Archive for Third Base Rankings

Michael Simione’s Third Base Rankings

by
March 15, 2022
Michael Simione’s Third Base Rankings
Rank Player Team Position(s) ADP Notes
1 Jose Ramirez CLE 3B 3.67 Ramirez is going top three in drafts and he certainly deserves it. He is a lock for 20/20 and has 30/30 upside. Can’t beat that at a shallow position.
2 Rafael Devers BOS 3B 14.6 Devers is a stud in every category possible except for steals but he does give you a handful. At just age 25, we haven’t even seen him at his best yet.
3 Manny Machado SD 3B 23.8 A power bat who puts up double-digit steals and a ton of plate appearances, yes please.
4 Austin Riley ATL 3B 55.07 The Riley breakout finally happened and I was lucky enough to have a few shares. The power and average should stick, he just won’t give you any speed.
5 Nolan Arenado STL 3B 73.87 Well, Arenado did what we all thought he would do outside of Coors. Still hit for power but his average took a hit.
6 Kris Bryant N/A 3B, OF 103.07 His 25 home runs and 10 steals last season made him valuable. We saw a nice step forward from 2020 and Bryant should perform just fine in 2022.
7 Alex Bregman HOU 3B 89.6 Bregman has fallen in drafts due to his injuries and poor performance in 2021. Let’s not forget though, between 2018 and 2019 he had 72 home runs with over 440 R+RBI while hitting for .291.
8 Anthony Rendon LAA 3B 112.8 A solid batting average floor with 20 home run potential but the injuries are worrisome. The latest was that he is hoping to be ready for the start of the season.
9 Adalberto Mondesi KC 3B 54.87 A high injury risk player with an insane amount of talent on the bases. If he somehow stays healthy he could be a league winner. That’s a huge if though.
10 DJ LeMahieu NYY 1B, 2B, 3B 118.27 After the season we found out that LeMahieu played the entire season injured. A bounceback is likely.
11 Justin Turner LAD 3B 160.33 When Turner is on the field the dude can hit. In his last five seasons, he is averaging a whopping 139 wRC+.
12 Ke’Bryan Hayes PIT 3B 139.67 Hayes has tantalizing speed and 15/15 potential. Let’s see what the young hitter can do if he can stay healthy.
13 Luis Urias MLW 2B, 3B, SS 173.4 I am a big Luis Urias fan and I think his breakout could continue. In the second half, he hit for a 123 wRC+, .850 OPS, and .217 ISO
14 Josh Donaldson NYY 3B 207.07 I have touted Josh Donaldson all off-season. As you CI or UT you can’t go wrong because Donaldson was top five in EV/FB and MaxEV amongst all third basemen last season.
15 Yoan Moncada CWS 3B 167.47 It’s now or never buddy.
16 Ryan McMahon COL 2B, 3B 172.33 McMahon should have 20 home run power once again and finds himself in the middle of that Rockies lineup. The problem is the Coors effect and he’s tough to start on the road.
17 Eugenio Suarez CIN 3B, SS 202.93 I’m hoping the addition of the DH means Suarez won’t be on the field anymore. It would only benefit him and every single Reds pitcher.
18 Eduardo Escobar NYM 2B, 3B 209.2 The Mets are a bit crowded but I think he will find plenty of playing time. I don’t think we see 28 home runs again but 25 is certainly possible.
19 Jeimer Candelario DET 3B 265.93 The candyman should see over 600 PAs again. There seems to be more power potential there, in the second half he hit 11 home runs with a 139 wRC+ and .242 ISO.
20 Matt Chapman OAK 3B 204.2 Chapman has officially become an empty power source. He no longer hits for average and is essentially Joey Gallo. Trying to make up for his poor batting average will only hurt you.
21 Gio Urshela MIN 3B, SS 320 He took a major step back in terms of offensive production with his wRC+ dipping below 100. Maybe the new scenery can help him out but for now, he is nothing more than a solid backup in deeper leagues.
22 Jonathan Villar N/A 3B, SS 265.67 Villar is an accumulator who can get you stolen bases, we have to see where he signs though.
23 Abraham Toro SEA 2B, 3B 278.47 15 home runs and five stolen bases seem plausible here.
24 Alec Bohm PHI 3B 298.4 Alec Bohm was hit with a sophomore slump and he should be able to bounce back. He has the prospect pedigree and is worth taking a shot on this late in drafts.
25 Cavan Biggio TOR 3B 307.73 No power potential here at all, there never was, but hitting for 15 home runs and 15 steals is always possible.
26 Luis Arraez MIN 2B, 3B, OF 335.67 Think Madrigal but without the speed.
27 Patrick Wisdom CHC 3B 338.6 Hard to invest in someone who lead the league in K%.
28 Joey Wendle MIA 3B, SS 352.4 Joey Wendle should see consistent playing time and in my opinion, he is basically a twin of Rojas.
29 Mike Moustakas CIN 3B 348.27 Whether or not his injury has changed his power output for the rest of his career, we don’t know. But we will find out soon.
30 Hunter Dozier KC 3B, OF 356.67 Dozier had a nice second-half turnaround by improving his plate discipline and if it sticks he could be a solid late-round flier.
31 Yandy Diaz TB 1B, 3B 355.6 Diaz will continue to do what he does, hit the ball hard without giving you home runs.
32 Jose Miranda MIN 3B 356.73 Miranda mashed in AA and AAA last season putting up a wRC+ over 155 in both. We could see a call-up.
33 Evan Longoria SF 3B 357.13 Can the old man stay healthy?
34 Santiago Espinal TOR 3B 358.6 It’s hard to say how much time Espinal could see on the field and that limits his upside.
35 Wilmer Flores SF 1B, 2B, 3B 359.07 The Giants like to platoon him but he should still see a bunch of plate appearances.
36 Ha-Seong Kim 김하성 SD 2B, 3B, SS 342.8 Kim will once again battle to see PAs but the 10/10 potential makes him a decent bench bat.
37 Tyler Wade LAA 3B, SS, OF 359.6 As of right now, the speedster should be starting for the Angels and while it is empty speed you could be getting 20 steals from him.
38 J.D. Davis NYM 3B 360 Davis was a mess last year with injuries and the Mets not wanting to play him with his poor defense. Hopefully, he gets traded.
39 Rougned Odor BAL 2B, 3B 424.24 Odor will likely play every day if he performs. And if he does you could potentially get 15/10 out of him.
40 Carter Kieboom WSH 3B 451.0 It’s either Kieboom finally wakes up or it’s Maikel Franco time.

Heading in Opposite Directions: Kris Bryant and Yoán Moncada

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November 1, 2019

This season, Yoán Moncada narrowly surpassed Kris Bryant as the most valuable Chicago third baseman in 5×5 Roto value. Figuring out whether he is likely to keep the crown in 2020 is not an easy task.

Even though Moncada made 75 fewer plate appearances than Bryant did, as he missed three weeks in August with a strained hamstring, he outearned his North Side counterpart, $18.0 to $17.0. Moncada made up deficits of 25 runs and six homers by driving in two more runs, stealing six more bases and, most important, hitting .315, which gave him a 33-point advantage in batting average. He improved in every category, other than steals, but Moncada’s surge from a .235 batting average in 2018 played the biggest role in catapulting him into the top 10 at third base (he ranked ninth and Bryant ranked 10th).
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2016 Ottoneu FGpts Rankings – Third Base

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February 5, 2016

Below is the Third Base installment of our 2016 Ottoneu FGpt rankings.

Previous Rankings: Catcher/First Base

In the context of Ottoneu, perhaps rankings are a misnomer, because you really want to know the dollar value each player is worth. We’ve included this information for our benefit. In all, these rankings should help to give you a spread of four dollar values for each player, as well as a comparison to average prices (post-arbitration, pre-cut deadline) within the Ottoneu FGpts universe. Each player’s Ottoneu eligibility (5GS, 10 appearances) is included as well, though players are ranked at their most valuable position. If you have questions on a specific ranking, or a question for a specific ranker, feel free to let us know in the comments.

Consider this your very early, subject to change, Ottoneu pricing cheat sheet.
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Todd Frazier Wishes You All Good Mental Health

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October 31, 2012

Okay, so it’s the wrong Frazier/Frasier. The point is, if you were lucky (or smart) enough to grab Todd Frazier to hold down the hot corner in any of your fantasy leagues, then your mind was at least at ease. While he was ranked in the top 25 for third basemen this year — albeit barely, coming in at 23rd — that does not do him justice.

Frazier accumulated a 5×5 line of 19 home runs, 55 runs, 67 RBIs, a solid .273 batting average and even stole three bases too. Normally those numbers wouldn’t be worth noting from a corner infielder, however Frazier racked up those counting stats in just 422 at-bats spread across 128 games. That is fewer AB’s than anyone above him with the exception of Jose Bautista.
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Kicking Rocks: The Not So Hot Corner

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May 5, 2011

Blame it on the injuries.  Blame it on the fact that the once lush and dense forest of talent to be found at third base is thinning out faster than a middle aged guy’s hairline.  Blame it on Rio or the bellboy, I don’t really care.  The fact of the matter is, the position is like a fantasy nightmare that picks right back up where you left off no matter how many times you wake yourself up and try to calmly fall back asleep.  And it just keeps getting scarier each time. Read the rest of this entry »


Rankings Update: Third Base

by
June 29, 2010

Back, but probably not better than ever. If the rankings are crazy, blame my cold.

Big Three
 Evan Longoria
David Wright
Alex Rodriguez

Every week that A-Rod doesn’t show his old power, he continues to lose value. He is still a very good third baseman in real life, but his days as a dominant force may be over. I’d like to see Longoria hit a couple more dingers this week, otherwise Wright may be able to squirm his way into the number one spot.

Large Two
 Ryan Zimmerman
Scott Rolen

Rolen still carries some injury risk, but he is really tearing it up.

Medium Four
 Mark Reynolds
Casey McGehee
Michael Young
Adrian Beltre

Reynolds is doing everything he can to hit 40 homers, even if it means killing his batting average. Young is playing like a man who is much…never mind, that pun wasn’t worth it.

Sad Panda
 Jorge Cantu
Ian Stewart
Jose Bautista
Pablo Sandoval

Cantu is steady, so he’s a good play if you want to know what you’re getting. Stewart has more power than he’s show, or so I think. Bautista will kill your average, but could save you with his power. And Pablo, well, he’s not doing so hot.

I am Jack’s Third Baseman
 Kevin Kouzmanoff
David Freese
Casey Blake

If we all try hard enough, we can will David Freese to hit more homers. Blake has always been a favorite bench guy of mine, because you know what you’re getting year-in and year-out.

The Rest of ‘Em
 Neil Walker
Chase Headley
Pedro Alvarez
Chipper Jones

Slow down, Pedro. Just do your thing and everything will come together. With Edwin Encarnacion getting DFA’d, I had to find a new guy to fill out the list. I’m liking what Neil Walker is showing, and it doesn’t surprise me one bit.


Rankings Update: Third Base

by
June 15, 2010

I bet some of you fine folks are wondering where your catcher rankings are, right? Well, I am alternating weeks with catcher rankings and corner infield rankings. At this point in the year, rankings won’t change much week to week, so this is a much better option.

Big Four
 Evan Longoria
Alex Rodriguez
David Wright
Ryan Zimmerman

In all of my updates, the top spot has changed hands. I mentioned before that I was tempted to move Longoria up to the top slot, and I finally worked up the stones to do so. Zimmerman has shown he deserves to be mentioned with what used to be the “Big Three.”

Medium Four
 Mark Reynolds
Scott Rolen
Casey McGehee
Jorge Cantu

If I owned any of these guys, I wouldn’t feel too bad. Rolen’s injury history still scares me, but I hate predicting that a guy will get hurt. McGehee is showing that his power is for real, but how long will he sustain peak performance? He’s already 27, so he may not be able to improve anymore.

Surprised?
 Pablo Sandoval
Michael Young

Pablo’s BABIP may be catching up with him, but his lowered line drive rate isn’t helping matters. Is the power he showed last year a fraud?

I Am Jack’s Third Baseman
 Ian Stewart
Adrian Beltre
Jose Bautista

Now that Jack owns a catcher and a first baseman, he needs someone to man the hot corner. If Bautista was capable of hitting .250, he’d be in a higher tier.

Prospect Alert!
 David Freese
Kevin Kouzmanoff
Pedro Alvarez

At first, it looked like Alvarez would be up during this very week, but now it looks like the Pirates are going to hold off. He will, however, be up by the end of the month. Freese needs to add some power to his game, but the batting average is still nice and shiny.

The Rest of ‘Em
 Casey Blake
Chase Headley
Chipper Jones
Edwin Encarnacion

Chipper’s latest injury problem and lack of overall production forces him to the lowest tier. He still might be worth holding onto in OBP leagues, but should be on the waiver wire in standard leagues.


Rankings Update: Third Base

by
May 18, 2010

Aloha, America! Another week means another look at the third base rankings. Just like last week, wOBA numbers are listed as “(Current, ZiPS Updated).”

The Big Three
 Alex Rodriguez (.365, .388)
Evan Longoria (.409, .396)
David Wright (.393, .400)

If A-Rod’s HR/FB rate wasn’t half it’s normal level, Longoria would be the top dog. Call me crazy, but I was really tempted to move Wright down to the next tier. Striking out a ton (having a HR/FB rate close to 23% doesn’t help either) is not a good way to go about your season.

Medium Three
 Ryan Zimmerman (.423, .390)
Mark Reynolds (.369, .370)
Pablo Sandoval (.340, .371)

After some careful deliberation, I have decided that I would rather have Reynolds’ power than Pablo’s average, at this point. Of course, if you are in a league that docks points for strikeouts, this isn’t the case.

Group X
 Ian Stewart (.366, .354)
Jorge Cantu (.338, .338)
Scott Rolen (.359, .356)
Michael Young (.326, .346)

I’m happy to eat my words when it comes to Scott Rolen. I wasn’t very high on him coming into the year (as those of you who bought the Second Opinion will know), and even though his power may be fluky, it is entirely possible he keeps it up for awhile longer.

*Sigh*
 Casey McGehee (.399, .354)
Chipper Jones (.349, .379)
Adrian Beltre (.340, .341)
David Freese (.377, .357)
Aramis Ramirez (.237, .322)

Chipper is going to be great in OBP leagues this year, but I’m not sure what he has to offer in standard 5×5 leagues. No power and a extreme BABIP? No thanks, Mr. Beltre. Aramis can’t buy a hit right now, let alone a HR, but he needs to cut down on his strikeouts if he wants to have a better chance to bounce back.

The Rest of ‘Em
 Chase Headley (.333, .325)
Kevin Kouzmanoff (.281, .316)
Casey Blake (.318, .340)
Mark Teahen (.291, .321)
Jhonny Peralta (.323, .328)

Alternate group title is “Shaking My Head”. Third base is really ugly this year, which we sort of knew, but it has gotten worse as the season has progressed. You may notice I trimmed the list from 25 to 20 this week, simply because it gets really nasty after these guys, and I’m not sure if any of the other folks are even worth a shot.


Rankings Update: Third Base

by
May 11, 2010

Back after a week lost to illness, here are your third base rankings. wOBA numbers are listed as “(Current, ZiPS Updated)”. If the wOBA numbers are a couple of points off, don’t sweat it, because it’s just me writing these things up ahead of time.

Big Three
 Alex Rodriguez (.363, .389)
Evan Longoria (.417, .397)
David Wright (.401, .401)

According to wOBA and ZiPS, Wright is wright (intended, shamelessly) on target.

Medium Three
 Ryan Zimmerman (.432, .385)
Pablo Sandoval (.337, .371)
Mark Reynolds (.377, .371)

I decided to place Zimmerman above Kung Fu Panda. He’s got more power and the batting average is more than good enough. Reynolds is still cranking balls out of the park, but that’s partly because he’s been getting the ball in the air more often.

Third Base Group X
 Jorge Cantu (.350, .341)
Ian Stewart (.395, .362)
Michael Young (.312, .339)
Scott Rolen (.339, .346)

Cantu and Stewart move up at the expense of Young. Cantu is very steady, and I like what Stewart is doing at the plate.

The “A” Team
 Aramis Ramirez (.218, .324)
Adrian Beltre (.361, .350)

Yes, America, I hear your cries regarding A-Ram. He’s aging, and even though his numbers say he’ll bounce back, I don’t think it will be enough to be anything special. If you ask me, he’s almost done.

The “C” Team
 Chipper Jones (.352, .382)
Casey McGehee (.396, .347)
Casey Blake (.336, .347)
David Freese (.387, .352)
Chase Headley (.369, .335)

McGehee sure is slugging the ball, eh?

The Rest of ‘Em
 Andy LaRoche (.362, .341)
Jhonny Peralta (.301, .323)
Mark Teahen (.304, .327)
Kevin Kouzmanoff (.295, .322)
Alex Gordon (.299, .329)
Mark DeRosa (.243, .313)
Edwin Encarnacion (.296, .315)
Brandon Inge (.322, .314)

I originally had LaRoche and Peralta in their own group, but decided to just lump them together with the rest of these fools. Seriously, though, can someone please save Gordon from the hell that is the Royals organization?


Rankings Update: Third Base

by
April 28, 2010

Here we go again.

Big Three
 Alex Rodriguez (.418 wOBA)
Evan Longoria (.386)
David Wright (.395)

Once again, I wrestled with the idea of mixing this bunch up. Next year, I’ll be taking Longoria over A-Rod, but I don’t think that’s the case for 2010. I heard some objections about Wright last week so I thought I’d clear something up; I don’t expect 30+ homers again, but I think 25 is totally reasonable and still makes him worthy of this rank.

Medium Three
 Pablo Sandoval (.386)
Ryan Zimmerman (.376)
Mark Reynolds (.364)

I really like the diverseness of this group. Sandoval is a mostly AVG guy who will pop a few, Zimmerman is a happy medium, and Reynolds is the power guy.

Tier X
 Michael Young (.355)
Jorge Cantu (.347)
Ian Stewart (.352)

Cantu and Stewart each move up a couple of spots and are starting to win me over. I wasn’t a big Stewart fan coming into the year, but I’m about to hitch a ride on that bandwagon. Feel free to join me.

Tested and True
 Scott Rolen (.353)
Chipper Jones (.389)
Adrian Beltre (.346)
Aramis Ramirez (.383)
Casey Blake (.339)

I like what I’m seeing from Rolen, and I think Jones could be closed to finished as an automatic fantasy starter. His lack of pop and lowered batting average numbers make him questionable in my book.

Upside!
 Mark Teahen (.329)
Chase Headley (.353)
Casey McGehee (.330)
Alex Gordon (.364)

Teahen is another guy I like. He’s hitting the ball in the air more, which works well when you play in The Cell.

I Know What I Like, and Don’t Like What I Know
 Mark DeRosa (.342)
Andy LaRoche (.340)
Jhonny Peralta (.329)

For the most part, what you see is what you get with these three. And what you get isn’t going to be the prettiest thing in the world.

The Rest of ‘Em
 Kevin Kouzmanoff (.330)
Jake Fox (.345)
Edwin Encarnacion (.348)
Brandon Inge (.319)

If Jake Fox starts one more game at the catcher position, he’ll be eligible there in Yahoo! leagues, and I’ll likely start ranking him as a backstop. Also, Garrett Atkins is off the list this week.


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