1.97 63 0 0 0 0 56 0 38 4 64.0 50 14 4 13 54 0.98 409.2
Jonathan Papelbon, BOS, RP 3 5 3.45 62 0 0 0 0 55 0 40 6 60.0 51 23 5 23 65 1.24 391.3
Matt Thornton, CHW, RP 5 3 2.83 65 0 0 0 0 50 5 26 4 66.2 49 21 4 21 81 1.05 351.7
Chris Perez, CLE, RP 5 4 3.10 63 0 0 0 0 57 0 30 6 61.0 41 21 6 26 57 1.10 348.5
Jose Valverde, DET, RP 4 4 3.32 63 0 0 0 0 58 0 30 6 65.0 47 24 7 30 66 1.18 345.6
Andrew Bailey, OAK, RP 4 3 2.13 55 0 0 0 0 46 0 26 4 55.0 41 13 3 15 49 1.02 315.2
David Aardsma, SEA, RP 2 5 3.34 62 0 0 0 0 54 0 32 6 62.0 42 23 6 31 65 1.18 335.7
Joe Nathan, MIN, RP 2 3 2.33 58 0 0 0 0 36 10 24 3 58.0 39 15 5 19 68 1.01 301.5
Koji Uehara, BAL, RP 2 3 3.00 55 0 0 0 0 39 5 24 4 57.0 48 19 7 10 65 1.01 293.8
Chris Sale, CHW, RP 7 5 3.24 50 10 6 0 0 15 15 9 2 100.0 67 36 8 50 104 1.17 304.2
Jake McGee, TB, RP 2 3 3.14 60 0 0 0 0 35 4 22 4 63.0 51 22 6 27 67 1.24 275.0
Frank Francisco, TOR, RP 2 4 3.60 55 0 0 0 0 30 4 23 4 55.0 45 22 6 20 67 1.18 266.5
Fernando Rodney, ANA, RP 3 3 4.37 70 0 0 0 0 26 9 17 5 70.0 66 34 7 37 54 1.47 225.7
Brian Duensing, MIN, RP/SP 11 7 3.51 31 31 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 190.0 185 74 17 59 112 1.28 400.8
Phil Coke, DET, RP 8 11 4.42 28 28 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 165.0 163 81 18 62 114 1.37 288.5
Brandon League, SEA, RP 4 5 3.24 70 0 0 0 0 22 10 14 3 75.0 70 27 5 25 59 1.27 233.6
Tim Wakefield, BOS, SP/RP 5 6 4.36 35 15 7 1 0 3 0 0 0 130.0 141 63 16 42 72 1.41 206.2
Alexi Ogando, TEX, RP 6 5 3.54 49 8 0 0 0 14 12 6 2 84.0 79 33 8 30 74 1.30 206.0
Kevin Gregg, BAL, RP 4 5 3.71 70 0 0 0 0 23 14 12 3 68.0 59 28 6 34 68 1.37 204.0
Matt Capps, MIN, RP 4 5 2.99 60 0 0 0 0 22 16 12 2 60.1 60 20 5 13 47 1.22 198.0
Bruce Chen, KC, SP/RP 7 8 4.62 32 18 9 0 0 0 2 0 0 115.0 116 59 15 47 78 1.42 197.7
Kevin Jepsen, ANA, RP 3 3 3.63 66 0 0 0 0 21 11 12 3 62.0 57 25 3 28 61 1.37 196.4
Daniel Bard, BOS, RP 2 2 2.61 61 0 0 0 0 14 20 5 0 62.0 43 18 6 26 70 1.11 173.0
Grant Balfour, OAK, RP 4 2 2.99 60 0 0 0 0 12 16 3 0 60.1 43 20 4 25 69 1.13 166.4
Rafael Soriano, NYY, RP 3 3 2.40 60 0 0 0 0 10 18 4 0 60.0 44 16 4 16 57 1.00 166.3
Octavio Dotel, TOR, RP 3 4 3.75 63 0 0 0 0 14 14 8 2 60.0 50 25 8 31 68 1.36 164.7
Jon Rauch, TOR, RP 5 4 3.67 69 0 0 0 0 20 8 5 0 66.1 67 27 7 18 54 1.28 163.9
Dan Wheeler, BOS, RP 4 5 3.30 68 0 0 0 0 20 17 6 0 57.1 40 21 9 16 48 0.98 163.9
Scott Downs, ANA, RP 3 3 3.27 55 0 0 0 0 16 12 8 2 55.0 51 20 4 16 44 1.22 162.1
Brian Fuentes, OAK, RP 2 4 3.09 60 0 0 0 0 18 12 8 2 55.1 44 19 5 22 58 1.19 159.9
Hisanori Takahashi, ANA, RP/SP 9 6 4.13 45 15 7 0 0 14 5 2 0 120.0 122 55 13 43 91 1.37 253.7
Kyle Farnsworth, TB, RP 2 3 3.94 61 0 0 0 0 15 9 7 3 64.0 60 28 7 22 65 1.28 162.5
Darren Oliver, TEX, RP 4 1 2.74 60 0 0 0 0 8 15 0 0 69.0 60 21 5 18 59 1.13 160.5
Bobby Jenks, BOS, RP 5 3 3.63 50 0 0 0 0 12 15 6 2 52.0 50 21 4 17 49 1.29 153.9
Jason Frasor, TOR, RP 4 3 3.36 60 0 0 0 0 25 7 5 0 56.1 47 21 4 25 54 1.28 150.9
Craig Breslow, OAK, RP 4 4 2.83 67 0 0 0 0 15 12 2 0 63.2 45 20 6 26 55 1.11 149.6
Michael Gonzalez, BAL, RP 2 3 3.25 48 0 0 0 0 21 9 8 0 44.1 33 16 5 20 55 1.20 146.4
Michael Wuertz, OAK, RP 3 2 3.31 56 0 0 0 0 12 12 3 0 54.1 44 20 5 21 57 1.20 138.4
Darren O'Day, TEX, RP 3 1 2.63 57 0 0 0 0 15 14 1 0 54.2 44 16 3 15 43 1.08 133.6
Arthur Rhodes, TEX, RP 3 2 2.25 65 0 0 0 0 8 25 1 0 48.0 34 12 2 18 46 1.08 121.0
J.P. Howell, TB, RP 2.4 1.2 2.42 26 0 0 0 0 10 4 4 0 31.2 22 8 2 14 34 1.15 106.5
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 21
Player Profiles (Alphabetical by Position)
considering Jaso's .191 batting average against lefties. The off-and-on at-bats
Catchers could get frustrating, but Jaso managed to rank 13th in standard Head-to-Head
leagues in a similar situation last year. If you prefer to wait on a catcher, he's
not a bad late-round choice.
J.P. Arencibia, TOR C
After a rocky debut at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2009, Arencibia could do no wrong
there last year, redeeming his reputation and regaining his title as catcher of Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
the future. His four-hit, two-homer debut for the Blue Jays on Aug. 7 all but 3-Yr Avg 116 20 30 2 15 1 .259 95
sealed the deal there. He got only one hit during the rest of his major-league 2010 339 57 89 5 44 4 .263 278
stay, but he didn't get consistent enough playing time to demonstrate the full 2009 0 0 0 0 0 0 ---- 0
extent of his potential. That figures to change in 2011. With John Buck now
with the Marlins, only career backup Jose Molina stands in Arencibia's way of
regular at-bats. The Blue Jays may take it easy with the young slugger out of Russell Martin, NYY C
the gate, but they won't have him in the majors to sit on the bench. His high Russell Martin has fallen a long way from when he and Brian McCann were the
strikeout rate could cause his batting average to suffer, but his power potential class of the NL catching corps. He can still draw plenty of walks, but he hasn't
is tops at the position and reason enough to draft him as a No. 2 catcher in hit better than .250 or connected for double-digit homers in either of the last
mixed leagues. two seasons. Now that Martin is a Yankee, his at-bats figure to decline some
as well. He'll remain the starter, but he'll have to look over his shoulder for top
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS prospect Jesus Montero. Jorge Posada, who is now primarily a DH, could also
2010 35 3 5 2 4 0 .143 15 spell him from time to time. Martin will probably be ready for spring training,
though he missed the final two months of 2010 with a hip injury, and a healthy
2011 is far from certain. Even if he can stay in the lineup, Martin is at best a
low-end No. 1 catcher in mixed formats, which makes him pretty much
Alex Avila, DET C interchangeable with a large cohort of catchers. There should be no rush to
By letting Gerald Laird test the free-agent market, the Tigers are putting a lot of draft him, as he can be taken in the later rounds.
faith in Alex Avila to get the job done behind the plate. Detroit did sign Victor
Martinez in the offseason, but he is only slated to catch 2-3 times per week. Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Detroit is essentially handing the keys to the pitching staff to Avila, who played 3-Yr Avg 463 65 121 8 49 12 .261 335.5
in a career-high 104 games in 2010. Avila hit just .228 last season for Detroit, 2010 331 45 82 5 26 6 .248 212
but he hit .279 the year before in a small taste of the majors and hit fairly well in 2009 505 63 126 7 53 11 .250 338
the minors. He has developing power for a catcher, but Avila's top focus in
2011 will be getting used to catching the Tigers' pitching staff. Usually, defense
comes first for catchers, so that's why it is rare to find well-rounded backstops.
Avila has upside, but treat him more as an AL-only Fantasy option on Draft Victor Martinez, DET C
Day. Victor Martinez saw a dip in his power and run production in 2010 but was still
one of the more productive catchers in the game. His 20 homers and 79 RBI
were down from the year before but the 32-year-old only played in 127 games
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
due to injury. He still hit his standard .302 with a .493 slugging percentage.
3-Yr Avg 178 18 42 6 22 1 .236 111
Those solid numbers earned him a four-year, $50 million contract with the
2010 294 28 67 7 31 2 .228 163
Tigers. While his power numbers will likely take a hit playing in the spacious
2009 61 9 17 5 14 0 .279 60
Comerica Park, batting in a lineup with Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez
will give him much-needed lineup protection. He will also primarily be a DH and
catch just a few times a week. Martinez provides rare power and run
Tyler Flowers, CHW C production from the catcher’s spot and should be considered a high-end
Tyler Flowers only appeared in eight major-league games in 2010, going 1 for Fantasy option, worthy of taking in the early rounds on Draft Day in 2011.
11 with four walks and two runs scored. He hit 16 home runs with 53 RBI at
Triple-A Charlotte in 2010 with a .334 on-base percentage and .768 OPS. Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Flowers, one of the organization’s top prospects, showed some power in the 3-Yr Avg 449 61 134 15 74 1 .298 365.5
minors, but the team has been patiently waiting for him to take the catcher’s 2010 493 64 149 20 79 1 .302 402
spot. This could be the season as A.J. Pierzynski is a free agent and might not 2009 588 88 178 23 108 1 .303 521
return to Chicago. Manager Ozzie Guillen loves his incumbent backstop but at
some point he will have to turn over the reins to the 24-year-old. Flowers has a
solid chance at making the big club out of spring training and could be a 20-
Joe Mauer, MIN C
homer player if given the at-bats. Consider taking him as a flier in deeper
Joe Mauer dealt with some injuries in 2010 and saw his all-around production
formats on Draft Day. If he starts, Flowers will be worth starting in mixed
go down from his MVP year in 2009. He returned to his 2008 form -- almost
leagues based on his power potential.
exactly -- hitting .327 with nine home runs and 75 RBI. A lot of that had to do
with his strong finish, in which he hit .373 after the All-Star break. That's a far
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS cry from the .365 average, 28 homers and 96 RBI he posted the season prior
3-Yr Avg 14 2 2 0 0 0 .143 5 but those are still elite numbers in Fantasy. Also, consider that Mauer did not
2010 11 2 1 0 0 0 .091 4 have Justin Morneau protecting him in the lineup for most of the season. He
2009 16 3 3 0 0 0 .188 7 still got on base at a .402 clip, but the 27-year-old backstop should see his
numbers go back up in 2011. There shouldn't be anything impeding him from
having another solid campaign in 2011, so consider Mauer worth taking in the
John Jaso, TB C early rounds on Draft Day as he remains one of the top Fantasy catchers on
Every year, the Rays seem to have a player who comes out of left field to make the market.
a significant impact, and last year that player was Jaso. A prospect by no
stretch of the imagination entering the season, he earned a big-league Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
promotion when Kelly Shoppach injured his knee in mid-April and became the 3-Yr Avg 523 93 178 15 85 2 .340 491.5
preferred starter when Dioner Navarro faltered in the weeks that followed. As a 2010 510 88 167 9 75 1 .327 441
whole, his numbers weren't particularly special -- his .378 slugging percentage 2009 523 94 191 28 96 4 .365 551
ranked behind such notables as Yorvit Torrealba, Nick Hundley and Ryan
Hanigan at the ever-weak catcher position -- but his high walk rate made him a
personal favorite of number-crunching manager Joe Maddon, who eventually
made him the team's leadoff hitter. With Navarro gone, Jaso should at least
serve as the better half of a lefty-righty platoon with Shoppach -- a good plan
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 22
Bengie Molina, FA C due to a strained adductor muscle, he should be reserved for use as a No. 2
Although he was in the other dugout when the San Francisco Giants catcher.
celebrated their World Series win last season, veteran catcher Bengie Molina
still earned a championship ring. Molina became the first catcher in baseball Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
history to appear in a World Series against a team he played for earlier in the 3-Yr Avg 363 45 94 16 55 6 .259 245
season. Molina was dealt to Texas on July 1 in part so that prospect Buster 2010 394 55 106 14 58 7 .269 269
Posey could get everyday at-bats behind the plate. Sadly for Fantasy owners, 2009 390 51 97 23 65 5 .249 276
Molina only sparkled last season in the playoffs, but it wasn't enough for Texas
to win the title. He hit a combined .249 with five homers and 36 RBI in 118
games between San Francisco and Texas in the regular season. It was a steep
Brayan Pena, KC C
decline for a player that stroked 20 homers the year before. Now, the 36-year-
Brayan Pena played in just 60 games a year ago for the Royals, but he could
old backstop waits for the phone to ring, as he contemplates retirement. Molina
be a starter early on with Jason Kendall questionable for the start of the season
is still on the free-agent market. Even if he finds a new home by the start of the
as he recovers from shoulder surgery. After slugging six homers with 18 RBI in
season the odds of him remaining a full-time backstop are bleak. Molina would
2009, the 28-year-old only hit one home run last season and saw his batting
be at best a low-end Fantasy option in deeper formats Draft Day, if he signs
average drop from .273 to .253. He got better in the second half, though,
with a team. Otherwise, it's safe to ignore him. His best days are behind him.
increasing his all-around production, while seeing more playing time. Pena has
never reached 200 at-bats in his career, so it will be interesting to see how he
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS will perform as a starter. But if he falters at all, Kansas City might decide to roll
3-Yr Avg 466 42 126 14 70 0 .270 306.5 with prospect Lucas May. Fantasy owners should see how everything plays out
2010 377 27 94 5 36 0 .249 197 during spring training, but even if Pena starts for the first two months of the
2009 491 52 130 20 80 0 .265 333 season, he will be mainly an AL-only option.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Jesus Montero, NYY C 3-Yr Avg 112 10 30 2 12 1 .268 67
You know how Buster Posey and Carlos Santana both came up from the minor 2010 158 11 40 1 19 2 .253 86
leagues last season and immediately became Fantasy mainstays, reinforcing 2009 165 17 45 6 18 0 .273 111
the previously depleted catcher position? Yeah? Well, going into the season,
Baseball America ranked Montero higher than both. He no doubt would have
helped lead the catcher revival if he didn't play for the Yankees, who were too
A.J. Pierzynski, CHW C
busy competing to risk developing talent at the major-league level. All Montero
A.J. Pierzynski overcame a slow start this past season to put up another
did at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre was hit .289 with 21 homers and an .870
prototypical year for the White Sox. He batted just .247 with a .376 slugging
OPS as a 20-year-old. Most organizations would have been thrilled. The
percentage in the first half of the season but bounced back after the All-Star
Yankees, on the other hand, weren't convinced, signing Russell Martin to delay
break to hit .299 with 31 RBI. Although his batting average and home run totals
Montero's arrival even further. With longtime starter Jorge Posada undergoing
went down in 2010, Pierzynski finished with 56 RBI, good for 12th best among
knee surgery at age 39 and forced to spend the majority of his time at DH
catchers in baseball. He enters free agency as a 33-year-old with a ton of
going forward, the possibility still exists for Montero to step in and lead the next
experience, but he has let it be known that he would like to stay in Chicago.
generation of Yankee greats, but he might have to bide his time in the minors
The team would like rookie Tyler Flowers to take over the everyday role as the
for now. Given the impact of Posey and Santana last year, Montero is still
backstop but Pierzynski could continue to bridge the gap until the youngster is
worth a late-round pick just in case he arrives midseason.
ready. Manager Ozzie Guillen loves Pierzynski but Fantasy owners shouldn’t
be as fond. His numbers should continue to dip at this stage of his career.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Pierzynski is a serviceable catcher for use in deeper mixed leagues but should
2010 (AAA) 453 66 131 21 75 0 .289 N/A only be taken in the later rounds on Draft Day in 2011.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Mike Napoli, TEX 1B/C 3-Yr Avg 504 55 143 12 55 2 .284 317
For the first time in his career, Mike Napoli finally got to the plate more than 2010 474 43 128 9 56 3 .270 286
450 times, though it took a season-ending injury to Kendry Morales and a 2009 504 57 151 13 49 1 .300 320
move to first base to make it happen. He was expected to scrape together
playing time as a part-time catcher and designated hitter for the Angels, but a
pair of trades this offseason -- first to the Blue Jays and then to the Rangers -- Jorge Posada, NYY C
has opened up his options a bit. He'll still be less than a full-timer at DH and It finally happened in 2010: Posada got old. It wasn't apparent from the outset
catcher, but he'll also spell youngster Mitch Moreland at first base. Even if he of the season, but from about the time he broke his foot in May, he wasn't the
gets only 400 at-bats, Napoli would likely hit 20 home runs, which would make same, batting .224 over the final four months. During that time, he also battled
him worth starting at the weak catcher position. With the move to a hitter's a concussion, a calf strain and a cyst behind the knee that turned out to be a
haven in Texas, he's an even more attractive choice as a low-end No. 1 partially torn meniscus. That's right: He's a 39-year-old catcher coming back
catcher on Draft Day. from knee surgery. Where do the red flags cease? The good news is the
Yankees have already decided he'll be their primary DH next year, turning
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS catching duties -- at least partially -- over to prospect Jesus Montero. Staying
3-Yr Avg 354 53 91 22 58 5 .257 290.5 off the field should help Posada avoid injuries and remain in the lineup, but his
2010 453 60 108 26 68 4 .238 330 OPS was nearly 100 points lower as a DH than as a catcher last year. Posada
2009 382 60 104 20 56 3 .272 303 can still contribute. He still walks relatively well for a catcher-eligible player and
can still pop 20 homers, making him potentially worth starting in Fantasy. But
the end is near. If you target him earlier than the late rounds in a single-catcher
league, you're living in the past.
Miguel Olivo, SEA C
For four months last season, Miguel Olivo was putting together a career year,
due in large part to the wonders of high altitude. Even after struggling through Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
the final two months of the season, Olivo compiled a .318 batting average with 3-Yr Avg 311 41 83 14 53 1 .267 251.5
10 home runs in his games at Coors Field. No longer a Rockie, Olivo is now 2010 383 49 95 18 57 3 .248 301
the Mariners' starting catcher heading into the 2011 season. Olivo has shown 2009 383 55 109 22 81 1 .285 338
the ability to hit for power in all types of hitting environments, so the move to
pitcher-friendly Safeco Field shouldn't depress his home run output much, but
he could lose 20 or more points on his batting average. At times last year,
Olivo could be used as a No. 1 Fantasy catcher in mixed leagues, but with a
decline sure to come, and with the possibility of a delayed start to the season
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 23
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, BOS C Torrealba should be a target of owners in AL-only leagues on Draft Day, and
Unable to re-sign Victor Martinez, the Red Sox decided to fill their vacant he could even be worth a late flier in mixed leagues that require the use of two
catcher position in-house by promoting Jarrod Saltalamacchia into the starter's catchers.
role. It's kind of a risky move seeing how Saltalamacchia is injury-prone and
hasn't lived up to expectations, but the Red Sox spent their offseason investing Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
millions into the likes of Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez and Bobby Jenks, so 3-Yr Avg 258 26 69 5 33 3 .267 159.5
Saltalamacchia came at a discounted price. Even though veteran Jason 2010 325 31 88 7 37 7 .271 202
Varitek was brought back, the Red Sox have said they are moving forward with 2009 213 27 62 2 31 1 .291 141
Saltalamacchia as their starter. Saltalamacchia had an interesting 2010
season, which ended in October because of left thumb surgery. His season
started in Texas, then he was demoted to the minors -- where he had trouble
Matt Wieters, BAL C
getting the baseball back to the pitcher -- and he finally was traded to Boston in
When Wieters failed to live up to the hype as Baseball America's No. 1
July. He appeared in just 10 games with Boston before having surgery.
prospect in 2009, it wasn't such a big deal. He was a rookie, after all. But
Saltalamacchia was once the prize prospect of the Braves' farm system, but he
Fantasy owners' disappointment turned to discouragement in 2010 as Wieters'
was dealt to Texas in 2007 and never really lived up to the hype, especially at
numbers went from so-so to just plain bad. His percentages declined across
the plate. Lucky for him the Boston lineup is loaded, so the pressure to perform
the board, his .695 OPS ranking behind the likes of Yorvit Torrealba, Nick
offensively won't be there. Saltalamacchia is worth drafting in all AL-only
Hundley and Josh Thole. But the scouts have yet to give up on Wieters, and
leagues and is also worth a look in the late rounds of mixed leagues.
considering he's only 24, neither should you. Catchers sometimes take longer
to develop offensively because their primary focus is on the pitching staff. Once
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Wieters gets comfortable, he could still break through as an offensive weapon.
3-Yr Avg 168 21 40 4 21 0 .238 92.5 He hit .343 with 32 home runs and a 1.014 OPS in 578 minor-league at-bats,
2010 24 2 4 0 2 0 .167 14 don't forget. With every year he slips in the rankings, he's one year closer to
2009 283 34 66 9 34 0 .233 146 reaching his prime. One of these years, some savvy Fantasy owner is going to
end up with a steal. Wieters could last into the late rounds in one-catcher
leagues, but his upside makes him someone to consider drafting as your
Carlos Santana, CLE C starter.
Carlos Santana got off to a solid start after being called up in early June but
had his rookie campaign cut short after a freak injury. He messed up his knee Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
during a play at the plate in early August and missed the rest of the season 3-Yr Avg 400 36 106 10 49 0 .265 236
after undergoing surgery. Before that the 24-year-old hit .260 with six homers 2010 446 37 111 11 55 0 .249 261
and 22 RBI in 46 games. He slugged .467 and had a respectable .401 on-base 2009 354 35 102 9 43 0 .288 210
percentage before going down with the injury. The highly-touted prospect is
expected to be ready for the start of the season and could do some serious
damage will a full season of at-bats. Santana has unbelievable power and has
shown the ability to hit for average, as well as get on base at a solid clip. All of First Basemen
those are rare from the catcher's spot and Santana could become one of the
more sought after players on Draft Day. Also, factor in he will have the likes of
Grady Sizemore, Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo helping him in the Lars Anderson, BOS 1B
lineup. Keep tabs to make sure that he will be ready for the start of the 2011 Anderson continues to tumble in the rankings after once looking like a future
season, but plan on taking Santana in the early-to-mid rounds on Draft Day. OPS stud. As his walks have gone down, his strikeouts have gone up, to the
point he now profiles as something like another Adam LaRoche. The good
news is he showed some signs of regaining his long-lost batting eye during his
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
major-league debut last year, as brief as it was. The offseason acquisition of
2010 150 23 39 6 22 3 .260 144
Adrian Gonzalez pretty much eliminates his chances of making an impact for
the Red Sox in 2011, but if he gets back on track in the minors, he could
become a valuable trade piece midseason. He's not the worst flier in deeper
Kurt Suzuki, OAK C AL-only leagues.
Kurt Suzuki became one of the four most valuable catchers in Fantasy two
seasons ago when he discovered his power, clouting 15 home runs. Last Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
season, the power was still there for the A's starting backstop, but his batting 2010 35 4 7 0 4 0 .200 19
average tumbled from .274 to .242. Perhaps in an effort to maintain his power,
Suzuki hit fly balls more often last year, but he also developed a habit of
popping out. As long as Suzuki continues to translate fly balls into long balls,
he will remain among the top six catchers in Fantasy. While there is a Daric Barton, OAK 1B
possibility of a rebound in 2011, it is too risky to assume that Suzuki will have Daric Barton draws walks. He doesn't hit for much power, is not a stolen-base
similar value to Brian McCann, as he did in 2009. You can wait until the middle threat, and is a long way from being a .300 hitter, as he is the owner of a
rounds of mixed leagues to draft him. career .260 average. That might be a good profile for a Fantasy middle
infielder, but Barton plays the position that is stocked with the best hitters: first
base. His walks give him some value in Head-to-Head leagues, but without the
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
power to hit even 15 home runs, he is of little use to owners in mixed-league
3-Yr Avg 532 61 141 12 67 4 .265 355.5
formats. Unless you have teams in AL-only leagues, you can forget about
2010 495 55 120 13 71 3 .242 331
Barton on Draft Day.
2009 570 74 156 15 88 8 .274 423
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 387 56 99 7 43 3 .256 284.5
Yorvit Torrealba, TEX C 2010 556 79 152 10 57 7 .273 434
Yorvit Torrealba had his most productive season in years in 2010 with the 2009 160 31 43 3 24 0 .269 135
Padres and played in over 90 games for just the second time in his career.
While he split time behind the plate with Nick Hundley, he hit .271 with seven
home runs and 37 RBI in 325 at-bats. His batting average and on-base
percentage fell off from the year before, but he posted his best power numbers
since 2007. Torrealba signed a two-year deal with the Rangers in the
offseason and could see the lion's share of starts at catcher in 2011. While he
will be pushed for playing time by new acquisition Mike Napoli, he's better
defensively and should be able to produce with the Rangers potent
surrounding him. Torrealba finally might be able to crack double-digit homers
this season while driving in a fair share of RBI from the catcher's spot.
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 24
Billy Butler, KC 1B Chris Davis, TEX 1B
Billy Butler saw his power take a dip in 2010, but he improved in other areas of Chris Davis opened the 2010 campaign as the starting first baseman in Texas,
his game. He increased his batting average by 17 points and got on base at a but he was unable to hold onto that job for the entire season. He hit just .188
higher clip, while producing more hits. He also cut down on his strikeouts and with one RBI and 17 strikeouts over his first 15 games before being sent back
drew more walks. It looks as though he is becoming a well-rounded hitter and down to the minors. He was called up and sent down one more time but could
hopefully he can find a happy medium and get back in the 20-homer range in never regain his role as a starter. The puzzling thing about Davis was that he
2011. The 24-year-old has a bright future and should be able to take it to the tore up minor-league pitching but he could not translate it into success at the
next level in 2011 as one of the only power threats in the Royals lineup. major-league level. He finished the year with one home run and four RBI for
Kansas City has a crop of young talent it plans on brining up and Butler will the Rangers with a horrid .192 batting average and .292 slugging percentage.
bridge the gap. Anywhere from 15-25 homers and 75-100 RBI is what Fantasy Davis will have to figure out how to hit in the majors -- especially against lefties
owners can expect from Butler this season, which are pretty decent out of the -- if he plans on becoming relevant in Fantasy. With Mitch Moreland and
first-base spot. While he lacks the production of a high-end option, consider Michael Young penciled in to see most of the time at first base in 2011,
Butler as someone to target in the middle rounds of mixed leagues on Draft Fantasy owners would be wise to leave Davis for the deepest of AL-only
Day. formats on Draft Day. But keep an eye on the 24-year-old as he still has some
power potential.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 549 66 165 16 75 0 .301 408.5 Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
2010 595 77 189 15 78 0 .318 469 3-Yr Avg 269 35 67 13 39 1 .249 173.5
2009 608 78 183 21 93 1 .301 481 2010 120 7 23 1 4 3 .192 47
2009 391 48 93 21 59 0 .238 231
Miguel Cabrera, DET 1B
Cabrera was a Triple Crown threat last season, finishing with career highs in Adam Dunn, CHW 1B
home runs (38), slugging percentage (.622) and walks (89) to close the gap on The White Sox finally got their man. After failing to pull off a trade for Adam
Albert Pujols as the top first baseman in Fantasy. He also struck out fewer than Dunn in 2010, the White Sox inked the slugger to a four-year, $56 million
100 times for the first time since his rookie year. But unfortunately, nobody's contract in December. The move to the AL also means Dunn can spend more
talking about that this spring. Instead, the focus has shifted to his off-the-field time honing his craft at the plate since he won't play in the field regularly after
issues -- specifically, his second alcohol-related arrest in the last 17 months at Chicago brought back Paul Konerko to play first base. That means Dunn will
about the time position players were reporting to spring training. Cabrera split his time between first and designated hitter. Dunn has been one of the
should be able to play through his treatment program, but another slipup could premier sluggers over the last decade. Most recently, he has averaged 40
significantly alter his Fantasy value. If he managed to get through last season homers and 101 RBI in his last seven seasons. While Dunn does strike out
without any incidents, though, you have to think he's capable of doing it again, regularly, he also shows patience at the plate, which is rare for a home-run
especially now that he's getting the help he needs. He's still too good to pass hitter. He has drawn more than 100 walks in seven of his 10 MLB seasons. He
up early in the first round of Fantasy drafts. He remains one of those rare is going to a homer-friendly park, so we don't see a drop-off for the 31-year-old.
power hitters who's an equally good source of batting average, so even at a Dunn is still an elite Fantasy option that should be off the draft board by the
deep position like first base, he's a clear top-five pick. mid-rounds in all formats.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 592 97 186 36 119 3 .314 574.5 3-Yr Avg 540 82 138 39 103 1 .256 494
2010 548 111 180 38 126 3 .328 625 2010 558 85 145 38 103 0 .260 472
2009 611 96 198 34 103 6 .324 563 2009 546 81 146 38 105 0 .267 506
Michael Cuddyer, MIN 1B/OF Adrian Gonzalez, BOS 1B
Michael Cuddyer saw a serious drop-off in power in 2010 but stayed on par It's a question Fantasy prognosticators have often asked themselves since
with his other career averages. He hit .271 with a career-high 165 hits, but his Gonzalez first appeared on the scene: How many homers could he hit if he
home run and RBI totals went from 32 and 94 to 14 and 81. Some of that could didn't play half his games at PETCO Park? Well, now we get a chance to find
have been attributed to playing in the new Target Field, but the 31-year-old out. With his move to Boston in the offseason, Gonzalez goes from perhaps
really just had a flash-in-the-pan season in 2009. Cuddyer was forced to play the worst hitter's park to one of the best. Let's just see if his career .808 OPS at
84 games at first base due to Justin Morneau missing a ton of time due to a PETCO becomes a distant memory and his career .929 OPS everywhere else
concussion, which helped save some wear and tear, but he is expected to be becomes the norm. Let's just see what a halfway decent supporting cast does
back in the outfield during the upcoming year. He underwent arthroscopic for his productivity. Let's just see how much the perennial 30-homer, 100-RBI
surgery on his right knee in the offseason, but he is expected to be ready for threat can improve. But before you go crazy projecting him to win the Triple
the start of the season. Maybe the surgery will help him regain some of his Crown and carry your Fantasy team to the title, keep in mind the splits don't
power but don't expect another 30-homer campaign. His versatility is a plus in always translate in these situations. Plus, Gonzalez is coming off minor
Fantasy, but plan on targeting Cuddyer in the middle-to-late rounds on Draft shoulder surgery and may not swing a bat until spring training. He's an elite
Day in 2011. first baseman for sure, but if you see him going off the board in the first or
second round, you may want to avoid the hype and stick with a tried-and-true
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS option like Mark Teixeira or Prince Fielder.
3-Yr Avg 482 72 130 16 70 6 .270 377
2010 609 93 165 14 81 7 .271 454 Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
2009 588 93 162 32 94 6 .276 505 3-Yr Avg 586 93 167 36 106 0 .285 546
2010 591 87 176 31 101 0 .298 528
2009 552 90 153 40 99 1 .277 564
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 25
Kila Ka’aihue, KC 1B offseason of rest can only do him some good. But you have to think his days of
Kila Ka'aihue did not see any time in the majors in 2009 but after tearing up 30 homers are over. Depending on his health, he might struggle to get to 20.
Triple-A pitching a year ago, he was recalled by the Royals in early August. Don't be surprised if he goes undrafted in some mixed leagues.
The 26-year-old hit .319 with 24 home runs and 78 RBI at Triple-A Omaha and
showed similar power after his call-up, hitting eight homers with 25 RBI in 52 Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
games, but his batting average dropped to .217. Ka'aihue enters 2011 as the 3-Yr Avg 567 88 162 25 94 3 .286 478.5
starting first baseman in Kansas City and will be relied upon for some pop in an 2010 547 80 142 19 80 1 .260 401
otherwise lackluster lineup. The Royals have a crop of young talent that they 2009 532 91 163 35 111 1 .306 537
are hoping to build around for years to come and Ka'aihue will be given a
chance to show what he can do. While the power potential is there, he will
have to gain better strike-zone recognition to be a contributor in a majority of
Kendrys Morales, LAA 1B
Fantasy leagues. Seeing regular at-bats will give him low-end appeal, so
Kendrys Morales' 2010 season got off to a muted start, as he mustered only
consider Ka'aihue an AL-only option on Draft Day.
five doubles through his first 51 games, though he did manage to club 11 home
runs. It was his 11th and final homer that dwarfed the impact of his previous
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS struggles. On May 29, Morales hit a walk-off grand slam and fractured his
3-Yr Avg 67 9 15 3 9 0 .224 46 ankle during the celebration at home plate, thus ending his season. The switch-
2010 180 22 39 8 25 0 .217 121 hitting first baseman has made slow progress in his rehabilitation from the
2009 0 0 0 0 0 0 ---- 0 injury and will begin the season on the DL, but since he's already running, he's
probably not far away from returning. The injury doesn't seem like the type that
will alter his outlook as a potential .300-hitting, 30-homer first baseman, but
Paul Konerko, CHW 1B because he doesn't walk often and hits in a less-than-potent Angels lineup, he
Paul Konerko had a resurgent 2010 campaign. Along with hitting over 30 points may rank a step or two behind the elite class of the position. Still, he's worth a
higher than his career batting average, the 34-year-old bounced back after pick in the first seven or eight rounds of a mixed-league draft.
three sub-par seasons. He fell one home run short of reaching the 40-homer
mark for the third time in his career and actually got better as the season went Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
on. During the first half of the season, he caught the eye of many Fantasy 3-Yr Avg 273 41 81 16 52 1 .297 238
owners with his 20 homers and 63 RBI but he also hit .299 and got on base at 2010 193 29 56 11 39 0 .290 162
a .382 clip over that span. Then after playing in his fourth All-Star Game, he 2009 566 86 173 34 108 3 .306 505
came back after the break and posted a .327 average with a .406 on-base
percentage. Konerko enters free agency as a hot commodity at the first base
spot and should be a solid source of power again in 2011. It will be difficult for
Mitch Moreland, TEX 1B
him to mimic the 39 homers and 111 RBI he had this season, and add the fact
After tearing through minor-league pitching, Mitch Moreland was called up in
that he will be one year older with some nagging back injuries, but Konerko has
late July last season and quickly became a fixture at first base in Texas. He
averaged nearly 30 homers over the last 12 seasons and will be worth a
started 41 games down the stretch and hit .255 with nine home runs and 25
middle-round pick on Draft Day.
RBI in just 145 at-bats. He also hit .348 during the postseason and looked like
a seasoned veteran while cruising to the World Series. While he tends to strike
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS out more than Fantasy owners would like to see, he has power to all fields and
3-Yr Avg 511 74 142 30 87 1 .278 448.5 has an extremely potent lineup surrounding him. His defense has been a little
2010 548 89 171 39 111 0 .312 541 suspect and he might be forced to split time with Michael Young at first base to
2009 546 75 151 28 88 1 .277 456 start the season, but the 25-year-old could do some damage with a full season
of at-bats. Moreland will force the Rangers to have to play him if he continues
to hit like he did a year ago, so Fantasy owners should keep an eye on his
Matt LaPorta, CLE 1B progress, as he is a nice up-and-comer. Target him in AL-only formats on Draft
Matt LaPorta had his finest season in the majors in 2010. After playing in just Day, with the potential to make an impact in mixed leagues as well.
52 games in 2009, the top prospect hit 12 homers with 41 RBI in 110 games
last season. LaPorta looked decent in stretches but still didn't come anywhere Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
close to meeting the numbers expected of him as the prize of the CC Sabathia 2010 145 20 37 9 25 3 .255 126
trade a couple years ago. The Indians referred to 2010 as Laporta's
"developmental year," so big things are expected from the 26-year-old this
season. The power potential is there, but LaPorta will have to cut down on his
Justin Morneau, MIN 1B
strikeouts and get a better feel for the strike zone before putting it all together.
Justin Morneau got off to a great start in 2010, but he missed exactly half the
With a full season of at-bats, he has a chance of putting up 15-20 homers and
season after suffering a concussion in early July. He was injured while sliding
driving in 50-70 RBI. Still, he is too risky to trust in a majority of leagues, so
into second base and what was initially believed to be a minor injury ended up
plan on viewing LaPorta as primarily an AL-only Fantasy option on Draft Day.
keeping him out for the remainder of the season. Morneau was having a
monster season before sustaining his concussion, posting a .345/.437/.618
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS line. He finished with more Runs Created per 27 Outs (RC/27) than any other
3-Yr Avg 278 35 64 10 31 1 .230 177 hitter with at least 300 plate appearances. His performance far exceeded
2010 376 41 83 12 41 0 .221 224 anything he had done prior in his career and the 29-year-old is expected to be
2009 181 29 46 7 21 2 .254 131 fully healthy for the start of the season. He averaged nearly 30 homers and 117
RBI in the four years prior to getting hurt and should be able to approach those
numbers in 2011. Consider Morneau a top 10 Fantasy first baseman on Draft
Derrek Lee, BAL 1B Day.
Lee had a rebound season in 2009, bouncing back from years of wrist woes to
hit .306 with 35 homers. Too bad he couldn't muster an encore performance in Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
2010. Once again, injuries were a problem for the 35-year-old -- he played 3-Yr Avg 476 78 143 24 95 0 .300 455
through a bulging disc in his back and a torn thumb ligament all year -- but at 2010 296 53 102 18 56 0 .345 311
his age, such setbacks could become par for the course. Moving to the AL 2009 508 85 139 30 100 0 .274 479
should help him stay healthy since the Orioles have the option of playing him at
DH every now and then, but it's also unfamiliar territory for the former Padre,
Marlin, Cub and Brave. With a .298 batting average and an .888 OPS in the
second half last year, Lee proved he still has something left in the tank, and an
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 26
Mike Napoli, TEX 1B/C productivity when in the lineup makes him a top-five third baseman or a top-10
For the first time in his career, Mike Napoli finally got to the plate more than first baseman.
450 times, though it took a season-ending injury to Kendry Morales and a
move to first base to make it happen. He was expected to scrape together Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
playing time as a part-time catcher and designated hitter for the Angels, but a 3-Yr Avg 464 89 143 25 90 5 .308 474
pair of trades this offseason -- first to the Blue Jays and then to the Rangers -- 2010 362 77 111 19 62 4 .307 384
has opened up his options a bit. He'll still be less than a full-timer at DH and 2009 491 99 150 27 94 7 .306 505
catcher, but he'll also spell youngster Mitch Moreland at first base. Even if he
gets only 400 at-bats, Napoli would likely hit 20 home runs, which would make
him worth starting at the weak catcher position. With the move to a hitter's
haven in Texas, he's an even more attractive choice as a low-end No. 1
catcher on Draft Day. Second Basemen
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 354 53 91 22 58 5 .257 290.5 Dustin Ackley, SEA 2B
2010 453 60 108 26 68 4 .238 330 Ackley, the top pick not named Stephen Strasburg in the 2009 draft, didn't blow
2009 382 60 104 20 56 3 .272 303 anyone away in his first professional season last year, but for a natural talent
like him, the progression matters more than the results. The Mariners started
him at Double-A even though he was playing second base for the first time,
obviously confident in his ability to perform right out of the gate. He may not
Justin Smoak, SEA 1B become a 20-homer guy, but his stellar batting eye (75 walks compared to 79
Justin Smoak, the Rangers' first-round pick in the 2008 Amateur Draft, made walks), should make him a batting title contender. He was the talk of the
his big league debut with Texas last season. After 70 games and a .209 batting Arizona Fall League, batting .424 with four homers, five stolen bases and a
average, Smoak was suddenly an ex-Ranger, as he was dealt to Seattle as the 1.338 OPS, which should only hasten his arrival to the big leagues in an
main piece in the Cliff Lee trade. The 24-year-old first baseman didn't fare organization desperate for offense. He'll do his best to win a job this spring, but
much better with the Mariners, hitting .239, though he hit five home runs in 113 a midseason arrival is more likely. He's worth drafting in AL-only leagues and
at-bats. Smoak showed signs of his burgeoning power, but his low batting could factor in mixed leagues as soon as he reaches the majors.
average came as an unpleasant surprise, as he had hit .261 over two years in
Triple-A. A .143 batting average on ground balls, the fourth-lowest in the
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
majors among hitters with at least 300 at-bats, sank Smoak's overall average,
2010 (AAA) 212 37 58 5 23 2 .274 N/A
but his minor league track record suggests that improvement is ahead. After an
unimpressive rookie season, Smoak probably comes into the 2011 season
undervalued, but signs are there that he can help owners in deeper mixed
leagues. Mike Aviles, KC 2B
After undergoing Tommy John surgery and being limited to just 36 games in
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS 2009, Mike Aviles got back to work in 2010 and reminded Fantasy owners of
2010 348 40 76 13 48 1 .218 219 the power he showed as a rookie. Playing mostly second base for the Royals,
the 29-year-old hit .304 with eight home runs and 32 RBI in 110 games. Only
two of his homers came before the All-Star break, but he got stronger as the
season progressed, hitting six homers and posting a .439 slugging percentage
Mark Teixeira, NYY 1B in the second half. Aviles also stole a career-high 14 bases and should be able
Teixeira gutted his way through the 2010 season, battling a bruised elbow, a to improve his all-around numbers in 2011. He will likely begin the year at third
bruised thumb, a broken toe, and eventually a strained hamstring in the base, where he will be pushed for playing time by Wilson Betemit, but with top-
playoffs. The cumulative effect was a career-low .256 batting average and an prospect Mike Moustakas looming in the wings, he might be moved back to
OPS (.846) that was his lowest since his rookie season. Of course, those second base. Aviles has the power and speed potential to be a 15-15 player
numbers wouldn't have been nearly as bad if he didn't have such a poor April. and should benefit from being healthy for a full year. But with his limited upside
Always a slow starter, Teixeira took it to a new level last year, hitting .136 in the and uncertainty of playing time, Aviles should be considered a low-end Fantasy
season's opening month, so you can bet he'll be looking to get off to a good option on Draft Day, more suited for AL-only formats.
start this year. Despite the disappointing performance, Teixeira still ranked
fourth among first baseman in standard Head-to-Head leagues in 2011, which
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
is a testament to how polished of a hitter he has become, his high on-base
3-Yr Avg 321 47 96 6 30 8 .299 218
percentage and plus power making up for his shortcomings. Hitting in the
2010 424 63 129 8 32 14 .304 289
middle of a loaded lineup in one of the game's better hitter's parks, Teixeira
2009 120 10 22 1 8 1 .183 41
could easily get back to being the .297 hitter he was from 2005 to 2009. If he
slips beyond the second round on Draft Day, he's a steal.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Gordon Beckham, CHW 2B
3-Yr Avg 595 106 170 35 117 1 .286 588 After a solid rookie campaign in which he finished fifth in the AL Rookie of the
2010 601 113 154 33 108 0 .256 554 Year voting, Gordon Beckham suffered through a sophomore slump in 2010,
2009 609 103 178 39 122 2 .292 609 the likes of which saw his slugging percentage drop from .460 to .378. He
moved over from third base to become the second basemen of the future for
the White Sox, but he hit just .209 with two home runs through the first three
months of the season. The 24-year-old was able to get back on track after that,
Kevin Youkilis, BOS 1B batting .308 with seven home runs and 29 RBI over his final 61 games, before
Forget the two months it cost him at the end of last season. Youkilis' thumb being shut down with a right hand injury in late September. Beckham’s
injury was disappointing mainly because it prevented him from getting the numbers were down all around this past year but he showed the resiliency to
playing time necessary to retain eligibility at third base. As a result, his Fantasy get better as the season went on. He has the skill set to be a 20-home run
value stood to take a serious hit heading into 2011. But then, in an act of mercy producer but will have to become more disciplined at the plate before
for Fantasy owners everywhere but San Diego, the Red Sox traded for Adrian approaching that mark. Beckham offers rare power and production for a
Gonzalez, making Youkilis a regular third baseman for the first time since his Fantasy second baseman so plan on drafting him in the middle rounds on Draft
rookie season. He won't be eligible at the position to begin the season, but by Day, but don’t be surprised if he bounces back to become an early-round
the end of the first week, he'll be one of the top producers there. His numbers talent.
assure him of that. His OPS increased for the sixth straight season last year,
finishing at .975, which would have ranked seventh among full-time players if
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
he lasted a full season. Of course, that's always been the knock on him. He's
3-Yr Avg 411 58 107 12 56 6 .260 300
never played more than 147 games. Granted, last year's injury was his first
2010 444 58 112 9 49 4 .252 275
significant one, but he's not getting any healthier at age 32. Still, his
2009 378 58 102 14 63 7 .270 320
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Reid Brignac, TB 2B/SS stay healthy, start hitting more flies again, and provide owners with 15 to 20
After serving as co-super-utility player with Sean Rodriguez last season, homers, but there is too much risk of that not happening. It's best to consider
Brignac stands to inherit the starting shortstop job from Jason Bartlett this him just for AL-only leagues.
season. No one doubts he can handle the role defensively, but his hitting is a
matter of debate at this stage of his career. He had a three-year stretch in the Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
minors during which he averaged 18.7 homers, and his eight homers in 301 at- 3-Yr Avg 418 51 110 9 50 10 .263 293
bats as a rookie last year suggest he should perform better than the average 2010 436 45 127 5 49 7 .291 288
shortstop in that category. But he's such a free-swinger that his batting average 2009 377 52 99 10 61 10 .263 280
and OPS could prevent him from making a significant Fantasy impact. If
nothing else, he's another Jhonny Peralta, which would make him a viable
option in leagues that use a middle infield spot. He should go undrafted in
Chone Figgins, SEA 2B
mixed leagues, but he bears watching in his first year as a full-time starter,
Even though he was coming off a season in which he hit .298 and had an on-
especially since he's only 25.
base percentage of .395, Chone Figgins was not exempt from the team-wide
slump that swept the Mariners last year. In his first season in Seattle, Figgins
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS didn't find the holes in the infield as often as he had in the past. He often toys
3-Yr Avg 134 17 34 3 17 2 .254 80 with a .400 batting average on grounders, but in 2010, that average dipped to
2010 301 39 77 8 45 3 .256 187 .340, dropping his overall batting average to .259. Figgins still has plenty of
2009 90 10 25 1 6 2 .278 51 speed, as he stole 42 bases in 57 tries, even though he was on base at his
lowest rate in four years. He should help his own cause with a higher batting
average in 2011, but his run scoring will still probably suffer, as the heart of the
Robinson Cano, NYY 2B Seattle order is still lacking big bats. Being eligible at second base will help, but
Cano's continually rising stock reached elite heights in 2010, as career highs in Figgins still figures to be a late-round option in standard mixed leagues.
home runs (29), RBI (109), on-base percentage (.381) and OPS (.914) made
him a legitimate AL MVP candidate. They also made him the No. 1 second Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
baseman in Fantasy. Injuries to mainstays Chase Utley, Dustin Pedroia, Ian 3-Yr Avg 557 83 155 2 37 39 .278 401.5
Kinsler and Brian Roberts helped Cano coast to the top of the list -- and without 2010 602 62 156 1 35 42 .259 370
much of a contest. Omitting Jose Bautista's cartoon numbers, Cano's 52.5- 2009 615 114 183 5 54 42 .298 522
point advantage at second base was the largest by a No. 1 player at any
position in standard Head-to-Head scoring last year. And considering Utley is
32 and Pedroia, Kinsler and Roberts all carry the "injury-prone" label, we say
Chris Getz, KC 2B
Cano is No. 1 to stay. He's only 28, don't forget. He could still get better,
Chris Getz will get another chance to become a full-time starter in 2011. Getz
particularly with the on-base machines batting ahead of him in the Yankees
entered last season, his first with the Royals, competing with Alberto Callaspo
lineup. As a yearly contender for the batting title with emerging power and plate
for the starting second-base job, but he got injured early in the season and
discipline at a historically weak position, Cano isn't just a first-rounder in
really didn't see regular at-bats until after the All-Star break. Then, he suffered
Fantasy; he's a top-five option.
a concussion in mid-September and missed the rest of the season. Getz is fully
recovered and ready to compete for playing time at second base again. Only
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS this time he will be trying to hold off Wilson Betemit and Mike Aviles, who both
3-Yr Avg 620 92 189 23 89 3 .305 497 will also be battling for playing time at third, increasing Getz's chances of being
2010 626 103 200 29 109 3 .319 576 the regular second baseman. Getz hit only .236 last season, but he was a
2009 637 103 204 25 85 5 .320 524 better contact hitter in the minors. Unfortunately, he has limited power like most
middle infielders, so look to Getz as more of an AL-only Fantasy option on
Draft Day.
Jason Donald, CLE SS/2B
Jason Donald went from the Phillies organization to the Indians organization in Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
the summer of 2009 as part of the Cliff Lee deal, but he didn't get his first taste 3-Yr Avg 202 25 51 1 17 14 .253 138
of the majors until May of last season. It took an injury to Asdrubal Cabrera for 2010 224 23 53 0 18 15 .237 138
him to finally make it to the majors, but once Cabrera returned months later, 2009 375 49 98 2 31 25 .261 267
Donald avoided a trip back to the farm. In fact, he played regularly the rest of
the season, whether it was at shortstop or second base. Now, he enters 2011
as the front-runner to be the Indians' starting second baseman. Donald hit only
Carlos Guillen, DET 2B
.253 with four homers and 24 RBI in 88 games last year. He has modest power
Carlos Guillen remained a major headache for Fantasy owners in 2010. The
for a middle infielder, but he was a good contact hitter in the minors, so the
Tigers moved Guillen to designated hitter in hopes of keeping him healthy, but
Indians wouldn't mind seeing that .300 hitter re-emerge. Donald is still rough
that was wishful thinking. Just a few weeks into the season Guillen was already
around the edges, so consider him a low-end middle infielder in deeper
on the disabled list. When he returned in late May, the Tigers shifted Guillen to
Fantasy formats on Draft Day.
second base for the first time since 1999 after the Scott Sizemore experiment
failed. Unfortunately, Guillen had trouble staying healthy the rest of the season
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS and eventually needed microfracture surgery on his left knee in September.
2010 296 39 75 4 24 5 .253 174 Guillen appeared in just 68 games, marking the third straight season he played
less than 120 contests due to injury. Since Guillen needs at least six months to
recover, he will likely be unable to be in Detroit’s opening day lineup. He will
Mark Ellis, OAK 2B resume his second-base duties when healthy, but Guillen is no longer a 20-
Mark Ellis hasn't played in as many as 125 games since 2007, and he missed homer threat. He remains just an injury-risk Fantasy option for deeper formats
the bulk of the first two months of 2010 with a hamstring injury. If Ellis' injury- on Draft Day.
proneness doesn't scare owners off on Draft Day, his stats from last season
just might do the trick. While he pumped his batting average up to .291, he hit Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
only five home runs and drove in just 49 runs. Ellis appeared to have changed 3-Yr Avg 317 43 85 9 43 4 .268 240.5
his approach as a hitter, foregoing his usual fly-ball-hitting ways for more 2010 224 23 53 0 18 15 .237 138
grounders. The shift helped to propel his average upward, but the loss of extra- 2009 375 49 98 2 31 25 .261 267
base power put a damper on his Fantasy production. Ellis could conceivably
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 28
Aaron Hill, TOR 2B the 28-year-old as a top 5 Fantasy second baseman on Draft Day, as he
Whoops. That's what most of the Fantasy owners who drafted Hill were saying should be off the board in the first few rounds.
last year. The 29-year-old second baseman followed up his best season -- a
36-homer, 108-RBI campaign -- with his worst, at least by some Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
measurements. Yeah, he hit 26 homers, which were enough to rank him fourth 3-Yr Avg 492 92 140 19 67 24 .285 462.5
among second basemen, but he produced a .665 OPS, putting him in the same 2010 391 73 112 9 45 15 .286 338
class as some backup catchers. Seriously, Henry Blanco has a career .654 2009 566 101 143 31 86 31 .253 547
mark. The problem for Hill, of course, was his .205 batting average. Whether
he fell in love with the idea of hitting homers or tried too hard to make up for
lost time after missing much of April with a hamstring injury, he never could find
Jed Lowrie, BOS 2B/SS
his stroke, looking nothing like the high-contact hitter who compiled a .285
Lowrie convinced the Red Sox he was healthy last year after years of wrist
batting average over his first five seasons. Still, he struck out only 85 times, so
woes and an early-season bout with mononucleosis. Now he needs to
he wasn't just hacking away like a crazy person. He may never hit 36 homers
convince them he deserves an everyday job. Whether or not he'll get one in
again, but that batting average has to go up, likely enough to make him a must-
Boston is the biggest question for him entering 2011. An injury to Dustin
start option again. Consider him a value pick in the middle rounds after the top
Pedroia made him an everyday player and a good one down the stretch last
second basemen go off the board.
year, posting a .381 on-base percentage and a .907 OPS. He homered nine
times in 171 at-bats after homering just four times in the first 328 at-bats of his
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS career, giving you reason to believe the wrist injury that first popped up in 2008
3-Yr Avg 472 64 119 21 65 4 .252 343.5 and robbed him of most of 2009 was the only thing keeping him from meeting
2010 528 70 108 26 68 2 .205 354 his lofty potential. He could become a more powerful, less speedy version of
2009 682 103 195 36 108 6 .286 559 Pedroia, walking as often as he strikes out with a high batting average. He may
have to settle for a utility role to begin the season, but his potential at a weak
position makes him well worth a late-round flier on Draft Day. His OPS was
Maicer Izturis, LAA 3B/2B second only to Troy Tulowitzki among shortstop-eligible players last year.
With the way Maicer Izturis' name gets thrown around by the Angels, you
would think he is a candidate for the AL MVP. But the fact of the matter is that Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
the Angels are still looking to fill the void at third base and in the leadoff 3-Yr Avg 166 23 42 4 27 1 .253 126
position in the batting order that was left when Chone Figgins signed with 2010 171 31 49 9 24 1 .287 159
Seattle prior to last season, and Izturis is a leading candidate to fill both voids. 2009 68 5 10 2 11 0 .147 30
The Angels tried everyone from Brandon Wood to Kevin Frandsen to Alberto
Callaspo at third, but no one came close to Figgins' presence. Now, it's Izturis'
time to try. His biggest hurdle is staying healthy, as he has made trips to the DL
Jayson Nix, CLE 3B/2B
in five of the last six seasons and hasn't played more than 114 games in any
Jayson Nix became a regular in the Indians' lineup last season after the team
one season. Izturis doesn't have great speed on the base paths, but his career
plucked him off waivers from AL Central rival Chicago in mid-June, leaving
on-base percentage is .340. Consider Izturis a low-end Fantasy infielder on
White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen disappointed over losing a versatile player.
Draft Day.
Nix started out at second base and in the outfield for Cleveland, but once
Johnny Peralta was traded, Nix moved to third base full-time. Unfortunately, it
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS was an adventure, as he committed 16 errors in 56 games at the hot corner.
3-Yr Avg 296 48 82 5 43 10 .277 239 The Indians failed to sign a third baseman in the offseason, so Nix is
2010 212 27 53 3 27 7 .250 151 considered the front-runner to remain at third to begin the season. The regular
2009 387 74 116 8 65 13 .300 348 at-bats and 20-homer potential will help Nix in Fantasy, but his low batting
average and inability to draw walks won't help. Consider Nix more of an AL-
only Fantasy option on Draft Day.
Howard Kendrick, LAA 2B
For as long as Howard Kendrick has been around, it's hard to believe that last Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
year was the first time that he surpassed 105 games played in a season. 3-Yr Avg 214 23 46 9 23 4 .215 129
Kendrick missed substantial parts of his first four seasons due to injuries and 2010 331 32 74 14 34 1 .224 180
demotions. Now entering his sixth year, Kendrick is established as the Angels' 2009 255 36 57 12 32 10 .224 190
starting second baseman and ready to build on his first full season. It's
tempting to think of Kendrick as the new Orlando Hudson -- a second baseman
who doesn't excel in any one statistical category but doesn't hurt you in any
Dustin Pedroia, BOS 2B
either. He steals a little more often than Hudson and doesn't get on base as
Pedroia's broken foot on June 25 ended what could have been a career year
much, but the end result isn't too different. Because Kendrick can help owners
for the 27-year-old second baseman, which is saying something for a guy who
at least a little in every category, he is worth a late round pick in all mixed-
has already received AL MVP and Rookie of the Year honors. Technically, he
league formats.
returned in mid-August, but he lasted only two games before deciding the foot
wouldn't heal without surgery. Pedroia vowed to improve his power last season
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS and was living up to his promise at the time of his injury, homering 12 times in
3-Yr Avg 443 57 128 8 58 12 .289 309 302 at-bats. He sometimes gets a bad rap in Fantasy because he doesn't
2010 616 67 172 10 75 14 .279 403 homer at the rate of a Chase Utley or Dan Uggla, but anyone who questions
2009 374 61 109 10 61 11 .291 295 whether he belongs among the position's elite needs to look again at the
numbers. He actually led all second basemen in Fantasy points per game last
year. He's a perennial batting title contender who rarely strikes out and has
Ian Kinsler, TEX 2B legitimate 20-20 potential. And best of all, he's only now beginning his prime.
Ian Kinsler saw a serious dropoff in his power in 2010, but he was able to With his return to health, you wouldn't want to forget about him in Fantasy. He
improve his numbers in other aspects of the game. Being limited to just 103 ranks right up there with Utley and is worth drafting as early as the second
games after two stints on the disabled list, the 28-year-old was only able to round.
muster nine home runs with 45 RBI. But he posted a career-high .382 on-base
percentage and improved his batting average from the year before by nearly 35 Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
points. Kinsler is just two years removed from a 30-30 campaign and should be 3-Yr Avg 527 95 162 15 65 16 .307 476.5
able to approach those numbers again in 2011 as long as he is healthy. That is 2010 302 53 87 12 41 9 .288 282
always a concern with the two-time All-Star, but his upside is too great to let 2009 626 115 185 15 72 20 .296 556
that impact Fantasy owner's view of him. There are few second basemen in the
league that are more productive than Kinsler and he should be able to bounce
back this season, especially with the lineup he will have around him. Consider
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 29
Will Rhymes, DET 2B player like Zobrist spent a good portion of his offseason reviewing what went
When the Tigers called up Will Rhymes to make his major-league debut in wrong and working to correct it, so a bounce-back season is likely. The 2009
July, not many in Fantasy even knew who he was. In today's age of can't-miss- season may go down as his best, but he's still a top-10 Fantasy second
prospects, apparently we all overlooked Rhymes. He was a 27th-round draft baseman with more upside than most.
pick in 2005 out of William & Mary, with slim odds of making the majors,
especially since he is runt at 5-9, 155 pounds. But Rhymes held his own in the Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
minors; hitting for a decent average, showing gap power and stealing bases. 3-Yr Avg 413 67 109 16 65 15 .264 375.5
When Detroit was decimated by injuries last season, Rhymes got the call he 2010 541 77 129 10 75 24 .238 429
would never forget. He did return to the minors for a few weeks in August, but 2009 501 91 149 27 91 17 .297 523
he was back by the end of the month and stayed with Detroit the rest of the
season. He hit .303 with 12 doubles and 19 RBI. If Carlos Guillen is out for the
start of the season recovering from knee surgery as expected, Rhymes could
see regular at-bats at second base. Still, Rhymes is more of a low-end AL-only
or Rotisserie Fantasy option on Draft Day. Shortstops
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
2010 191 30 58 1 19 0 .304 131 Elvis Andrus, TEX SS
Elvis Andrus had a solid rookie campaign in 2009 and continued to progress a
season go for Texas. Despite his power numbers dropping off, he got on base
at a higher clip while hitting for pretty much the same average while stealing
Brian Roberts, BAL 2B 30-plus bases at the top of the Rangers lineup. But he tailed off in the second
Though long overdue in some people's eyes, Roberts' 33 years of age finally half as he hit .280 before the All-Star break, but just .247 down the stretch.
began to catch up to him last season, beginning with a herniated disc that cost However, Andrus hit .294 in the playoffs and was a key piece in helping the
him almost all of spring training. He was able to play in the season opener but Rangers reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history. Andrus
suited up for only four games before landing on the DL with an abdominal hasn't developed the power that Fantasy owners had hoped for but he has
strain -- an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the first half. Even when he shown the ability to get on base at a solid clip while scoring a ton of runs for
returned, he wasn't exactly the same old Brian Roberts. He still ran fine and Texas. And with an even more potent Rangers lineup in store for 2011, Andrus
perhaps would have stolen 30 bases in a full season, but he was no longer the should be a busy man on the base paths. He does tend to strike out a bit, but
doubles machine that made him so valuable in Fantasy, finishing with his the 22-year-old has not even entered his prime yet and should be a solid
lowest slugging percentage (.391) and OPS (.745) since 2004. Roberts still Fantasy contributor for years to come. Consider Andrus as a top 10 Fantasy
does some things well, working the count and stealing bases at the top of the shortstop on Draft Day, especially in Rotisserie formats, worthy of taking in the
Orioles lineup, but you can't help but wonder where he goes from here -- and middle rounds.
that's assuming he stays healthy. He still deserves to start for somebody in
your league, but drafting him any earlier than the middle rounds is a reach.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 534 80 142 3 38 32 .266 366
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS 2010 588 88 156 0 35 32 .265 370
3-Yr Avg 491 82 141 10 50 27 .287 417.5 2009 480 72 128 6 40 33 .267 359
2010 230 28 64 4 15 12 .278 163
2009 632 110 179 16 79 30 .283 547
Erick Aybar, LAA SS
The Angels' experiment to make Erick Aybar into a leadoff hitter last year
Sean Rodriguez, TB 2B/OF
backfired badly. Not only did he fail to walk more often or take more pitches,
Rodriguez served as another cautionary tale against overvaluing spring
but he actually struck out more frequently, sinking his batting average into the
statistics last year. He was the talk of March with six homers in Grapefruit
.250s. In his two previous seasons, Aybar did a much better job of getting hits
League play, but his performance during the regular season was more than a
on balls in play -- particularly on line drives -- so there is reason to hope that he
little underwhelming. Granted, the inconsistent at-bats didn't help. Rodriguez
can approach at least a .280 batting average again. The one area where Aybar
was forced to rotate with Ben Zobrist and Reid Brignac at second base and the
did show improvement last year was in stolen bases, and he should be able to
outfield all year, preventing him from finding any sort of rhythm at the plate. His
swipe at least 20 bags again this season. That makes Aybar draftable in the
most significant playing time came in June, when Jason Bartlett was sidelined
late rounds in standard mixed Rotisserie leagues. In Head-to-Head formats,
by a hamstring injury, and not coincidentally, Rodriguez responded with his
however, Aybar is an option for deeper mixed leagues at best.
best numbers, hitting .295 with four homers, six steals and an .826 OPS. With
Bartlett now in San Diego, shortstop is free for Brignac to man every day,
which means Rodriguez should get regular at-bats at second. His 5-to-1 Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
strikeout-to-walk ratio could hold him back, but as his three 20-homer seasons 3-Yr Avg 461 64 129 4 42 14 .280 303
in the minors suggest, he has plenty of untapped power potential. A 15-20 2010 534 69 135 5 29 22 .253 311
season isn't out of the question for Rodriguez if he can hit for a high enough 2009 504 70 157 5 58 14 .312 370
average, so he'll once again be an attractive late-round sleeper on Draft Day.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Reid Brignac, TB 2B/SS
3-Yr Avg 178 25 42 5 18 5 .236 110.5 After serving as co-super-utility player with Sean Rodriguez last season,
2010 343 53 86 9 40 13 .251 232 Brignac stands to inherit the starting shortstop job from Jason Bartlett this
2009 25 4 5 2 4 0 .200 19 season. No one doubts he can handle the role defensively, but his hitting is a
matter of debate at this stage of his career. He had a three-year stretch in the
minors during which he averaged 18.7 homers, and his eight homers in 301 at-
bats as a rookie last year suggest he should perform better than the average
Ben Zobrist, TB OF/2B
shortstop in that category. But he's such a free-swinger that his batting average
Zobrist answered a lot of questions about the fluky nature of his breakout 2009
and OPS could prevent him from making a significant Fantasy impact. If
season -- one in which he led all second basemen in on-base percentage
nothing else, he's another Jhonny Peralta, which would make him a viable
(.405) and slugging percentage (.543) -- by not even looking like a viable
option in leagues that use a middle infield spot. He should go undrafted in
regular last year. His homers dropped from 27 to 10 and his OPS from .948 to
mixed leagues, but he bears watching in his first year as a full-time starter,
.699. He only got worse as the season went on, hitting under .200 each of the
especially since he's only 25.
final three months. If he didn't draw 92 walks and steal 24 bases -- both career
highs -- he would have been a lost cause in Fantasy. Of course, that walk rate
gives you reason to believe he shouldn't have been that bad, and it's not like Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
he never showed any power before 2009. Something wasn't right with him 3-Yr Avg 134 17 34 3 17 2 .254 80
beyond the expected regression to the mean, and it may have been a back 2010 301 39 77 8 45 3 .256 187
injury that plagued him for much of the year. You can trust that a self-made 2009 90 10 25 1 6 2 .278 51
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Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE SS Alcides Escobar, KC SS
Asdrubal Cabrera missed nearly half of the 2010 season after breaking his left Alcides Escobar had a breakout rookie debut in 2009, but he did not have the
forearm in May. He would return in late July, but he felt lingering effects from same success last season in his first full year in the majors. While he was able
the injury down the stretch. He finished with three homers, 29 RBI and a .276 to hit four home runs with 41 RBI, his batting average fell from .304 to .235 and
average in 97 games. He has shown the ability to hit for average and drive in he was even moved off of shortstop for a few games after making 20 errors in
runs in the past, so as long as he is healthy heading into 2011, he should be 138 games. He also did not display the speed Fantasy owners had hoped for,
able to get back on track. While Cabrera doesn't offer much in the form of as he stole just 10 bases in 145 games after posting four in 38 games the
home-run power, he has power to the gaps and can contribute with double-digit season before. Escobar was traded from the Brewers to the Royals in the
steals, while not striking out a whole lot. The 25-year-old still has some upside, offseason -- in the Zack Greinke deal -- and will enter 2011 as the starting
and having Grady Sizemore, Carlos Santana and Shin-Soo Choo in the same shortstop in Kansas City. The 24-year-old still has some solid upside, but he
lineup give the Indians a nice young corps for years to come. But since he is will have to get on base at a higher clip to reward Fantasy owners. The former
limited in a lot of categories, Fantasy owners should view Cabrera as a low-end top prospect won't have a ton of protection in the lineup, but Fantasy owners
middle infielder on Draft Day. should expect numbers closer to his 2009 totals than his debacle of a season
last year. Still, until he proves more on the field, Escobar should be considered
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS primarily an AL-only option on Draft Day.
3-Yr Avg 419 56 119 5 48 9 .284 285.5
2010 381 39 105 3 29 6 .276 208 Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
2009 523 81 161 6 68 17 .308 409 3-Yr Avg 212 26 53 2 17 5 .250 124
2010 506 57 119 4 41 10 .235 283
2009 125 20 38 1 11 4 .304 80
Orlando Cabrera, CLE SS
After hitting just .263 with four homers and 42 RBI for the Reds last season,
Orlando Cabrera signed with the Indians this past offseason and will compete Yunel Escobar, TOR SS
for the starting job at second base in 2011. The 36-year-old has not posted My, how the mighty have fallen. At this time a year ago, Escobar looked like
double-digit homers since 2004 but can still swipe double-digit bags while the next great shortstop in Fantasy. He was coming off a season in which he
hitting for a respectable average. Keep an eye on how he does during the hit .299 with a career-high 14 homers, and he was entering his magical,
spring as Cabrera will only have Fantasy value if he sees consistent at-bats. mythical age-27 season. But by the All-Star break, he was an outcast, not just
While he proved to be an injury risk last season, Cabrera could still be useful to in Fantasy leagues but also in the Braves clubhouse. Frustrated by his
owners in AL-only formats if able to crack the starting lineup. dwindling power and nagging injuries, not to mention his sour attitude, the
Braves unloaded him on the Blue Jays for journeyman Alex Gonzalez. And
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS though Escobar made that decision look ridiculous at first, hitting .386 with two
3-Yr Avg 604 80 167 7 59 14 .277 394.5 homers in the first 10 games with his new team, he soon encountered the
2010 494 64 130 4 42 11 .263 303 same problems he did in Atlanta. Questionable conditioning is forcing him to
2009 656 83 186 9 77 13 .284 438 miss more time than a player his age should, and a lack of motivation is
keeping him from meeting his full potential. That potential is reason enough to
give him a late-round look in Fantasy, especially since he plays a position
devoid of offensive firepower, but you wouldn't want to rely on him as your
Alexi Casilla, MIN SS/2B starter.
When the Twins decided to slash payroll in the offseason, it turned out to be a
major coup for Alexi Casilla, who will assume the second-base duties from
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Orlando Hudson, who left via free agency for San Diego. The Twins had hoped
3-Yr Avg 513 73 144 9 57 4 .281 364
Casilla would have already been a regular in their middle infield by now, but
2010 497 60 127 4 35 6 .256 295
injuries and inconsistency have plagued him. Well, now the slate is clean and
2009 528 89 158 14 76 5 .299 437
Casilla gets a fresh start in 2011. Casilla had some impressive base-stealing
numbers earlier in his career in the minors and that's where his Fantasy value
is going to lie. He is not going to produce significant power numbers or RBI, so
consider him more of an AL-only and Rotisserie Fantasy option on Draft Day. J.J. Hardy, BAL SS
So much for that rebound season. When Hardy slumped to 11 homers in 2009
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS after hitting 24 the year before, most people wrote it off as a fluke. He had top
3-Yr Avg 255 36 65 3 29 8 .255 175.5 prospect Alcides Escobar breathing down his neck all season. The Brewers
2010 152 26 42 1 20 6 .276 121 gave up on him too soon. Etc., etc., etc. Surely, he'd bounce back in
2009 228 25 46 0 17 11 .202 130 Minnesota. Surely, he'd make those 11 homers a distant memory. Or, um, he'd
slump even further to six. Granted, Hardy didn't have the best health with the
Twins. He suffered a bone bruise in his left wrist in May and didn't fully recover
even after two DL stints. Still, back-to-back seasons with severely
Jason Donald, CLE SS/2B disappointing power numbers is hard to classify as anything other than a
Jason Donald went from the Phillies organization to the Indians organization in decline, even if Hardy is still in his prime at age 28. The Twins clearly didn't
the summer of 2009 as part of the Cliff Lee deal, but he didn't get his first taste have much confidence in him, trading him to the Orioles in the offseason. Most
of the majors until May of last season. It took an injury to Asdrubal Cabrera for likely, Hardy's injury limited his power, but six homers is a long way off from 24.
him to finally make it to the majors, but once Cabrera returned months later, Even as a 12-15 homer guy, he doesn't have the peripherals to make a
Donald avoided a trip back to the farm. In fact, he played regularly the rest of significant Fantasy impact. If he didn't play shortstop, he'd probably go
the season, whether it was at shortstop or second base. Now, he enters 2011 undrafted.
as the front-runner to be the Indians' starting second baseman. Donald hit only
.253 with four homers and 24 RBI in 88 games last year. He has modest power
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
for a middle infielder, but he was a good contact hitter in the minors, so the
3-Yr Avg 441 58 116 14 53 1 .263 300.5
Indians wouldn't mind seeing that .300 hitter re-emerge. Donald is still rough
2010 340 44 91 6 38 1 .268 218
around the edges, so consider him a low-end middle infielder in deeper
2009 414 53 95 11 47 0 .230 250
Fantasy formats on Draft Day.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
2010 296 39 75 4 24 5 .253 174
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Derek Jeter, NYY SS Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN SS
For all the antagonism directed at the Yankees this offseason for their refusal Tsuyoshi Nishioka signed a three-year, $9.25 million contract with the Twins in
to pay Jeter top dollar, the numbers say they had a point. Jeter's OPS was a the offseason and will take over as the everyday shortstop in Minnesota. The
career-low .710. He hit .233 during an 86-game stretch from June 2 to Sept. 8, former Japanese batting champion hit 11 home runs with 59 RBI and had 22
finishing with a batting average below .290 for the first time. His slugging stolen bases with the Chiba Lotte Marines last season. His .346 average led
percentage was down. His on-base percentage was down. He showed every the Pacific League. Nishioka, who can also play second base, is an above
sign of decline in the book, and he did it at age 36. Not much of a head- average defender and should fit in well with what coach Ron Gardenhire likes
scratcher, is it? Jeter is old. He's even older when you consider he began his to do. While his numbers will likely take a hit playing in the MLB for the first
career at age 21 and practically ancient when you consider he still plays time, the 26-year-old should be a nice low-end Fantasy option for his ability to
arguably the most demanding position on the diamond. That's not to say he's hit for average and his speed. Most Japanese imports have been hit-or-miss,
no longer valuable in Fantasy. He still ranked third at his position in standard so leave Nishioka for the later rounds on Draft Day, with the potential to be a
Head-to-Head leagues last year. But now that the downward spiral has begun, sleeper in larger formats.
he figures to keep dropping from there. You wouldn't want to target him early,
but if he lasts beyond the first five rounds or so, you have to at least consider Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
taking him. The position gets ugly fast. 2010 (JPN) 596 121 206 11 59 22 .346 ---
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 631 102 190 13 67 20 .301 487
Cliff Pennington, OAK SS
2010 663 111 179 10 67 18 .270 473
Though he hit just .250 last season, Cliff Pennington exceeded modest
2009 634 107 212 18 66 30 .334 555
expectations set for his offensive production. He kept pace with his minor
league stolen-base numbers, nabbing 29 bags in his first full major-league
season, and he hit for more extra-base power than he had in the upper minors.
Felipe Lopez, TB 3B/2B/SS Pennington is no home-run threat, but his 26 doubles and eight triples helped
Over the last three seasons, Felipe Lopez has played with five different teams out owners in Head-to-Head leagues. The speedy shortstop hit only .216 on
and hasn't finished the season with the team he started with. That's been ground balls, but he should be able to improve that rate in 2011, adding 10
because he usually is traded to a contender at midseason. Well, now Lopez is points or more to his overall batting average. That will be enough to propel
with the eighth team of his career after he rejected Boston's arbitration offer in Pennington far enough up the rankings to make him a viable shortstop in
November. He eventually signed a minor-league deal with the Rays in standard mixed leagues, though he should not be drafted until the later rounds.
February. Lopez is only 30 years old, so it's not like he doesn't have some
good baseball years left. It helps that he is versatile and can play all over the Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
infield. It's just that Lopez has declining power and really hasn't even come 3-Yr Avg 272 35 70 3 25 13 .257 185.5
close to the player who hit 23 homers in 2005. Consider him nothing more than 2010 508 64 127 6 46 29 .250 355
an AL-only Fantasy reserve, if he makes the Rays' roster. 2009 208 27 58 4 21 7 .279 141
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 492 68 138 8 47 7 .281 329
Jhonny Peralta, DET 3B/SS
2010 391 52 91 8 37 8 .233 242
Jhonny Peralta had a resurgent season in 2010 after being traded from
2009 604 88 187 9 57 6 .310 432
Cleveland to Detroit at the deadline. He hit just .246 with seven home runs and
43 RBI over his first 91 games, but finished strong putting up eight homers and
38 RBI over his final 57 games with the Tigers. He was rewarded with a two-
Jed Lowrie, BOS 2B/SS year, $11.25 million deal in the offseason and will be the everyday shortstop.
Lowrie convinced the Red Sox he was healthy last year after years of wrist Batting in a lineup with Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Magglio Ordonez
woes and an early-season bout with mononucleosis. Now he needs to should get him some more pitches to hit, but the career .263 hitter is mainly
convince them he deserves an everyday job. Whether or not he'll get one in valuable for his power. Peralta has hit 20 home runs as recently as 2008, but
Boston is the biggest question for him entering 2011. An injury to Dustin those days are likely gone. Still, he supplies solid pop from the middle infield
Pedroia made him an everyday player and a good one down the stretch last spot and will be worth using in deeper mixed leagues in 2011. Target him in the
year, posting a .381 on-base percentage and a .907 OPS. He homered nine late rounds on Draft Day.
times in 171 at-bats after homering just four times in the first 328 at-bats of his
career, giving you reason to believe the wrist injury that first popped up in 2008 Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
and robbed him of most of 2009 was the only thing keeping him from meeting 3-Yr Avg 579 74 151 16 84 1 .261 391.5
his lofty potential. He could become a more powerful, less speedy version of 2010 551 60 137 15 81 1 .249 361
Pedroia, walking as often as he strikes out with a high batting average. He may 2009 582 57 148 11 83 0 .254 344
have to settle for a utility role to begin the season, but his potential at a weak
position makes him well worth a late-round flier on Draft Day. His OPS was
second only to Troy Tulowitzki among shortstop-eligible players last year.
Alexei Ramirez, CHW SS
Alexei Ramirez played in a career-high 156 games in 2010 and still put up his
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
usual numbers. He finished fifth among shortstops with 18 home runs and a
3-Yr Avg 166 23 42 4 27 1 .253 126
.431 slugging percentage, but also struck out 82 times, 16 more than he had
2010 171 31 49 9 24 1 .287 159
the year before. After a disappointing 2009 season, Ramirez was able to raise
2009 68 5 10 2 11 0 .147 30
his average and slugging percentage this year, but his OBP went down oddly
enough. Fantasy owners have been waiting for him to turn the corner and bust
out, but it looks as though this is the type of player he is going to be. Ramirez
has yet to match the 21 homers he hit as a rookie in 2008, but the 29-year-old
continues to hit for a decent average while supplying more than ample power.
Also consider that he will be in a contract year next season if you believe that
money is a motivating factor. Consider the former Cuban national as a middle-
round pick in 2011 as his power and run production make him a top 10 Fantasy
shortstop.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 536 73 151 18 72 13 .282 393
2010 585 83 166 18 70 13 .284 412
2009 542 71 150 15 68 14 .277 390
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Brendan Ryan, SEA SS Pittsburgh, noting his previous career high of 16 homers. The believers will
The Cardinals liked Brendan Ryan for his glove, but he gave them a nice suggest his breakthrough actually began with his 10 homers in the final month
surprise in his first full season, batting .292 with 14 stolen bases in 2009. Last of 2009, when all of hitting coach Dwayne Murphy's efforts to speed up his
year, Ryan lived down to his all-glove, no-hit label by hitting only .223. Looking swing finally clicked. No matter where you stand on Bautista, you can't deny
for more offense, the Cardinals shipped Ryan off to the Mariners and replaced one important truth: He won't be drafted where he finished 2010, as the
him at shortstop with Ryan Theriot. In Seattle, shortstop will be manned by second-best hitter in Fantasy. The widespread skepticism will make him a
Jack Wilson, so Ryan will have to compete with Adam Kennedy for the starting second-rounder at best, and because he's eligible at the top-heavy third base
second base job. Even if Ryan can resurrect his batting average and provide position as well as the outfield, he's worth the gamble there. Even if he
steals, his uncertain playing time puts a damper on his Fantasy value. Also, declines to 30 homers, his high walk rate will still justify the draft pick.
bear in mind that even if Ryan beats out Kennedy, he will only keep the job as
long as top prospect Dustin Ackley stays in the minors, which might not be very Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
long. 3-Yr Avg 425 69 105 27 73 5 .247 384.5
2010 569 109 148 54 124 9 .260 652
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS 2009 336 54 79 13 40 4 .235 257
3-Yr Avg 342 45 87 2 28 11 .254 208.5
2010 439 50 98 2 36 11 .223 238
2009 390 55 114 3 37 14 .292 271 Adrian Beltre, TEX 3B
Maybe he was motivated by his impending free agency. Maybe he really liked
hitting at Fenway Park. Or maybe he just got tired of hearing about being a
Marco Scutaro, BOS SS one-hit wonder. Whatever the reason, Beltre put five mediocre seasons in
The Red Sox couldn't have been any more thrilled to have Scutaro on their Seattle behind him and regained his place as one of the top third basemen in
roster when leadoff hitter Jacoby Ellsbury went down with a rib injury early last Fantasy last year. He didn't do it with other-worldly power like he did in 2004.
April. It was almost too perfect, in fact. Only one problem: Scutaro stopped He did it by racking up as many hits as he could, beginning in April when he hit
performing like a leadoff hitter once he took over. His eye-opening 90 walks .338. Skeptical? You have a right to be, especially given Beltre's history of
from 2009 dropped to 53, leaving him with a pedestrian .333 on-base blowing up in contract years. But you can't completely discount the ballpark
percentage. His batting average and slugging percentage also declined. But factor. He no longer has to play half his games at Safeco Field, where he has a
the Red Sox stuck with him in that leadoff spot, giving him plenty of plate career .716 OPS. Everywhere else, he has an .812 OPS, and at his new home
appearances and run-scoring opportunities, which, along with position scarcity, in Texas, he has an .857 OPS. Chances are he'll take a step backward in 2010
were about the only reasons he ranked sixth among shortstops in standard -- he doesn't have the plate discipline to sustain a batting average over .300 --
Head-to-Head leagues. With Ellsbury now healthy and Carl Crawford on board, but you shouldn't assume he'll revert back to his Mariners numbers. He's worth
Scutaro won't get to bat leadoff anymore. He also has a sore shoulder slowing drafting two or three rounds after the elite third basemen go off the board.
him and former prospect Jed Lowrie -- he of the .907 OPS in limited playing
time last season -- breathing down his neck. Scutaro still has one of the best Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
supporting casts in baseball and enough doubles pop to contribute in Fantasy, 3-Yr Avg 531 71 152 20 74 8 .286 408
but he won't get the same opportunities he did last year. We rank him just 2010 589 84 189 28 102 2 .321 519
outside the top 10 shortstops. 2009 449 54 119 8 44 13 .265 281
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 574 89 158 10 59 9 .275 420 Wilson Betemit, KC 3B
2010 632 92 174 11 56 5 .275 419 Wilson Betemit started the 2010 campaign in the minors, but he was promoted
2009 574 100 162 12 60 14 .282 475 from Triple-A Omaha on May 25 and posted some decent power numbers
while only seeing 276 at-bats. After hitting just six combined home runs in the
two previous seasons, the 29-year-old hit 13 homers with 43 RBI for the Royals
Brandon Wood, LAA 3B/SS and also batted .297 while playing all over the field. Most of that production
If you want to talk about big-time busts, then Brandon Wood probably tops the came in the second half as his saw an increase in playing time and hit .275
list. In his first minor-league season in 2005 he belted 43 homers and was on with nine homers and 33 RBI after the All-Star break. Heading into 2011,
the fast track to stardom. He never had trouble hitting in the minors but hitting Betemit will again have to fight for playing time, but his versatility definitely
in the majors has been an issue. Over four MLB seasons, Wood has just a helps his cause. He could steal time from Mike Aviles at third base, but Kansas
.169 average, with 11 homers and 33 RBI. Wood is just 25 years old, but the City has a crop of young prospects ready to be called up, so Betemit will likely
Angels could be at the end of the line. They handed over the starting third-base resume his role as a bench player. While the power potential is there, consider
job to him last season after Chone Figgins left for Seattle, but Wood still Betemit an AL-only option on Draft Day.
struggled to hit and eventually gave way to the likes of Kevin Frandsen, Maicer
Izturis and Alberto Callaspo. Wood can play both third and shortstop, but the Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Angels are likely to open the season with a starting left side of the infield of 3-Yr Avg 170 21 47 6 24 0 .277 116
Izturis and Erick Aybar. It's probably best to leave Wood for AL-only Fantasy 2010 276 36 82 13 43 0 .297 220
formats until he shows some life at the plate. 2009 45 2 9 0 3 0 .200 18
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 139 12 24 3 10 2 .173 44 Alberto Callaspo, LAA 3B
2010 226 20 33 4 14 1 .146 55 In his first 399 major league at-bats, spread out over parts of three seasons,
2009 41 5 8 1 3 0 .195 15 Alberto Callaspo showed virtually no power at all. That's what made his first full
season -- an 11-homer, 41-double, 73-RBI performance with the Royals in
2009 -- so astounding. He wasn't too far off his '09 pace last year until a
midseason trade to the Angels, and then he became the Callaspo of old. It
didn’t help matters that he went from one of the majors' best ballparks for
Third Basemen doubles to one of the worst. Production isn't the only question mark for
Callaspo, as he will have to compete with Maicer Izturis and Brandon Wood for
Jose A. Bautista, TOR OF/3B the third-base job this spring. If he can secure the starting role, Callaspo is
It seemed like a fluke when he hit 12 homers in May. It was too good to be true worth a shot in deeper mixed leagues, but otherwise, he should be only be
when he took 24 homers into the All-Star break. But at some point during his rostered in AL-only formats.
30-homer outburst in the second half -- giving him an MLB-high 54 on the
season, 12 more than any other player -- Fantasy owners had to accept the Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
reality of Jose Bautista. Now, they have to ask themselves if he can do it again. 3-Yr Avg 450 54 129 7 48 3 .287 306
It's a complicated question that will no doubt make him the most polarizing 2010 562 61 149 10 56 5 .265 345
player on Draft Day. The skeptics will point to his years of mediocrity in 2009 576 79 173 11 73 2 .300 446
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Edwin Encarnacion, TOR 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, OAK 3B
Apparently one rocky season wasn't enough to scare off the Blue Jays from Kevin Kouzmanoff was once dubbed “The Crushin' Russian,” even though he
bringing back Edwin Encarnacion for another go-round in 2011. It was a is not of Russian descent. Over the last two seasons, there hasn't been much
tumultuous campaign for Encarnacion in 2010. It started off slow at the plate, crushing either, as Kouzmanoff has fallen short of 20 homers in both years. He
then he had some health problems and before he knew it Encarnacion was seemed to be especially affected by his move to Oakland prior to last season,
demoted to the minors in June. He would make it back a few weeks later and as only five of his 16 home runs came at McAfee Coliseum. While Kouzmanoff
the demotion served as a productive wake-up call. Encarnacion hit .269 with 11 had less trouble leaving the yard while playing at PETCO Park during his
doubles, 12 homers and 29 RBI over his final 59 games. Encarnacion played Padres years, that notorious pitchers' park is actually fairly generous to right-
95 games at third last season for Toronto, but he isn't expected to see much handed power hitters. Unless Kouzmanoff gets a change of scenery, the odds
time at the hot corner this year. Toronto brought him back to be a designated are long on him improving his power and run-production numbers. That leaves
hitter and backup first baseman. Encarnacion hit 20-plus homers for the him as an option solely for owners in AL-only leagues.
second time in his career last year, but he is going to post a low batting
average, which is going to frustrate Fantasy owners. Consider Encarnacion Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
more of a late-round Fantasy option in mixed leagues. 3-Yr Avg 568 60 144 19 81 1 .254 358
2010 551 59 136 16 71 2 .247 333
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS 2009 529 50 135 18 88 1 .255 347
3-Yr Avg 377 52 91 20 53 1 .241 289
2010 332 47 81 21 51 1 .244 261
2009 293 35 66 13 39 2 .225 206
Evan Longoria, TB 3B
Few people would question Longoria's status as the best third baseman in
Fantasy. After all, he ranked first at the position in standard Head-to-Head
Brandon Inge, DET 3B leagues last year (well, aside from the outfield-eligible Jose Bautista). But he
The Tigers had an offseason plan of improving their offense and took a step in did it in a down year for third basemen as a whole. Ryan Zimmerman was
that direction with the signing of veteran catcher/designated hitter Victor injured off and on. Alex Rodriguez was in obvious decline. David Wright wasn't
Martinez. That signing allowed Detroit to keep a defensive stalwart at third quite his usual self. When you compare Longoria's numbers not to other third
base in Brandon Inge, who inked a multi-year deal to stay with the only team basemen but to elite hitters in general, they're rather disappointing. He scored
he has played for in the majors. The Tigers have to love Inge's durability, as he the 14th-most points, helped largely by his career-high 15 stolen bases. His 22
has played more than 140 games in five of his last six seasons. While he hit homers certainly weren't what you'd expect from a power hitter. Shoot, Carl
just 13 homers and drove in 70 runs last year, Inge has two 20-homer, 80-RBI Crawford hit nearly that many. On the bright side, Longoria still hasn't reached
seasons under his belt, so he could easily provide the offense Detroit was his prime at age 25, and he did hit 33 homers just two years ago. When you
looking for this offseason. Unfortunately, Inge is an all-or-nothing hitter. He has consider last season was probably a worst-case scenario for him, it was pretty
a career .237 batting average and it's just hard to envision him hitting much darn special. Again, he was the top pure third baseman. He's one of the few
above .250. He is also pretty much a lock to strikeout more than 100 times per elite options at a weakening position, and he has the most upside of that group.
season, so that hurts his Fantasy appeal as well. Look to Inge as more of an His underwhelming power numbers from a year ago make him less than a
AL-only Fantasy option and low-end corner infielder in mixed leagues. slam-dunk first-rounder, but he could certainly perform like one.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 474 53 109 17 68 3 .230 302.5 3-Yr Avg 535 88 152 27 101 10 .284 488.5
2010 514 47 127 13 70 4 .247 318 2010 574 96 169 22 104 15 .294 531
2009 562 71 129 27 84 2 .230 368 2009 584 100 164 33 113 9 .281 548
Maicer Izturis, LAA 3B/2B Brent Morel, CHW 3B
With the way Maicer Izturis' name gets thrown around by the Angels, you Brent Morel had a strong finish to the 2010 campaign for the White Sox. After
would think he is a candidate for the AL MVP. But the fact of the matter is that hitting .322 with 10 home runs and 64 RBI between Double-A Birmingham and
the Angels are still looking to fill the void at third base and in the leadoff Triple-A Charlotte, he earned a call up to the majors. In 21 games with the big
position in the batting order that was left when Chone Figgins signed with club, the 23-year-old was a part of the platoon at third base and hit three
Seattle prior to last season, and Izturis is a leading candidate to fill both voids. homers with seven RBI in 65 at-bats. Now that he has officially beaten Mark
The Angels tried everyone from Brandon Wood to Kevin Frandsen to Alberto Teahen for the starting job at third base, he's a sleeper in deeper formats. He
Callaspo at third, but no one came close to Figgins' presence. Now, it's Izturis' won't hit for much power right away, but his minor-league numbers make him
time to try. His biggest hurdle is staying healthy, as he has made trips to the DL potentially an immediate contributor in AL-only leagues.
in five of the last six seasons and hasn't played more than 114 games in any
one season. Izturis doesn't have great speed on the base paths, but his career Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
on-base percentage is .340. Consider Izturis a low-end Fantasy infielder on 2010 65 9 15 3 7 2 .231 42
Draft Day.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Mike Moustakas, KC 3B
3-Yr Avg 296 48 82 5 43 10 .277 239
Just when the scouts began to doubt Moustakas, the second overall pick in the
2010 212 27 53 3 27 7 .250 151
2007 draft made them look silly, putting together arguably the best season of
2009 387 74 116 8 65 13 .300 348
anyone in the minors. A midseason promotion to Triple-A Omaha slowed his
momentum a bit, but he eventually caught fire there as well, finishing with 15
homers in 225 at-bats. Now, the only thing standing in his way is Royals
management, which might want him to spend a few more months in the minors
to delay his arbitration clock. He has been a slow starter at each stop up the
ladder, but his incredible contact rate -- just 67 strikeouts in 484 at-bats --
should keep him from being overmatched at the major-league level. He's a stud
in waiting at an increasingly shallow position, and with the Royals playing for
the future, he should arrive by midseason. He could make an impact even in
mixed leagues when that day comes.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
2010 (AAA) 225 36 66 15 48 2 .293 N/A
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Jayson Nix, CLE 3B/2B than a .230-.240 hitter. If he hits 35-plus homers, it's worth it, but the
Jayson Nix became a regular in the Indians' lineup last season after the team uncertainty makes him a mid-round pick.
plucked him off waivers from AL Central rival Chicago in mid-June, leaving
White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen disappointed over losing a versatile player. Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Nix started out at second base and in the outfield for Cleveland, but once 3-Yr Avg 539 88 126 35 95 14 .234 439.5
Johnny Peralta was traded, Nix moved to third base full-time. Unfortunately, it 2010 499 79 99 32 85 7 .198 376
was an adventure, as he committed 16 errors in 56 games at the hot corner. 2009 578 98 150 44 102 24 .260 523
The Indians failed to sign a third baseman in the offseason, so Nix is
considered the front-runner to remain at third to begin the season. The regular
at-bats and 20-homer potential will help Nix in Fantasy, but his low batting
Alex Rodriguez, NYY 3B
average and inability to draw walks won't help. Consider Nix more of an AL-
You may not have noticed thanks to his strong finish and high number of RBI,
only Fantasy option on Draft Day.
but Rodriguez showed serious signs of decline last year. His .847 OPS was his
lowest since 1997, his second full season in the majors, and his .270 batting
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS average was his lowest period. And if not for a killer September in which he hit
3-Yr Avg 214 23 46 9 23 4 .215 129 nine homers, his numbers would have been even worse. He posted an OPS
2010 331 32 74 14 34 1 .224 180 below .800 in four of the season's six months. It's no surprise, really. He's 35
2009 255 36 57 12 32 10 .224 190 years old. He played fewer than 140 games for the third straight season, which
is perhaps the strongest indicator of his age. Those tendons just don't bounce
back the way they used to, making him vulnerable to a DL stint at some point
Jhonny Peralta, DET 3B/SS during the season. A-Rod is a Fantasy mainstay, no doubt, and his name alone
Jhonny Peralta had a resurgent season in 2010 after being traded from will keep him from slipping too far on Draft Day, but he's no longer in contention
Cleveland to Detroit at the deadline. He hit just .246 with seven home runs and for the No. 1 overall pick. Because he plays third base, he's a potential second-
43 RBI over his first 91 games, but finished strong putting up eight homers and rounder, but you should temper your expectations across the board. His days
38 RBI over his final 57 games with the Tigers. He was rewarded with a two- of hitting .300 with 40-plus homers appear over.
year, $11.25 million deal in the offseason and will be the everyday shortstop.
Batting in a lineup with Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Magglio Ordonez Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
should get him some more pitches to hit, but the career .263 hitter is mainly 3-Yr Avg 492 85 141 32 109 12 .287 504
valuable for his power. Peralta has hit 20 home runs as recently as 2008, but 2010 522 74 141 30 125 4 .270 481
those days are likely gone. Still, he supplies solid pop from the middle infield 2009 444 78 127 30 100 14 .286 480
spot and will be worth using in deeper mixed leagues in 2011. Target him in the
late rounds on Draft Day.
Mark Teahen, CHW 3B
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Mark Teahen had his 2010 campaign derailed after he underwent surgery on a
3-Yr Avg 579 74 151 16 84 1 .261 391.5 fractured middle finger in May. He was expected to be the starting third
2010 551 60 137 15 81 1 .249 361 basemen for the White Sox after being acquired from the Royals in the
2009 582 57 148 11 83 0 .254 344 offseason, but he served as a utility player after coming back later in the year.
Teahen does not offer much in power or speed, but he can get on base at a
decent clip. His versatility could give him some appeal in AL-only leagues, but
Aramis Ramirez, CHC 3B because he figures to come off the bench, he should go undrafted in mixed-
Aramis Ramirez had a tale of two halves in 2010. While dealing with a thumb league formats.
injury for most of the season, he batted just .207 with 10 homers and 32 RBI in
the first half before eventually getting better and hitting .276 after the All-Star Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
break, with 15 home runs and 51 RBI. He finished with decent numbers, 3-Yr Avg 443 55 116 10 45 5 .262 269.5
considering he played in 124 games, but it was a huge improvement after he 2010 233 31 60 4 25 3 .258 140
played just 82 games the year before. While the power was still there, Ramirez 2009 524 69 142 12 50 8 .271 330
saw his batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage all take
serious hits last season. He heads into 2011 with a clean bill of health and will
be relied upon, along with newly-acquired Carlos Pena and Alfonso Soriano, to
Danny Valencia, MIN 3B
supply some pop in the middle of the Cubs lineup. Ramirez has proven to be a
Danny Valencia ended up being the Twins' answer at third base in 2010.
powerful option in Fantasy and has knocked in 100 RBI in three of his last five
Valencia started the year in the minors as Minnesota was hoping to get by with
seasons, while getting on base at a decent clip and not striking out a ton. Being
the tandem of Brendan Harris and Nick Punto. When that didn't work out
a fly-ball hitter helps and hurts him playing in Wrigley Field, but he should be
Valencia was summoned from the minors, but he was still playing second fiddle
able to supply some power numbers for Fantasy owners this season. Consider
to Michael Cuddyer. However, that changed in July when Cuddyer moved to
Ramirez a viable middle-round Fantasy option in mixed leagues.
first to replace the injured Justin Morneau and Valencia became the full-time
third baseman. The former Miami Hurricane had a productive half-season with
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS the Twins, batting .311 with seven homers, 18 doubles and 40 RBI in 85
3-Yr Avg 442 68 123 22 86 1 .278 386 games. Valencia doesn't have great home-run power for a corner infielder, but
2010 465 61 112 25 83 0 .241 346 he usually posts a respectable batting average and on-base percentage.
2009 306 46 97 15 65 2 .317 287 Valencia is supposed to see most of the starts at third base for Minnesota, so
consider him an AL-only Fantasy option and low-end corner infielder in mixed
leagues.
Mark Reynolds, BAL 3B
You know you'll get at least one thing from Reynolds: 200-plus strikeouts. Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Unfortunately, his other numbers leave a bit more room for interpretation. He 2010 299 30 93 7 40 2 .311 205
looked like he had turned the corner as an impact Fantasy player in 2009,
hitting a serviceable .260 with 44 homers and 24 stolen bases, but all those
strikeouts caught up to him last year, causing him to slip below the Mendoza
line. Maybe he just had a bad year -- one sidetracked by a quadriceps injury in
the first half and head and hand injuries in the second -- or maybe his low
contact rate precludes him from maintaining a halfway respectable batting
average for any significant period of time. No one can say for sure thanks to
the unprecedented number of strikeouts. Reynolds' last three seasons have
been the worst three in the history of the game. The Diamondbacks were
clearly skeptical, trading him to the Orioles in the offseason. Chances are the
injuries at least had some impact on his numbers, but he's still likely no better
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 35
Dayan Viciedo, CHW 3B second-rounder at best, and because he's eligible at the top-heavy third base
Dayan Viciedo made his MLB debut with the White Sox this past June and saw position as well as the outfield, he's worth the gamble there. Even if he
action in 38 games while platooning at third base. The Cuban defector showed declines to 30 homers, his high walk rate will still justify the draft pick.
his power while playing in Triple-A and knocked out five long balls with 13 RBI
in 104 at-bats with the big club. He also hit .308 with a .519 slugging Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
percentage during his time in the majors. With Mark Teahen and Omar VIzquel 3-Yr Avg 425 69 105 27 73 5 .247 384.5
coming back for the White Sox, Viciedo will have to fight for playing time this 2010 569 109 148 54 124 9 .260 652
upcoming season, but the 21-year-old looks to have a lot of promise. He might 2009 336 54 79 13 40 4 .235 257
start off in the minors again, just to get him at-bats, so target him in deeper AL-
only and long-term keeper leagues on Draft Day in 2011.
Brennan Boesch, DET OF
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Brennan Boesch got off to a hot start in his rookie campaign, but he was
2010 104 17 32 5 13 1 .308 75 unable to sustain throughout the entire 2010 season. After hitting .342 with 12
home runs and 49 RBI before the All-Star break, including 23 RBI in June, his
numbers took a serious dip in the second half. Boesch put up just two homers
Michael Young, TEX 3B and 18 RBI down the stretch and saw his on-base and slugging percentages
After excelling at three different positions over the last 10 years, the Rangers drop from .397 and .593 to their final marks of .320 and .416, respectively. The
asked Michael Young to change positions yet again this past offseason. With 25-year-old will have to gain a better grasp of the strike zone if he plans on
the addition of Adrian Beltre, Young will move off of third base and now taking it to the next level in his sophomore year. He only struck out 99 times
primarily be a DH in Texas. But despite him not playing the field as much, the last season, but he was a free-swinger and did not work many counts. He has
34-year-old is expected to have another solid year with the bat. He produced the potential to be a 20-homer, 80-RBI player, but it will all hinge on his
his fourth career 20-homer campaign in 2010 and drove in 91 RBI while hitting progress. Having Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Magglio Ordonez in the
.284. While his batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage lineup should only help, so plan on taking Boesch in the middle-to-late rounds
took a hit from the year before, he still had 186 hits and scored 99 runs. Young, on Draft Day in 2011 with the potential to be a sleeper in larger Fantasy
who also might see some time at first base, tends to strike out a lot and has formats.
never been one to draw many walks, but his ability to hit is undeniable. The
Rangers might play Young all over the infield to give some of their regulars a Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
day off, but being a full-time DH should help him concentrate solely on hitting. 2010 464 49 119 14 67 7 .256 317
Since he will still have third-base eligibility in 2011, continue to view Young as
a top 10 Fantasy third baseman, worthy of being taken in the early-to-middle
rounds on Draft Day.
Peter Bourjos, LAA OF
You know you have to be a pretty special player to unseat a Gold Glover like
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Torii Hunter. Looking to make some changes defensively in the outfield last
3-Yr Avg 614 92 181 18 80 7 .295 458.5 season, the Angels made the bold move of bringing up prospect Peter Bourjos
2010 656 99 186 21 91 4 .284 480 in August, ultimately shifting the veteran Hunter from center field to right field.
2009 541 76 174 22 68 8 .322 440 That's the same configuration Los Angeles will have heading into 2011, ready
to unleash Bourjos on the rest of the league. Fantasy owners should not write
off Bourjos after he hit just .204 in his first 51 games last season. Just look at
some of the other numbers he put up in a short period. He had six doubles,
four triples, six homers and 10 stolen bases. This kid has the ability to fill a box
Outfielders score. Again, look at his Triple-A numbers from 2010 -- .314 average, 13
doubles, 12 triples, 13 homers, 53 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 102 games. His
Fantasy potential is that of a poor man's Carl Crawford. Still, Bourjos heads
Bobby Abreu, LAA OF into 2011 as more of an AL-only Fantasy option and late-round sleeper in
The good news that came out of Bobby Abreu's 2010 season is that his homer deeper mixed leagues, particularly Rotisserie formats.
power remains intact. After dropping to 15 homers in 2009, Abreu returned to
20-homer territory last year, hitting exactly 20. The bad news is that the 15-
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
year veteran, who had long been one of the majors' best and most consistent
2010 181 19 37 6 15 10 .204 108
line-drive hitters, has apparently lost his knack for hitting with line-drive power.
Abreu's 15 percent line-drive rate ranked as the fourth-lowest among all major-
league regulars. Were this a one-year dip, perhaps we could write it off as a
fluke, but it was the second straight sharp year-to-year decrease for Abreu. He Milton Bradley, SEA OF
could still challenge the 20-homer mark in 2011, but look for another batting Milton Bradley might be one of the most-expensive reserves or platoon players
average in the .250 to .260 range. Abreu may have been a No. 1 Fantasy OF in the majors in 2011. Bradley is due to make $12 million this season, which is
as recently as two years ago, but now he is a better fit in the No. 3 slot. a poor investment for a player that hit just .205 with eight homers and 29 RBI in
73 games last season. Unfortunately, Bradley dealt with some personal issues
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS last year and the injury bug caught up to him again, so he wasn't productive
3-Yr Avg 582 95 164 18 94 25 .282 516 with Seattle. Bradley has run into more off-the-field issues this offseason that
2010 573 88 146 20 78 24 .255 476 could hamper his 2011 playing status. He has played just one MLB season of
2009 563 96 165 15 103 30 .293 535 more than 130-plus games, so Fantasy owners are taking a big risk drafting
Bradley, who is nothing more than an AL-only Fantasy option.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Jose A. Bautista, TOR OF/3B
3-Yr Avg 350 56 95 14 49 5 .271 289
It seemed like a fluke when he hit 12 homers in May. It was too good to be true
2010 244 28 50 8 29 8 .205 149
when he took 24 homers into the All-Star break. But at some point during his
2009 393 61 101 12 40 2 .257 288
30-homer outburst in the second half -- giving him an MLB-high 54 on the
season, 12 more than any other player -- Fantasy owners had to accept the
reality of Jose Bautista. Now, they have to ask themselves if he can do it again.
It's a complicated question that will no doubt make him the most polarizing
player on Draft Day. The skeptics will point to his years of mediocrity in
Pittsburgh, noting his previous career high of 16 homers. The believers will
suggest his breakthrough actually began with his 10 homers in the final month
of 2009, when all of hitting coach Dwayne Murphy's efforts to speed up his
swing finally clicked. No matter where you stand on Bautista, you can't deny
one important truth: He won't be drafted where he finished 2010, as the
second-best hitter in Fantasy. The widespread skepticism will make him a
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 36
Lorenzo Cain, KC OF alone should help him attract more attention on Draft Day, but if you're
It took Lorenzo Cain four-plus seasons in the minors to finally get his first taste targeting him late in the first round, you have the right idea. He's easily a top-
of the majors in 2010. Cain was recalled a few times by the Brewers last three Fantasy outfielder and could potentially rank No. 1.
season, and in 43 games he ended up hitting .306 with a .348 on-base
percentage. It was a good enough sample size for Cain to be a centerpiece in Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
the Zack Greinke deal this offseason that sent the 24-year-old outfielder to 3-Yr Avg 550 92 163 14 72 44 .296 491
Kansas City. Cain has come a long way since being taken in the 17th round of 2010 600 110 184 19 90 47 .307 578
the 2004 draft. Throughout his minor-league career, Cain showed he could hit 2009 606 96 185 15 68 60 .305 552
for a good average, find the gaps and steal bases. He doesn't have great
home-run power, but Cain certainly can fill a box score. Now, all he needs is
playing time. His biggest competition in center field this spring is Melky
Coco Crisp, OAK OF
Cabrera, who was terrible in his only season with Atlanta last season. Cain is a
After missing time with a broken pinkie, not once, but twice last season, Crisp
nice long-term Fantasy keeper and potential late-round sleeper in deeper
is set to start the 2011 season as Oakland's regular center fielder. Crisp seems
leagues on Draft Day, particularly AL-only and Rotisserie formats.
to have injury issues every year, as he has never played more than 145 games
in a season. When healthy, he provides doubles and triples power and a
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS decent walk rate, but Crisp's main Fantasy asset is stolen bases. Even though
2010 147 17 45 1 13 7 .306 100 he has played in just 124 games over the last two years, Crisp still managed to
nab 45 bases. Though this could be the year that Crisp stays healthy for a full
season, Fantasy owners should not go after those steals too early on Draft
Chris V. Carter, OAK OF Day. There is too long of a history of missed time to trust Crisp with anything
Chris V. Carter has long enticed talent evaluators with his combination of more than a late-round pick in standard mixed Fantasy leagues.
patience and power, but his high strikeout rate caught up to him last year,
dropping his batting average to the .260 range. The Athletics promoted him to Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
the majors anyway, and he responded with a 0-for-33 slump to begin his 3-Yr Avg 277 45 75 6 31 22 .271 240
career. Once he got going, though, he wasn't the least bit intimidated, 2010 290 51 81 8 38 32 .279 282
homering three times in his final 38 at-bats. The strikeouts leave Carter 2009 180 30 41 3 14 13 .228 155
vulnerable to prolonged slumps and could prevent him from becoming more
than a right-handed Adam Dunn, but he's going to hit his share of homers in
the majors, perhaps as soon as 2011. The Athletics added Hideki Matsui, Josh
Nelson R. Cruz, TEX OF
Willingham and David DeJesus in the offseason, leaving Carter without a clear
Nelson Cruz was limited to just 108 games a year ago, but he still exceeded
place to play, but you know he'll be the first one up when someone gets hurt.
most of his offensive numbers from his 2009 breakout campaign and helped
You may not want to draft him in mixed leagues, but he figures to factor before
lead the Rangers to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
season's end.
While his home run production fell off, the 30-year old posted career highs in
hits (127) and RBI (78), and batted .318 with a .374 on-base percentage and a
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS .576 slugging percentage. He also had an excellent postseason as he hit .317
2010 70 8 13 3 7 1 .186 36 over 16 games with six homers and 11 RBI. His numbers could have been
astronomical if he could have stayed healthy for the entire year, but that has
been a problem for Cruz since coming to Texas. Still, it is hard to find his type
Shin-Soo Choo, CLE OF of production and Cruz should enter 2011 as one of the more sought-after
Shin-Soo Choo has gotten better in each of his first five years in the majors Fantasy outfielders. He has the power and the speed to be a 30-20 player, and
and didn't slow down in 2010. He posted his second consecutive 20-20 with the potent lineup surrounding him in Texas, he should be in line for
campaign and set career highs in home runs (22), RBI (90) and on-base another monster season. Most power hitters tend to strike out in bunches, but
percentage (.401). Considering how much support he had in the lineup around the All-Star has gotten better at drawing walks and should get on base at a
him, those were phenomenal numbers. Choo received a military exemption for solid clip again. Despite his injury history, consider Cruz a top 15 Fantasy
helping South Korea win a gold medal at the Asian Games and will head into outfielder on Draft Day, worthy of taking in the early rounds.
2011 looking to top his numbers from last season. Having a healthy Grady
Sizemore, Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera should help give him some Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
protection in the lineup and he could be in line for the first 100-RBI season of 3-Yr Avg 325 51 95 21 60 13 .292 314
his career. Along with playing Gold Glove defense, Choo is a solid contributor 2010 399 60 127 22 78 17 .318 396
in Fantasy and should be considered a top 10 outfielder on Draft Day. 2009 462 75 120 33 76 20 .260 421
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 483 79 146 19 81 16 .302 452 Michael Cuddyer, MIN 1B/OF
2010 550 81 165 22 90 22 .300 509 Michael Cuddyer saw a serious drop-off in power in 2010 but stayed on par
2009 583 87 175 20 86 21 .300 518 with his other career averages. He hit .271 with a career-high 165 hits, but his
home run and RBI totals went from 32 and 94 to 14 and 81. Some of that could
have been attributed to playing in the new Target Field, but the 31-year-old
Carl Crawford, BOS OF really just had a flash-in-the-pan season in 2009. Cuddyer was forced to play
In some ways, Crawford is underappreciated. His $142 million contract would 84 games at first base due to Justin Morneau missing a ton of time due to a
lead you to believe otherwise, but we'll leave that discussion to the real concussion, which helped save some wear and tear, but he is expected to be
reporters. For Fantasy purposes, all he does is rank among the top five back in the outfield during the upcoming year. He underwent arthroscopic
outfielders every year, yet some people continue to discount him because he surgery on his right knee in the offseason, but he is expected to be ready for
doesn't hit 30 homers and doesn't produce a sparkling OPS. Their loss, not the start of the season. Maybe the surgery will help him regain some of his
yours. How can you fault a guy who hits .300 and steals 45-60 bases year after power but don't expect another 30-homer campaign. His versatility is a plus in
year? And it's not like he's a Juan Pierre clone. He'll hit half of those 30 homers Fantasy, but plan on targeting Cuddyer in the middle-to-late rounds on Draft
everybody wants, and he'll add a league-leading number of triples. Plus, he's Day in 2011.
only now entering his prime, having just produced a career-high .851 OPS.
With his move to Boston this offseason, he goes from one elite offense to Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
another, but somehow the idea of him batting in front of Dustin Pedroia, Kevin 3-Yr Avg 482 72 130 16 70 6 .270 377
Youkilis and Adrian Gonzalez makes him all the more appealing. The change 2010 609 93 165 14 81 7 .271 454
2009 588 93 162 32 94 6 .276 505
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 37
Johnny Damon, TB OF surely experiment with new platoon partners for him. Drew could still pop 20
Boy, did Johnny Damon miss Yankee Stadium in 2010. After his contract with homers, but his at-bats figure to decrease, and he's no guarantee to produce a
the Bronx Bombers ran out after the 2009 season, Damon packed his bags for high OPS with the ones he gets. You're really scraping the bottom of the barrel
Detroit after failing to land a lucrative multi-year deal. But leaving the Yankees' if you draft him as your fifth outfielder.
potent lineup and hitter-friendly home ballpark took its toll on the veteran
outfielder. After hitting 24 homers, driving in 82 runs and scoring 107 times in Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
'09, Damon slumped to eight homers, 51 RBI and 81 runs last season with 3-Yr Avg 433 77 117 22 67 3 .270 391
Detroit. The only number he matched from '09 was his 36 doubles, although, 2010 478 69 122 22 68 3 .255 369
he did have two more triples with the Tigers. Damon was on the free-agent 2009 452 84 126 24 68 2 .279 417
market for quite some time despite the fact he has been durable in his career.
He has played 140-plus games in 15 straight seasons. He finally agreed to
terms with the Rays in January, but he will battle it out with the likes of Manny
Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS OF
Ramirez, Matt Joyce and Desmond Jennings at designated hitter and in the
If you could sum up Ellsbury's 2010 season in one word, it would be "ouch."
outfield for playing time. Don't be fooled by the name on Draft Day. Damon is
Not only were his Fantasy owners saying it after drafting him as early as the
merely a late-round Fantasy option.
second round, but he was saying it time and time again as he tried to play
through a rib injury that just wouldn't go away. He originally hurt it in April
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS before aggravating it in May and again in August. Eventually, he and the Red
3-Yr Avg 548 94 156 16 68 17 .285 463 Sox concluded that a full offseason of rest would be the only cure, and so far,
2010 539 81 146 8 51 11 .271 395 all seems well. But you have to wonder if, in his private time, he'd get antsy and
2009 550 107 155 24 82 12 .282 506 pick up a bat, trying to force the issue as he did so many times during the
season. In case you've forgotten, he was once the preeminent source of steals
in Fantasy, swiping 70 bags in 2009. He might even have some untapped
Rajai Davis, TOR OF power potential as he enters his prime. Teaming up with Carl Crawford at the
Davis will get his share of looks in Fantasy for one reason and one reason top of the lineup, he could score a zillion runs. The potential is there for
alone: He stole 50 bases last year. He didn't hit for any real power. He didn't Fantasy greatness, but the risk is enough for you to draft him as no more than
get on base as often as a leadoff hitter should. His .697 OPS ranked behind your second outfielder.
that of indispensables Jeff Keppinger and Lyle Overbay. But the Athletics kept
starting him, and he kept his legs moving. You have to give him some credit for Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
that. Certainly, the Roto formula does, ranking him 13th among outfielders in 3-Yr Avg 419 67 119 6 37 42 .284 356
categorical leagues. The Blue Jays do too, acquiring him to serve as their 2010 78 10 15 0 5 7 .192 47
leadoff hitter this year, which means he could steal another 50 bases no matter 2009 624 94 188 8 60 70 .301 559
how little he walks. Before we go overboard with the sarcasm here, we should
point out that Davis has a high enough contact rate to potentially hit .300 in a
full season -- he hit over .300 in three of six months last season -- but his
Brett Gardner, NYY OF
stolen bases are the one and only contribution you can take to the bank. They
In his first season as a full-time starter in 2010, Gardner proved to be the ideal
won't help him much in points leagues, but in categorical formats, the number
leadoff hitter. Too bad he rarely got to bat leadoff with Derek Jeter around,
is too high to ignore.
preventing his .383 on-base percentage and 47 steals from making him a run-
scoring machine at the top of the lineup. Even batting ninth much of the year,
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Gardner still ranked 27th among outfielders in Head-to-Head leagues. You may
3-Yr Avg 376 54 107 4 40 40 .285 304.5 point to his .232 batting average in the second half as reason to temper your
2010 525 66 149 5 52 50 .284 396 expectations, but keep in mind he was battling a wrist injury during that stretch
2009 390 65 119 3 48 41 .305 349 -- one that ultimately required surgery. Now fully recovered, he could get back
to hitting .309 like he did in the first half. He bears watching this spring just to
see where he bats in the lineup. Put him in front of heavy hitters Mark Teixeira,
David DeJesus, OAK OF Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano, and look out. Gardner's lack of power and
David DeJesus was on his way to a career year in 2010, but season-ending relative anonymity should allow you to draft him as a No. 3 Fantasy outfielder,
thumb surgery in July turned it into a career half-year. DeJesus didn't make any but his high walk rate and base-stealing ability could allow him to perform more
gains in his home run hitting, but he increased his line-drive power on the way like a No. 2. Consider him a value pick in the middle rounds.
to a .318 batting average. It wasn't his first time getting into a line-drive groove,
as he was nearly as productive in 2008 when he hit .307. Now with Oakland, Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
DeJesus will need to stay in that groove if he is to have value in standard 3-Yr Avg 284 54 76 3 29 29 .268 253.5
mixed leagues, as he doesn't offer much else for Fantasy. He could be a worth 2010 477 97 132 5 47 47 .277 443
a late-round flier, but he is a much safer play in deeper mixed-league formats. 2009 248 48 67 3 23 26 .270 221
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 476 63 143 10 60 6 .300 354 Alex Gordon, KC OF
2010 352 46 112 5 37 3 .318 256 Alex Gordon has not lived up to the expectations that come with being a first-
2009 558 74 157 13 71 4 .281 402 round pick, but he made a move in 2010 that could give him a better chance at
success. After hitting just .194 with one home run and one RBI in the first 12
games, the Royals sent him down to the minors and moved the 26-year-old
J.D. Drew, BOS OF from third base to the outfield. Gordon came alive after the switch and hit .310
Through all the injuries and inconsistency, through all the disappointment, with a .451 on-base percentage and .567 slugging percentage in two stops in
frustration and unfulfilled expectations over the years, you could at least count the minors. He was recalled in late July and hit .218 with seven homers and 19
on one thing from that perpetual headache Drew: a high OPS. He might get it RBI down the stretch. While hitting for average has been a struggle for Gordon,
between three DL stints or as the result of one ridiculously hot month, but he'd he has shown flashes of his power potential and should enter 2011 as the
get it. That all changed last season. For only the second time since his starting left fielder in Kansas City. He has not displayed much speed over the
breakout 2004 season with Atlanta, Drew finished with an OPS below .890 -- last few years, but he has 20-homer power and should be able to get his stats
and by nearly 100 points. The most likely reason is he's getting old. People up with a full season of at-bats. While Gordon will not have much protection in
forget just how long he's been disappointing them. He's now 35 and on the the lineup, he should be considered a viable option in AL-only formats on Draft
downside of his career. His swing is slowing down, and he no longer has the Day.
luxury of being as patient as he once was. Neither do the Red Sox, who will
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 300 45 73 10 34 5 .243 212.5
2010 242 34 52 8 20 1 .215 142
2009 164 28 38 6 22 5 .232 124
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 38
Curtis Granderson, DET OF Josh Hamilton, TEX OF
The pinstripes looked a little too good on Granderson entering 2010. They Josh Hamilton continued his unprecedented comeback a season ago and set
made him an instant star, an assured breakout and the guy everybody wanted some serious career marks en route to winning the AL MVP Award. He
in Fantasy. Those career-high 30 homers he hit for the Tigers in 2009 would matched his career high with 32 homers and batted a majors-leading .359 with
balloon to 40 -- nay, 60 -- in the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium, people a .411 on-base percentage and .633 slugging percentage. While he was limited
claimed. How could they not? But reality struck, as it always does, and come to just 133 games due to a myriad of injuries, he continued his hot hitting in the
the All-Star break, Granderson was hitting .240 with seven home runs. postseason with five home runs and nine RBI to help lead the Rangers to the
Fortunately, thanks to some diligent work with hitting coach Kevin Long, World Series for the first time in team history. Hamilton, the former No. 1
Granderson was able to redeem himself -- at least partially -- with a big overall pick, has become a Fantasy stud since coming to Texas in 2008 and is
September in which he hit nine homers with a .958 OPS. But he still wasn't a rare breed of player that can hit for serious power without compromising his
what everyone wanted him to be. He didn't hit better than .266 in any full batting average. Injuries will always be a concern with the 29-year-old, but he
month, his strikeout rate again proving his worst enemy. He stole only 12 heads into 2011 with the promise of putting up even greater numbers. The
bases, his pure speed again not translating to the base paths. His potential to Rangers already play in an extremely hitter-friendly park and upgraded their
hit 25-30 homers in a loaded lineup makes him valuable in Fantasy still, but his lineup with the addition of Adrian Beltre in the offseason. Hamilton should be in
shortcomings keep him more of a No. 2 or 3 outfielder than a No. 1. That's not line for another huge campaign so plan on taking him in the first round on Draft
likely to change at age 30. Day as a high-end starter in all mixed leagues.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 550 93 142 25 68 15 .258 449.5 3-Yr Avg 493 79 155 25 95 8 .314 453
2010 466 76 115 24 67 12 .247 380 2010 518 95 186 32 100 8 .359 538
2009 631 91 157 30 71 20 .249 486 2009 336 43 90 10 54 8 .268 239
Jose Guillen, FA OF Torii Hunter, LAA OF
Although he might come with some baggage, Jose Guillen could be worth the He may be turning 36 this season, but Torii Hunter isn't showing many signs of
gamble as a veteran bat in 2011. He is not a youngster anymore at 34 years slowing down. Aside from falling out of double-digit steals territory, Hunter had
old, but Guillen still posted some decent numbers last season. He belted 16 pretty much the same season in 2010 that he has had every year since 2006,
homers and drove in 62 runs with the Royals before being traded to San batting .281 with 23 home runs and 90 RBI. In fact, Hunter improved in one key
Francisco in August. Guillen finished up with a .266 average, three homers and stat: pitches per plate appearance. His 3.9 ratio was the highest of his career,
15 RBI in 42 games with the Giants before being left off the postseason roster and not coincidentally, he had his highest walk rate of any full season since
with a neck injury. His health could be part of the reason why he is still coming to the majors. While Hunter's declining steals totals put a slight damper
unemployed and it could also be due to the fact his name has been reportedly on his Rotisserie value, he can still be drafted as a No. 4 outfielder in all mixed-
linked to a federal investigation. But when it comes down to baseball, Guillen league formats.
still has some pop left in his bat. Guillen is not going to hit for a high average
and is striking out more than he ever has. Still, he could be a serviceable low- Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
end Fantasy option in deeper formats, if he finds a team for the '11 season. 3-Yr Avg 525 78 150 22 86 15 .286 445
2010 573 76 161 23 90 9 .281 453
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS 2009 451 74 135 22 90 18 .299 429
3-Yr Avg 468 50 120 16 71 1 .256 308
2010 524 55 135 19 77 1 .258 341
2009 281 30 68 9 40 1 .242 180
Austin Jackson, DET OF
Austin Jackson had a stellar rookie campaign for Detroit last season and made
up for the loss of Curtis Granderson in center field. Along with playing solid
Franklin Gutierrez, SEA OF defense, he hit .293 with 41 RBI and 27 stolen bases. While he did strikeout
Franklin Gutierrez won his first Gold Glove in 2010, but his offensive woes 170 times, he scored 103 runs and finished second in AL Rookie of the Year
worsened. His home run total dropped from 18 to 12, and he lost 38 points on voting. He heads into 2011 with a full year under his belt and should be able to
his batting average. Fantasy owners can't count on Gutierrez to hit for power or improve across the board. His strikeouts are a little worrisome but his potential
average, and he doesn't walk much either. Fortunately, he has become a is too great to ignore. Once he learns the strike zone a bit better, his game will
budding source of stolen bases, as he nabbed 25 bags last season, even receive a huge boost. Plan on taking Jackson in the middle-to-late rounds on
though his on-base percentage was a puny .303. Gutierrez may hit a few more Draft Day, but consider him a few rounds earlier in keeper formats.
bombs in 2011, but for the most part, owners can count on roughly the same
level of production. That's just enough to make him a viable outfielder for Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
deeper mixed leagues. 2010 618 103 182 4 41 27 .294 406
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 511 67 133 13 58 17 .260 343.5
Desmond Jennings, TB OF
2010 568 61 139 12 64 25 .245 360
Jennings entered the 2010 season as the No. 6 overall prospect, according to
2009 565 85 160 18 70 16 .283 410
to Baseball America, ahead of even Domonic Brown. But he took a big step
back statistically, delaying his major-league arrival until September and
creating his share of skeptics in Fantasy. You shouldn't write him off based on
numbers, though. A wrist injury slowed him early, sapping him of his power. He
still stole plenty of bases and walked at his usual high rate. He has drawn Carl
Crawford comparisons throughout his minor-league career and now gets his
chance to replace the four-time All-Star. He still has some catching up to do
power-wise, but if anything, he's even more of an on-base threat than
Crawford, making him the Rays' probable leadoff hitter if he gets comfortable.
He doesn't have quite the upside of Brown, but he's perhaps more likely to
make an immediate contribution on a team in transition. He's worth drafting late
even in mixed leagues.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
2010 21 5 4 0 2 2 .190 17
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 39
Adam Jones, BAL OF closer to his 2009 totals. Although he struggles against left-handers, so
Now three full seasons into his big-league career, inconsistency remains consider Kubel a mid-to-late round Fantasy pick in mixed leagues.
Jones' biggest hurdle. He looked like a lost cause in April and May of last year,
hitting .251 with five home runs, but then exploded for a .320 batting average Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
and eight home runs in June. It would have been an encouraging development 3-Yr Avg 498 72 136 23 91 0 .273 403
for Fantasy owners if he hadn't hit only six homers the rest of the way. He did 2010 518 68 129 21 92 0 .249 381
something similar in 2009, hitting .344 with 11 home runs in April and May only 2009 514 73 154 28 103 1 .300 460
to hit .234 with eight homers over the next three months. Honestly, does this
guy want to be good or not? These inconsistencies tend to sort themselves out
over the course of a player's career, and Jones is only 25. Then again, his 5-to-
Nick Markakis, BAL OF
1 strikeout-to-walk ratio isn't exactly a harbinger of steady stat lines. Based on
Talk about a letdown. Markakis was the 10th outfielder drafted in standard
raw talent, Jones' potential is sky high, which should be enough to get him
Head-to-Head leagues last year, but he finished only 24th -- and that was with
drafted in the middle rounds. But he'll have to perform better than he did last
a full 160 games under his belt. It's not like he performed all that poorly. His
year to live up to that price tag. So ... are you a believer or aren't you?
.297 batting average was in line with his career norms, and his .805 OPS was
actually a few points higher than the year before. But a 12-homer, 60-RBI
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS outfielder doesn't amount to much unless he's winning a batting title or stealing
3-Yr Avg 510 73 142 16 65 9 .278 356.5 30 bases. No doubt, Markakis' supporting cast had a lot to do with his downfall.
2010 581 76 165 19 69 7 .284 385 The Orioles ranked second-to-last in the AL in runs scored, and Markakis didn't
2009 473 83 131 19 70 10 .277 382 have the benefit of leadoff man Brian Roberts for half the year. Otherwise,
those 60 RBI might have been closer to the 100 he averaged the previous
three years. The drop in homers is a little harder to explain, but Markakis did hit
Matt Joyce, TB OF nine of his 12 over the final three months -- a pace that would have put him
Joyce was held back by a strained elbow at the start of 2010, but when he closer to his average of 19.3 coming into the season. With the improvements
finally arrived in the big leagues in late June, he showed exactly why the Rays the Orioles made in the offseason, Markakis is a good bet to bounce back at
were willing to trade Edwin Jackson for him in 2008. Sure, he hit only .241, but age 27. Consider him a value pick in the middle rounds.
his on-base percentage of .360 would have been closer to .390 if he had hit in
the .280 range, and his 10 homers would have been closer to 25 if he had Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
gotten 550 at-bats. Granted, you can't draft him expecting those numbers -- 3-Yr Avg 622 93 186 17 83 8 .299 502.5
increased exposure could set him back a bit -- but considering he's entering his 2010 629 79 187 12 60 7 .297 453
prime at age 26, they're within the realm of possibility. Of course, he'll have to 2009 642 94 188 18 101 6 .293 506
earn regular time before we can even think in those terms, and that won't
happen if he hits .080 against lefties again. But with Carl Crawford and Carlos
Pena gone, the door is open for him to seize everyday duty. If you're looking
David Murphy, TEX OF
for a shot-in-the-dark type of sleeper, Joyce clearly fits the bill. He may begin
After putting up decent power numbers over the previous two seasons, David
the year on the waiver wire, but he probably won't end it there.
Murphy continued that trend in 2010 and became a better all-around player. He
hit 12 home runs with 65 RBI in 138 games and batted .291 while playing all
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS over the outfield for Texas. He posted career highs in steals (14) and hits
3-Yr Avg 163 24 40 8 27 1 .245 137 (122), and put up his best on-base percentage (.358) and slugging percentage
2010 216 30 52 10 40 2 .241 189 (.449) in a full season of work. Murphy also cut down on his strikeouts from the
2009 32 3 6 3 7 1 .188 29 year before and helped fill in while the Rangers dealt with some injuries in their
outfield. The 29-year-old enters the 2011 campaign as the fourth outfielder in
Texas, but manager Ron Washington has done of good job of getting Murphy
Ryan Kalish, BOS OF at-bats over the last few years and should be able to do the same this season.
The Red Sox outfield was decimated by injuries in 2010, so the team had to dip Murphy would be a 20-20 player if he saw everyday at-bats but with the injury
into their farm system to bring up anyone with a pulse. Among the players they risks that Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz present, he should see more than
auditioned was Ryan Kalish, and it ended up being a good venture for Boston. enough playing time. Being a role player hurts his value but Murphy should be
Kalish wound up being a regular for the Red Sox late in the season, playing considered a low-end Fantasy outfielder, worthy of being taken in deeper
mostly in center and left field. He played solid defense while also holding his mixed leagues and AL-only formats. Consider him as such on Draft Day.
own at the plate. Kalish hit just .252 but he slugged four homers, 11 doubles
and drove in 24 runs in 53 games. He also stole 10 bases. Kalish was never Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
considered an elite prospect, but now the team knows that they have a MLB- 3-Yr Avg 422 60 117 15 65 10 .277 335
ready player waiting in the minors. The signing of Carl Crawford and the return 2010 419 54 122 12 65 14 .291 342
of Jacoby Ellsbury from injury likely means Kalish will start the year in Triple-A. 2009 432 61 116 17 57 9 .269 322
But with Mike Cameron and J.D. Drew being oft-injured players, Kalish is just a
call away. Since there are plenty of capable Fantasy options, even in AL-only
formats, you can probably let Kalish go undrafted and wait to add him off
Magglio Ordonez, DET OF
waivers, if he makes an impact this season.
Magglio Ordonez was limited to just 84 games last season due to injuries but
still had a productive campaign. He hit .303 with 12 homers and 59 RBI in just
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS 323 at-bats. He also posted a .474 slugging percentage and surpassed his
2010 163 26 41 4 24 10 .252 129 runs scored from the year before, despite playing in 47 fewer games. He was
rewarded with a one-year, $10 million deal in the offseason and enters his
seventh season with the Tigers looking to bounce back. At age 37 it is highly
Jason Kubel, MIN OF unlikely he will be able to return to his previous power numbers, but he has
Jason Kubel saw a drop-off in power in 2010, but he still had a productive surprised Fantasy owners in the past. Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera and Victor
season for the Twins. His 21 homers and 92 RBI were down from the year Martinez make a formidable middle of the lineup for Detroit, so expect decent
before, but what was more surprising was his sudden dip in batting average. numbers from Ordonez again in 2011. Target him in the middle-to-late rounds
The career .271 hitter batted just .249 and his .427 slugging percentage was on Draft Day as 15-20 homers with 80-100 RBI is not out of the realm of
his lowest since 2006. The 28-year-old had to pick up the slack for Minnesota possibility, even at his age.
after Justin Morneau went down with a concussion and finished second on the
team in RBI. Kubel has averaged 23 home runs and 91 RBI over the last three Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
seasons and should be able to put up similar numbers again in 2011. With 3-Yr Avg 450 61 140 14 71 2 .311 363
Morneau back in the middle of that lineup, Kubel should approach numbers 2010 323 56 98 12 59 1 .303 291
2009 465 54 144 9 50 3 .310 327
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 40
Felix Pie, BAL OF hot streaks like no other. Quentin should still be able to put up at least 20
Felix Pie is still trying to prove himself on the major-league level after being a homers and 80-plus RBI for the White Sox next season if he can stay on the
prized prospect for many years. Perhaps the first step for Pie is showing some field.
durability and avoid missing time due to injuries. Pie appeared in just 82 games
last season due to injuries, but he still had career highs in average (.274), runs Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
(39), hits (79), doubles (15), triples (5) and RBI (31). But Pie has no time to rest 3-Yr Avg 428 72 110 28 81 4 .257 408
on his laurels. Nolan Reimold is waiting at Triple-A to be called up, and 2010 453 73 110 26 87 2 .243 407
Baltimore has other prospects in the pipeline, like Xavier Avery. Pie is only 25 2009 351 47 83 21 56 3 .237 289
years old, so he has a lot of good years left. He just has a long way to go to
meet his full potential. Consider Pie a sleeper in AL-only Fantasy formats
because of his power-speed threat.
Ryan Raburn, DET OF
Ryan Raburn saw a ton of playing time last season and was able to stay
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS productive while playing all over the field for the Tigers. He played some
3-Yr Avg 208 29 55 5 23 3 .264 134 games in the infield but saw a majority of his starts in the outfield due to
2010 288 39 79 5 31 5 .274 185 injuries. While his batting average, on-base percentage and slugging
2009 252 38 67 9 29 1 .266 171 percentage all took a hit from the year before, he supplied the same amount of
power and knocked in a career-high 62 RBI. Raburn has seen action in 113
games each of the last two years and should see solid playing time in left field
Juan Pierre, CHW OF in 2011. The 29-year-old does not offer much in speed but he has shown some
Juan Pierre proved that age is just a state of mind in 2010 as he posted a pop over the past two seasons and should be able to score more runs with the
career-high 68 stolen bases in his first year with the White Sox. The 33-year- Tigers potent lineup. As a streaky hitter he can be a low-end option in larger
old also registered 179 hits and scored 96 runs, his highest totals since 2007. Fantasy formats, but plan on targeting Raburn in deeper mixed leagues on
His 47 RBI were the most he had driven in since 2005 as well. Manager Ozzie Draft Day.
Guillen loves to play a National League-style of ball and Pierre fits perfectly
with that approach. Although he does not offer any power (14 careers home Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
runs), his ability to score runs and collect hits makes him a Fantasy owners 3-Yr Avg 271 41 74 12 42 3 .273 206.5
dream in Rotisserie formats. Will he be able to continue this pace into his mid- 2010 371 54 104 15 62 2 .280 283
30s? He has proven us wrong before. He might not be as valuable in standard 2009 261 44 76 16 45 5 .291 232
Head-to-Head leagues, but Pierre will be worth taking in the late rounds on
Draft Day in 2011.
Manny Ramirez, TB OF
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Manny Ramirez did not have his typical productive season in 2010 and showed
3-Yr Avg 469 66 134 1 35 46 .286 364.5 signs of his age by hitting just nine home runs and 42 RBI in 90 games. He did
2010 651 96 179 1 47 68 .275 509 most of that production with the Dodgers before being traded to the White Sox
2009 380 57 117 0 31 30 .308 307 in early September. After being dealt, the 38-year-old hit just .261 with one
homer and two RBI in 24 games with Chicago. He spent significant time on the
DL this past season and was rendered a DH after his trade back to the
Scott Podsednik, TOR OF American League. Ramirez spent a great deal of the offseason as a free agent
Scott Podsednik ended up being one of the bigger Fantasy surprises of the before finally coming to terms with the Rays in January. The 12-time All-Star
2010 season. He seemed left for dead after he signed a one-year contract with can still hit for average, but his days of averaging 30-40 homers and 100 RBI
Kansas City -- where major-league careers usually go to die. But Podsednik appear to be over. Ramirez can still be a contributor in some Fantasy formats
actually thrived with the Royals, so much so that he was one of the bigger but will likely be worth a middle-to-late round pick on Draft Day in 2011.
names on the trade market at the July deadline. Podsednik ended up being
traded to the Dodgers, where he joined a crowded outfield and saw his Fantasy Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
value rapidly deteriorate, but the former All-Star ended up having a good 3-Yr Avg 390 67 121 22 75 1 .310 388.5
season on the whole. He finished with a .297 average, 63 runs, six homers, 51 2010 265 38 79 9 42 1 .298 224
RBI, 14 doubles, seven triples and 35 stolen bases. He also got on base at a 2009 352 62 102 19 63 0 .290 349
.342 clip. After some tumultuous years with the White Sox and Rockies, where
it looked like Podsednik's career was coming to a close, he has managed 30-
plus stolen bases his last two seasons. But after signing with Toronto in
Alex Rios, CHW OF
February, where he'll be little more than a fourth outfielder, his Fantasy value
Alex Rios has always been known as a first-half player in his first six years in
would likely be limited to AL-only formats this season. Fantasy owners should
the majors and continued that trend in 2010. He posted the first 20-20
not expect the same production he boasted in previous seasons.
campaign of his career but did not finish strong while the White Sox fell out of
the playoff race. He batted .305 with 15 home runs, 49 RBI and 23 stolen
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS bases in the first half of the season but hit just .258 after the All-Star break,
3-Yr Avg 413 53 121 5 38 26 .293 296 nearly 25 points below his career mark. Despite a knee injury at the end of the
2010 539 63 160 6 51 35 .297 373 year that cost him the last week or so, Rios has played in at least 147 games
2009 537 75 163 7 48 30 .304 396 over the last four seasons. He goes into next season as the starting center
fielder in Chicago and hopefully will be able to build on this past year’s
success. Rios has the ability to be a 30-30 player but will have to improve on
Carlos Quentin, CHW OF his second-half struggles to approach that mark. It appears that his .247 batting
Carlos Quentin continues to be a Fantasy oddity. After having a breakout 2008 average in 2009 was an anomaly and playing in U.S. Cellular Field should only
campaign, he has only shared glimpses of what could be over the last two help his hitting stats. Considered Rios a middle-round draft pick for 2011 but he
seasons. During a 16-game span in 2010, Quentin hit .367 with 11 home runs could be worth more if he is finally able to put it all together.
and 24 RBI, but he only showed a little of that during the rest of the season. He
stayed healthy enough to appear in a career-high 131 games this past year but Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
his numbers raised some serious questions. How could he hit 26 home runs 3-Yr Avg 595 81 163 18 79 30 .274 465
with 87 RBI while only batting .243? Didn’t he hit .287 while almost winning the 2010 567 89 161 21 88 34 .284 488
AL MVP two years ago? Is he ever going to become the Fantasy stud owners 2009 582 63 144 17 71 24 .247 397
have been waiting for? Quentin is just 28 years old but 2011 could be a make-
or-break season for the former Stanford star. He will have to slug somewhere
near .500 to be worth taking in the early rounds on Draft Day, but he can go on
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 41
Juan L. Rivera, TOR OF does not strike out a lot, which is good for a speed player, and he should be
Juan Rivera has shown just enough power in his career to be considered as an able to score plenty of runs in Minnesota's potent lineup. Plan on taking Span
intriguing choice in deeper mixed leagues, but going into the 2011 season, he in the middle-to-late rounds on Draft Day.
is a player without a regular role. That puts him into a similar position to what
he faced a year ago, and his .252/.312/.409 line probably won't inspire the Blue Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Jays -- who acquired him in the offseason for Vernon Wells -- to give him much 3-Yr Avg 518 84 149 6 58 22 .288 412
more playing time this year. Should Rivera somehow work his way into regular 2010 629 85 166 3 58 26 .264 437
playing time, he presents the potential for 25 home runs and a batting average 2009 578 97 180 8 68 23 .311 477
in the .280s, but his inconsistency makes him a poor bet to help owners in any
sort of mixed-league format. His poor showing in 2010 may have been due in
part to vision problems that have since been corrected, but if you take Rivera
Ichiro Suzuki, SEA OF
late in a deeper mixed-league draft, know that you are taking a gamble.
Ichiro Suzuki is one of the few players for whom a .315 batting average
constitutes a down year. Ichiro struck out a whopping (for him) 13 percent of
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS the time, but he softened the blow by stealing 42 bases. The career high
3-Yr Avg 400 52 107 17 62 1 .268 297.5 strikeout rate may be a sign of decline for the 37-year-old, but he isn't slowing
2010 416 53 105 15 52 2 .252 285 down much, at least not yet. Owners can still count on Ichiro to deliver a batting
2009 529 72 152 25 88 0 .287 422 average well over .300 with 30 or more steals, making him a solid No. 2
outfielder in mixed leagues.
Grady Sizemore, CLE OF Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
Grady Sizemore got off to a slow start in 2010 and could not stay healthy long 3-Yr Avg 668 88 217 8 44 37 .325 487
enough to turn things around. His season ended on May 16 because of a left 2010 680 74 215 6 43 42 .316 466
knee injury that eventually required microfracture surgery, and the 28-year-old 2009 639 88 225 11 46 26 .352 475
hit just .211 with zero homers, 13 RBI and four stolen bases in 33 games.
Sizemore has had consecutive injury-plagued seasons that have hurt his
Fantasy value, but he is still only two years removed from a 30-30 campaign.
Nick Swisher, NYY OF
He is expected to be ready for the start of the season and can hopefully get
We thought we had Swisher all figured out. Yeah, he'd hit some homers, but
back to being a productive option. Knee problems might take away some of his
only in spurts. The rest of the time, he'd strike out or walk, leading to a subpar
stolen bases ,but as long as he can get back to hitting 20-plus homers with 70-
batting average and a slugging percentage that didn't suit a middle-of-the-order
90 RBI, he will retain his value in most Fantasy leagues. There is some injury-
hitter. Then, hitting coach Kevin Long got his hands on him, teaching him how
risk involved with drafting Sizemore, but he has the potential to be an elite
to attack breaking balls. For the first time in his career, Swisher looked
Fantasy option, so he is worth the risk in the middle rounds of mixed leagues.
comfortable at the plate. He was calm and relaxed. No longer grounded by the
Moneyball doctrine, he was free to swing at whatever his heart desired, and he
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS made solid contact more often than not. The result was a batting average
3-Yr Avg 399 63 102 17 56 18 .256 352 (.288) more than 25 points higher than his previous career high and steady
2010 128 15 27 0 13 4 .211 64 play from start to finish. He had only 58 walks, his fewest since his rookie
2009 436 73 108 18 64 13 .248 367 season, but the tradeoff was a good one. For the first time in his career,
Swisher was someone Fantasy owners appreciated, and in that loaded lineup,
the same should be true today. You may be able to get him as a No. 3 Fantasy
Travis Snider, TOR OF outfielder because of his uneven history, but he could well perform like a No. 2
At first glance, Snider seems to be putting together one disappointing year after again.
another, but at this stage of his career, you have to focus on the positives.
Granted, the Blue Jays probably promoted him too early as a 20-year-old in Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
2008, generating an unreasonable amount of hype in Fantasy circles, but 3-Yr Avg 520 87 132 27 80 1 .254 430.5
slowly but surely, he's beginning to figure this major-league thing out. Just look 2010 566 91 163 29 89 1 .288 463
at what he did last September. His six home runs for the month were two-thirds 2009 498 84 124 29 82 0 .249 451
of the way to his total as a rookie in 2009, and his .289 batting average wasn't
too shabby either. He still has some learning to do, of course -- he's unlikely to
live up to his elite pedigree if he doesn't improve his walk rate, for instance --
B.J. Upton, TB OF
but progress is progress. If a wrist injury hadn't sidelined him in May, forcing
It's not looking good for ol' Melvin. After another decline in batting average at a
him to spend 2 1/2 months away from the big-league club, imagine how much
time when he should be entering his prime at age 26, the former mega
progress he would have made. The Blue Jays should have an opening for him
prospect is looking like a mega bust. OK, that's probably an overstatement.
this year, giving him a chance to continue his-on-the-job learning. At age 23,
After all, he has more than 40 steals each of the last three seasons and
he's still a hope-and-a-prayer kind of pick, but if he puts it all together, watch
rebounded to hit 18 homers last year after back-to-back seasons with less than
out.
a dozen. But his high strikeout rate -- over 150 whiffs three of the last four
seasons -- is keeping his batting average in the .240 range and his OPS in the
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS .750 range. For the cost of a middle-round pick, you can live with those
3-Yr Avg 204 26 52 8 25 2 .255 132 numbers, but every year in every league, someone falls in love with the raw
2010 298 36 77 14 32 6 .258 197 talent and takes Upton three or four rounds too early. He could still meet his
2009 241 34 58 9 29 1 .241 158 potential, of course, but you wouldn't want to bank your entire season on it. If
you're looking for a 40-steal threat on Draft Day, Upton obviously brings more
to the table than a Brett Gardner or Juan Pierre would. But he ranks closer to
Denard Span, MIN OF that group than to the Shin-Soo Choos and Andrew McCutchens of the world.
Denard Span took a step back in 2010 despite playing in 153 games and
seeing a career-high 629 at-bats. The career .288 hitter posted just a .264 Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
average, with three home runs and 60 RBI. His numbers were down all around 3-Yr Avg 542 84 136 13 61 43 .251 436
from the year before, except stolen bases (26), and the Twins moved him 2010 536 89 127 18 62 42 .237 440
around in the lineup to try and get him going numerous times. Span tailed off in 2009 560 79 135 11 55 42 .241 397
the second half, but hopefully he will be able to get back on track in 2011. He is
a top-of-the-order guy that has shown the ability to get on base and wreak
havoc on defense, but he will have to get his average up to be effective. He
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 42
Vernon Wells, LAA OF season may go down as his best, but he's still a top-10 Fantasy second
Wells' 12-year run with the Blue Jays came to an end in January when the baseman with more upside than most.
Angels acquired him in a deal for Mike Napoli. He continued his up-and-down
pattern last year, hitting 30 homers for the third time, the first since 2006. The Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
inconsistency hasn't been strictly a matter of streakiness for the 32-year-old. 3-Yr Avg 413 67 109 16 65 15 .264 375.5
Wells broke his wrist in 2008 and was still suffering the aftereffects in 2009, 2010 541 77 129 10 75 24 .238 429
which explains why he hit a combined 35 homers during those two seasons. 2009 501 91 149 27 91 17 .297 523
Surgery after the 2009 season seemed to take care of the problem once and
for all. Of course, Wells wasn't exactly dominant from start to finish last year,
producing an OPS below .800 in three of the six months. But he ended the
campaign on a high note, hitting .298 with eight homers and a .973 OPS in
September to suggest he still has plenty left to offer in 2011. Where exactly
he'll land in the 20-30 homer range is anybody's guess considering his career
Designated Hitters
track record -- a step back seems reasonable given his age -- but regardless,
he'll be a valued run producer in the Angels lineup and won't hurt you with a Willy Aybar, FA DH
bunch of strikeouts the way some sluggers do. Draft him as a second or third Willy Aybar saw the most extensive action of his MLB career the last three
outfielder with the potential for more. seasons in Tampa Bay, but his body of work was not enough for the team to
bring him back in 2011. At least, not at the $2.2 million he was owed, so
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Tampa Bay set him free by declining his contract option. Aybar ended up
3-Yr Avg 549 75 151 22 77 9 .275 430 seeing the majority of his playing time at designated hitter in 2010 for the Rays,
2010 590 79 161 31 88 6 .273 490 but he was also a key pinch hitter. He had 10 RBI in a pinch-hitting role, the
2009 630 84 164 15 66 17 .260 438 most by an AL player since 2004. Still, he struggled against right-handed
pitchers, so Aybar might never be a full-time player until he shows better
progress from the left side of the plate. If Aybar signs with a team for the '11
season, he will mostly be a single-league Fantasy option.
Josh Willingham, OAK OF
Normally a very consistent power hitter, Josh Willingham posted subpar
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
numbers in 2010 with the Nationals due to his struggles in the second half. His
3-Yr Avg 297 31 73 9 39 1 .246 195.5
late-season power drought, during which he hit only two home runs over his
2010 270 22 62 6 43 0 .230 160
last 121 at-bats, was likely tied to the torn meniscus he was playing through.
2009 296 38 75 12 41 1 .253 213
Having had knee surgery, Willingham will be ready to start the 2011 season,
this time with Oakland, where he was traded last December. The Hammer's
power numbers might suffer playing half of his games at McAfee Coliseum, but
Fantasy owners should count on him to hit at least 20 homers, making him Eric Chavez, NYY DH
relevant in deeper mixed leagues. Once upon a time, Eric Chavez used to be an elite Fantasy option, challenging
for 30 homers and 100 RBI every season. Sadly, injuries robbed the former
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS Gold Glover and All-Star of his promising career. Chavez has played a
3-Yr Avg 383 59 100 18 56 5 .261 330 combined 64 games his last three seasons, battling one injury after the other.
2010 370 54 99 16 56 8 .268 329 How the mighty have fallen. Chavez signed a minor-league deal with the
2009 427 70 111 24 61 4 .260 369 Yankees in February, but he is no longer an everyday player. He will
undoubtedly serve as a backup if he makes the major league roster. The
hobbled veteran has primarily played third base throughout his career and
would help spell Alex Rodriguez at the position. He could also serve as a
Delmon Young, MIN OF designated hitter and first baseman. Chavez has marginal Fantasy appeal and
Delmon Young finally had the year Fantasy owners had been eagerly should not be selected in upcoming Fantasy baseball drafts.
anticipating. After never hitting more than 13 home runs in a season, he belted
out 21 and also drove in 112 RBI last season, while batting .298. He set career
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
highs in almost every significant category, including on-base percentage (.333)
3-Yr Avg 77 7 17 1 8 0 .221 35.5
and slugging percentage (.493). Young also cut down on his strikeouts for the
2010 111 10 26 1 10 0 .234 49
third consecutive year. He remained strong throughout the entire season and
2009 30 0 3 0 1 0 .100 3
heads into 2011 looking to improve those numbers. The 25-year-old is just
entering his prime and while his speed has gone down over the last few years,
he has more than made up for it with his production at the plate and could
become one of the more productive Fantasy options out there. Another year of Jack Cust, SEA DH
20-plus homers and 100 RBI should be expected for this upcoming campaign, After getting removed from the 40-man roster and starting the season in the
so consider Young a top 30 Fantasy outfielder on Draft Day. minors, Jack Cust returned to Oakland a different hitter last season. He hit only
13 home runs last season, but he bumped his doubles total up from 16 to 19,
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS even though he received 164 fewer at-bats than in the previous year. Cust's
3-Yr Avg 513 69 150 14 80 7 .292 368.5 new line drive approach earned him a .272 batting average, the highest of his
2010 570 77 170 21 112 5 .298 469 four seasons with the A's. However, the A's decided they wanted more power
2009 395 50 112 12 60 2 .284 247 from their designated hitter after all, ditching Cust for Hideki Matsui. Now Cust
has taken his talents to Puget Sound, where he'll DH for the Mariners. Fantasy
owners can expect similar results there, which is not good news for his value.
While an on-base percentage approaching .400 is impressive, in Fantasy, Cust
Ben Zobrist, TB OF/2B would be better off sacrificing a few singles and doubles for some homers. As it
Zobrist answered a lot of questions about the fluky nature of his breakout 2009 is, he is now mainly an AL-only option.
season -- one in which he led all second basemen in on-base percentage
(.405) and slugging percentage (.543) -- by not even looking like a viable
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
regular last year. His homers dropped from 27 to 10 and his OPS from .948 to
3-Yr Avg 448 72 110 24 66 2 .246 350
.699. He only got worse as the season went on, hitting under .200 each of the
2010 349 50 95 13 52 2 .272 266
final three months. If he didn't draw 92 walks and steal 24 bases -- both career
2009 513 88 123 25 70 4 .240 382
highs -- he would have been a lost cause in Fantasy. Of course, that walk rate
gives you reason to believe he shouldn't have been that bad, and it's not like
he never showed any power before 2009. Something wasn't right with him
beyond the expected regression to the mean, and it may have been a back
injury that plagued him for much of the year. You can trust that a self-made
player like Zobrist spent a good portion of his offseason reviewing what went
wrong and working to correct it, so a bounce-back season is likely. The 2009
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 43
Jake Fox, BAL DH power swing. He just needs to make more contact at the plate. View Johnson
Jake Fox is the poster boy for what a utility player should be. Not only can he as an AL-only Fantasy option and potential late-round sleeper in deeper mixed
man both corner-infield spots, but he has enough athleticism to play the leagues.
outfield, DH and also catch. Still, with his versatility comes another problem --
Fox is not a starter for the Orioles. He has never played more than 82 games in Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
an MLB season and seems destined for a bench/utility role. Fox has some 3-Yr Avg 46 6 9 3 9 0 .196 37.5
power, but he won't hit for an impressive average and shouldn't be viewed as 2010 111 15 22 7 23 1 .198 98
much more than an AL-only Fantasy reserve. 2009 0 0 0 0 0 0 ---- 0
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 138 15 33 6 22 0 .239 89 Nick Johnson, CLE DH
2010 198 21 43 7 22 0 .217 106 Nick Johnson has become a medical nightmare. Regardless of what uniform
2009 216 23 56 11 44 0 .259 164 he wears it ends up the same way -- with him on the disabled list. It wasn't
always that way for Johnson, but he has appeared in more than 40 games just
once in the last three seasons. The Yankees took a gamble on Johnson in
Vladimir Guerrero, BAL DH 2010, but he eventually had two wrist surgeries that ended his season
After a few declining seasons in Anaheim, the Angels opted to cut ties with prematurely, appearing in just 24 games. Johnson has always been lauded for
Vladimir Guerrero following the 2009 season, sending him out on the free- his great defense and ability to get on base (career .401 OBP), but he has
agent market. Guerrero eventually landed in Texas and had a career revival in lacked the elite power of a designated hitter/first baseman. If Johnson can
2010. He played more than 150 games for the first time since 2007 and hit .300 secure a roster spot with the Indians, it will likely be just as a bench player and
with 29 homers, 83 runs and 115 RBI. And it's not like moving to the Ballpark in he’ll be an injury-risk Fantasy option for only the deepest of formats.
Arlington -- a notorious hitter's park -- was the key factor in Guerrero's
renaissance. Guerrero's home-road splits were pretty even, outside of the fact Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
he did hit 31 points higher at home. Teams were generally unwilling to give him 3-Yr Avg 213 33 56 5 30 1 .263 184
the benefit of the doubt, though, leaving him on the free-agent market until 2010 72 12 12 2 8 0 .167 55
early in February, when he signed a one-year deal with the Orioles. Guerrero's 2009 457 71 133 8 62 2 .291 387
36 years of age and declining second-half numbers are legitimate concerns in
Fantasy, and he's pretty much stuck at DH at this stage of his career. Still, he
showed last year he has something left to offer in Fantasy. If he slips to the
Adam Lind, TOR DH
middle-to-late rounds in mixed leagues, he's well worth the gamble.
Some of the more notable 2010 downfalls were easy to spot. Not Lind. No
matter how nitpicky you got, his .305-35-114-93 line from 2009 seemed too
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS legitimate for him to suddenly fade into Fantasy obscurity. But that's exactly
3-Yr Avg 506 76 152 24 85 4 .300 428 what happened in 2010. Lind didn't just regress; he became a complete
2010 593 83 178 29 115 4 .300 509 afterthought after hitting .166 with a .495 OPS in May and June. Sure, he
2009 383 59 113 15 50 2 .295 283 rebounded to hit .272 with 14 homers and an .824 OPS over the final three
months, but by then, the damage was already done. Fantasy owners could no
longer trust him, and those middle-of-the-road numbers weren't enough to win
Travis Hafner, CLE DH them back. Lind's biggest downfall was his failure to make consistent contact.
Travis Hafner took some positive steps last season as he continued to work his He struck out 144 times, up from 110 the year before. Replace those 34
way back from 2008 shoulder surgery. He played in 118 games and hit .278 strikeouts with hits, and he's practically a .300 hitter again. The problem isn't
with 13 home runs and 50 RBI. He still had to take a few days off because of that simple, of course, but the strikeouts show he didn't have his usual
shoulder issues, but posted his highest batting average since 2006 and his approach at the plate. So can he regain it? Considering he hit .318 in the
best on-base and slugging percentages since 2007. While his 30-plus home- minors, you'd think so. For the price of a middle-round pick, a former elite
run power is likely long gone, Hafner could reach the 20-homer mark, if given a option still in his prime is certainly worth the gamble, even if he is DH-only now.
season's worth of at-bats in 2011. If he does, it will mainly come as a DH as he
has become a liability in the field. Hafner is more of an AL-only option and Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
potential late-round flier in mixed leagues on Draft Day. 3-Yr Avg 494 66 135 22 75 1 .273 367
2010 569 57 135 23 72 0 .237 340
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS 2009 587 93 179 35 114 1 .305 546
3-Yr Avg 311 38 80 11 41 1 .257 223
2010 396 46 110 13 50 2 .278 293
2009 338 46 92 16 49 0 .272 265 Hideki Matsui, OAK DH
After serving solely as a designated hitter for the Yankees in 2009, Hideki
Matsui played 18 games in the outfield for the Angels last season. That wasn't
Dan Johnson, TB DH quite enough to give him outfield eligibility to start the 2011 season, but the A's
The exodus of Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena and Willy Aybar has freed up at- -- Matsui's new team – will need his bat in the lineup even more than the
bats for Dan Johnson in the Rays' lineup for 2011. The only issue is where Angels did. Health permitting, he could see regular at-bats all season, including
Johnson will play. The top positions are first base and designated hitter, but the during the interleague portion of the schedule when the designated hitter will
Rays will find out where he best fits in spring training. After spending a year be abandoned in National League parks. The 36-year-old lost a bit of power
playing baseball overseas, Johnson returned to the states in 2010. He spent last year, but he still knocked out 21 homers, a number he should approach
the majority of the season destroying minor-league pitching to the tune of a again this season. He is worth a late-round pick in standard mixed league
.303 average, 30 homers and 95 RBI at Triple-A. The Rays finally brought drafts, and if he should gain outfield eligibility, he could pay off nicely.
Johnson up in early August and he appeared in 40 games -- his first taste of
the majors since 2008. Johnson showed the same power he displayed in the Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
minors, blasting seven homers in 111 at-bats. Unfortunately, he hit just .198 3-Yr Avg 425 53 119 19 73 0 .280 346.5
and struck out 27 times. He did show some patience, drawing 25 walks. 2010 482 55 132 21 84 0 .274 378
Johnson was once considered the future at first base for Oakland, but he never 2009 456 62 125 28 90 0 .274 414
hit consistently like he did in the minors. There is no doubt Johnson has a solid
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 44
David Ortiz, BOS DH
Here we go again. That's what Ortiz owners were thinking about a month into
Starting Pitchers
the 2010 season. The hefty DH hit .143 with one home run in April, continuing
a decline that began in 2008 and carried over into 2009, when he hit only .238 Brett Anderson, OAK SP
with a .794 OPS. But something changed in May -- something that redeemed In 2010, Brett Anderson missed nearly half a season's worth of starts due to
him in the eyes of his Fantasy owners. He hit .363 with 10 homers and a 1.211 elbow inflammation, but he pitched exceedingly well when he was healthy.
OPS, showing he still has something left to offer at age 35. And though he Though he struck out batters less often than he did in his rookie season,
couldn't maintain that pace over the rest of the season, he did hit .270 with 21 Anderson's slider was still sharp, as he was able to get batters to hit plenty of
homers and an .887 OPS over the final four months, which was plenty good weak grounders and liners, holding opponents to a .353 slugging percentage.
enough for Fantasy purposes. Big-bodied players typically don't age well, The lefty was also among the stingiest starters in the majors with walks. The
making Ortiz's rebound perhaps even more surprising than his decline, and his biggest question for Anderson entering 2011 is his health, so being
struggles against left-handed pitchers (.599 OPS) could ultimately condemn conservative he should be drafted as a No. 3 starter in standard mixed
him to a platoon role. Still, you wouldn't want to overlook a potential 30-homer, leagues. However, if he can make 30 starts or more, Anderson could easily
100-RBI guy, especially one who hits in the middle of a retooled Red Sox produce like an ace.
lineup. You have to expect some regression this year, but Ortiz is still worth a
middle-round pick.
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 24 144.0 9-8 3.56 0 112 1.25 308
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS 2010 19 112.1 7-6 2.80 0 75 1.19 255
3-Yr Avg 492 79 126 28 97 0 .256 440 2009 30 175.1 11-11 4.06 1 150 1.28 320
2010 518 86 140 32 102 0 .270 472
2009 541 77 129 28 99 0 .238 436
Scott Baker, MIN SP
While Scott Baker was demoted to a bullpen role in the postseason last year,
Luke Scott, BAL DH make no mistake about it -- he will be in the Twins' rotation in 2011. The Twins
Streakiness had always been the name of the game for Scott. Fantasy owners opted to face the Yankees in the ALDS with a rotation of Francisco Liriano,
had become conditioned to ignoring his hot streaks because, before they'd Carl Pavano, Brian Duensing and Nick Blackburn, pushing Baker to the
even get a chance to react, those streaks would end and he'd have two weeks bullpen. Baker has produced double-digit wins in three straight seasons and
where he couldn't buy a hit. So perhaps it's no surprise Scott got little fanfare has made 20-plus starts in four straight years. However, he has reached 200
during what was -- by most statistical measurements -- a breakthrough 2010 innings just once in the last four seasons and had a sub-4.00 ERA only once in
season. His .284 batting average was his highest for a full season. Ditto for his that span as well. Baker didn't drop a decision in his last 10 starts (5-0) in 2010.
.902 OPS, which ranked 14th among players with at least 400 at-bats. And He almost struck out a batter per inning (52 in 56 2/3 innings) and held the
after a poor April in which he hit only .194, his streakiness was no longer an opposition to a .245 average in that span. Fantasy owners would love to see
issue. He hit at least .260 in each of the final five months and at least .293 in more of that from Baker in 2011, and he clearly has the potential to post big
four of them -- and that was with him missing half of July with a hamstring numbers pitching for a contender. On the cautious side, though, consider
injury. The Orioles have shown a tendency to sit Scott against left-handers in Baker an AL-only and late-round Fantasy option in mixed leagues.
the past, and if he winds up in a platoon role, all bets or off. But right now, the
32-year-old is looking like a relative bargain in the late rounds. A 30-homer
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
season isn't out of the realm of possibility.
3-Yr Avg 30 181.0 13-7 4.13 0 150 1.23 409
2010 29 170.1 12-9 4.49 0 148 1.34 339
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS 2009 33 200.0 15-9 4.37 1 162 1.19 395
3-Yr Avg 457 66 122 25 71 1 .267 373.5
2010 447 70 127 27 72 2 .284 399
2009 449 61 116 25 77 0 .258 361
Josh Beckett, BOS SP
Boy, that was ugly. Beckett defied all projections last year. His 1.54 WHIP was
his first over 1.30 since 2003. His 10.6 hits allowed per nine innings blew his
Jim Thome, MIN DH previous career high of 8.9 out of the water. Blame a strained back that cost
Jim Thome is going to go down as one of the top left-handed power hitters of him two months of the season and made him a lost cause even after he
all-time, and even at 40 years old he is still hanging on in a young man's game. returned. Ex-pitching coach John Farrell believes his problems were more
Despite limited at-bats in 2010, his first season with the Twins, Thome parked mental than physical, and he may have a point. Beckett's strikeout rate was
25 homers in 108 games. It was his fifth straight year of 20-plus homers and right where it needed to be. His velocity was normal. His stuff was fine. That
the 16th time in his career he reached that plateau. Thome opted to come back can only be good news in Fantasy, giving you every reason to believe the
to Minnesota in 2011, despite the fact no full-time at-bats await. He will perennial Cy Young contender will get back on track, especially since he's just
continue to battle Jason Kubel for at-bats at designated hitter. Still, Thome 30 years old and has the Red Sox lineup backing him. But he has shown some
proved last season that he didn't need to play every day to be an effective flakiness in the past, including a 5.01 ERA in 2006 and a 4.03 ERA in 2008.
Fantasy option. Consider Thome a viable AL-only Fantasy option and a cheap Bottom line: Beckett is still a potential ace but isn't enough of a sure thing for
source of power in mixed leagues. you to draft him as more than a No. 3 starter. If you can nab him in the middle
rounds, though, the reward far outweighs the risk.
Year AB R H HR RBI SB BA FPTS
3-Yr Avg 380 65 97 27 75 0 .255 356.5 Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
2010 276 48 78 25 59 0 .283 301 3-Yr Avg 27 171.1 12-7 4.41 2 162 1.28 378
2009 362 55 90 23 77 0 .249 314 2010 21 127.2 6-6 5.78 0 116 1.54 195
2009 32 212.1 17-6 3.86 4 199 1.19 500
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 45
Dallas Braden, OAK SP rely on more than stuff alone. Keep your expectations in check, but don't forget
Dallas Braden provided one of 2010's highlights, pitching the 17th perfect about him if he slips to the late rounds. Anyone pitching for the Yankees has a
game of the modern era, but his success extended beyond his one day of chance to be an impact Fantasy player.
perfection against the Rays. Braden finished sixth in the American League in
WHIP (1.16) and 13th in ERA (3.50). Braden took his Fantasy value to the next Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
level by building on two strengths: minimizing walks and inducing pop-ups. 3-Yr Avg 33 205.0 14-11 4.43 1 190 1.41 403
With back-to-back seasons with a sub-4.00 ERA, Braden is no flash in the pan. 2010 33 186.2 10-15 5.26 1 145 1.51 258
His low-strikeout rate prevents him from being a top-of-the-rotation option, but 2009 33 207.0 13-9 4.04 1 195 1.40 386
owners can draft him as a back-end starter in standard mixed leagues.
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS Trevor Cahill, OAK SP
3-Yr Avg 21 133.2 8-9 3.77 2 78 1.28 257 In his second year in the majors, Trevor Cahill made dramatic improvements,
2010 30 192.2 11-14 3.50 5 113 1.16 388 elevating himself among the top 20 starting pitchers in Fantasy. A repeat
2009 22 136.2 8-9 3.89 0 81 1.36 198 performance will be difficult to achieve, if for no other reason that having back-
to-back 18-win seasons for a tepid offensive team like the A's is a tall order.
Holding opponents to a .218 batting average again will also be very difficult to
Clay Buchholz, BOS SP do, as Cahill still doesn't rack up many strikeouts. He got a huge assist last
At this time last year, Buchholz was a stalled prospect known as a one-hit year from a .239 batting average on balls in play (BABIP), which was the
wonder for his no-hit effort in 2007. Consider his 2010 season hit No. 2. For lowest in the major leagues. That's an exceedingly low rate for any pitcher, and
once, the Red Sox quit shuffling him from the majors to the minors, and it especially for one who allows so few fly balls. Look for Cahill to give up more
couldn't have gone any better. He nearly won the ERA title and was victorious hits and runs this season, enough to knock him out of the top 20 starting
in 17 of his 28 starts. He could have started more if not for a strained hamstring pitchers, but not so many that he can't be used as a No. 3 Fantasy starter.
in early July, but the injury prevented the Red Sox from pushing him too hard
and giving him an obvious red flag entering 2011. Instead, his red flags are Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
subtle. He could have struck out more batters and walked fewer, his WHIP not 3-Yr Avg 31 187.2 14-10 3.74 0 104 1.27 396
quite living up to his ERA, but he improved as the season went on, posting a 2010 30 196.2 18-8 2.97 1 118 1.11 507
2.20 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP after the All-Star break. The expected increase in 2009 32 178.2 10-13 4.63 0 90 1.44 190
innings and strikeouts should make up for any normalization of the ERA. He
has good stuff and an ace pedigree, and at age 26, he's more of a finished
product than his inexperience would suggest. You should feel good about
Fausto Carmona, CLE SP
drafting him as your No. 2 starter.
Fausto Carmona got back on track in 2010 after two injury-plagued and
inconsistent seasons. He made a career-high 33 starts and went 13-14 with a
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS 3.77 ERA. While he still walked 70-plus batters for the third straight season, the
3-Yr Avg 20 114.0 9-7 3.79 1 87 1.38 235.5 right-hander struck out 124 in 210 1/3 innings pitched, his most since 2007. He
2010 28 173.2 17-7 2.33 1 120 1.20 461 heads into the 2011 campaign as the ace of the Indians' staff and should be
2009 16 92.0 7-4 4.21 0 68 1.38 160 able to improve his win total as Cleveland will have its young core healthy
again. Carmona has never been known as a huge strikeout pitcher, but his
respectable ERA and ability to eat up innings is a bonus. Winning the 19
Mark Buehrle, CHW SP games he did in 2007 is a reach, but double-digit victories and a sub-4.00 ERA
Mark Buehrle had another typical Mark Buehrle season in 2010, winning 13 is doable. Consider taking Carmona in the middle-to-late rounds on Draft Day.
games while making 33 starts for the White Sox. He posted an ERA over 4.00
for the first time in four years, but that came in large part thanks to an awful Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
September. In that month, Buehrle had a 6.39 ERA and did not record a win in 3-Yr Avg 26 152.0 9-11 4.92 2 87 1.52 223.5
five outings. He remains a rock in Chicago’s potentially elite rotation with Jake 2010 33 210.1 13-14 3.77 4 124 1.31 407
Peavy, John Danks, Edwin Jackson and Gavin Floyd the likely starters behind 2009 24 125.1 5-12 6.32 0 79 1.76 33
him. He has made at least 30 starts in each of the last 10 seasons and should
be able to put up double-digit wins with a respectable ERA as usual next year.
Although he does not offer a ton of strikeouts, Buehrle has been one of the
Carlos Carrasco, CLE SP
more consistent Fantasy starters since coming into the league and will be
Fantasy owners have heard about Carlos Carrasco for years, but the longer he
worth taking in the middle rounds on Draft Day.
toiled in the minors, the more frustrated those owners grew. Carrasco used to
be the jewel of the Phillies' farm system and was the key piece in the Cliff Lee
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS deal in July 2009. Unfortunately, Carrasco has made just 12 starts with the
3-Yr Avg 33 214.0 14-12 3.95 2 115 1.33 417.5 Indians, winning only two of those contests. But late last season, Carrasco
2010 33 210.1 13-13 4.28 3 99 1.40 366 pitched effectively in September and likely will break camp as a member of the
2009 33 213.1 13-10 3.84 1 105 1.25 342 Indians' rotation. Carrasco allowed more than three earned runs in just one of
his seven starts last season, going 2-2 with a 3.83 ERA. He struck out 38 in 44
2/3 innings. Once considered a potential ace, Carrasco is no longer a top 10
prospect in the Indians system, according to Baseball America, and might end
A.J. Burnett, NYY SP
up as more of a middle-of-the-rotation arm. It's still too early to completely write
What just happened here? During his years of inconsistency and unfulfilled
off Carrasco, but view him more as an AL-only Fantasy option and late-round
expectations, the one thing you could expect from Burnett was a stellar
sleeper in mixed leagues. The fact the Indians might struggle for wins doesn't
strikeout rate of right around one per inning. But his strikeout rate plummeted
help Carrasco's overall Fantasy value.
to 7.0 per nine in 2010. He lost just enough velocity off his fastball to make his
previously unhittable stuff not so intimidating. All those pitches he was blowing
by hitters in years past were now getting put in play, leading to career-worst Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
numbers across the board. He allowed a .285 batting average compared to 3-Yr Avg 6 33.1 1-3 5.40 0 24 1.68 37
.236 for the rest of his career. Granted, he still throws hard, but at age 33, the 2010 7 44.2 2-2 3.83 1 38 1.37 92
pure power pitcher is no longer purely powerful. If he doesn't make an 2009 5 22.1 0-4 8.87 0 11 2.28 -37
adjustment, he may soon become a Fantasy afterthought. But before you
downgrade him too much, keep in mind he's still relatively young and still has
above-average stuff. He'll just need to learn, for the first time in his career, to
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 46
Brett Cecil, TOR SP Justin Duchscherer, BAL SP
Cecil is coming off maybe the quietest 15-win season in baseball history. He Justin Duchscherer is anxious to get back on a major-league hill and prove to
had more wins last year than Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee, Jered Weaver and everyone he belongs there. The biggest hurdle, however, is whether or not his
Clayton Kershaw, among others, yet he could conceivably go undrafted in body will hold up. Duchscherer is coming off major hip surgery in June and has
mixed leagues this year. Fair? Well, it's not like he's Kent Bottenfield circa 1999 made just 27 starts since the start of the 2008 season, which encompassed
or anything. He was a legitimate prospect coming up through the Blue Jays sitting out the 2009 season due to elbow surgery and clinical depression. But
system and at times looked like an emerging front-line starter last year. But in despite all of his health issues, Duchscherer has been an effective starter. In
the end, he was too shaky in his bad starts and not dominant enough in his 32 career starts, Duchscherer has a 3.01 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. After working
good starts to make a significant Fantasy impact. His control is decent enough out for a few teams, Duchscherer signed on with the Orioles in late January.
for a young left-hander, but he's not an especially good source of strikeouts. Still, he is nothing more than an injury-risk Fantasy sleeper for the deepest of
Plus, he's still trying to build up his innings. The fact he had only 172 2/3 last formats.
year makes his 15 victories all the more impressive, in that fluky sort of way.
Cecil is worthy of a late-round look, of course -- he has a good chance of Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
improving in his second full season -- but you shouldn't place too much 3-Yr Avg 9 56.2 4-3 2.54 0 38 1.04 142
emphasis on his 15 victories. 2010 5 28.0 2-1 2.89 0 18 1.36 60
2009 0 0.0 0-0 ---- 0 0 ---- 0
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 22 133.0 11-6 4.60 0 93 1.44 268.5
2010 28 172.2 15-7 4.22 0 117 1.33 388
Brian Duensing, MIN SP/RP
2009 17 93.1 7-4 5.30 0 69 1.65 114
Brian Duensing started the 2010 campaign pitching out of the bullpen, but he
was eventually moved to the rotation and became a reliable starter. He went 7-
2 with a 3.05 ERA in 13 starts, including one complete-game shutout. That
John Danks, CHW SP came after he posted a 1.80 ERA in 40 appearances out of the bullpen.
John Danks had a career year in 2010 and appears to be developing into a Duensing has never been a huge strikeout guy, but his low WHIP and ability to
front-of-the-line Fantasy pitcher. The left-hander led the White Sox in wins get batters out on a consistent basis makes him an interesting pitcher to watch
(15), ERA (3.72), strikeouts (162) and WHIP (1.22) this past season and set in 2011. He will remain a starter and should be able to put up at least double-
career highs in some significant categories. Danks recorded seven wins digit wins with a respectable ERA. Left-handers can be a wild card, but
between June and July but had just four more down the stretch. He will likely Duensing's track record suggests he can handle the task. Playing for a
be behind Mark Buehrle and Jake Peavy in the rotation next season, but not contender in Minnesota, Duensing should be considered a viable option in
because of his performance over the last three years. He has posted an ERA deeper mixed leagues and will be worth taking in the later rounds in those
under 4.00 and made at least 32 starts each season since 2008 and could take formats on Draft Day.
it to the next level in 2011. Consider Danks a top 30 Fantasy option on Draft
Day. Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 11 107.1 8-2 3.02 0 66 1.27 244
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS 2010 13 130.2 10-3 2.62 1 78 1.20 313
3-Yr Avg 32 202.2 13-10 3.60 1 157 1.24 450.5 2009 9 84.0 5-2 3.64 0 53 1.37 147
2010 32 213.0 15-11 3.72 1 162 1.22 482
2009 32 200.1 13-11 3.77 1 149 1.28 361
Gavin Floyd, CHW SP
After recording 17 wins with a 3.84 ERA in 2008, Gavin Floyd has had two sub-
Wade Davis, TB SP par seasons since. This past year was one, as he finished three games under
Davis came back down to earth a bit last year after his stellar late-season trial .500 and posted his highest ERA in three seasons. He did have a stretch of 12
in 2009. But after missing three weeks in August with a right shoulder strain, he starts in which he went 6-2 with a 1.19 ERA, but a rough August and
returned to finish the season on a high note, going 3-1 with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.20 September (4-5, 5.05 ERA in 10 starts) spoiled his stellar run. Fantasy owners
WHIP and 6.9 strikeouts per nine innings over his final eight starts. He allowed that were expecting a breakout year could have been one season too early.
two earned runs or fewer in 10 of his final 13 starts, which demonstrates a level The 27-year-old is expected to be a part of a rotation in 2011 that includes
of comfort and consistency not apparent in his overall numbers. Yes, Davis Mark Buehrle, Jake Peavy, John Danks and Edwin Jackson and should thrive
improved over the course of the season, which is part of the usual feeling-out with less pressure on him. Floyd has averaged nearly 13 wins each of the last
process for rookie pitchers -- even the ones with the most talent. Davis may not three seasons and should be able to bounce back from his disappointing 2010
have as much talent as, say, David Price or Jeremy Hellickson, but most campaign. Consider him worth taking in the middle rounds on Draft Day but the
organizations would be touting him as a top-of-the-rotation guy. And he isn't far potential is there for him to perform at a high level.
off. He could stand to improve both his walk rate and strikeout rate, but
chances are he will to some degree in his second full season. He's relatively Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
short on hype given his upside. You couldn't do much better with a middle-to- 3-Yr Avg 31 195.2 13-11 4.00 1 153 1.28 412.5
late-round pick. 2010 31 187.1 10-13 4.08 1 151 1.37 347
2009 30 193.0 11-11 4.06 1 163 1.23 353
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 18 102.0 7-6 4.06 0 74 1.34 204
2010 29 168.0 12-10 4.07 0 113 1.35 331
Gio Gonzalez, OAK SP
2009 6 36.1 2-2 3.72 1 36 1.27 78
The A's stable of up-and-coming starting pitchers took a huge collective step
forward in 2010, and Gio Gonzalez kept pace with teammates Brett Anderson,
Trevor Cahill and Dallas Braden. Gonzalez saw his strikeout rate dip from his
rookie 2009 season, but the extra contact didn't hurt him at all. The 25-year-old
southpaw finished the year with 15 wins and a 3.23 ERA, thanks to a
diminished walk rate, a sharp reduction in home runs and a higher left-on-base
rate. His improvement was so outsized, especially with his more frequent
stranding of base runners, that Fantasy owners should not be surprised to see
Gonzalez give some of his gains back. He can still be used in standard mixed
leagues, but think of him as more of a back-of-the-rotation option.
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 19 111.0 7-7 4.46 0 105 1.47 208.5
2010 33 200.2 15-9 3.23 1 171 1.31 476
2009 17 98.2 6-7 5.75 0 109 1.71 117
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 47
best pitcher -- well, outside of David Price, anyway. His breakout potential
makes him well worth a middle-round pick, and if your league places an
Jeremy Guthrie, BAL SP
emphasis on prospects, you might have to reach for him even earlier.
Coming off a 2009 season in which he had an MLB-worst 17 losses and a 5.04
ERA, all of Guthrie's progress in 2007 and 2008 seemed like a lost cause. And
it still seemed that way in the first half of 2010. With a 3-10 record and a 4.77 Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
ERA, Guthrie was again on his way to being one of the AL's worst pitchers. But 2010 4 36.1 4-0 3.47 0 33 1.10 108
that's when everything changed for the 31-year-old right-hander. His control got
sharper, his stuff got better, and he went from being a laughingstock to a
borderline staff ace, allowing more than two earned runs just four times in his Felix Hernandez, SEA SP
final 14 starts for a 2.76 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP and an 8-4 record. It's like he Despite a 13-12 record, Felix Hernandez was so good last year that he left Cy
picked up where he left off in 2008, like the 2009 season never happened. Young voters no choice but to ignore the wins and losses and give him the
Maybe his role in the World Baseball Classic that spring did more damage than award. Aside from receiving the major's lowest level of run support, Hernandez
anyone thought. Guthrie doesn't get a ton of strikeouts and might have trouble had everything going for him: a high strikeout rate, excellent control, strong
winning games for the Orioles, but he pitches deep into games and could wind ground ball tendencies and a steady history of stranding the few baserunners
up on a contender before season's end. He's a sneaky late-rounder given his he allows. Only Roy Halladay projects to have a better season than Hernandez
lack of name value. and owners should plan on taking the young righty by the middle of the second
round at the latest.
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 32 200.0 10-14 4.19 1 116 1.27 354 Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
2010 32 209.1 11-14 3.83 0 119 1.16 405 3-Yr Avg 33 229.2 14-9 2.70 3 208 1.18 576
2009 33 200.0 10-17 5.04 1 110 1.42 187 2010 34 249.2 13-12 2.34 6 232 1.06 643
2009 34 238.2 19-5 2.49 2 217 1.14 643
Rich Harden, OAK SP
It was another season and another rash of missed starts for Rich Harden. This Derek Holland, TEX SP
time it was shoulder woes that limited Harden to 18 starts and a pair of relief Holland has proven everything he can at the minor-league level, going 6-2 with
appearances. He appeared to be hampered all season long, as his velocity a 1.87 ERA in 11 Triple-A starts last season. But when the Rangers finally
dropped and his command of the strike zone deteriorated. Harden gets a committed a rotation spot to him last May, he couldn't stay healthy, missing the
chance for a fresh start, having signed with Oakland in the offseason. He will next two months with inflammation in his rotator cuff. He came back strong
compete with Brandon McCarthy and Josh Outman for the fifth spot in the enough, even making the postseason roster, but the Rangers shuffled him
starting rotation, though Harden could ultimately wind up in the A's bullpen. between the rotation and the bullpen, unwilling to let him take his lumps in the
Given that his health, skill set and role are all up in the air going into spring heat of a pennant race. To start the 2011 season, the Rangers are taking the
training, Harden is a risky Fantasy pick this year, even in deeper mixed training wheels off and trusting him with a rotation spot. At age 23, he still has
leagues. plenty of time to find his form and become a productive part of the Rangers
rotation. Holland has the upside to make an impact even in mixed leagues.
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 23 127.0 8-5 3.69 0 142 1.31 292 Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
2010 18 92.0 5-5 5.58 0 75 1.66 119 3-Yr Avg 16 98.0 6-8 5.51 0 80 1.47 137
2009 26 141.0 9-9 4.09 0 171 1.34 295 2010 10 57.1 3-4 4.08 0 54 1.38 96
2009 21 138.1 8-13 6.12 1 107 1.50 121
Dan Haren, LAA SP
The normally consistent Dan Haren got off to a miserable start in 2010, Phil Hughes, NYY SP
allowing 16 home runs in 82 1/3 innings over the course of the season's first After leaving Joba Chamberlain in the dust in spring training, it all seemed a
two months. From June on, he got his gopheritis under control, paring what little too easy for Hughes in the first half of the regular season. He was 11-2, on
was a 5.35 ERA down to a 3.91 mark at season's end. Haren really turned it on his way to the All-Star game and arguably the best pitcher for the most storied
once he was traded to the Angels in July, posting a 2.87 ERA in 14 starts. That franchise in baseball history. So naturally, it couldn't last. Hughes posted a
latter mark is closer to what Fantasy owners have become accustomed to with 5.15 ERA over his final 20 appearances, making his final numbers -- aside
Haren, as he had ranked among the top 10 Fantasy starting pitchers in each of from a stellar win-loss record -- relatively ordinary. But isn't that the way it
the three previous seasons. That's where Haren could wind up yet again in always goes for young pitchers? Coddled throughout their minor-league
2011, as there is every indication that he will return to his previous levels over careers, they finally reach the majors and get stretched beyond capacity.
the course of a whole season. Despite his mediocre stat line from last season, Hughes worked primarily as a reliever in 2009, so those 176 1/3 innings caught
Haren should be regarded as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy starting pitcher for the up to him in a hurry. He should be a little more prepared to handle the workload
coming year. in 2011. He's still capable of performing like he did in the first half last year and
is still an ace in waiting. Some people may pass on him because of his final
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS ERA, but he's a bargain in the middle rounds. His second-year as a full-time
3-Yr Avg 34 226.2 14-10 3.45 2 215 1.14 554.5 starter figures to be smoother than his first.
2010 35 235.0 12-12 3.91 2 216 1.27 497
2009 33 229.1 14-10 3.14 3 223 1.00 574 Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 15 98.2 9-5 4.11 0 88 1.27 231
2010 29 176.1 18-8 4.19 0 146 1.25 430
Jeremy Hellickson, TB SP 2009 7 86.0 8-3 3.03 0 96 1.12 250
Hellickson's major-league debut went about as well as anyone could have
expected in 2010. In fact, it went better than the Rays were prepared to handle.
They promoted him in early August mostly as an injury replacement for Jeff
Niemann and Wade Davis, but he ended up outperforming both, posting a 2.05
ERA and 0.76 WHIP in four quality starts right out of the gate. Still, the Rays
weren't ready to turn a rotation spot over to him, so he was forced to finish the
season in an unfamiliar bullpen role, limiting his numbers. The Rays are ready
this time around, having traded Matt Garza to the Cubs to clear a rotation spot
for Hellickson. He has long profiled as an ace and showed last year he really
doesn't have any on-the-job learning to do. He might already be the team's
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 48
Tommy Hunter, TEX SP plenty left, and he pitches for one of the best teams in baseball. He could be a
Tommy Hunter had a tale of two seasons in 2010. His home-road splits were bargain as a fourth starting pitcher.
pretty drastic but the right-hander still finished with career highs in almost every
category. He went 7-0 with a 3.06 ERA in 12 appearances (11 starts) at home Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
and 6-4 with a 4.48 ERA on the road to finish with double-digit wins and a sub- 3-Yr Avg 28 185.0 12-8 4.04 1 142 1.31 389
4.00 ERA for the first time in his career. Injuries limited him to just 22 starts, but 2010 33 215.0 14-11 4.40 0 156 1.42 410
the 24-year-old showed the Rangers -- and Fantasy owners for that matter – 2009 27 176.1 11-8 3.83 1 139 1.27 336
that the potential is there. His 6-3, 280-pound frame should help him handle the
rigors of 30-plus starts in 2011 and Texas' potent lineup should supply him with
more than enough run support to be effective. He will have to improve his
Jon Lester, BOS SP
numbers on the road to take the next step, but that trend should even itself out
If Lester keeps this up, he's going to win a Cy Young award. He came darn
in the long run. While he is not a strikeout pitcher, he does not walk many
close in 2010, settling for fourth place following a season-ending loss in which
batters either and sports a career 1.32 WHIP. With Cliff Lee now in
he allowed eight earned runs. But that's water under the bridge now. The
Philadelphia, Hunter will pitch out of the backend of the Rangers rotation this
important thing is he struck out more than a batter per inning for the second
season and should be considered a low-end Fantasy option on Draft Day,
straight year, finishing with a league-leading 9.7 strikeouts per nine. He also
more suited for deeper mixed leagues and AL-only formats.
pitched over 200 innings for the third straight year, and in each of those years,
he finished with an ERA around 3.30 and a WHIP around 1.20. You can't get
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS any more established than that. But look at that, he did. By shortening his usual
3-Yr Avg 15 83.2 7-4 4.41 1 47 1.31 171.5 early-season slump, he managed to record 19 victories, and with the lineup the
2010 22 128.0 13-4 3.73 1 68 1.24 313 Red Sox just put together by signing Carl Crawford and trading for Adrian
2009 19 112.0 9-6 4.10 1 64 1.30 185 Gonzalez, he's in line for a zillion more. You could argue he was even more
valuable than he looked, his numbers skewed by four starts like that last one in
which he allowed six earned runs or more. He doesn't get the attention of some
Edwin Jackson, CHW SP aces, but he should be gone by the third or fourth round.
Edwin Jackson saw another change of scenery in 2010 and was able to get his
season, and perhaps his career, back on track. After posting a 3.62 ERA with Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
the Tigers the year before, the right-hander struggled in the first half of the 3-Yr Avg 32 207.1 17-8 3.30 2 201 1.23 524.5
season. In 21 starts with the Diamondbacks, he had an ERA over 5.00 but 2010 32 208.0 19-9 3.25 2 225 1.20 549
made some history on June 25 against the Rays. Jackson tossed a no-hitter 2009 32 203.1 15-8 3.41 2 225 1.23 496
against Tampa Bay on that night, despite walking eight batters and throwing an
absurd 149 pitches. He was shipped to the White Sox at the trade deadline and
all he did down the stretch was go 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 11 starts under the
Colby Lewis, TEX SP
tutelage of pitching coach Don Cooper. The 27-year-old has been rumored to
Colby Lewis entered the 2010 campaign with a career 6.71 ERA in five major-
be involved in many trades since landing in Chicago, but it looks as though he
league seasons and spent the previous two years pitching for the Hiroshima
will be a part of their 2011 rotation along with Mark Buehrle, Jake Peavy, John
Toyo Carp. The Rangers brought him back with little expectations, and the 31-
Danks and Gavin Floyd. Jackson has pitched better in the American League in
year-old earned every bit of his $1,750,000 million salary. The right-hander
his career and could be in line for a big season in 2011. He still walks too many
went 8-5 with a 3.33 ERA in the first half and finished 12-13 with a 3.72 ERA in
hitters but is worth taking in the middle rounds on Draft Day.
32 starts, including one complete game. He also went 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in
four postseason outings and helped the Rangers to their first World Series
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS appearance in franchise history. With the departure of Cliff Lee, Lewis enters
3-Yr Avg 32 202.1 12-11 4.14 1 150 1.38 386 2011 as one of the top two pitchers in Texas -- along with C.J. Wilson -- and
2010 32 209.1 10-12 4.47 1 181 1.39 370 will look to go over 200 innings pitched in back-to-back seasons. While his
2009 33 214.0 13-9 3.62 1 161 1.26 407 second-half dropoff a year ago raised some questions, he more than silenced
the critics with his playoff run. Lewis does not have the track record of some of
the better pitchers in the league, but he should be able to improve on his
Scott Kazmir, LAA SP numbers from a year ago while receiving more than enough run support from
Scott Kazmir's decline over the last two seasons has been the result of a near- the Rangers potent lineup. Plan on taking Lewis in the middle rounds on Draft
complete implosion of his skill set. His fastball velocity has declined steadily, Day as a more-than-viable option in most Fantasy formats.
and so has his strikeout rate, which has been cut by 43 percent since 2008.
Kazmir has also had more difficulty getting ground balls, so he has been Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
hammered by home runs. Making matters worse still, as Kazmir has been 3-Yr Avg 32 201.0 12-13 3.72 1 196 1.19 452
allowing more base runners, he is stranding fewer and fewer of them. He is still 2010 32 201.0 12-13 3.72 1 196 1.19 452
only 27, so a comeback is not out of the question, but Kazmir's performance 2009 0 0.0 0-0 ---- 0 0 ---- 0
has become so unreliable that he cannot be trusted in Fantasy outside of AL-
only leagues.
Francisco Liriano, MIN SP
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS In 2010, Francisco Liriano had the year Fantasy owners were waiting for after
3-Yr Avg 27 150.0 10-11 4.74 0 125 1.42 261.5 three injury-plagued and disappointing campaigns. He won a career-high 14
2010 28 150.0 9-15 5.94 0 93 1.58 154 games and struck out 201 in 191 2/3 innings. He also proved that he was
2009 26 147.1 10-9 4.89 0 117 1.42 215 durable, making 31 starts and posting a 3.62 ERA. While he did not have the
same success in the postseason, the left-hander laid a solid foundation
heading into 2011. Liriano has a history of arm troubles, as he missed the
John Lackey, BOS SP entire 2007 season following elbow-ligament replacement surgery, so always
Lackey's first year with the Red Sox didn't go so well, but it had nothing to do keep that in mind when drafting the left-hander. As long as Liriano is healthy
with his poor track record at Fenway Park entering the season. He was actually and pitching well, he should be considered a top 25 Fantasy pitcher on Draft
better at home, posting a 4.34 ERA there compared to a 4.45 mark on the Day.
road. No, Lackey just plain didn't pitch well, his walk rate rising over 3.0 per
nine innings for the first time since 2006 and his strikeout rate reaching its Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
lowest point since his rookie season. But before you go writing him off as over 3-Yr Avg 23 134.2 8-9 4.41 0 130 1.39 257
the hill and a lost cause in Fantasy, you should know he didn't really lose any 2010 31 191.2 14-10 3.62 0 201 1.26 453
velocity on his pitches. He also made major strides in the second half, though 2009 24 136.2 5-13 5.80 0 122 1.55 114
you wouldn't know it by his 5-6 record to go along with his 3.97 ERA, 7.8
strikeouts per nine and 2.3 walks per nine during that stretch. Perhaps he just
needed some time to adjust to the pressure-cooker atmosphere of Boston. He
wouldn't be the first. Remember Josh Beckett in 2006? At age 32, Lackey has
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 49
Justin Masterson, CLE SP reason he's still a middle-to-late-rounder. The Blue Jays may continue to limit
Justin Masterson became a full-time starter in 2010, but he did not have the his innings and, in turn, his wins potential, but his electric stuff makes him a
type of year Fantasy owners were anticipating. While he posted a respectable candidate for 200 strikeouts, not to mention an emerging ace.
4.78 ERA, he went 6-12 in 29 starts and was relegated to bullpen duties down
the stretch to cut down on his innings. He actually got better as the season Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
progressed and will be counted on to bolster Cleveland's rotation this year. 3-Yr Avg 14 93.2 5-5 4.23 0 105 1.38 220.5
Masterson was one of the key pieces in the Victor Martinez deal a couple of 2010 26 146.1 10-7 4.49 1 178 1.38 323
years ago and should be able to improve his all-around numbers in 2011. He 2009 10 69.2 2-4 4.39 0 63 1.58 114
has nearly a 2-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his career and has the upside to be
a 15-game winner at some point. Still, Masterson is more of an AL-only
Fantasy option on Draft Day.
Jeff Niemann, TB SP
For the first half of 2010, Fantasy owners thought they had a potential top-25
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS option in Niemann. By the end of the year, they didn't know what to think. What
3-Yr Avg 18 132.2 5-9 4.27 1 109 1.42 205.5 should you think of a guy who posts a 2.77 ERA in one half and a 7.69 ERA in
2010 29 180.0 6-13 4.70 1 140 1.50 248 the other? One of them has to be a misprint, right? In fairness, Niemann has an
2009 16 129.1 4-10 4.52 1 119 1.45 165 alibi for his poor second half: He missed three weeks with a strained right
shoulder and wasn't the same when he returned, delivering his worst three
starts of the season in back-to-back-to-back appearances. He allowed 23
Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS SP earned runs in 10 innings for a 20.70 ERA during that stretch. Take away those
We'll say this about Matsuzaka's 2010 season: It was better than his 2009. three starts, and his season ERA drops by a full run. Pretty encouraging right?
Still, he didn't have the bounce-back campaign some people expected for him Equally encouraging were his seven strong innings in his final start and his
after missing most of 2009 with a shoulder injury. Instead, he had a whole new three shutout innings in his one playoff appearance. Niemann may have been
slew of injuries, beginning with a strained back in spring training and continuing pitching over his head in the first half, but he was pitching way, way under his
with a strained forearm in June. Those were hardly his only problems, though. head in the second. With his shoulder injury behind him, he should get back to
As usual, his poor control prevented him from accumulating the innings being at least a middle-of-the-rotation guy, making him worth a middle-to-late-
necessary to become a consistent winner. He went seven innings only five round pick in Fantasy.
times all season. He also allowed four earned runs or more in seven of his final
nine starts, demonstrating the adverse effect his high walk rate has on his Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
other numbers. Suddenly, his strikeout potential doesn't seem worth the 3-Yr Avg 20 123.2 9-5 4.22 1 90 1.33 256
trouble. You could blame overuse in the 2009 World Baseball Classic for Dice- 2010 29 174.1 12-8 4.39 1 131 1.26 367
K's troubles, but the high walk rate was always there, signaling impending 2009 30 180.2 13-6 3.94 2 125 1.35 336
danger. You never want to sell a Red Sox pitcher short, but this one is looking
like no more than a late-rounder on Draft Day.
Carl Pavano, MIN SP
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS Carl Pavano had his best season in years in 2010. He went 17-11 with a 3.75
3-Yr Avg 22 127.0 10-5 4.04 0 114 1.43 266 ERA in 32 starts, including seven complete games. While his strikeout total
2010 25 153.2 9-6 4.69 0 133 1.37 290 went down from the year before, he pitched a career-high 221 innings and
2009 12 59.1 4-6 5.76 0 54 1.87 43 posted his lowest ERA since 2004. He finally decided to return to Minnesota by
signing a two-year deal in January. Pavano has a history with injuries, but
showed last season that he can perform at a high level when healthy. Landing
Brian Matusz, BAL SP with a contender, like Minnesota, would obviously give him more Fantasy
Matusz was arguably the most attractive rookie pitcher entering 2010, earning appeal, but consider Pavano worth taking in the mid-to-late rounds in mixed
must-draft status in all formats. Not long afterward, he was earning must-drop leagues, regardless of what uniform he puts on.
status. He had the credentials of a young pitcher who could make an
immediate impact -- a low walk rate, an elite pedigree, a measure of success at Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
the end of the 2009 season -- but it just wasn't happening for him. By the end 3-Yr Avg 24 151.2 12-8 4.51 3 93 1.30 306.5
of July, he had a 3-11 record and a 5.46 ERA. And that's where the story ends 2010 32 221.0 17-11 3.75 7 117 1.19 486
for some Fantasy owners -- the ones who had already fallen out of contention 2009 33 199.1 14-12 5.10 1 147 1.37 288
and turned their attention to Fantasy Football. But that's also when it all started
to click for the young left-hander. Over his final 11 starts, he only twice allowed
more than two earned runs, putting together a 7-1 record, a 2.18 ERA, and a
Jake Peavy, CHW SP
1.03 WHIP. He also recorded 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings during that
Jake Peavy had his 2010 campaign cut short due to a detached right shoulder
stretch, reaffirming he has top-of-the-rotation type stuff. Some people will
muscle, which halted his resurgent play after getting off to a rough start. The
overlook Matusz because of his overall numbers or their early-season
right-hander posted a 6.23 ERA over his first 11 starts before going 3-2 with a
memories of him, but they're missing out on one of the biggest potential
1.67 ERA over his final six outings. He underwent successful surgery on his
breakthroughs of 2011. If Matusz slips to the late rounds, he's a steal.
shoulder and has started his rehab, but his status for spring training is not yet
known. Assuming he is ready to go for opening day, Peavy will be a part of a
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS solid rotation that will include Mark Buehrle, John Danks, Edwin Jackson and
3-Yr Avg 13 73.1 5-5 4.42 0 60 1.38 142 Gavin Floyd. The 29-year-old has only shown flashes of what won him the
2010 32 175.2 10-12 4.30 0 143 1.34 334 2007 NL Cy young Award since coming to Chicago, but his career 3.36 ERA
2009 8 44.2 5-2 4.63 0 38 1.48 85 and nearly 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio makes him a popular Fantasy pick.
Keep an eye on his progress this spring but plan on drafting Peavy in the
middle rounds on Draft Day.
Brandon Morrow, TOR SP
In 2010, the Blue Jays did something the Mariners never could. They assigned Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
Morrow a role and stuck with it. Sure, he struggled with high pitch counts at 3-Yr Avg 20 127.1 9-8 3.53 1 123 1.18 298.5
first, compiling a 6.00 ERA over the first two months, but he dominated the rest 2010 17 107.0 7-6 4.63 1 93 1.23 218
of the way, striking out 11.3 batters per nine innings. The turning point seemed 2009 16 101.2 9-6 3.45 1 110 1.12 256
to come in a May 31 start against the Rays, when Morrow realized his stuff was
so good he didn't need to try to fool people with it. An overdue lesson for a 25-
year-old in his fourth major-league season? Perhaps, but cut the guy some
slack -- the Mariners tried making him a closer for two years. By August,
Morrow was locked in, his best start coming Aug. 8 against those same Rays,
when he struck out 17 in a near no-hitter. Unfortunately, the Blue Jays shut him
down soon afterward, not wanting to overextend him, which may be the only
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 50
Brad Penny, DET SP David Price, TB SP
Brad Penny got off to a hot start in 2010 but a strained right lat muscle cut his Well, Price certainly didn't need long to enter the elite class of starting pitchers.
season short as he did not pitch after May. He went 3-0 with a 0.94 ERA over In his first full major-league season, he made an All-Star start and finished
his first four starts with the Cardinals and finished 3-4 with a 3.23 ERA in nine second in AL Cy Young voting, living up to the potential that made him the first
starts. He posted a 35-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Penny is three years overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft and a must-have in Fantasy before he
removed from posting back-to-back 16 win campaigns and could get back to reached the majors. And he didn't fade down the stretch in the second half as
that level, if he is 100 percent healthy. The Tigers are willing to take that risk as you might expect for a pitcher exceeding 200 innings for the first time. His
they inked Penny to a one-year deal in January. Penny is merely an injury-risk strikeout rate increased and his WHIP decreased in the second half.
Fantasy sleeper for deeper formats on Draft Day. September was actually his best month; he went 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA. Some
Fantasy owners grew frustrated with the Rays for holding Price back in 2008
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS and 2009, but they clearly knew what they were doing. You'll find some
3-Yr Avg 19 108.0 7-7 5.00 0 65 1.44 177.5 skeptics still, people claiming his walk rate is too high or his rise in innings too
2010 9 55.2 3-4 3.23 0 35 1.29 110 sudden, but chances are he's only going to improve at age 25. He may not
2009 30 173.1 11-9 4.88 1 109 1.40 231 technically rank among the top 10 pitchers in Fantasy just because there are
so many alternatives, but you can feel confident drafting him as your ace.
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
Andy Pettitte, FA SP
3-Yr Avg 18 117.0 10-4 3.31 1 101 1.24 296.5
It all seemed a little too good to be true for Pettitte in the first half last year.
2010 31 208.2 19-6 2.72 2 188 1.19 579
Coming off a four-year stretch in which he posted a 4.24 ERA and a 1.42
2009 23 128.1 10-7 4.42 0 102 1.35 223
WHIP, he was suddenly an All-Star pitcher again, going 11-2 with a 2.70 ERA
and a 1.15 WHIP. Shoot, he was practically a Cy Young candidate. Such
resurgences just don't happen for 38-year-olds. Not surprisingly, the years
caught up to Pettitte in the second half, when he was limited to four ugly starts Ricky Romero, TOR SP
because of a groin injury. He rebounded with two quality starts in the playoffs, Romero followed up his encouraging rookie season with an impressive
showing he might have another year of productivity left in him, but 200-plus sophomore campaign that seemed to address every one of the concerns
innings are too much to ask of a player his age. Combine the reduction in raised about him. He improved both his walk and hit rate, correcting a 1.52
innings with an expected rise in ERA, and you shouldn't have especially high WHIP that would have made the rest of his numbers unsustainable if allowed
hopes for Pettitte this season. Still, if he's back with the Yankees as expected, to continue. He validated himself as a strikeout pitcher, actually improving his
you know he'll have a good chance of winning 12-15 games, which is reason rate from 7.1 per nine innings to 7.5 per nine. He routinely pitched deep into
enough to draft him late to fill out your Fantasy staff. games, lasting seven innings or more in 18 of 32 starts to put him well over 200
for the season. Of course, he also posted a 4.74 ERA over the final three
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS months, suggesting the workload was maybe more than he could handle, but a
2010 21 129.0 11-3 3.28 0 101 1.27 327 couple of especially bad starts just before the All-Star break inflated that
3-Yr Avg 29 176.0 13-8 4.09 0 136 1.36 370 number. By most every measure, Romero is a pitcher on the rise, and though
2009 32 194.2 14-8 4.16 0 148 1.38 341 he may not have the pedigree to become a full-fledged ace, he's a half step
away from the next-highest rung on the ladder. Draft him as your fourth starter
and watch him perform more like a No. 2 or 3.
Joel Pineiro, LAA SP Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
Over the last two seasons, Joel Pineiro has shown that you don't have to be a
3-Yr Avg 30 194.0 14-9 3.99 2 158 1.39 403
strikeout pitcher to have value in Fantasy. In having one of the majors' lowest
2010 32 210.0 14-9 3.73 3 174 1.29 464
walk rates and highest ground-ball rates, he has made the most out of being a
2009 29 178.0 13-9 4.30 0 141 1.52 280
contact pitcher. Like fellow sinkerballer Tim Hudson, Pineiro not only does a
good job of getting hitters to put the ball on the ground, but he has been
especially hard to hit line drives off of. That allows him to keep a below-
average WHIP despite not missing very many bats. The lack of strikeouts still Marc Rzepczynski, TOR SP
hurts his Fantasy value, but Pineiro can be used as a back-of-the-rotation Rzepczynski, the man of a thousand consonants, was a headache for more
option in standard mixed leagues. than just the guy sewing the name on the back of his jersey in 2010. He didn't
come close to meeting his sleeper appeal, never finding his form after breaking
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS the middle finger on his throwing hand late in spring training. Sure, he reached
3-Yr Avg 27 171.2 11-9 4.09 2 93 1.26 346.5 the majors and held down a rotation spot after the Blue Jays shut down
2010 23 152.1 10-7 3.84 3 92 1.24 333 Brandon Morrow late last season, but he wasn't nearly as impressive as he
2009 32 214.0 15-12 3.49 3 105 1.14 391 was during an 11-start stint just one year earlier. And he was even worse at
Triple-A Las Vegas, posting a 6.04 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP in 12 starts.
Rzepczynski has his strong points. He strikes out nearly a batter per inning and
doesn't give up a ton of homers, but he'll need to improve his walk rate to live
Rick Porcello, DET SP up to his full potential. Because he's out of the starting rotation to begin the
After a stellar rookie campaign in which he won 14 games and posted a 3.96 season, he's more of an AL-only sleeper, which is probably for the best since
ERA, Rick Porcello took a bit of a step back in 2010. He was sent to the minors you'd have a heck of a time searching for him with the clock winding down in a
after going 4-7 with a 6.14 ERA over his first 13 starts, but he worked some mixed-league draft.
things out down on the farm and came back stronger. He went 6-5 with a 4.00
ERA over his final 14 starts and finished with an 84-to-38 strikeout-to-walk Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
ratio. Heading into 2011, Porcello will look to build on his solid second half and 3-Yr Avg 12 62.2 3-4 4.31 0 58 1.47 108
get back to getting batters out. He is not a huge strikeout guy, which limits his 2010 12 63.2 4-4 4.95 0 57 1.60 93
Fantasy value, but he does not issue many walks either. As a contact pitcher, 2009 11 61.1 2-4 3.67 0 60 1.32 107
wins and ERA are what make him valuable in Fantasy, so plan on taking
Porcello in the middle-to-late rounds on Draft Day.
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 19 111.0 8-7 4.46 0 58 1.36 198
2010 27 162.2 10-12 4.92 0 84 1.39 255
2009 31 170.2 14-9 3.96 0 89 1.34 276
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CC Sabathia, NYY SP get some early looks from those hoping for a bounce-back season, but he's
Sabathia may have fallen short of a second Cy Young award in 2010, but he more of a middle-to-late rounder these days.
didn't do anything to disappoint his Fantasy owners, recording a career-high 21
victories and pitching more than 230 innings for the fourth straight season. And Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
that's not even counting the 71 1/3 postseason innings he's pitched during that 3-Yr Avg 33 212.2 13-12 4.27 1 171 1.31 425.5
stretch. He's like a left-handed version of Roy Halladay -- durable and 2010 33 203.1 13-15 5.18 0 187 1.46 350
dominant. Every year you think his workload has to catch up to him eventually, 2009 33 219.2 11-12 4.14 0 167 1.32 350
and every year he does the exact same thing. He's up to four straight top-five
Cy Young finishes, which is as much consistency as you can hope to find at a
position as volatile as starting pitcher. About the only thing that fazes him is the
Kevin Slowey, MIN SP
month of April, during which he has a career ERA of 4.35, but he managed to
You may not know it because he missed so much time with injuries and
avoid his usual early-season swoon last year. He's a horse -- plain and simple -
finished with a mediocre 4.45 ERA, but Slowey won 13 games last year. As a
- and you know he's going to pile up victories as long as he's pitching for the
control artist, he rarely does anything self-defeating, his 1.7 walks per nine
Yankees. He may not be the first starting pitcher drafted in 2011, but he should
innings ranking fourth among pitchers with at least 150 innings last season, but
easily be one of the first five.
he'll need to improve the other areas of his game to become an impact Fantasy
pitcher. For starters, he could stand to stay healthy. He missed two weeks last
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS season because of a strained triceps after missing three months in 2009
3-Yr Avg 34 240.1 19-8 3.07 5 215 1.15 626.5 because of wrist surgery. The surgery probably explains why he had trouble
2010 34 237.2 21-7 3.18 2 197 1.19 626 pitching deep into games, but even if he lasts longer in 2011, he'll have to do a
2009 34 230.0 19-8 3.37 2 197 1.15 549 better job of stranding runners. He has a 4.60 ERA over the last two seasons,
which is completely out of sync with his WHIP. At age 26, Slowey always
seems to be on the verge of taking a big step forward, but after a year in which
Ervin Santana, LAA SP so many other pitchers took that same step forward, you wouldn't want to take
Three years ago, Ervin Santana looked like a Fantasy stud in the making, a chance on him earlier than the late rounds.
posting an impressive 4.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 3.49 ERA. Having battled
elbow and triceps injuries in 2009, Santana has not been the same pitcher Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
since, as his strikeouts are down, his walks are up, and his fastball velocity has 3-Yr Avg 24 135.2 12-7 4.38 1 105 1.27 296.5
diminished. Santana was healthy last season and produced 222 2/3 innings, 2010 28 155.2 13-6 4.45 0 116 1.29 329
and because he won 17 games, he was valuable enough to start in standard 2009 16 90.2 10-3 4.86 0 75 1.41 176
mixed leagues. However, he was still fairly hittable, helping opponents to a
.260 batting average that was equal to the league's average, and he had to rely
on ample run support to amass a high win total. The Angels' lineup hasn't
Jason Vargas, SEA SP
become any more potent over the offseason, so it's reasonable to expect a
Five years after a promising rookie season with the Marlins, Jason Vargas put
drop in both run support and wins. That would make Santana nothing more
himself back on the Fantasy map with a very good 2010 campaign. Like other
than a borderline starting pitcher for mixed leagues this season.
Mariners' starters, Vargas got very little run support, ranking fifth-to-last among
all major league starters, so despite a 3.78 ERA, the lefty finished with a 9-12
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS record. In another stadium, the flyball-prone Vargas probably wouldn't have
3-Yr Avg 29 193.2 14-8 4.04 3 163 1.29 428.5 been as effective, as his road 4.85 ERA attests, but Safeco Field suits his
2010 33 222.2 17-10 3.92 4 169 1.32 480 game perfectly. Vargas pitches to contact, allows his athletic outfielders to
2009 23 139.2 8-8 5.03 2 107 1.47 190 record outs, and puts only a minimum number of batters on base by way of
walks. As long as Vargas remains a Mariner, his home splits will give owners in
deeper mixed leagues a reason to roster him.
Max Scherzer, DET SP
Max Scherzer finally had the season Fantasy owners had been waiting for in Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
2010. After posting a 7.29 ERA over his first eight starts, he was sent down to 3-Yr Avg 15 94.2 4-6 4.18 0 57 1.28 168.5
the minors to work out some kinks. It worked out well as the right-hander 2010 31 192.2 9-12 3.78 0 116 1.25 377
returned a few weeks later and went 11-7 with a 2.46 ERA over his final 23 2009 14 91.2 3-6 4.91 0 54 1.33 98
starts. Scherzer posted career highs in wins (12), strikeouts (184), and innings
pitched (195 2/3) while making 31 starts. He heads into the 2011 campaign
looking to keep things rolling and creates a solid 1-2 punch with Justin
Justin Verlander, DET SP
Verlander for Detroit. The potential has finally caught up to reality and Scherzer
Justin Verlander had another dominant campaign in 2010 and posted a career-
should be able to win 12-15 games while posting a sub-4.00 ERA with a ton of
low 3.37 ERA in 33 starts, including four complete games. He earned one
strikeouts. Target him in the early rounds on Draft Day.
fewer win than the year before but what was more surprising was his strikeout
decline. After recording a career-high 269 in 2009, he posted just 219 last
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS season while walking 71. Still, he has won a combined 37 games over the last
3-Yr Avg 23 140.2 7-9 3.71 0 141 1.28 287.5 two years and could be in line for his first 20-win season in 2011. The Tigers
2010 31 195.2 12-11 3.50 0 184 1.25 433 added a big bat (Victor Martinez) and helped stabilize the bullpen (Joaquin
2009 30 170.1 9-11 4.12 0 174 1.34 308 Benoit), which should only help the right-hander’s cause. Verlander has
become one of the more reliable pitchers in the game and Fantasy owners
should expect another big year from the Tigers ace. He should be one of the
James Shields, TB SP first 10 starting pitchers taken off the board on Draft Day in 2011.
Shields led the AL in three categories last year. Unfortunately, they were hits,
earned runs and home runs. Granted, that's partially a testament to how many Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
innings he pitched -- he went over 200 for the fourth straight season -- but it's 3-Yr Avg 34 221.2 16-12 3.86 3 217 1.24 503.5
also an indication of just how far he has fallen since 2008, when he was on the 2010 33 224.1 18-9 3.37 4 219 1.16 577
verge of becoming a Fantasy stud. Strangely enough, he was racking up 2009 35 240.0 19-9 3.45 3 269 1.18 616
strikeouts at an unprecedented pace, averaging a career-high 8.3 per nine
innings, but he just wasn't as sharp as he had been in the past, his walk rate
rising for the third consecutive year. So is the trend reversible? Possibly. But
the biggest obstacle for Shields might be that he set the bar too high. He
wasn't a big-name prospect, which is why he was such a find in the first place.
Regardless, he's coming off back-to-back seasons in which he allowed more
than a hit per inning with a losing record, a 4.00-plus ERA and a 1.30-plus
WHIP. That's not particularly encouraging for Fantasy owners. Shields might
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 52
Jered Weaver, LAA SP
Jered Weaver was already a solid No. 2 Fantasy pitcher coming into the 2010
Relief Pitchers
season, but now he has elevated himself onto the cusp of the pitching elite. In
his fifth big-league season, Weaver made dramatic improvements in his ERA David Aardsma, SEA RP
and WHIP, almost solely by missing more bats. In raising his strikeout per nine David Aardsma has been reliable as the Mariners' closer for the last two
innings ratio from 7.4 to 9.4, Weaver was able to limit opposing hitters to a .228 seasons, but he may not begin the 2011 season in the ninth inning role. His
batting average and improve his Fantasy stats nearly across the board. A performance isn't an issue; he saved 31 games in 36 chances and posted a
mediocre 13-12 record was the only blemish on his season, and his lack of run 3.44 ERA in 2010. Aardsma had offseason hip surgery that could put him
support was largely to blame for that. Weaver may not strike out a batter per behind schedule to participate in spring training and possibly opening day.
inning again this season, but he should come close enough to be a low-end Assuming that Aardsma does not miss any time, he could still be a risky pick,
No. 1/high-end No. 2 Fantasy starting pitcher. as the Mariners have been interested in trading him, possibly to a team that
would use him in a different relief role. Aardsma has the goods to be a solid
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS No. 2 Fantasy reliever, but you may want to explore other options, given the
3-Yr Avg 32 204.0 13-10 3.66 1 186 1.19 477 risks involved.
2010 34 224.1 13-12 3.01 0 233 1.07 584
2009 33 211.0 16-8 3.75 4 174 1.24 451 Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 56.2 2-5 3.65 59 1.32 23 26 249.5
2010 49.2 0-6 3.44 49 1.17 31 36 280
Brandon Webb, TEX SP 2009 71.1 3-6 2.52 80 1.16 38 42 344
Brandon Webb tried feverishly to make it back to the rubber a year ago but
after undergoing shoulder surgery in August 2009, he was unable to do so and
has started only one game over the past two seasons. He signed with the Andrew Bailey, OAK RP
Rangers this past January and will look to get back to his old form in 2011. He When Andrew Bailey pitched in 2010, he was every bit as effective as he was
is just two years removed from winning 22 games for the Diamondbacks and in his sterling rookie season, but his innings were curtailed as a result of back
four years from winning the NL Cy Young award. Webb has a career 3.27 ERA spasms and a sore elbow. He had elbow surgery in late September and
in 199 appearances (198 starts), and a 1065-to-435 strikeout-to-walk ratio in everything was going fine until the right-hander left a mid-March spring game
1,319 2/3 innings pitched. While injuries have derailed his career a bit, he could with a forearm strain. His status for opening day is now in doubt. Bailey should
be in for a decent campaign with the Rangers potent offense backing him up. pitch in 2011 as long as he doesn't have any catastrophic setbacks, but he
Fantasy owners should note that pitchers have historically struggled in their remains an injury-risk Fantasy option on Draft Day. While the 26-year-old righty
first season back from major shoulder surgery, but Webb has always been can be counted on for a low ERA and WHIP, he does not strike out many
known as a ground-ball pitcher and could neutralize the hitter-friendly Ballpark batters as far as closers go, so that puts him at a disadvantage in Fantasy
in Arlington. He will receive a shot at starting now that Cliff Lee is out of the when compared to the top-ranked ninth-inning men.
picture and should slide into the No. 3 spot in the Rangers rotation. Temper
your expectations for Webb in 2011 and consider the 31-year-old as a viable
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
option in AL-only formats, with the potential to be a sleeper in deeper mixed
3-Yr Avg 66.0 4-3 1.64 66 0.91 26 29 354
leagues.
2010 49.0 1-3 1.47 42 0.96 25 28 280
2009 83.1 6-3 1.84 91 0.88 26 30 383
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 12 77.0 7-2 3.51 1 62 1.21 198
2010 0 0.0 0-0 ---- 0 0 ---- 0
2009 1 4.0 0-0 13.50 0 2 2.00 -6 Daniel Bard, BOS RP
Mark it down: Bard will take over as the Red Sox closer sometime in the not-
too-distant future. It won't happen in 2011 -- at least, it hasn't yet -- but
whenever the Red Sox feel comfortable transitioning from Jonathan Papelbon,
C.J. Wilson, TEX SP Bard is ready and willing to step in. That's reason enough to draft him in
After pitching out of the bullpen for the majority of his career, C.J. Wilson deeper Rotisserie leagues. His stellar ERA and WHIP are just gravy. Bard has
returned to the rotation for the first time since his rookie campaign a year ago next-to-unhittable stuff -- his 5.4 hits per nine innings ranking third among
and put up some solid numbers. He went 15-8 with 3.35 ERA in 33 starts, pitchers with at least 60 innings last year -- and strikeout-per-inning potential.
including three complete games. He also posted a strikeout-to-walk ratio of With slightly improved command, he'd be unstoppable. Again, he's unlikely to
170-to-93 in 204 innings pitched with a healthy 1.25 WHIP. While his walks take over for Papelbon this year, but an injury or unexpected trade would make
were a bit high, he is effectively wild at times and does not give up a lot of hits. him an instant bullpen ace. You could do worse than him with a late-round pick,
Wilson heads into 2011 as one of the top two pitchers -- along with Colby regardless of the format.
Lewis -- on the Rangers staff and will look to build upon his breakout year.
Durability does not seem to be a concern with the former closer and he should
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
receive a ton of run support with Texas' potent lineup. Look for another solid
3-Yr Avg 62.0 2-2 2.61 70 1.11 2 7 150
campaign from the 30-year-old, with 15-18 wins and a sub-4.00 ERA with
2010 74.2 1-2 1.93 76 1.00 3 10 185
respectable strikeouts. Consider Wilson a top 40 Fantasy starter on Draft Day,
2009 49.1 2-2 3.65 63 1.28 1 4 111
worthy of being taken in the middle rounds.
Year GS INN W-L ERA CG K WHIP FPTS
3-Yr Avg 11 108.0 7-5 3.58 1 98 1.32 317 Matt Capps, MIN RP
2010 33 204.0 15-8 3.35 3 170 1.25 482 Matt Capps had a career year in 2010, splitting time between the Nationals and
2009 0 73.2 5-6 2.81 0 84 1.33 228 Twins. He posted a 2.74 ERA and went 26 for 30 in save chances with the
Nationals and finished strong going 16 for 18 in save chances with a 2.00 ERA
for the Twins. His 42 saves were a career high and he still posted decent
strikeout numbers with a low-walk count. Unfortunately, Capps' 2011 numbers
might not look so pretty. Capps was acquired at midseason since the Twins no
longer had Joe Nathan, who missed the 2010 season due to Tommy John
surgery. Now that Nathan is back, Capps won't be the full-time closer, getting
save opportunities only when Nathan has already worked two or three games
in a row. Consider Capps more of a low-end No. 2/high-end No. 3 Fantasy
relief pitcher in mixed leagues on Draft Day.
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 60.1 4-5 3.58 48 1.29 30 35 314
2010 73.0 5-3 2.47 59 1.26 42 48 450
2009 54.1 4-8 5.80 46 1.66 27 32 162
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 53
Octavio Dotel, TOR RP Brian Fuentes, OAK RP
For reasons only a panel of select GMs could explain, Dotel continues to get Coming off a season in which he led all of baseball with 48 saves, Fuentes
looks as a closer even though he hasn't put up closer-caliber numbers since seemed to be one of the safest relievers you could draft in Fantasy.
before his Tommy John surgery in 2005. Granted, he still has the stuff to close, Unfortunately, his season didn't unfold quite the way his owners would have
striking out more than a batter per inning in every year but that first one back liked. It began with him missing two weeks with a strained back, and though he
from Tommy John surgery. But his questionable control too often comes back managed to avoid blowing saves when he returned, he clearly wasn't the same
to bite him, leading to mediocre ERAs and WHIPs and a general lack of pitcher, compiling a 6.23 ERA through his first 18 appearances. Fantasy
reliability. The Blue Jays are the latest in a long line of teams to give him a look owners couldn't trust him and by the time he righted the ship, he was on his
for ninth-inning duties, but they've also brought in Frank Francisco and Jon way to the Twins to set up for Matt Capps. He'll remain a setup man for the
Rauch to compete for the job. The Blue Jays have a good enough pitching staff Athletics after signing a two-year deal with them this offseason, so his days of
to give their closer 40 save opportunities over the course of a full season, but if mixed-league usefulness appear over. Then again, with all of Andrew Bailey's
it's Dotel, he'll most likely get only half a season before moving on to a injury troubles, you never know. By the end of 2010, Fuentes' numbers looked
contender -- and that's assuming he pitches well enough to keep his job. pretty good, so he's worth a flier in AL-only leagues just for his ERA and WHIP.
Anyone getting saves deserves a look in Fantasy, but Dotel belongs near the
bottom of that list. Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 55.1 2-4 3.09 58 1.19 34 39 339
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS 2010 48.0 4-1 2.81 47 1.06 24 28 290
3-Yr Avg 64.1 3-4 3.78 81 1.32 8 175.5 2009 55.0 1-5 3.93 46 1.40 48 55 294
2010 64.0 3-4 4.08 75 1.31 22 28 268
2009 62.1 3-3 3.32 75 1.44 0 3 126
Kevin Gregg, BAL RP
No matter where he goes or who he has to contend with, Gregg, with his
Brian Duensing, MIN SP/RP career 4.04 ERA and 1.33 WHIP, always seems to end up closing. It happened
Brian Duensing started the 2010 campaign pitching out of the bullpen, but he in Florida (over Matt Lindstrom), in Chicago (over Carlos Marmol) and again
was eventually moved to the rotation and became a reliable starter. He went 7- last year in Toronto (over Jason Frasor). It may happen again in Baltimore
2 with a 3.05 ERA in 13 starts, including one complete-game shutout. That even though Koji Uehara was everything the Orioles could have wanted in a
came after he posted a 1.80 ERA in 40 appearances out of the bullpen. closer last year, piling up 13 saves with 27 strikeouts and zero walks in a little
Duensing has never been a huge strikeout guy, but his low WHIP and ability to over a month. Gregg is far from untouchable and not exactly a sure thing in the
get batters out on a consistent basis makes him an interesting pitcher to watch ninth inning, but he always accumulates a healthy number of saves, racking up
in 2011. He will remain a starter and should be able to put up at least double- a career-high 37 last season. Managers see him as the "safe" option, which is
digit wins with a respectable ERA. Left-handers can be a wild card, but why he keeps getting opportunities over more-talented pitchers. In the Orioles'
Duensing's track record suggests he can handle the task. Playing for a case, he's probably more of an insurance policy for the oft-injured Uehara, but
contender in Minnesota, Duensing should be considered a viable option in Buck Showalter wouldn't be the first manager to blindly submit to the track
deeper mixed leagues and will be worth taking in the later rounds in those record. If you can select only one Orioles reliever, make it Uehara, but Gregg
formats on Draft Day. will be a hot commodity in AL-only leagues just in case.
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 107.1 8-2 3.02 66 1.27 0 0 244 3-Yr Avg 65.1 5-7 3.86 62 1.32 30 37 320
2010 130.2 10-3 2.62 78 1.20 0 0 313 2010 59.0 2-6 3.51 58 1.39 37 43 343
2009 84.0 5-2 3.64 53 1.37 0 0 147 2009 68.2 5-6 4.72 71 1.31 23 30 221
Neftali Feliz, TEX RP Jeremy Hellickson, TB RP
After coming up as a starter in the Rangers farm system, top-prospect Neftali Hellickson's major-league debut went about as well as anyone could have
Feliz was moved to the bullpen upon reaching the majors and never looked expected in 2010. In fact, it went better than the Rays were prepared to handle.
back. He posted a 1.74 ERA in 20 appearances during his call-up in 2009, and They promoted him in early August mostly as an injury replacement for Jeff
he took over as the full-time closer in Texas a year ago. All he did was go 40 Niemann and Wade Davis, but he ended up outperforming both, posting a 2.05
for 43 in save chances with a 2.73 ERA and take home the AL Rookie of the ERA and 0.76 WHIP in four quality starts right out of the gate. Still, the Rays
Year Award. Feliz posted a stout 71-to-18 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 69 1/3 weren't ready to turn a rotation spot over to him, so he was forced to finish the
innings pitched and allowed just one earned run during the postseason while season in an unfamiliar bullpen role, limiting his numbers. The Rays are ready
helping the Rangers reach their first World Series in franchise history. Feliz has this time around, having traded Matt Garza to the Cubs to clear a rotation spot
proven to be a dominant closer but the Rangers could place him in a starting for Hellickson. He has long profiled as an ace and showed last year he really
role sometime this season, though he will return to the closer's role to start the doesn't have any on-the-job learning to do. He might already be the team's
year. A drastic move like a move to the rotation would have an obvious impact best pitcher -- well, outside of David Price, anyway. His breakout potential
on his Fantasy value, so owners should keep an eye on how he is used makes him well worth a middle-round pick, and if your league places an
throughout the season. Either way, plan on taking Feliz high on Draft Day. He emphasis on prospects, you might have to reach for him even earlier.
should be considered a top 10 Fantasy reliever as a solid source for saves and
an intriguing option as a starter, if it eventually goes that route. Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
2010 36.1 4-0 3.47 33 1.10 0 1 108
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 50.0 2-2 2.52 55 0.82 21 23 269.5
2010 69.1 4-3 2.73 71 0.88 40 43 448
2009 31.0 1-0 1.74 39 0.68 2 3 114
Play FREE Fantasy Baseball for a chance at $10,000 54
Bobby Jenks, BOS RP Jonathan Papelbon, BOS RP
Bobby Jenks had an injury-plagued 2010 campaign and posted some of the Papelbon's name is synonymous with the Red Sox. As surely as you'll find
worst numbers of his career. His 4.44 ERA was over a full run higher than his them in the postseason, you'll find his ninth-inning scowl. His association with
career mark and his 27 saves in 31 chances were his lowest since becoming a his team is second only to Mariano Rivera with the Yankees, so the fact the
full-time closer in 2006. He also lost his closer’s role a couple times during the Red Sox actually considered making a change at closer this offseason says a
season due to poor performance and lingering injuries. Now in Boston’s lot about what happened to Papelbon last year. He wasn't the same shut-down
bullpen, he joins a loaded back end that includes Daniel Bard and Jonathan reliever of years past, his ERA more than doubling from 1.85 to 3.90 and his
Papelbon. It’s hard to imagine Jenks seeing any save chances for the Red Sox eight blown saves tying for the most of any full-time closer. The player who
in 2011 barring injuries, making him nothing more than a middle reliever in posted a 0.92 ERA and 0.78 WHIP as a rookie was actually below average in
Fantasy. both categories as, for the second straight year, his control took a turn for the
worse. But before we get all doom and gloom on him, we should remember he
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS still plays for one of the best teams in baseball and still has great stuff. Plus, his
3-Yr Avg 56.0 2-3 3.54 49 1.23 29 33 302.5 reputation will ensure he remains a closer even if the Red Sox trade him
2010 52.2 1-3 4.44 61 1.37 27 31 269 midseason. Papelbon may no longer be a top-five Fantasy reliever coming off
2009 53.1 3-4 3.71 49 1.27 29 35 231 his worst season, but he's not far off. You're safe drafting him as your No. 1.
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 68.0 4-4 2.65 76 1.12 39 44 425
Kevin Jepsen, LAA RP
2010 67.0 5-7 3.90 76 1.27 37 45 382
Jepsen has exactly the type of stuff you'd expect from a late-inning reliever,
2009 68.0 1-1 1.85 76 1.15 38 41 360
throwing hard and racking up more than a strikeout per inning. But he showed
in 2010 he's still a work in progress, compiling a 1.41 WHIP that too often put
him in a precarious position. Yes, he walked too many batters, like many hard-
throwers before him, but he also allowed a surprisingly high number of hits for Chris Perez, CLE RP
a pitcher with his stuff. With continued improvement, the 26-year-old Jepsen Chris Perez took over as the Indians' closer in 2010 and pitched extremely well
could be a candidate to replace Fernando Rodney as closer if the veteran right- in the ninth inning after the team shipped off Kerry Wood at the trade deadline.
hander struggles again, but Hisanori Takahashi and Jordan Walden are also in Perez went 14 for 15 in save chances after July and posted a 0.76 ERA over
the mix. You're better off assessing Jepsen as strictly a middle reliever in AL- that span with 27 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings pitched. Perez finished the year
only leagues. with a 1.71 ERA overall and 23 saves. He heads into 2011 looking to build on
his solid finish and should be able to lock down 25-30 saves with a full season
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS of work. Also, Cleveland will get most of its young corps back from injury,
3-Yr Avg 40.2 3-3 4.43 39 1.45 0 2 67.5 improving Perez's chances of pitching in the ninth inning with a lead. Perez put
2010 59.0 2-4 3.97 61 1.41 0 4 90 himself on the Fantasy map last season and should be considered a high-end
2009 54.2 6-4 4.94 48 1.50 1 2 95 No. 2 Fantasy relief pitcher on Draft Day.
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 54.0 2-2 3.00 57 1.19 11 14 185.5
Michael Kirkman, TEX RP
2010 63.0 2-2 1.71 61 1.08 23 27 299
Michael Kirkman was a late-season call-up for the Rangers last year and put
2009 57.0 1-2 4.26 68 1.19 2 5 118
up some solid numbers while pitching out of the bullpen down the stretch. After
going 13-3 with a 3.09 ERA in 24 appearances (22 starts) for Triple-A
Oklahoma City, the left-hander posted a 1.65 ERA over 14 appearances in
August and September and allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings in the postseason. Mariano Rivera, NYY RP
While he did a solid job as a reliever, Texas believes his future is as a starter Rivera is 41 years old. Any conversation about him has to begin that way
and he could be in the rotation at some point during 2011. He will start the year because nobody would pick up on it otherwise. The only indication of his age
in Triple-A but could be the first to be recalled when a need for a replacement last year was his reduced strikeout rate, which, at 6.8 per nine innings, wasn't
arises. Kirkman would be a solid sleeper in deeper mixed and AL-only formats even a career low. He once again demonstrated why he's arguably the best
if he eventually earns a starting gig, but he will not be as valuable if pitching out closer in baseball history, posting an ERA below 2.00 for the seventh time in
of the bullpen.. While his long-term appeal is high, Kirkman should only go in eight seasons and a WHIP below 1.00 for the fifth time in six. He did battle
the later rounds on Draft Day or be pursued off of waivers. some rare mechanical issues in September but seemed to have sorted them
out by the postseason, when he pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings. Scoreless
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS innings are the norm for Rivera, and if that's not enough of an advantage, he
2010 16.1 0-0 1.65 16 1.16 0 1 34 happens to pitch for the team most likely to have a winning record each year,
meaning he'll never lack the opportunities to be an elite Fantasy option. The
problem? Well, he is 41 years old. A decline has to come eventually. The smart
money says it doesn't happen this year, but the risk is just enough to make him
Joe Nathan, MIN RP more like the fifth or sixth reliever drafted than the first or second.
Nathan's 2010 season ended before it even began. The right-hander left a
spring training game with soreness in his right elbow, and when an MRI
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
revealed a torn ligament, that was it -- Tommy John surgery. The good news is
3-Yr Avg 65.2 4-4 1.65 65 0.81 39 41 442.5
he should be fine. The procedure has a long track record of success, and
2010 60.0 3-3 1.80 45 0.83 33 38 372
relievers generally need less time to recover from it than starters. Just look at
2009 66.1 3-3 1.76 72 0.90 44 46 407
Billy Wagner last year. The bad news is the Twins didn't exactly save Nathan a
seat, acquiring All-Star Matt Capps at the trade deadline. Fortunately, manager
Ron Gardenhire has seen enough from Nathan this spring to name him the
closer going into the season. Capps will serve as an insurance policy, keeping
Nathan from working too many days in a row. Nathan still comes with enough
uncertainty to slip into the middle or even the late rounds, but he has as much
upside as any closer in baseball.
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 45.1 1-1 1.79 54 0.90 29 32 317
2010 0.0 0-0 ---- 0 ---- 0 0 0
2009 68.2 2-2 2.10 89 0.93 47 52 428
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Fernando Rodney, LAA RP Hisanori Takahashi, LAA SP/RP
Fernando Rodney finished the 2010 season as the Angels' closer, and he is Takahashi didn't get much hype as a 35-year-old coming over from Japan last
the front-runner to start the season in the ninth-inning role. Though Rodney did year, but he ended up playing a key role as a jack-of-all-trades type pitcher for
well as Detroit's closer in 2009, converting 37 of 38 chances, he was far less the Mets. He had his moments as a starter, compiling a 5.01 ERA in 12 starts,
reliable with Los Angeles, blowing seven saves in just 21 opportunities last but he really made a name for himself late in the year, when he took over as
year. To look at Rodney's mediocre strikeout rate, inflated walk rate and high closer following Francisco Rodriguez's infamous fistfight. He'll have to settle for
batting average on balls in play (BABIP), it's much easier to trust his a middle-relief role with the Angels, but now that he has ninth-inning
disappointing '10 performance than his impressive closer stint from '09. experience, he could be the first choice to step in if Fernando Rodney falters.
Especially since the Angels have a number of in-house alternatives to close out He did post a 2.04 ERA in relief last year, after all. Then again, the Angels
games, including Scott Downs, Hisanori Takahashi, Jordan Walden and Kevin could always turn to youngsters Jordan Walden and Kevin Jepsen instead.
Jepsen, it's plausible that Rodney will either return to a setup role to start the Either way, Takahashi is a long shot for saves. You wouldn't even consider
season, or lose the closer's role at the first sign of trouble. He should be drafting him outside of deeper leagues.
avoided in all standard mixed-league formats.
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS 2010 122.0 10-6 3.61 114 1.30 8 8 329
3-Yr Avg 61.1 2-5 4.40 54 1.52 21 26 221
2010 68.0 4-3 4.24 53 1.54 14 21 199
2009 75.2 2-5 4.40 61 1.47 37 38 275
Matt Thornton, CHW RP
Matt Thornton recorded a career-high eight saves in 2010 as he was called
upon to close out games with a myriad of injuries in the White Sox bullpen.
Chris Sale, CHW RP Although his strikeout numbers and innings were down from the year before
Chris Sale became the first player in the 2010 draft to make it to the majors this due to some injuries of his own, the left-hander posted a 2.67 ERA and five
past season and impressed while making 21 appearances, all out of the wins in 61 appearances. With Bobby Jenks out of the mix in 2011, Thornton is
bullpen. Sale, who was a starter at Florida Gulf Coast University, allowed just set to be a regular closer for the first time in his career. He has been one of the
five earned runs in 21 innings pitched and also went 4 for 4 in save chances more valuable lefties in the league out of the bullpen over the last few years,
while Chicago's bullpen dealt with injuries. Though the White Sox toyed with and with his high strikeout rate and low WHIP, he should be a natural in the
the idea of moving him to the starting rotation, they ultimately decided he closer role. The 34-year-old has plenty of sleeper appeal in the middle-to-late
belongs in the bullpen again in 2011. He'll have to work in a setup role, though, rounds on Draft Day, especially since the White Sox expect to compete in
with Matt Thornton taking over as the closer. Sale has a ton of potential and 2011.
could still become a starter at some point in the future, but as a middle reliever,
he's probably not worth drafting in standard mixed leagues. Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 66.2 5-3 2.70 82 1.04 4 8 198
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS 2010 60.2 5-4 2.67 81 1.01 8 10 211
2010 23.1 2-1 1.93 32 1.07 4 4 92 2009 72.1 6-3 2.74 87 1.08 4 9 219
Joakim Soria, KC RP Koji Uehara, BAL RP
Joakim Soria had another dominant season in 2010, posting a 1.78 ERA with a Some durability concerns forced the Orioles to move Uehara to the bullpen last
career-high 43 saves in 66 appearances. The right-hander posted identical year, which wasn't a big deal considering he had spent some time closing in
walk numbers from the year before (16) and struck out 71 in 65 2/3 innings Japan. In fact, it ended up being the best possible scenario for the 35-year-old
pitched. While the team around him was a work in progress, Soria continued to sophomore. It didn't start out that way, of course. He missed the first month
dominate the ninth inning and increased his save total by 13. He enters the with a strained hamstring and six weeks more with a strained forearm. But
2011 campaign looking for his third consecutive year of 30-plus saves. Even when big free-agent signee Mike Gonzalez faltered as the closer, Uehara was
though the Royals have floundered in the standings and have decided to build on the short list of candidates to replace him. Alfredo Simon got the first shot,
around young players, Soria continues to be one of the best closers in the but only until new manager Buck Showalter showed up in August. Uehara
game. Fantasy owners should expect similar numbers from the 26-year-old recorded his first save Aug. 21 and recorded 12 more before season's end. His
this season as his career 2.01 ERA and 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio should strikeout-to-walk comparison during that stretch: 27 to 0. The Orioles signed
make him one of the first closers to be taken off the board on Draft Day. Kevin Gregg in the offseason as insurance -- durability concerns, remember --
but Uehara enters the season as the favorite to close. His pinpoint control
makes him ideal for the role, and he obviously has the confidence of
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
Showalter. He's a sleeper to perform like a No. 2 Fantasy reliever, even for the
3-Yr Avg 62.0 2-2 1.89 69 1.00 38 45 412.5
Orioles, but you can draft him as a No. 3.
2010 65.2 1-2 1.78 71 1.05 43 46 445
2009 53.0 3-2 2.21 69 1.13 30 33 297
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 55.1 2-3 3.58 52 1.12 6 7 158
2010 44.0 1-2 2.86 55 0.95 13 15 191
Rafael Soriano, NYY RP 2009 66.2 2-4 4.05 48 1.25 0 0 99
Finally getting a chance to hold down the role from start to finish, Soriano was
arguably the best closer in baseball last season, his 45 saves ranking third
overall and his 1.73 ERA ranking fourth among players with at least 20 saves.
Unfortunately, he pitched so well in the role that he priced himself out of it. The
only team interested in paying him what he deserved for his performance was
the Yankees, who obviously don't have a need at closer with Mariano Rivera
still around. And so, Soriano is back to being a setup man, at least for the 2011
season, and as a setup man, he's back to having minimal Fantasy value.
Rivera is 41, so he could potentially miss time due to injury, but if you draft
Soriano, you do so with the expectation he'll help you in ERA and WHIP and
not much else. Outside of deeper categorical leagues, he's no longer worth
targeting on Draft Day.
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 50.2 1-3 2.49 58 0.97 25 28 284
2010 62.1 3-2 1.73 57 0.80 45 48 477
2009 75.2 1-6 2.97 102 1.06 27 31 303
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Jose Valverde, DET RP
It was a tale of two halves in 2010 for Jose Valverde. He got off to a scorching
start, posting a 0.92 ERA while converting 19 of 20 in save chances, but after
the All-Star break his numbers took a precipitous drop. Valverde only pitched
24 innings in the second half and went just 7 for 9 in save chances while
posting a 6.38 ERA. His missed significant time due to tendinitis and fluid in his
pitching elbow, but he enters the 2011 campaign healthy. Valverde will
continue to pitch the ninth inning for Detroit but the team brought in Joaquin
Benoit to be the setup man and ensure that they will have a viable closer if the
32-year-old falters again. If he can pitch anywhere close to how he performed
in the first half of last season, Valverde will have value in all Fantasy formats.
But considering his history, plan on targeting the right-hander in the middle-to-
late rounds on Draft Day as a decent source of saves.
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
3-Yr Avg 63.0 4-3 3.00 67 1.16 32 36 363.5
2010 63.0 2-4 3.00 63 1.16 26 29 299
2009 54.0 4-2 2.33 56 1.13 25 29 264
Jordan Walden, LAA RP
The Angels finally gave up on Walden as a starting pitcher last year, moving
him to the bullpen in spring training. The move rejuvenated him as a prospect,
earning him a promotion to the big leagues in August and eventually the setup
role for closer Fernando Rodney. Setup men are typically second in line for
saves, and Rodney doesn't exactly have a steady track record. Chances are
the Angels will call Walden their closer at some point in 2011. His stuff
suggests he'll thrive in the role, his fastball sometimes reaching triple digits, but
his WHIP was always disproportionately high in the minors. And it wasn't just
because of a high walk rate; Walden is surprisingly hittable for a hard thrower.
Still, opportunities are everything for closers. The chance Walden gets those
opportunities for a competitive Angels team makes him worth a late-round flier
in all Fantasy leagues.
Year INN W-L ERA K WHIP SV SVO FPTS
2010 15.1 0-1 2.35 23 1.30 1 1 34
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