Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings & Projections
2009 Top Twenty Preseason Preview
Hanley Ramirez
|
 |
Though there are a lot of solid shortstops,
only Ramirez and Reyes are studs and that makes the shortstop
postion one of the toughest postions and thus the all-around
play of Hanley Ramirez gives him the overall #1 spot in
fantasy baseball. |
1. Hanley Ramirez - Marlins - 2009 Preview:
The 25-year-old 30-30 member and 20-50 member has proven himself
as an fantasy stud. He clearly outplayed Reyes for the second straight
season. Combine that with the fall of Jimmy Rollins and Troy Tolowitzki
and the Ramirez's value suddenly ascends. There are plenty of good
shortstops in '09, but only 2 great fantasy to start the season
and that makes it one of the most important to fill and will likely
make Ramirez the #1 player in fantasy baseball.
2008 Statistics:
.301 - 33 HR's - 67 RBI's - 125 Runs
2009 Projection: .307
- 32 HR's - 75 RBI's - 126 Runs
2. Alex Rodriguez - Yankees - 2009 Preview:
Well, if you go by the every other year theory of Alex Rodriguez,
this is his season for a big year. Adding Tex to the lineup should
also help Arod whether he bats before or after him. His 35 home
runs where still second behind Ryan Braun (he qualified as a fantasy
third basemen) and Arod missed a chunk of games with an injury,
so even an average Arod is the best at third base. He was also second
in stolen bases with 18. Expect Arod's numbers to go up across the
board.
2008 Statistics:
.302 - 35 HR's - 103 RBI's - 104 Runs
2009 Projection: .312
- 44 HR's - 128 RBI's - 121 Runs
3. Chase Utley - Phillies - 2009 Preview:
He is once again the easy #1 second basemen in fantasy baseball.
He was off to a MVP start to the season, but tailed off in the second
half, partly due to injury. Utley's inside numbers are again strong,
hitting 41 doubles, 4 triples, and stealing 14 bases. The Phillies
still have a strong offense and if Utley can bat over .300, his
numbers will improve a notch across the board.
2008 Statistics:
.292 - 33 HR's - 104 RBI's - 113 Runs
2009 Projection: .307
- 32 HR's - 106 RBI's - 114 Runs
4. Jose Reyes - Mets - 2009 Preview:
If you are in a points league or a roto league where triples count,
Reyes inches closer to Ramirez, but in 5x5, Ramirez is the man.
He rebounded after a off year in '07 and returned as a dominating
fantasy player by hitting 16 home runs, 19 triples, 37 doubles and
stealing 56 bases. It the right style of league those are MVP numbers.
Expect more of the same and a likely up tick in stolen bases in
2009.
2008 Statistics:
.297 - 16 HR's - 68 RBI's - 113 Runs
2009 Projection: .295
- 15 HR's - 67 RBI's - 118 Runs
5. Albert Pujols - Cardinals - 2009 Preview:
As expected, Pujols came back from his injury and shined in 2008.
He finished second in batting with a .357 average and one his second
National League MVP. He continues to have great inside numbers with
44 doubles, 104 walks and only 54 strikeouts and he even added 7
stolen bases in '08. Pujols is in his prime at 29 and with a lifetime
.334 batting average and a shade under 40 home runs per season average
he is the easy #1 pick again at first base.
2008 Statistics:
.357 - 37 HR's - 116 RBI's - 100 Runs
2009 Projection: .341
- 38 HR's - 118 RBI's - 101 Runs
6. Ryan Braun - Brewers - 2009 Preview:
If it were not for the end season collapse of the entire Brewer
offense, including and especially Braun, we we not have such a tough
choice for who to put at the #1 slot for outfielders. But with Matt
Holliday leaving the friendly confines of Colorado and moving to
the average offense of Oakland, Grady Sizemore's low average, Josh
Hamilton's risk factor, Carlos Beltran's lack of upside, and the
question marks about Manny Ramirez's attitude, age and team, it
simply leaves Braun as the unblemished outfielder, and thus #1.
At just 25 Braun can still get better, he passed the "sophomore
slump" test with flying colors, he is still playing in a good
offense and in a good hitter's park, and 7 triples, 39 doubles and
14 stolen bases to go along with his 37 home runs makes him a good
case to be the #1 outfielder in fantasy baseball.
2008 Statistics:
.285 - 37 HR's - 106 RBI's - 92 Runs
2009 Projection: .297
- 38 HR's - 115 RBI's - 102 Runs
|
The
search has been done for
you! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7. Matt Holliday - Athletics - 2009 Preview:
Arguably the best hitter in baseball had a down year, but not that
bad and actually pretty good considering how bad most of the Rockie
team played in 2008. But now Holliday has moved on to Oakland. Yes
the fantasy desert, Oakland. While he will still hit well and come
up with nice stats, it is just enough of a blow to knock him out
of the number one slot. On the plus side Holliday did steal a career
high 28 bases. That is clearly an aberration, but a good sign that
he may be able to get 15-20 in 2009. While Braun gets the edge,
their is nothing wrong with taking Holliday ahead of him, Holliday
just has a question mark with his move to Oakland.
2008 Statistics:
.321- 25 HR's - 88 RBI's - 107 Runs
2009 Projection: .319
- 30 HR's - 105 RBI's - 93 Runs
8. David Wright - Mets - 2009 Preview:
He is probably still the best all-around third basemen in baseball,
though his stolen bases went down to just 15 from 34 in '07. He
should get back up to 20 stolen bases in '09 along with his normal
40 doubles and very good 94 to 118 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He is
everything you need for a fantasy stud, especially in roto leagues.
His numbers are consistent and that makes him an safe top five pick
in any fantasy baseball league format.
2008 Statistics:
.302 - 33 HR's - 124 RBI's - 115 Runs
2009 Projection: .311
- 31 HR's - 116 RBI's - 116 Runs
Rankings & Projections by Position
