First Base Rankings

Comments

17 responses to “First Base Rankings”

1. 

   Stevie YaYo

   February 3, 2009

   Bullish on Butler? Cantu can’t do?? To Hell with Helton???

   There aren’t really many sneaky plays at first base, are there? Morales??

2. 

   Donald Trump

   February 3, 2009

   I don’t find 1B to be as deep as many people say. I would not be happy with anyone after the top 7, and would greatly prefer a top 5 option.

3. 

   Stevie YaYo

   February 3, 2009

   I’m hella happy to be able to keep three of the top 18 (Miggy, C Davis, the Butler) in my keeper league. Though Butler may go back in the draft soup if McCutcheon breaks camp with the Pirates…

4. 

   Nat

   February 3, 2009

   You’re rolling out the rankings early this year! Much appreciated.

   No country for old men? I have to believe that if Chipper Jones can still rake at 36 last year, Helton surely could at 36 this year. Probably not though. Delgado was a legitimate beast in the second half of ’08. Just saying. Konerko? Who knows. Derrek Lee… you’re probably right.

   Votto over Youkilis expresses some high hopes. I figure Youk’s average will dip a bit – but he’s as consistent as it gets.

   What are you expecting out of a Manny-less Big Papi? 30-100? 40-100? Less? Put me down for a return to ’07 form with less average: .280-35-110.

5. 

   Dreamweapon

   February 3, 2009

   I really can’t argue with anything. I’d personally swap Morneau and Gonzalez (he’s good, but he’s so alone he may as well paint a face on a volleyball and start talking to it), but that’s really pretty minor.

   Like seeing Jackson, Loney and Kotchman all in the same tier, since they’re all more or less the same guy. And that guy is vintage Lyle Overbay, nothing more. Every time I see Loney listed in the Top-80 or 90 overall players, while Kotchman is ranked closer to 200, I crack up. Boring, boring, boring players, unless doubles-hitting 1B turn one’s crank. And if lowly slap artists at positions where your team desperately needs power is a big part of anyone’s design, well, I have a lightly used Ben Francisco I’d like to sell them. He comes with a bridge and some prime FLA real estate.

   Also like seeing Derrek “the black Todd Helton” Lee so low, it seems that the euphoria over his one good season, now several years removed, has at last been laid to rest.

   Out of curiosity, where would Huff be if you classified him as a 1B?

6. 

   3ptSpecialist

   February 3, 2009

   LaRoche is my sleeper… No injury history and a contract year. Imagine what his numbers would look like if he puts up a full season of stats instead of sweeping the floor in BA for the 1st half of a season.

7. 

   Dreamweapon

   February 3, 2009

   Well, that’s a bit like saying Bogota would be a great place to live and all, if only it wasn’t a violent cesspool of crime and corruption. LaRoche is one of the most notorious April-May jagoffs in the game, it’s a fact of life, and that part of the season does count. If you like him, here is what you do: don’t draft him. Don’t spend a dime on him, be it on draft day or during the next cpl of months, because there is a 1,000% chance he will lay a steaming turd at the plate for the first 8 or 12 weeks. Eventually, whoever made the mistake of drafting him will become repulsed by his antics and simply drop him onto the waiver wire. Then, don’t even put in a claim, because LaRoche won’t be done stinking yet–if someone else wants to burn a waiver position, let them, because he’ll continue to suck for at least a few more weeks, during which time the second owner will again drop him. Once he’s actually cleared waivers–and only then–you can go ahead and pick him up for free in FA and store him on your bench until he’s realized the season started.

8. 

   Donald Trump

   February 3, 2009

   Dreamweapon: well said.

9. 

   RotoScoop

   February 4, 2009

   Stevie Ya Yo – I agree not too many sneaky plays at 1B this year. I still like Butler, but at #18, I don’t think that’s too bullish. He needs to figure out right-handers.

10. 

    RotoScoop

    February 4, 2009

    Donald – While I hear you regarding the talent at the top, I do still view 1B as one of the deepest positions. I’d be fine with Carlos Pena. I really like Votto.

11. 

    RotoScoop

    February 4, 2009

    Nat – Helton could be a bargain, but his back is still a big question mark. And there’s just no longer any power there. I doubt Delgado will end up on any of my teams this year. His 2nd half was awesome, but remember how done he looked before that? Count on somewhere in between this season. And he’s a problem in BA.

    I struggled ranking Youkilis (both here and as a 3B option). He was a monster last year, but he’s battled injury problems almost every other year before that. Even he if regresses some, hitting in the middle of that lineup should result in big stats yet again. But I love Votto.

    I wonder with Big Papi – he was pitched too differently when Manny left. But that’s usually overrated – lineup protection. I like him to bounce back, but wrist injuries are often the worst for hitters. Spring training will tell a lot.

12. 

    RotoScoop

    February 4, 2009

    Dreamweapon – Ya, I value Morneau, Berkman and A. Gonzalez pretty much equally.

    I hear ya with Loney, C. Jackson and Kotchman – while I like those guys, in fantasy terms, the upside just isn’t there with the lack of power. Although there’s still some room for growth from them all.

    Did you see Derrek Lee’s power #s over the final three months last year?

    I’d probably put Huff toward the end of tier 3.

13. 

    RotoScoop

    February 4, 2009

    3ptSpecialist – Weird how LaRoche just can’t hit early on. He needs to be in the cages already right now.

14. 

    3ptSpecialist

    February 4, 2009

    Odd thing about D Lee is that his power outburst to start the season was awesome (8 in the first month, 5 the next) but he faded. Was there an injury somewhere? I figure the low end on Lee is about 18 HR and the high is 30 if his powerstroke resembles what it started the year. I’d still take him over Loney and C. Jackson. I dont trust Delgado at all.

    I agree that it’s weird LaRoche cant hit to start the year but I also think he realizes it. If he puts together a full season, he’s a top 10 1B next year. It would be nice if there were some other players hitting around him in 6burgh… Doumit and Mclouth arent going to do it all.

15. 

    RotoScoop

    February 5, 2009

    I wouldn’t blame someone for taking D. Lee over Loney, Jackson etc. – he’s in a good lineup and ballpark. But I personally usually go with a young player who might take that next step over someone on the wrong side of 30.

16. 

    Keith

    February 5, 2009

    Dalton,

    I love that you have a fully-functional search function and good archives! It’s amusing to look back on some of the conversations from last year, especially as I remembered the Conor Jackson hype train getting momentum – which he didn’t help by coming out of the gate like a beast! I was on board with you, but the projection systems got us on that one: http://rotoscoop.com/blog/2008/03/13/the-scoop-43/

17. 

    Keith

    February 5, 2009

    I feel like I’ve seen enough of the Jackson / Loney / Kotchman group that I can’t really predict much of a power breakout. Is there anyone else in those bottom two tiers that seems ripe for such an explosion? Butler has youth, Swisher has done it in the past (he’d probably be my pick), I thought Garko might do it last year…Nick Johnson for the 24 days that he’s healthy? I’d definitely be scared of counting on any of the bottom tier guys as a value pick for a starter. I went through the Mike Jacobs experience last season (in an OBP league no less!) and do not wish to repeat it.