Rankings Update: First Base
After being listed as Day-to-Day with computer problems last week, I’m 100% and returning to your lineup. I’m going to stick with FANS projected wOBA for now, with a switch to 2010 stats after the first month is over.
The Machine
Albert Pujols (.442 wOBA)
If Albert was ever moved down, and he found out, I’d probably be dead the next morning.
Big Ballerz
Ryan Howard (.388)
Miguel Cabrera (.404)
Prince Fielder (.408)
Mark Teixeira (.405)
The “z” at the end makes it cool! Teixeira always starts out slow, so I’m not worried about him quite yet. I like what I’m seeing from Howard thus far, but I want to see him keep it up for the rest of the month.
Good to Go
Adrian Gonzalez (.395)
Kevin Youkilis (.401)
Joey Votto (.399)
A-Gon and Votto switch places this week. I really like Votto, but if someone offered me A-Gon for Votto I’d probably take it. This group is the one who’s order gave me the most trouble, so I’m interested to hear what you all think.
A Canadian, A Cuban, and a Fat Guy
Derek Lee (.381)
Justin Morneau (.377)
Kendry Morales (.362)
Adam Dunn (.385)
Dunn and Morales do a flip-flop here, since I’m liking Morales bringing the power early on. Mr. Maple Leaf is starting out strong in his own right, so you may see him up higher some time soon.
One of These Things is Not Like the Other
Carlos Pena (.381)
Billy Butler (.379)
James Loney (.344)
Todd Helton (.386)
Three high average hitters…and Carlos Pena. With the way the Rays are playing, it looks like Pena won’t be leaving St. Pete anytime soon.
Peg Legs
Garrett Jones (.347)
Adam LaRoche (.351)
Lance Berkman (.396)
Even though Berkman might come back this week, I’m dropping him way down. I don’t think he’ll stay healthy for long, and the rest of the junk heap that is the Astros will help drag his value down. I think LaRoche could be in the OTTNLO group soon, but he’s more likely to rise after his surge towards the second half of the season.
The Rest of ‘Em
Paul Konerko (.350)
Luke Scott (.346)
Nick Johnson (.390)
Chris Davis (.344)
David Ortiz (.362)
Russell Branyan (.359)
Papi and Johnson debut on the list, but probably not as high as you folks would like. I would not be surprised if Justin Smoak was called up in the middle of May, causing Davis to lose his gig.
Zach is the creator and co-author of RotoGraphs' Roto Riteup series, and RotoGraphs' second-longest tenured writer. You can follow him on twitter.
“If Albert was ever moved down, and he found out, I’d probably be dead the next morning.”
what a strange thing to write.
It’s too easy to say “Albert is good” every week.
Not to mention he probably would kill us all for trying to downgrade his status… God help us if he ever regresses!
That’s not a hyperbole, Zach would more than likely have a 35oz bat lodged inside his skull.
Getting stabbed with a blunt object would be something only Albert can do.
Where would Michael Cuddyer be listed?
In the OTTNLO group. Probably right behind Loney.
I’ll be updating that Howard article sometime in early May, I’ll let you know if anything changed.
O and regarding the A Gon, Youk, Votto group, I’m not sure you could go wrong with any order there…
Those SB’s from Votto are pretty sweet this year. Doesn’t seem like too much of fluke – he’s got some history of stealing bases in the minors. A 30-20 season like Derek Lee’s 2002 season would be awfully valuable…
30-20…that meant to be his HR/SB production or RBI/Runs?
I’m kicking myself for taking him over Cano.
Votto is a favorite of mine, but the only draft I got him, he had fallen waaay down the board to the point where I had no choice but to take him. I’m happy with him as the 51st pick.
Wow. 51st is a great value!
He wouldn’t have been there for my next pick (or so one owner claimed), so if he goes nuts this year I’ll be happy with him at 32nd overall.
I’m not sure that trusting in Todd Helton over Lance Berkman makes a lot of sense. True, Berkman is currently lame, but Helton is a guy that last year was avoiding air travel to preserve is porcelain back. It was a minor miracle that he made it through last year with no major problems, but no one seems concerned about him, or his a degenerative back condition, anymore.
I’m not sure “trusting” either is going to do a team well. At some point are you no worse off with an upside guy? Ike Davis, Barton, even Smoak in a couple weeks.
Just FYI, but Votto is Canadian also.
Loney is being overrated a bit. His average is high for now but both Jones and Laroche are comparable or better in power numbers. We use OBP instead of average and Loney drops even more in that format with his low walks thus far.
Where would you expect smoak to fit in on this list if he were to get the call????
He’s MURDERING AAA, and also walking like 4x as often as he strikes out, certainly seems to be calming the concerns that the oblique injury seemed to bring about last season.
Probably right above Konerko in the bottom category. He’s got more potential then that, but that’s likely where he’d debut.
Daric Barton does not even make it to “The Rest of ‘Em”? I’d rather have him than Chris Davis, right now, that’s for sure.
You don’t have to sell me on Barton. I’ve been a fan for the past couple years.
I was going to put him on the list this week, but his elbow injury scared me off. Depending on what the tests show, look for him next week.
No love for Billy Butler, he belongs one ranking up for sure.
Does Dunn join “Good to Go” or above in an OPS league?
I think he just leapfrogs the 3 guys in front of him in that category. Pena leapfrogs all of them them. I have Morneau, Pena, and Lee filling 1b, CI, and UTIL in an OPS league and I definitely view Lee as the weak link.
I can see Butler where he is for now, but seriously, the guy has 30 HR potential on him, imo the only thing that’s not like the others in that list is Butler with his upside.
in a obp slg ops league, i think berkman’s value jumps up due to his .400 obp .500 slg levels