Over/Under 25 HR 115 RBI and 15 SB for Nick Markakis: Over - The Greek god of production, Markakis does it all. With Brian Roberts and an improving Adam Jones setting the table, this is a guy you want on your team.

Over/Under 10 wins and 120 Ks for Jeremy Guthrie: Under - The Baltimore ace by default, Guthrie has movement on all his pitches and pounds the strikezone, but in a brutal division he will struggle to match last year’s production.

Over/Under 60 SB and 105 R for Jacoby Ellsbury: Over - If you’re fishing for batting average and power you will be disappointed, but Ellsbury can fly and a (mostly) healthy David Ortiz helps everybody in this lineup.

Over/Under 200 IP and 15 wins for Josh Beckett: Over - As always, if he pitches his production will be there. I think Beckett has something to prove this year and there there is no nastier pitcher when he has a chip on his shoulder.

Over/Under .325 BA and 20 HR for Robinson Cano: Over - It seems like Cano has been around forever though he is only 26.  I think this is the year he puts it all together and becomes a force in the middle of that Yankee lineup.

Over/Under 175 IP and 12 wins for AJ Burnett: Under - When he’s on he’s filthy, but career highs in starts, innings, strikeouts and wins last season have me concerned.  A hot start to the season wouldn’t surprise me … 30 starts would.

Over/Under 15 HR and 50 SB for Carl Crawford: Over - How quickly we forget … a season removed from All-Star production, the unquestioned leader of the Rays is due for a major bounce-back season in 2009.

Over/Under 20 starts for David Price: Over - This is becoming a yearly occurance for the Rays.  Look for them to bring Price along sometime soon ala Evan Longoria last season.  10 wins is not out of the question for the young lefty.

Over/Under 20 HR and 80 RBI for Travis Snider: Over - With a depleted pitching staff, the Jays will need to outscore teams with their talented young lineup.  This 21-year-old phenom is one of the few brights spots in Toronto.

Over/Under 10 wins and 125 Ks for David Purcey: Under - There are a lot of believers in the big lefty in the middle of the Blue Jay rotation.  I am not one of them.  A shaky bullpen situation only hurts Purcey’s value in 2009 … avoid.

Over/Under 25 HR and 90 RBI for Alexei Ramirez: Under - The Cuban-born Ramirez won’t sneak up on big league pitchers this season.  That isn’t to say he won’t be a productive player, but temper your expectations.

Over/Under 15 wins and a 3.50 ERA for John Danks: Over - The 23-year-old lefty improved his command in his sophomore season.  If the ChiSox can get him some run support the wins will follow, even if his ERA creeps up a bit.

Over/Under 20 HR and 100 RBI for Victor Martinez: Over - Look for the outlier in Martinez’s past five seasons then consider that he is only 30 years old.  Don’t be scared off by his injury-plagued 2008, he will rebound in a big way.

Over/Under 12 wins and 185 IP for Fausto Carmona: Under - Speaking of outliers, Carmona had his in 2007 with his 3.06 ERA.  He simply walks too many batters to be a reliable fantasy pitcher, especially with his lack of strikeouts.

Over/Under 20 HR and 20 SB for Curtis Granderson: Over - The perfect table-setter for this Tiger lineup, look for Granderson to get off to a hot start.  Jimmy Leyland wants Granderson to run more this season as well.

Over/Under 200 IP and 17 wins for Armando Gallaraga: Over - He isn’t flashy, but this Venezuelan righty knows how to win ballgames.  With the Tiger’s potent lineup, I think 20 wins is within reach as early as this season.

Over/Under 20 HR and a .275 BA for Alex Gordon: Over - Gordon has very quietly made improvements in each of his first two seasons.  He’s not a true breakout candidate yet, but look for the positive trend to continue this season.

Over/Under 3.45 ERA and 1.20 WHIP for Zack Greinke: Under - If Greinke can continue to improve his ground ball rate, he could see big returns in the win column this season.  The Royals may surprise some people this season.

Over/Under 10 HR and 30 SB for Denard Span: Over - Delmon Young gets all the pub, but Span is the Twins OF you want to own.  Another season under his belt and we could be looking at a poor man’s Carl Crawford.

Over/Under 3.75 ERA and 35 BB for Kevin Slowey: Under - This kid isn’t overpowering, but he is an assassin with his command.  Limiting free passes means fewer big innings and more talleys in the win column at seasons end.

Over/Under 500 AB and a .325 BA for Howie Kendrick: Over - Once in a while you just have to go out on a limb.  Sadly for this 25-year-old second baseman, staying healthy for a full season hasn’t happened yet … until now.

Over/Under 50 starts for Kelvim Escobar, John Lackey and Ervin Santana: Under - The Angels may have their work cut out for them if Joe Saunders remains near the top of their rotation.  As these three go, the halo’s season goes.

Over/Under 30 HR and 120 RBI for Matt Holliday: Over - The power numbers will be there, but the 28 stolen bases are sure to decrease in Oakland.  No matter, Holliday rakes and in an improved A’s lineup he will have a huge year.

Over/Under 20 wins between Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill: Over - They aren’t Hudson, Zito or Mulder, but this pair of youngsters will be called upon this year to bolster the Oakland staff.  I think they will answer the bell.

Over/Under 30 HR and 100 RBI for Adrian Beltre: Over - The last time Beltre was in a contract year he exploded.  I wouldn’t expect another 48 homeruns but this rock-solid defensive third baseman can handle the stick as well.

Over/Under 30 saves for Brandon Morrow: Under - Concerns over his arm landed Morrow back in the bullpen, concerns over his ability to throw strikes has me thinking he may not keep this role once Chad Cordero is healthy.

Over/Under 20 HR and 85 RBI for Hank Blalock: Over - With Michael Young shifting over to third base, Blalock will assume the full-time DH role for the Rangers.  If he stays healthy (and I think he can), his numbers will be there.

Over/Under 15 wins and 135 Ks for Kevin Millwood: Under - Millwood eats innings, but the durable righty surrenders too many hits to be counted on for big win production.  Double-digit wins should be within reach, but just barely.

Post from: Free Sports Picks

Over/Under Part 1: A Preview of the 2009 American League Baseball Season

Related posts:

1. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Catcher Rankings Catcher is
2. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Pitcher Rankings Ah, pitche
3. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered SS Rankings Talk about

There have been a number of emails asking me to do a fantasy article ranking players in a Dynasty League format. Dynasty leagues are those in which you keep all of the players that you draft, therefor taking ages, contracts, and their long term future more into account than in your yearly re-draft leagues or even leagues with a small number of keepers (1-3). Re-drafts in a dynasty format are often just rookie/free agent drafts and the veteren players only change teams if moved by their respective owner, either to the waiver wire or through a trade. This format has become more and more popular as it gives fantasy owners the feeling of team ownership, building from the ground up, often choosing to decide between winning now or building for later. It also gives losing teams something to look forward to, or the ability to trade crafty veterans for youth moving forward. It’s a whole new fantasy world, no doubt about it. You’re looking for solid production for at least 3 seasons - that allows you to continue to build through drafts and win now.

In many dynasty leagues that are starting this season, there will be a veteran draft in a snake format followed by a rookie draft in the opposite snake format. 1-12 and back for one, then 12-1 and back for the next. It evens out the board a bit, giving the teams drafting late a chance to make up for their lack of Top-5 power and take a blue-chip rookie going forward. But we’ll talk about rookies in the next few months, and closer to the start of the 2009 season. 

I am ranking these players based on a format that starts this lineup: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, K, D. That format gives wide receivers a little added value based on the fact that you start 3 of them compared to just 2 RBs. Also, the point system is a PPR (point per reception) format, which many leagues have moved to. That also gives WRs a little added bonus, the same goes for pass catching running backs. QBs get 6 points for touchdowns just like everyone else, and other than that, the scoring is very normal. Under this scoring format last season, the top 4 point scoring options were Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, and Kurt Warner - in that order. Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald were the only non-quarterbacks in the Top 8, and DeAngelo Williams finished with 6 more points than Matt Forte to take the running back title. That doesn’t mean QBs hold more value than RBs, same with WRs, but it does put points into perspective a little bit. 

I won’t be ranking D’s or K’s because I don’t care enough to do it. Also there’s some clutter in the middle a bit, that I argued with myself about a lot, but that’s the order I went with and I’ll own it. Throw in a comment (or email my uncle -papaweimer50@hotmail.com, i pretty much run his old pathetic life anyway - haha) and let me know what you think.  Can’t fit them all in 112 spots… 

Without further jib-jab and point scoring hog-wash, these are my 2009 dynasty fantasy rankings pre-draft. This is, more or less, how I think they’ll rate out over the next three seasons combined. 

1. Maurice Jones-Drew (absolute stud, and will get more carries and touches this season, just like Josh said, this guy’s point per touch numbers are absurd) 
2. Adrian Peterson (most people’s number one, should have his best year next season)
3. Matt Forte (lots of touches for Matt, especially through the air, great feet for a big guy) 
4. Chris Johnson (Some people thought he was too small, the Titans didn’t, they win) 
5. Michael Turner (Justifiably some say he’s #1, his age and full load drop him a few spots in my Dynasty rankings) 
6. Steven Jackson (still very young and very talented - not much help in St. Louis, but the talent is there) 
7. Larry Fitzgerald (this guy is basically unstoppable)
8. DeAngelo Williams (I’ve always liked his running style, and despite the great back-up behind him, he still ranks high)
9. Andre Johnson (the only other non RB in my Top 10, AJ big brother’s DBs all year long) 
10. Marion Barber (he’s not going to get picked this high in drafts, but a return to prominence for MBIII is almost a guarantee)
11. Calvin Johnson (if he were on a better team, this guy would be fighting Fitz, still his per touch numbers are awesome and he’s only getting better as that terrible Lions team improves - if Cutler goes there, watch out) 
12. Frank Gore (always one of my favorites, the center point of a run first offense, talent high, but injuries keep him out of the Top 10)
13. Greg Jennings (young, strong, great young QB, the more touches he gets the better)
14. Steve Slaton (some people see Slaton as a 3rd Down back, too small, but he’ll always be better than Fragile Reggie)
15. Brandon Jacobs (Jacobs runs too hard to stay injury free, despite being the size of a D-end, but while he’s in he’s good for 100 yards and a TD - plus he’s young) 
16. Reggie Bush (if I trusted Sean Payton to do the right thing, he’d be lower, still in a PPR league he’s a solid play 20th RB last season missing 6+ games - + meaning he missed most of a couple other games) 
17. Roddy White (Roddy deserves more credit - he’s a stud - a go to guy for a great young QB on an improving team) 
18. Anquan Boldin (a couple donkeys say Boldin isn’t a #1, haha, I hope he goes somewhere else and proves everyone wrong)
19. Steve Smith (His age - and physicality - drops him a bit, but he’s that close to Roddy and ‘Quan - and as fun to watch as anyone in the league - look how good he makes Delhomme look sometimes) 
20. Phillip Rivers (So what if he throws marshmallows, his team is turning pass happy, plays in a terrible division, and is just 27 years old - he’ll toss 40 TDs one of these years - and we’re the exact same age, to the day - it’s fate! ha) 
21. Marques Colston (if I trusted Sean Payton to do the right thing, he’d be higher) 
22. Kevin Smith (He won’t go this high, I promise, but invest now and you’ll reap the benefits of this talented back later) 
23. Brandon Marshall (If it weren’t for his ability to “find himself in bad situations” - hide and seek champ - he’d rank higher) 
    
24. Clinton Portis (Clinton will be 28 in September, going on 32 - I love the guy’s fight, but that drops the talented back into the 20s) 
25. Drew Brees (This guy plays tricks on defenses - the only problem is that I don’t know how much longer that idiot running this team will have a head coaching job, and another guy would surely run a more conservative and smarter offense) 
26. Ryan Grant (He may have struggled a bit last season, but he’s young and this offense will get better and rely on him more heavily next season) 
27. Joseph Addai (I can’t quite give up on Addai yet, but he’s never really impressed me as a runner. He’s thrown up some solid stat lines, but aside from pure numbers he doesn’t impress me as much as he does others) 
28. Peyton Manning (Elder Manning is 33, but still has a handful of good years left in him - but he’ll be 36 in 3 years, and you never know how age, and a new coach, will change a guy) 
29. Ronnie Brown (Ronnie will go under the radar in drafts, and this might even be a little low for one of the best all around backs in the league) 
30. Tony Romo (I might take Romo over Manning, but I wonder the impact of losing TO and how it will effect Tony, still a top flight QB though, and young)
31. Tom Brady (Nobody does it like Tom - but his knee still has questions, and this team can’t be young forever) 
32. Reggie Wayne (he’s actually getting up there in age a bit, 31 or so, he’ll have a couple real good years, then start to die off, which is why he falls a bit now) 
33. Dwayne Bowe (Dwayne Bowe, watch Anquan Boldin films, that’s going to be you in a year or two - Bowe could break into the Top 10 this year) 
34. Aaron Rodgers (Explosive young arm with a great receiving corps and an improving offense - only his second year - could be great) 
35. Darren McFadden (I don’t care what people say, this is probably too low - still, I can’t put a Raider higher than Bo Jackson’s old number - Bo knows Al Davis is a team killing psycho path!) 
36. Eddie Royal (this looks like a reach now, but he’s like Wes Welker with elite speed and great maneuverability) 
37. Matt Ryan (this may be a reach, but I’m ranking for the next 3 years, and I’d love to have Matty Ice when he matures)
38. Randy Moss (Randy’s old, but still basically unguardable with Tom Brady hucking footballs - only a couple real good years left though which drops him a bit) 
39. Marshawn Lynch (Obviously keep an eye on his situation, the kid will be suspended, and has been a question mark since draft day - on the football field he’s a great RB option) 
40. Braylon Edwards (very good player when he’s on, yet quite drop-happy and not as physical as his body - should be much better than he was last season, and still very young - doesn’t have great speed though) 
41. Derrick Ward (Could be an interesting time share in Tampa, but they brought Ward in to be the guy, and though he’s never been a beacon of health, he’s a very physical runner with good vision, and this O-line is underrated - he’s a young 29 though) 
42. Jonathan Stewart (Might seem ridiculous, but I’d rather have JS than Westbrook or LT, and this guy’s a backup) 
43. Brian Westbrook (This is where age shows it’s ugly face a bit, Westy might be a Top 5 guy this coming season but he’ll be 30 during this year and has always had health issues - still a great player though, just don’t overbid in Dynasty Leagues) 
44. LaDainian Tomlinson (I think LT has at least one really good season left in him, remember Michael Turner just had an unreal season while LT really struggled - and by the way, they were only 7 fantasy point apart - LT still has it, for at least another year)
45. Vincent Jackson (Now’s the time, before Phillip uses Jackson as his number one for a full season) 
46. Jason Witten (I don’t think much of TEs, but Witten is the #1 in Dallas, don’t be confused by Jerry telling you it’s Roy Williams - oh, and Witten is a flat out stud)
47. TJ Houshmanzadeh (it’s unbelievable how solid his numbers were last year despite being forked in one of the worst offenses in football - he’s perfect for the Seahawks and unless he’s cursed with injuries like all Hawks’ receivers, he should be solid - but he’s 32 this season - which drops him a bit) 
48. Carson Palmer (remember when he was in the Peyton, Tom, and Drew draft area? Well, he’ll get back there - this guy has all the tools - probably a good time to invest) 
49. Wes Welker (he might not be flashy, but he’s a PPR dynamo and very good at what he does, not PPR, not as good) 
50. Matt Cassel (risky? maybe - but I’ll risk it on a leader I really like on a team with talent to catch passes and a new offensive genius as his head coach - not as risky as it may sound as I agree with McDaniels, I’d rather have Cassel than Cutler) 
51. Jay Cutler (Jay might have been higher before he pouted his way out of Denver, I’m just not impressed with grown men acting like entitled little bitches, what can I say - still, he’s a great talent with a rocket arm) 
52. Willis McGahee (sometimes sportswriters take chances, I’m taking one on a guy I don’t like all that much, I’m saying Willis turns it around and finishes well above this ranking - still, the risk brings him down a bit)
53. Matt Schaub (this is the season for Matt to lead his team to the playoffs and stay injury free, just that alone will put him in the Top 10 QBs) 
54. Antonio Gates (Gates is moving fast toward 30, and his hoops background is rearing it’s ugly head - for those of you in fantasy basketball, you know exactly what I mean - still, he’s a touchdown machine and Rivers knows it) 
55. Ben Roethlisberger (Big Ben will be better this season, he just needs to stay healthier, and improved line will help that)
56. DeSean Jackson (I like him a lot, and think he’ll be a very good one in Philly, despite his tiny frame)  
57. Felix Jones (something tells me he’ll get used more this season, now might be a good time to get this speedy young runner) 
58. Santonio Holmes (interesting cat, but very, very good - should see more balls, but don’t overpay for Super Bowl glory)
59. Donovan McNabb (Right above TO, planned that - McNabb will be an old 33 this season, and with no sure contract situation and last years’ struggles, I can’t guarantee anything form Donovan, except that he’s one of the best QBs in the league on a pretty damn good football team) 
60. Terrell Owens (A one year contract interests me always, but he’ll likely never get a longer one, still - one of the best WRs playing every single season for next year’s contract - I’ll take a chance on him, even in Buffalo - he’s older, no doubt, but in pretty good shape anyway) 
61. Lee Evans (Despite Edwards’ struggles, I still think he’ll be solid - add TO as a guy to take some pressure off Evans and I think Lee has a nice year - even if TO leaves next season, Evans will still be an elite talent) 
62. Eli Manning (I hate to do it, but I had to include Pouty-face in here somewhere, it’s personal, so he might be better than this)  
63. Santana Moss (In the 2nd season of Zorn’s system, this whole offense will move more efficiently, and Moss will benefit - turns 30 this year, but WRs should go worry free until 33 or so) 
64. Roy Williams (he’s young, has had a couple really good seasons, is the #1 in Dallas on a solid offensive team with a very good young quarterback - hell, this is too low - but there’s obviously some risk here, a guy with more ballsy would put him at 44) 
65. Antonio Bryant (I just can’t be sure about Bryant - what a great finish, scoring more points over the last 10 games than any receiver in football, that has to be worth something - he’s this far down because, well, he was out of football the year before last, can’t ignore that really) 
66. Bernard Berrian (steal on draft day I think - probably should rank him a little higher, I actually like Sage throwing him the ball) 
67. Anthony Gonzalez (something tells me that Anthony will see a lot of balls over the next 3 years, and very well could rate out higher than this) 
68. Donnie Avery (there’s no doubt in my mind that this kid will be the #1 in St. Louis next season, great upside there, but this team should struggle for a couple years at least - still, better to risk on upside) 
69. Chad Ocho-Cinco (you’ll be able to get him cheap, he’s getting older, he says one thing and does another and he changed his name to a fake spanish number - all that being said, he’s still #85 and gets his QB back this season) 
70. Jericho Cotchery (do I like Cotchery? you bet - do I like Kellen Clemmens? not a chance - but Cotchery is still a nice receiver and should average 80 grabs over the next 3 years, so this might be low for him - not great upside here though) 
71. Joe Flacco (Maybe he should go higher than this, his future is bright, that’s for sure. Still, Mason is aging and I’m not sure there’s another great offensive player on that roster) 
72. David Garrard (I still don’t see any receiving help for this poor guy, but his O-line should be way better this season - and despite what people think, he was pretty decent as a starting option last year - 12th overall) 
73. Rashard Mendenhall (he’ll go really late in drafts this year, what a time to get him, I still think he’s right there - talentwise - with anybody else from last year’s super talented class, this is too low, but he’s still risky)
74. Domenik Hixon (he might not be a #1, and I doubt the Giants will let that happen, but I like this kid as a solid HR threat #2 and I expect him to play a nice roll in NY over the next couple years - I like him more than the other WRs on that roster) 
75. Matt Hasselbeck (how many years does Matty have left? his back might have a better answer than me - but he’ll be solid as long as he’s still around - the Hawks offense will be much improved this season) 
76. Deion Branch (good player, injury troubles have held him back, and he’s not a #1, but now he doesn’t have to be, and he’s still young enough to be good in the Hawks passing attack) 
77. Pierre Thomas (if I trusted Sean Payton, he’d be a heck of a lot higher - if he ever moves teams, he shoots way up the chart) 
78. Leon Washington (he’s talented enough to take a chance, but I don’t know if his coaches will give him the #1 job, and Thomas Jones was successful last season - still, this young offensive line is talented and getting better, and Washington has at least as much upside as Darren Sproles)
79. Fred Jackson (Fred is a very good player that will probably get lots of time with Marshawn doing dumb things, a little risk could go along way with this kid) 
80. Thomas Jones (Yeah, I ranked his back-up ahead of him, so what - Jones is aging and while I still like him, he’s not really impressing the new staff with his hold-out threats) 
81. Tony Gonzalez (he may have a couple more years, but he’s in as good a shape as most 25 year olds, and even if he plays just 2 more he’ll rank out higher than most 3 year TEs)
82. Dallas Clark (he’ll be one of Peyton’s top targets with Marvin gone, and he’s a pretty sure thing to be in the Top 5 over the next few years) 
83. Kellen Winslow (I like him better than Dallas Clark, but it’s very close, and Dallas has the QB advantage and health on his side, so Kellen moves behind him)
84. Lance Moore (if I trusted Sean Payton, Lance wouldn’t be this high) 
85. Hines Ward (all he does is do the same good things year after year after year, consistently from game to game, and he’ll always be underrated - even though he’s 33 and plays a more physical football than most receivers, aging him faster perhaps, still, this is probably too low for a sure thing)
86. Steve Breaston (he’ll be a #2 somewhere, if not in Arizona next season, then sometime soon down the line, he’s good enough to hold on to) 
87. Ted Ginn Jr. (could be a very good WR, he showed flashes last season, but there’s still enough question to keep him behind a lot of receivers) 
88. Chris Cooley (what a character - Cooley is a top notch receiver that should be even better in his 2nd season in this system)
89. Sage Rosenfels (I think he’ll be good - that’s right, will probably draft him in more than a few leagues as my back-up - lots of risk here, but lots of upside too) 
90. John Carlson (His rookie year was a big success, he blocks well so he’ll always be on the field which makes him a solid red-zone touchdown target) 
91. Dustin Keller (probably a better receiver than Carlson, but not as physical and not as good of a QB, still this kid’s upside has a higher ceiling than JC’s) 
92. Trent Edwards (It’s tough to say, but I like Trent and think his sophomore slump will be exactly that - something you look back at and say, that was an aberration and this kid is going to be good - still, anybody in charge of Buff’s offense has risk) 
93. Chris Chambers (I wonder what happend last season - Chris played in every game and had just 33 grabs for 462 yards and 5 scores - I’m willing to bet he improves those numbers next season, he’s only 31 this season, but just incase, he’s not ranked high enough to get a bunch of crap for) 
94. Brady Quinn (here’s to hoping he goes to Denver and succeeds - still, I’ve never been sold on Brady) 
95. Mark Clayton (the former first round pick had a nice thing going with Flacco, his second 7 games were worth 31 fantasy points - his last 9 were good for 110) 
96. Torry Holt (we’ll see where he signs, he’s aging for sure, but I’m not ready to believe he’s done, he’s always open) 
97. Owen Daniels (not much not to like about this kid, except that he’s a TE - still, he’s very consistent which is rare for TEs not named Gonzo, Witten, Clark, and Gates) 
98. Donald Driver (old but effective, but for how long? not three years is my answer)
99. Derrick Mason (old but effective, but for how long? not three years is my answer) 
100. Jason Campbell (probably shouldn’t be this low, but after the first 12-15 QBs, what can you do, i wouldn’t mind having him to be a back-up on my squad over the next few seasons) 
101. Michael Clayton (maybe this is nuts, but with Gruden gone I think Clayton’s not so “puckered up” as he was over the last few years, and the kid has enough talent to succeed) 
102. Josh Morgan (talented enough to do it, offensive passing attack a question in San Fran, still, I like this kid a lot) 
103. Kevin Walter (effective, but a white wide receiver nonetheless, sorry if I can’t believe) 
104. Miles Austin (I have to think he’ll get enough looks to be fantasy worthy, and his upside is greater than Patrick Crayton’s) 
105. James Jones (I’ve always liked him a ton, he fell behind a little bit last season, but he’ll be a nice #2 in this league some time over the next 3 seasons) 
106. Jeremy Shockey (gotta wonder about this werid-o, never been a fan, but if he stays healthy, and out of the dog house, he’s talented enough) 
107. Zach Miller (good young red zone target, if the Raiders ever get there he’ll be a solid option) 
108. Laurence Maroney (worth a pick late in dynasty leagues, I have always loved his talent but he can’t stay on the field and his HC isn’t a huge fan) 
109. Chad Pennington (he needed to go on the list, I just don’t think he has more than one season as a starter) 
110. JaMarcus Russell (you have to feel bad for a kid that gets stuck in Oakland - I believe JaMarcus!)
111. Plaxico Burress (I think Plax was/is stupid - no doubt about that - however, mando-mins are the stupidest thing ever and should be abolished - he’s a super talented cat, but prison time is on the horizon which means his career could be shut down)
112. Michael Vick (Yeah, he’s on the list, he’s an athletic freak and he did his time - get the hell over it - I’m a dog lover and after a guy spends time in jail for what he did, has to start his life and career over, I’m going to wish him the best)

Post from: Free Sports Picks

Dynasty/Keeper Rankings TOP 112: 2009 Fantasy Football

Related posts:

1. Fantasy Football: Tiered Quarterback Rankings Here are m
2. Fantasy Football: Tiered Receiver Rankings Here are m
3. Fantasy Football: Tiered Running Back Rankings Here are m

1. Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia: The Lions probably have to take Stafford here. I don’t like the pick for them, I think they can wait to get a quarterback next year, or even later in the draft, but it is what it is, and they have no future stud quarterback and they are a floundering franchise, and they have the top pick in a class that has no clear number one - so they’ll do what almost any other franchise would do in that situation and grab the big upside quarterback, and they’ll likely find themselves right back in this spot next year with a quarterback that they’re still not sure about, but maybe there will be a number one that seperates himself, and hopefully for the Lions that isn’t Sam Bradford. As much as I hate to admit it, Stafford is probably the pick the Lions will choose. Seeing as though the Lions will likely have a shot at a solid OT with the 20th pick, because it’s a deep position, they probably have to make this move. Stafford teaming up with Britton or Oher  makes more sense than Jason Smith and Josh Freeman, in my opinion. I would take Jason Smith here and a stud defensive prospect at #20, but I’m a front line guy - I don’t build teams the Lion way…

2. St. Louis Rams- Jason Smith, OT, Baylor: I thought the Rams would make a pick like this even before they released one of the better offensive tackles of all time, Orlando Pace. With the big OT gone, they’ll take their pick of the deepest position in the draft. Jason Smith looks to have the most upside and the best motor, a fantastic combo for your QB protector to possess, and thus he’ll likely go here.

3. Kansas City Chiefs- Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest: The Chiefs need to get better in more than a few places, and they’ll likely consider taking offensive line help here. But, with a defensive difference maker available for one of the league’s worst defenses, a guy that many consider the best overall talent in the draft, Curry seems to be the best fit at #3.

4. Seattle Seahawks- Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia: Seeing that the defensive tackle spot wasn’t very deep, and probably deciding that they didn’t want to throw their 4th pick at B.J. Raji, the Hawks went ahead and traded one of their playmaking linebackers to pick up a solid young DT that has upside. That leaves the Hawks in a great place to get better where they need help the most. They’ll take either Aaron Curry or Eugene Monroe. I have the Chiefs grabbing Curry at 3, which will get Monroe, the most polished and consistent left tackle in the draft, a plane ticket to Sea-Tac.

5. Cleveland Browns- Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas: First of all, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mangini and the Browns make a move that changes their need and or pick selection heading into the draft. Right now lets assume that all the players on the Browns roster stay in Cleveland. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brian Orakpo go here. Mangini took a chance on a hybrid backer last year, and Orakpo is a much better player with more “now” skills than Vernon Gholston was, and he has the same sack happy upside as last year’s top pick.

6. Cincinnati Bengals- B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College: Cincinnati needs defensive help. I don’t think they could make a better pick at this point than Raji. B.J. is a beast and has excelled in key off-season areas such as the senior bowl and the combine. Put that performance together with his hard work at Boston College and you have a great prospect at one of the draft’s weakest positions. This might be too smart of a pick for the Bengals.

7. Oakland Raiders- Andre Smith, OT, Alabama: Not even God knows what Al Davis and the Raiders will do now. Some like to think that Michael Crabtree will be the guy, and while he certainly is the most popular and well known prospect here, I’m not so sure he’s even Al’s favorite WR prospect. That might go to lightning quick Maclin or physical freak Darrius Heyward-Bey. That being said, I think the Raiders stun the masses, skip over elite skill players, and grab Andre Smith. The big tackle has seen his stock tumble a bit, but I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if he finds his way into the Top 10. The Raiders don’t seem to care much about character, and personality aside, Smith is one of the most talented big men in this draft.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars- Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: The Jaguars should count their blessings if Crabtree falls to them. It’s not often that you get an elite offensive NFL talent in a position you desperately need. There are a few people with their heads slammed directly up their hoo-hoo’s that think the Jaguars need to go quarterback here. Because Garrard is 31. Please. This isn’t running back here, and it’s not like Garrard failed last season without any real receiving threats and no offensive line. The Jaguars could take Oher or maybe even an awe inspiring selection of Rey Maualuga, amongst many others, but Crabtree is everything they’ve asked for since Jimmy Smith got caught in the life cycle aging process.

9. Green Bay Packers- Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State: The Packers seem like they’re looking for more of a “now” player than Aaron Maybin might be, but I really like the Penn State product. The Packers might be choosing between him and Everett Brown, and while I like Brown’s athleticism, I happen to think Maybin’s upside is greater. Both are young players that need some time. but Maybin could be special and the Packers should go that direction.

10. San Francisco 49ers- Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California: If the Raiders go dumb and take the most impressive 40-time or just find better value in another positioin, that might leave Andre Smith here for Iron Mike and the 49ers. If that’s the case, I don’t see them passing up on the big OT even though his “work ethic” might not roll with the former Bears great. However, Mike can motivate a mole to sunbathe, so one of the most talented OTs in the draft at pick 10 would make sense. Since he’s not here in my mock, that leaves two choices I see the 49ers choosing between - Mark Sanchez and Jeremy Maclin. I like Shaun Hill, but he’s not a future pro-bowler by any means. Sanchez has the leadership and work ethic that Mike Singletary and his staff would love. Maclin would give the team a nice gamebreaking option on a team that relies too heavily on Frank Gore. For a team building for the future, Sanchez gets the nod. All in all, there might be a couple teams looking to shoot up to grab Sanchez. If there’s an option out there, the 49ers could pass on the SC product.

11. Buffalo Bills- Everette Brown, DE, Florida State: If there’s any team that needs defensive playmakers as much as the Detroit Lions, it’s the Buffalo Bills. Everett Brown might be a bit of a tweener, but he’s a physical freak of an athlete that does everything he can to put pressure on opposing backfields. Brown could play OLB for the Bills, but could immediately give them pass rush help on passing downs.

12. Denver Broncos- Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU: If there’s a dying breed of player it’s the DE in a 3-4 scheme. With pass rushers getting faster and more athletic, the big space eating ends that do it all have almost disappeared. Jackson is the only real player out there with a first round grade. The Broncos need a lot of help, mostly on the defensive side of the ball, and Jackson looks like a great fit to start his career with first year coach Josh McDaniels in Denver.

13. Washington Redskins- Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi: The Redskins could stun a few folks here by grabbing Jeremy Maclin. Maclin would be a nice number 2 option, the one they were looking for when they spent two first day picks on receivers that disappointed last year. He would allow Randel-El to work in the slot where he’s more effective, and relieve some deep help on Santana Moss. However, I think the Redskins give their young receivers another year to establish themselves and take a chance on an elite offensive tackle prospect in Michael Oher. They need help protecting the quarterback, if you watched them in the 2nd half of 2008, that fact is obvious. Oher might have moments where he shows his youth, but those team with moments of greatness.

14. New Orleans Saints- Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State: If the Saints draft a running back here, you can’t even begin to imagine the failing grade I’ll give them on draft day. They have a great pass catching back in Reggie Bush, one they spend a ton of money on. They also have an even better back in Pierre Thomas, one they don’t seem to like much despite his elite production when given a chance. Beanie Wells is still on the board, but if they know what’s good for them, the Saints will leave him there. Maclin is also available, and you never know what Payton will trick his GM into doing, but Jeremy should stay on the board as well. This team needs to take a chance on defense, and get their offensive help later in the draft. Brain Cushing, Peria Jerry, or Michael Jenkins are three options I like here, with Jenkins being the best for the Saints. He may not have timed out well in the 40, but he has great ability to help a defense that stinks at just about everything.

15. Houston Texans- Brian Cushing, OLB, Southern California: Could the Texans draft Jeremy Maclin? A kid whose gamebreaking ability projected higher than this pick in the draft? The Texans have solid offensive talent, and they probably don’t “need” Maclin, but what a tandem that could be… Still, that’s my fantasy hopes busting into my real football knowledge, and that’s very unlikely to happen. What else is unlikely to happen? The Texans taking a running back this high, so those who expect Beanie or Knowshon to be a Texan, think again. I think the Texans could improve if they got help at defensive end, and maybe outside linebaker (though I do like Xavier Adibi and his future with the club). Brian Cushing could be an immediate impact guy, a linebacker that is effective on all downs - something that shouldn’t be overlooked. I think Cushing is a bit of a reach here, but he fits. A freak like Michael Johnson could really benefit from all the attention Super Mario gets, but he’s even more of a reach because of his inconsistency. I think Cushing fits the bill here.

16. San Diego Chargers- Rey Maualuga, ILB, Southern California: What a difference a year makes. The Chargers came into the ‘08 draft with the “pick the best player, we don’t have any huge needs” thing going for them, and everyone thought they’d be a Super Bowl contender. As it turned out, they struggled like a fish out of water just to make the playoffs, but once they got there it looked like they belonged. But the off season hasn’t done much to secure the make-up of this team. Merriman is expected to be back after missing most of the ‘08 season, and LT fixed his contract which allowed him to stay. Darren Sproles looks to get more touches in 2009, but the Chargers could still use some help making holes for their two headed running back monster. With LT back, I don’t think the Chargers will waste an early pick on a running back, no need to spend another 6 million on the RB position. Vincent Jackson’s immergence, Antonio Gates greatness, and Chris Chambers’ consistency seems to keep any focus off the skill positions in Round 1, even though it’s not all about needs. If Jenkins falls this far, they have to grab the corner/safety. He’s too solid to pass up for a team that ranked 31st in pass defense and I think he could play anywhere for them. They could take a shot on a guy like Vontae Davis but I wouldn’t go there.  I think they end up taking Rey Maualuga. The USC product is a tackling machine, and they could really use a sure thing in the middle of their defense.

17. New York Jets- Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State: Coles absence and Maclin falling right into their laps gives the Jets a great option here. They could go for Freeman if they really think he could be the long term answer, but Maclin is a big time game breaker that can do things most players can’t. He’d help the field position game and allow the Jets to use Cotchery’s skill set more appropriately. At 17th overall, this kid might be a steal for the Jets. However, the I have this feeling that the Jets might grab the first running back in the draft. Thomas Jones is talking hold out, and he wants a raise (and probably deserves one, despite his age), so they could cut him loose and draft a back with all the talent in the world. This would allow them to use Leon Washington more, a guy that has proven his worth when he gets the touches. Thunder and Lightening? Lots of ways the Jets could draft under their new staff - but I’m throwing my wild card out there with the OSU big back.

18. Chicago Bears- Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland: Heyward-Bey is a physical specimen, no doubt about that - but there’s not doubt in my mind that Maclin is the better receiver. However, in Chicago this big bad fast son of a gun might be the perfect fit. He and Devin Hester could prove to be a tough combo to cover. If Mark Sanchez is still here, I think the Bears go with the USC product. As is, they are looking for more explosion and while Bey might not be the immediate answer, his upside and elite numbers likely get him the nod in Chicago.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri: More than a few people have Josh Freeman going here. I don’t think that’s the best move for the Bucs, especially with an elite prospect falling into their laps. Antonio Bryant did big things in Tampa last season, but Maclin would only assure the explosive nature of the offensive weapons being gathered in Tampa. This team has a solid offensive line, so nice running options, and will have a nice plethora of receiver options with Kellen Winslow, Bryant, and Maclin. Probably not a need, but the best prospect on the board is Maclin if the speedster falls this far.

20. Detroit Lions (from Dallas)- Jerry Peria, DT, Mississippi: The Lions traded a promising young defensive tackle to grab perrenial Pro-Bowl OLB Julian Peterson from the Hawks. Getting this quick underrated tackle would be a great bargain because after Peria the talent level at the position really drops off. The Lions need lots of options, no doubt about that, they could go with a project like Robert Ayers, OT Eben Britton, or if they decided to go with Jason Smith in Round 1, Josh Freeman maybe? Like I said, there will be a lot decided by draft day, but as is Peria would be a nice pick for the Lions here, especially with the strengths of the draft the way they are.

21. Philadelphia Eagles- Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia: I see Moreno as a Maurice Jones-Drew type runner, a smaller back that runs with elite physicality and power. A guy that is super quick and not afraid of contact at the same time. Moreno has all the athleticism to be a run and catch player for the Eagles, and while Philly has always looked for a big back to compliment Westy, they may walk right into the Brian Westbrook of the future. They don’t run exactly the same, but I do think Moreno has a high ceiling. Now, it’s unlike the Eagles to grab a running back in the 1st round, they are usually more interested in line moves, but even if the don’t go with Moreno here, I don’t think they’ll go for the line. Robert Ayers is an interesting option, but Brandon Pettigrew is my wild card. The big TE does it all, and with L.J. Smith moving teams (and having been hurt for more than a few games over the last couple years), Brandon could be a nice option for McNabb in the passing game. Still, I like Moreno’s fit in Philly.

22. Minnesota Vikings- Percy Harvin, WR, Florida: What a threat Percy could be as a change of pace guy with Adrian Peterson and a receiver both out of the back field, out wide, and in the slot. Harvin has freakish moves in the open field, and definitely will be a difference maker when healthy in the NFL. Do the Vikings need Harvin? I’m not so sure, but the fact that they went after T.J. Houshmanzadeh makes me think this is a possibility. Harvin and AP would form a disturbing duo for opposing defenses, and that’s something the Vikings could look forward too. And instead of stealing carries from AP, both could spend every down on the field together, with Harvin split out wide.

23. New England Patriots- Clay Matthews, OLB, Southern California: The Patriots need an outside linebacker, definitely, but there’s more than a few and though Matthews has been climbing the board like slick bottle rocket, I’m not sure that he’ll be a lock for New England at 23. It wouldn’t stun me for a second to see the Pats grab a guy like Brandon Pettigrew. He’s a very good blocker with very good hands and a great frame for red-zone activities and physical first downs through the air. He may not fit everything they do offensively, but a football player that does everything well seems like something they dig. As is, I think they go for Clay Mathews here because of his similar skill set. He does things well. He has a chance to start from Day 1 in New England, and this is a team ready to win now.

24. Atlanta Falcons- Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois: Lots of players to choose from for the talented yet youthful Falcons. I think Brandon would be a great fit for a run-first team that keeps their tight end blocking most of the time, but would love to have a useful option to sneak out into passing situations when needed. Pettigrew doesn’t run with the speed of an elite pass catcher, but he’s athletic, has great hands, and is one hell of a blocker. And I don’t think the Falcons would trade the third one for great speed, not the way they run their offense. That being said, Pettigrew is a TE, and I don’t know if the Falcons have enough talent to go tight end in Round 1. He may be more of a sure thing, but the Falcons need defensive help something fierce. They lost two starting linebackers and a starting corner on a defense that wasn’t elite to start with. So lets say they can’t afford to go TE here. Assuming that, Vontae Davis is on the board, and despite his knocks, he’s one of the more physically talented corners in the draft. That’s enough to take him at 24, something the Falcons might very well do.

25. Miami Dolphins- Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee: I think Michael Johnson has all the ability to be one of the best pass rushers in this draft. He just needs to find the motivation to do so. Being a top 10 talent and dropping to 25 might be enough. Spending time on a Bill Parcells run team might be even more help. This kid is a freak, and has the athletic ability to even be considered as an OLB in the 3-4, at least I think so. However, I don’t know if a questionable motor guy is Parcells’ cup of tea, and thus he will probably get passed up again here. They could also go for Vontae Davis, as they certainly could use help in that secondary. However, I think they’ll take Robert Ayers. This kid was solid on a bad defense last season. He practices and plays well, and despite his mediocre times at the combine, has proven to be effective on the football field, using his skills and a solid motor. More Parcells style maybe? I think so.

26. Baltimore Ravens- Eben Britton, OT, Arizona: This kid is solid, and this offensive line needs to get some young help (at least for the future) for franchise quarterback Joe Flacco. Britton has great upside and with a monster frame and great quickness, he might be a steal at 26. I’m not sure that he’ll last this long with the importance of tackles and the way they seem to be screaming off the board over the past few years, but if he does go this far, the Ravens would be smart to grab him. Other options could be Vontae Davis, or maybe they go for an even bigger project with more freak upside like Michael Johnson - and use that strong willed defense to turn him into a rush linebacker sack artist. As is, I like Britton going here.

27. Indianapolis Colts- Evander “ZIGGY” Hood, DT, Missouri: Weird, the Colts are hurting for defensive line help on the interior. Hood is dancing up the draft charts, and for good reason. He’s very athletic and quick for a defensive tackle, and would fit well in the Colts system, if they indeed stay in that system. Some have said they’re looking for more size up front, but Hood is the best available, and the Colts could definitely use him.

28. Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina)- Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State: Without a tackle to grab here, I wonder if the Eagles will even risk it by taking Moreno with their first of two picks in Round 1. That being said, I’m not going back on my picks because of the way the draft panned out, and the Eagles can go a couple different directions with this pick. They could grab Hakeem Nicks right here. They have a solid young receiver in DeSean Jackson, but Nicks would look nice on the opposite side. Still, they need help on the offensive line, even though they got better by signing Shawn Andrews’ big brother, Stacy, from the Bengals, they could still use a guy like Max Unger for the future. But I’m going with Pettigrew here because the kid is a stud, they just lost an injury plagued L.J. Smith to Baltimore, and Pettigrew not only helps out with the passing game but in the run game as well. He’s more than the 28th best player in this draft. I expect him to help from Day 1.

29. New York Giants- James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State: I really like Hakeem Nicks, and while I don’t think the Giants need to run and pick up the best receiver available because of Plax’s situation, I think Nicks is a nice receiver. Receiver galore in Round 1 though? I’m not so sure. Plus, as much as I like Nicks, the guy put on 15 pounds between the combine and pro day workouts, and is up over 225. Don’t be a pig for 30 days, help your draft stock, I mean come on man…. I think they could find a lot to like at the position in Round 2, and should instead build up their line in the draft with a guy like Max Unger or Alex Mack or maybe linebacker. And trading down is always an option, especially if they like a couple receivers here and don’t see need to pick another one in Round 1. All that being thrown about, I think the Giants see something they like in James Laurinaitis and go get him. He’s not great at shedding blocks, but D-line has been a power for the Giants, and James should do good things behind that group.

30. Tennessee Titans- Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech: Could they go receiver here? Yes, they could try once again to snag a competent starting receiver, but it’s a strong position with many players to be had - why would they pass on a chance at the second coming of Javon Kearse (during his freak days of course)? Michael Johnson has that freakish athleticism and size and the Titans can grab the kid and have him learn from some team greats. He won’t be needed on every down right away, and he has upside to burn. I think they skip taking the 5th 1st round receiver and go for upside on the D-line. I like to wait on receivers, so I’m expecting the Titans to pick without fantasy hopes on the line here. Hakeem Nicks might be the guy, but in a weighted coin flip I’m going with Johnson.

31. Arizona Cardinals- Alex Mack, C, California: LeSean McCoy is my favorite here because I love the running back’s vision and acceleration. However, I think adding a great young center, a guy that can play a couple positions and is basically a sure fire solid starter, seems like the right move. They have a young back they like in Tim Hightower, so getting him help up front might be a better move that tossing a first round pick at another back. Later in the draft is the time to add depth, not Round 1. Another option would be Hakeem Nicks if Boldin is traded. I think ‘Quan will sign a deal with the Cards, however, so that’s “a moo point, like a cow’s opinion, nobody cares”. So I’m skipping over my favorite back in the class for one of my favorite O-line leaders.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers- Max Unger, C/G, Oregon: The Steelers will have options. But if the draft unfolds like this, I don’t think they spend another high pick on a receiver, they let Hakeem Nicks fall dreamily into the lap of another suiter in Round 2. They take Max Unger because the Steelers could use O-line depth, and they are a smart franchise. Unger is a beast, he can play multiple positions, and he’s always been the leading force of great Oregon rushing attacks. Last pick in Round 1 should be a great one for the Steel-City.

Best Available After Round 1:

1. Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

2. LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh

3. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest

4. Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut

5. Ron Brace, DT, Boston College

6. Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

7. Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State

8. Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma

9. Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan

10. Conner Barwin, DE, Cincinnati

11. Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

12. Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia

13. Larry English, OLB, Northern Illinois

14. Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State

15. Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina

16. Cornelius Ingram, TE, Florida

17. Shawn Nelson, TE, Southern Miss

18. Shonn Greene, RB, Iowa

19. Rashad Johnson, S, Alabama

20. Sean Smith, CB, Utah

21. Andy Levitre, OG, Oregon State

22. Chase Coffman, TE, Missouri

23. Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State

24. Patrick Chung, SS, Oregon

25. Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona

Post from: Free Sports Picks

The NFL Mock Draft (New Mock!!!)

Related posts:

1. 2009 NFL Mock Draft: #1 Updated on
2. Dos and Don’ts: Draft Day Trickery! I’m not
3. Q&A Ask Papa Weimer: Week 9 We’l

Post from: Free Sports Picks

The Value of Opportunity

Related posts:

1. Ten For Tuesday Okay, it
2. Five for Friday I missed T
3. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Closer Rankings I hate spe

- People have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. Now, unless a gaggle of hockey players all around the US have decided to hop on and vote in this poll, there is no way that Alex Ovechkin gives up a single anything in a shootout to 99% of the voters. LeBron might give up a basket??? Larry Fitz would be nearly impossible to guard, sure, but maybe the QB tosses a couple bad balls, and you get your hands on one. Tiger Woods, anybody can have a couple good shots on a golf course, and maybe Tiger busts a driver out and enters the trap. And while all these things are equally impossible, there is no doubt in my mind, that the toughest thing for the public to do would be to strap on some razor-shoes, throw on some gear, take out a flat hockey stick, and pretend for one second that they could do anything in 100 chances to score a goal on an NHL goalie. Is hockey my favorite sport? No sir - but let me tell you this, I’ve played all 4 of these sports, and hockey is by far the toughest to just strap up and play. Think about learning to walk just before playing basketball - right, good luck. 

There are many sports polls on websites every day, and when I feel the need, I’m putting up some of my thoughts on them. My goal is to somehow prove that people, when given a vote, will often have no idea what they’re talking about. 

Until next time….

Toughest Match-ups

Guarding Larry Fitz - 15%

LeBron James 1 on 1 - 40%

Alexander Ovechkin in a shootout - 6%

Tiger Woods in match play - 40%

All impossible for the 28,277 people that have voted thus far, but I bet 7% of the people are actually right.

Post from: Free Sports Picks

Clueless Voters - 1

Related posts:

1. theRUNDOWN: Week 17 What is th
2. Michael Phelps He smoked
3. Ask Papa Weimer: Week 14 Well here

Starting Pitchers - I’m not writing about all these guys, there’s 70 of them, but I will tier them out for you and if some guy has something useful to be said, I’ll say it.

Tier 1

1. Tim Lincecum - Tim is my favorite pitcher to watch. He has Gumby flexibility and some dirty whip on that fast ball. He’s basically unhittable.

2. C.C. Sabathia - He has pitched 500+ innings over the last two seasons, but he is a beast. He could be the top starter chosen.

3. Johan Santana - He might be more consistent and a bigger guarantee for a good season than any other pitcher.

4. Cole Hamels - Great young pitcher on a great team. He’s tough to hit, ask the Rays - and everyone else in the post-season for that matter.

5. Jake Peavy - Probably the most competitive pitcher in the game, and he’s got great stuff. But he will find 16 wins tough in San Diego.

6. Roy Halladay - If you’re in a roto league that gives a complete game stat - this guy will win that stat for you more than any other pitcher in the game. I think (not sure) he had more complete games than all the other guys in this top 10 combined.

7. Brandon Webb - He’s a great pitcher and always manages a lot of wins, and I’d take him as my #1, but I think his upside is lower than most of these guys. Still, he’s a 1st tier guy.

Tier 2

8. John Lackey - Consistently good -hurt early last season but came back to pitch well and hasn’t logged a ton of innings.

9. Dan Haren - Great in the first half, then trade him, because his value won’t get any higher.

10. Francisco Liriano - Could make himself into a top-tier pitcher, he has that stuff.

11. James Shields - As solid as they come, Shields doesn’t get ace status, but he probably is the ace over Scott Kazmir in that staff.

12. Cliff Lee - Last years numbers a fluke, maybe in some senses, but this guy had been a very good pitcher prior to ‘08.

13. Roy Oswalt - A rough start to the year got Oswalt down, but he came back and put up solid stats. He’s a crafty vet, no doubt about it.

Tier 3

14. Yovani Gallardo - I love this kid’s game, and if he can stay out of the way of freak injuries he’ll be a top 10 pitcher in 2009.

15. Joba Chamberlin - Many will wonder about his innings. Many will wait to draft him for that. I will draft him and love his output for 180 innings. Thank you very much.

16. A.J. Burnett - It’s very possible that Burnett’s arm falls off. But if he produces numbers like he did last year, he’ll win 16-20 games in New York. That lineup is dirty.

17. Josh Beckett - You could steal Beckett this season, or you could waste a relatively high pick on a guy that will be hurt often.

18. Felix Hernandez - Is this the year that Hernandez starts pitching and stops throwing? Even as a thrower he’s top 20.

19. Ervin Santana - Everyone was waiting for Santana to put it all together, and now that he did, everyone doubts he’ll keep it attached. We’ll see, but this kid has good stuff and had good K to BB ratios. That’s a good sign.

20. Chad Billingsly - Great stuff, walks people - but he’s a solid 15 game winner option with good Ks in L.A.

Tier 4

21.  Daisuke Matsuzaka - Walks galore, but one of the lowest Averages against amongst starters. Not too efficient, throws a lot of pitches, but that hasn’t seemed to hurt him too much.

22. Scott Kazmir - Scott was hurt early, came back to pitching great, then faded toward the end of last season. I think he had one of the worst stat seasons of his career, and should be back to better this season. That means he should be a deal on draft day.

23. Zack Grienke - Tough to take a Royal pitcher? Nan. This kid has great stuff, everyone wanted to trade for him, the Royals were smart to hold on to him.

24. Jon Lester - Maybe this is even too low for Lester. He was the ace in Boston - and you have to love his resilience.

Tier 5

25. Scott Baker - Better than advertised, I promise.

26. Adam Wainwright

27. Rich Harden - Harden is hoping for 26-30 starts. That right there shows you his healthy upside, missing about a month of the season at best. Ha.

28. Ricky Nolasco - Won’t get love in drafts, but look at all of this guy’s numbers - especially toward the end of the season where he was striking people out and walking nobody.

29. Matt Cain - Because this guy’s luck has to turn around some year. He’s a very good pitcher with solid stats but his team won’t score runs when he pitches. Maybe this year they do.

30. Derek Lowe -

31. Ted Lilly -

32. Carlos Zambrano - Underrated? Overrated? Not sure - I like Big Z but he doesn’t do much besides win.

33. Matt Garza - Could be a steal here.

Tier 6

34. Edinson Volquez - Which one is the real Edinson? The first half or the second half? Did Dusty Baker overuse the youngster? We’ll see in ‘09 but he could be a steal.

35. Max Scherzer - This is a guy I will target late. What dirty stuff he has.

36. Javier Vasquez - Atlanta seems to do good work with old pitchers coming to play for the Braves. Javier has it in him for sure.

37. Josh Johnson -

38. Gil Meche - Great numbers down the stretch, is a steal here.

39. Erik Bedard - Bedard has an injury filled season then goes from top 10 to bottom half of my top 70 - and I have him ranked higher than most. He could be the biggest steal on draft day.

40. Kevin Slowey -

41. David Price - Some think Price will be hittable early. Some don’t think he’ll pitch many innings. I think he gets up to 170 innings and wins 15 games. This kid has IT.

42. Brandon Morrow - He might be my favorite young starter in Seattle. He can be unhittable at times and doesn’t seem to be the headcase that many other M starters are.

43. John Danks -

44. Clayton Kershaw - Hooray for upside late in drafts! I like Clayton’s game.

45. Hiroki Kuroda -

46. Randy Johnson - Old but productive. Look at his numbers down the stretch and tell me he’s not worth a flier.

47. Chris Young - Steal.

48. Aaron Harang -

49. Ryan Dempster -

50. Justin Duchscherer -

51. Johnny Cueto - I love watching Johnny pitch - the first 5 innings anyway.

52. Justin Verlander -

53. Chris Volstad -

54. Chien-Ming Wang

55. John Maine -

56. Jair Jurrjens -

57. Justin Masterson -

58. Jeremy Guthrie -

59. Fausto Carmona - Can he really be as bad as he was last season? So much talent there, he might be worth a shot late.

60. Ubaldo Jimenez - Me baldo, you baldo, I’ve always had a big place in my heart for this kid and he really improved in the last half of last season.

61. Oliver Perez -

62. Wandy Rodriguez - Good at home, bad on the road - sure, but despite having one f the worst first names every, this guy is fantasy worthy in mixed leagues.

63. Chris Carpenter - Upside is Chris Carpenter, downside is, who cares, you picked him in the last round.

64. John Smoltz- If you can DL a couple people right off the bat, Smoltz is easily a guy I’d make a go at. There’s no guarnataee but then again, there never is.

65. Armando Galarraga -

66. Mike Pelfrey -

67. Andy Sonastine -

68. Jared Weaver -

69. Paul Maholm -

70. Gavin Floyd -

Post from: Free Sports Picks

Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Pitcher Rankings

Related posts:

1. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Closer Rankings I hate spe
2. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Catcher Rankings Catcher is
3. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered SS Rankings Talk about

Relief Pitchers

Tier 1

1. Jonathan Papelbon - Great. Young.

2. Mariano Rivera - Awesome. Old.

3. Joe Nathan - Consistently dominant. 

4. Brad Lidge - Strikeout machine, perfect last season in saves. Will be good again in ‘09. 

5. Joakim Soria - Better than advertised - offense should be better in ‘09. 

6. Francisco Rodriguez - Despite all the hate, and talks of his demise, he’ll be good in New York. 

Tier 2

7. Jose Valverde - All he’s going to do is get 40+ saves, strike out 10 or 11 per 9 innings, and let you not worry one second about your save guy. 

8. Brian Fuentes - He comes into a great situation on a very good team that plays a lot of close games. Fuentes is a solid saves artist. 

9. Jonathan Broxton - He’s as much of a power strike out closer that you’ll find, and the Dodgers will give him plenty of save opps. 

10. Carlos Marmol - Marmol was the dirtiest closer in Chicago last year, even though he pitched in the 7th and 8th innings. He’ll be solid in that spot this season. 

11. B.J. Ryan - He struggled a bit after a tough injury, but this guy will get his stuff back and he’s a  crafty save artist indeed. 

12. Kerry Wood - Wood had a nice first season as a closer, and should get plenty of chances to do work in Cleveland. 

13. Bobby Jenks - Chubby face, and body, but a good player that consistently gets between 30-40 saves. 

Tier 3

14. Trevor Hoffman - Out of San Diego means more save chances for Hoff - he may be old, but I see at least one more good year in him. 

15. Heath Bell - Taking Hoff’s spot in San Diego, I’m not the only one that expects a solid closer career out of Heath Bell. 

16. Matt Capps - He may close for the Pirates, but he’s good when he gets his chances. He has better numbers than anyone in this tier. 

17. Francisco Cordero - Cordero has a safe closer job - there’s not a ton of people out of the top 15 that you can say that about. 

Tier 4

18. Huston Street - Top 10 upside, but the guy has sand in and around his va-j-j and that could cause an infection that limits his chances to close all year long. Ridiculous. He’s allergic to air I think. At least it’s more fresh in Colorado. 

19. Brian Wilson - San Francisco save machine? This guy definitely is that. Despite an ERA and WHIP that left something to be desired last season, Wilson accumulated 41 saves. He was worth what you paid, and that will happen again this year. 

20. Chad Qualis - I like Qualis. I think he keeps the job in Arizona - the Diamondbacks probably play better this season, and this kid could get 35 saves in ‘09.

21. Frank Francisco - He’s got dirty powerful stuff and he’s the closer in Texas. He’s in a hitters park but if you can’t touch his pitches how can you do much damage with them?

22. Joey Devine - I’m not even sure Devine gets the closer nod, but he’s had some great numbers coming out of the bullpen and if he gets the chance it’s probably his to keep. 

23. Matt Lindstrom - Nothing is great about Lindstrom except the Marlins will probably play in a lot of close games, he’s their closer, and he’ll probably gather 30 saves. 

24. Brandon Lyon - I’ve never been too impressed with Lyon, but then again, there’s not much that says closer about him except for the fact that he does a good job closing games. Cheap saves anyone?

Tier 5

25a. Rafael Soriano - I like Soriano to emerge at some point for the braves, as their closer - I think he’s the better option, but… 

25b. Mike Gonzalez - This guy is the closer coming in I reckon, and while things might change, he did do a fine job getting the job done in the 9th toward the end of last season. 

27a. Chris Perez - I like Perez, and all his youth and skill, to take the closer job in St. Louis - but Tony LaRussa is crazy and he could try to give the job away to…. 

27b. Jason Motte - I don’t think he’s the best option to close games for the Cards, but if he gets the gig he’ll get you some cheap saves. 

29a. George Sherrill - Sherrill was a tale of two seasons, most definitely - he was a great option for fantasy owners in the first half before struggling down the stretch - was it his shoulder woes or is that what you’re getting?

29b. Chris Ray - Before his injury woes, Ray was a very effective closer - will he beat out Sherril in his first season back?

30. Fernando Rodney - Who knows, he’s got the best stuff in the Detroit bullpen, there’s a chance he gets the job when Lyon is unimpressive.

Post from: Free Sports Picks

Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Closer Rankings

Related posts:

1. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Pitcher Rankings Ah, pitche
2. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered SS Rankings Talk about
3. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Catcher Rankings Catcher is

Tier 1

1. Jose Reyes - One of the best players in baseball. Reyes does it all. He doesn’t have great power, but he does have solid power. Everything else is brilliant. For a guy that has some of the best useable speed in the game, Reyes helps his team, and fantasy owners out by making contact, and drawing close to as many walks as times he Ks. His steals were down a bit last season, but he’s going to get around 60. The guy may have only mashed 16 HRs, but realize that he also accounted for 19 triples. That’s dirty. Jose is magic. He’s 25. He’s in a good line-up that plays good baseball. He’s one of my favorite guys in the league.

2. Hanley Ramirez - Hanley is one of the best players in baseball. Ramirez does it all. He has great power, great speed, but strikes out a little too much, which hurts his value a little in -1 K leagues like mine. But he is magic and basides whiffing occasionally, this guy really is magic. Hanley might bat 3rd this season which could drop his steals a bit but should up his RBI to around 100. His upside hasn’t been reached and he’s already one of the best in baseball. Tough to not take this guy #1.

Tier 2

3. Jimmy Rollins - From tier 1 to tier 2 isn’t much of a drop off, but I would consider Jose and Hanley as higher value players. I think they are pretty interchangeable while Rollins falls off a bit for me. But remember, ESPN ranks Rollins output 1st amongst SS’s in points leagues, and it makes sense because he never strikes out and some expect a 25HR season. I think he’ll stay closer to 15 and though he’ll be very good, I expect bigger things out of the first two.

Tier 3

4. Rafael Furcal - Furcal has done some good things, and last year was absolutely hitting the cover off the ball before losing much of the season to injury. If Manny comes back, Furcal will score even more runs, and if he stays healthy he’s going to be one of the better SS options in all of baseball. Even without Manny, Raf will be solid in that maturing Dodger lineup.

5. Stephen Drew - Drew has tons of upside, and has been much-hyped during his short career. Be very quite about it, but he was showing signs of meeting his potential during the last half of last season. He hit .291 last season with 21 HRs and 91 runs scored. Nothing wrong with that. Add in the fact that he struggled early and is only 25, I’ll take a chance on Drew if I can’t corral one of the top guys.

6. Troy Tulowitzki - Tulowitzki is dropping off radars, but that just don’t make no sense. He struggled last season after mashing the Rockies into the post-season in 2007, but he’ll be back. He’s too good and played much better down the stretch than people give him credit for. He really struggled in 2008 early, but he has a better chance of doing better than his 2007 rookie season than the poor numbers he put up last year. He doesn’t have as much protection in that line-up, but he’ll be a nice starting SS in fantasy formats.

Tier 4

7. Derek Jeter - Jeter isn’t going to play like the guy that got all that love years ago. He’ll get 10-15 HRs, bat between .305-.325, steal 11-17 bases, score 100+ runs, with 70-80 RBI. He won’t do much more, but more importantly, he won’t do much less. He might not be worth the hype, but he’s still solid.

8. Michael Young - Last year was the first season Young hit under .300 in his last 6 campaigns. He’ll get back to .300, it’s almost a guarantee. That’s something like 12 more balls finding turf instead of a mitt - he’ll be back. That being said, his upside for your fantasy team isn’t that high - however, he’s still starter worthy in fantasy circles - he’ll get close to 100 runs and RBI despite his lack of HR pop.

9a. J.J. Hardy - Hardy strikes out and crushes home runs. Especially compared to other SSs after the top couple guys. He is a solid player that will start all year on fantasy clubs. He’s a lot like Jhonny Peralta, so, I’ll rank them the same…

9b. Jhonny Peralta - Consistency is there for this power hitting SS. He’s hit .270 with at least 21 home runs with at least 70RBI in 3 of his last four seasons. He doesn’t hit for a really high average, he strikes out a lot, and he doesn’t walk all that much - but after tier 3 he looks pretty solid.

10. Orlando Cabrera - If Cabrera goes to Oakland he’ll likely score a lot of runs as a lead-off guy, SS, on a team that will hit a lot of HRs. He’s a freaking selfish bastard, but hey, fantasy stats are fantasy stats, and while he is ancient, he’s still productive as well.

Tier 5

11. Miguel Tejada - Lots up in the air here. I hate the steroid stuff, but hate even more all the freaking out the congress did about the whole thing. Tejada didn’t want to throw his teammates under the bus - weird. I like the guy, I hope he turns it back around and plays some ball this year, but there’s lots that can happen here and you need to worry about it. Plus, his skills are definitely declining. Still, he’s a solid bat at SS, can’t argue much with that.

12. Mike Aviles - This may be a bit of a reach, but why not reach for a no-namer like Aviles that hit .325 in his rookie season, busting out 10 dingers and 51 RBI in only 419 at bats. He also stole 8 bases. It may have been a fluke, but it may not, and he might be well worth the chance getting drafted in this tier of SSs.

13. Yunel Escobar - Yunny didn’t impress like he was supposed to last season. None of his numbers stood out but he didn’t kill any owners either. Still, the Braves must not be too impressed as they tried to deal him all summer. I still think he could bat close to .300 and have better power numbers next season.

14. Edgar Renteria - He’s always had his best seasons in the National League, and he’ll be in the middle of the order in San Francisco so why not another solid year from Edgar? His 20 steal days are probably over, but he’ll likely be close to 20 than 6 playing in SF where they actually run. He’s in a good situation with a young team that is maturing - I think he will be a useful starter this season.

15. Ryan Theriot - He walks more than he strikes out. He’ll steal 20+ bases. He’ll score 80-100 runs in Chicago. He’s a guy you can get right at the end of the draft and he might just do enough to make you smile.

16. Jed Lowrie - This kid could be solid, and might be the SS answer in Boston. That right there is enough to make him fantasy worthy. Jed didn’t have fancy numbers last season, but in just 260 at bats he totaled 46 RBI and his .339 on base percentage scored him 34 runs in those minimal chances. I like Lowrie, and while I’m not the only one, he does kind of scare me as I’m not sure he’ll get more than 400 abs.

Tier 6

17. Christian Guzman - Nothing that impressive about Guzman - and there never really has been (don’t tell the Nationals, they felt the need to get him 4.5 mil a year after the 2004 season where he batted .274 with 7 HRs and 10 SBs and 46 RBI). Anyway, he’ll probably bat around .300 and score more runs in an improving Washington lineup.

18. Brandon Wood - There’s a chance he doesn’t get the starting gig, and that will hurt his value, but his upside is much greater than most and especially Erick Aybar, the guy he’s trying to fend off. Wood has 30HR power in a season of at bats, now if he could just lay off some bad pitches and turn some of those Ks into BBs.

19. Yuniesky Betancourt - Like Dutin Pedroia, here is a guy that swings really hard. Unlike Pedroia, Yuny flies out just short a lot. Still, he gets a lot of hits, hits the ball hard, and can be useable in a crunch.

20. Jeff Keppinger - Before Kepp was hurt last season, he was really swinging the bat well. I know he’s competing for the starting spot, but that offense doesn’t have the bats they used to and they might need Jeff’s extra offense.

21. Jerry Hairston Jr. - Jerry had great numbers in his minimal at bats last season and could very well get starter time in Cinci - if he does, he’s worth a look for sure, there’s always been upside with Hairston.

22. Elvis Andrus - He doesn’t hit for much power but his minor league stats suggest he’ll come in at about .250-.275. The Rangers are obviously high on him, but remember he’s just 20. He does have ++ speed accumulating 54 steals last season, 80 in 2007, and 23 in 2006. He’s young but his upside and the fact that he has a starting gig might make him a nice sleeper option in a run scoring lineup.

Post from: Free Sports Picks

Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered SS Rankings

Related posts:

1. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered 1B/3B Rankings This is si
2. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered 2B Rankings The influx
3. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Catcher Rankings Catcher is

Tier 1

1. Chase Utley - There are some health concerns with Utley, but he says he’ll be back by opening day, and how can you question one of the toughest and best hitters in the game? I’ll tell you this much, even if he misses the first couple weeks, if I could have one two-bagger it would be Utley. One of these years he’s going to hit 40+ HRs. 

2. Dustin Pedroia - How can you not love this kid? He hits in a great line-up, he gets more out of his ability than any guy in the league, and he’s young and going to get better - he works to hard to stay the same. Utley may be at the top, but Pedroia proved that he can be magic too. 

3. Ian Kinsler - If health weren’t an issue, Kinsler would rank higher than Dustin Pedroia - so let it be known, the upside of Kinsler trumps that of DP, but if upside was the judge of Pedroia the kid would have never made it to the big leagues in the first place. Regardless, Kinsler is a great option on draft day, a kid that can truly do it all. 

4. Brian Roberts - Roberts is one of the top tier guys. He’s 4th, but he’s better than everyone else and there’s a chance he gets traded partway through the season to a contender - and that would almost surely mean a better hitting situation for one of the games best fantasy worthy middle infielders. 

Tier 2

5. Dan Uggla - Dan Uggla is prone to ups and downs, probably more so than most 2Bs in the league, but his ups are as high as they get, and if you get him early there’s a nice chance his trade value sky-rockets and you can cash in. I like Uggla - he swings like he means it. Hence all the Ks, but still. 

6. Alexei Ramirez - This guy reminds me of a young Alfonso Soriano (by the way, if this makes you feel as old as it makes me feel, Soriano is not young anymore). He can really swing the bat and his wiry frame makes all that pop seem impossible. He’s young and hitting in a good place for power. 

7. Brandon Phillips - Phillips’ best years might be behind him, and 30-30 might not happen again, but that being said, he’ll probably be a good deal this year because he was hurt late last season and people often let that effect drafts. Don’t let it effect yours, he’ll produce all year for you. 

8. Robinson Cano - Cano had a brutal start to the season last year, but he’s a very good player. He’s also rocking his swing in a lineup where everyone is pretty damn crafty. He’ll get lots of fast balls and there won’t be too many attempts to pitch around him. I’m guessing he has a nice bounce back year and does work for fantasy owners that take the plunge. 

Tier 3

9. Jose Lopez - One of the most underrated middle infielders in the game, and it makes sense. He plays for a Seattle team that was brutal last season and he plays at 10:30 EST in more than 75% of his games. The world never sees the guy. Well, he’s good, he’s young, he hits at the top of the order in Seattle and he’s their only consistent run-producer and Ichiro is always on second when he’s up. Sounds like 80+RBI to me. 

10. Howie Kendrick - This kid is legit, now if he could only stay healthy. Seeing as though he’s never had more than 400 at bats, I overlooked him a little bit, forgetting him originally on my 2B Rankings. But he’s a guy that has a little pop, can steal bases, hits for a .300+ average and will surely score runs in the Angels lineup. 

11. Placido Polanco - Boring old Placido - sure, say what you want, but I’ll take him really late and watch him consistently get me points that help me win weekly. He’s not fast, he’s not powerful, he’s just always on base and right at the top of an order that is going to produce runs all year long. Don’t hesitate. 

12. Kelly Johnson - Kelly Johnson didn’t impress like many thought he would. So what, it’s coming - take a chance on this guy later on draft day and it’s very possible you reap the benefits of a late round steal. 

Tier 4

13. Mike Aviles - I like this guy more than most because I don’t see much not to be fond of. I would probably even reach a little bit higher on the 2B order to grab this kid because he could continue to hit .325. If he does that with 600 at bats then he’s going to hit close to 10HRs, get 70RBI, and score a bunch of runs, even in KC. In fact, with Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, and a roost of young talent maturing in KC, that order might do more damage than people expect. I think they’ll be solid offensively. 

14. Mark DeRosa - DeRosa is old, he really had one amazing year (last season), and he moved teams. But it’s not like Cleveland can’t hit, and he’s likely going to play every day. Not only that, but DeRosa was a mid-season pickup that helped lead me to a Championship so he has a warm fuzzy place in my heart. 

Tier 5

15. Kazuo Matsui - Injury problem always, but when he’s healthy he’s a solid start. 

16. Ronnie Belliard - Belliard had a decent season and he’s always had decent power numbers for a 2B. 

17. Akinori Iwamura - Iwamura could continue to hit atop the Rays line-up, and in that case he’s almost guaranteed fantasy points. But I’m not too fond of the little 2B. 

18. Felipe Lopez - Lopez could do good things in Arizona if he can get his health together. This guy had one amazing year that I would never expect to happen again - but he could hit .285 with double digit HRs and score runs in Arizona. 

19. Freddy Sanchez - Sanchez is a good contact hitter that has months where he sees the ball very well. He will be fantasy relevant sometime this season. 

20. Orlando Hudson - Hudson’s batting average has improved every single season since 2003. During that time he’s gone from .268 to .305 - if that continues then he’ll find a place even though he doesn’t do much else besides get on base and score runs. In a deep league he could be worth starting, especially one that has a middle infield slot. 

21. Mark Ellis - Remember in 2007 when Ellis hit .276 with 19HRs, 76RBI, and 9SB? Me too. That’s why he’s on here. If he does that again he deserves a higher spot. Obviously I wonder if he can. One good thing, despite injuries last season Ellis stole 14 bases in only 440 at bats. Upside late in the draft, that’s a good thing.

Post from: Free Sports Picks

Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered 2B Rankings

Related posts:

1. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered SS Rankings Talk about
2. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Catcher Rankings Catcher is
3. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered 1B/3B Rankings This is si

Tier 1

1. Brian McCann - This guy is a stud. He hits like everyone thought Billy Buttler would hit in KC. Well he’s doing it, and he’s doing it from the catcher position with a little more power and he’s young and healthy. That moves him just a smidget over Joe Mauer in my rankings. 

2. Joe Mauer - Joe is an amazing hitter. He had 34 more walks than strikeouts, his average is always good, and he never hurts you anywhere. He won’t hit for power, but he’s a great point option and one of the best catchers in the game. And like McCann, he’s still young. 

3. Russell Martin - Russell is arguably the best roto catcher because he gives you SBs and everything else. He’s not extremely powerful but looks like a .280+ hitter with 15-20 dinger upside and is in a nice lineup that is maturing before our very eyes. I would pick him 3rd, but he’s in the first tier. Like the two above, he’s also in his mid 20s, 25 in fact. 

Tier 2

4. Geovany Soto - This National League Rookie of the Year slowed down toward the end of the season, but he’s got nice power and sits in a pretty packed Cubs lineup. He strikes out a ton, which hurts him in points based leagues like this one, but he’s one of the few catchers I’d waste a decent draft pick on. 

5. Victor Martinez - Last year was one of injuries and Victor’s stats show that. If he gets back to his old self, he’s a steal as the 5th catcher off the board, but I don’t think you can safely draft Martinez as the hitter he once was. He’s a risk, but maybe worth it at this point in the draft. 

Tier 3

6. Ryan Doumit - I rate Doumit a lot higher than most, but i like what his little stats tell me about his big stats. The job is his and his alone in Pittsburgh, and while that lineup won’t scare anyone, he’ll be a producer in the middle of it. 

7. Bengie Molina - Bengie doesn’t get enough credit for what he’s done. He’s very consistent, and I believe he’s staying in the meat of the Giants’ order, a place that he made a living at last season. 

8. Jorge Posada - Posada could also be a steal, but he’s a risk. There’s already a little question if he’ll be back by the beginning of the season, but he might be worth the risk. He’s still a good hitter, and that NY lineup is going to produce runs like it’s Daddy Day Care on bean burrito day. 

9. Chris Iannetta - Iannetta is another guy getting little love for his impressive numbers last year. In just 333 at bats Chris bashed 18HRs with 65RBI - he’ll get more at bats this season, and his numbers will stay strong in Colorado. 

10. Matt Wieters - Apparently this kid can hit a little bit. His minor league numbers insist on super potential from this young slugger, and at the catcher position that is rare. I might reach a little higher for him considering that if he does stay in AAA, the worst you could do is add one of the other 4th tier guys, there should be guys that end up being Top 10 fantasy catchers left out of drafts everywhere. 

11. Kurt Suzuki - There’s something to be said about a catcher that plays every single day, Kurt is just about as close to that as they come, and his stats won’t hurt you. Thank alone makes him a decent option.

12. Ramon Hernandez - Hernandez moves to Cincinnati where homeruns leave ball parks in a hurry. Hernandez isn’t a great option, but nobody is after the first few guys, and there’s chance for improved numbers in ‘09. 

13. Mike Napoli - Upside galore with real-side health issues. Napoli crushed 20 dingers in 227 at bats last season. If he could stay healthy, he could hit 30. 

14. John Baker - Baker is a nice young prospect in Florida that is probably worth more than the 14th pick. I’m just not 100% sold on him where I know most of the guys above will give me numbers. 

15. Jeff Clement - Clement didn’t have great numbers in his first season of Major League action, but in the 100 or so at bats prior to his injury it looked like things kind of clicked for him. As a possible DH and Catcher  in Seattle, he’ll get a good amount of at bats to prove himself. 

16. A.J. Pierzynski - A.J. may be getting old, but he’s going to hit around .280 and they can score some runs in Chicago. 

17. Yadier Molina - Yadier is just one of the Molina brothers. He’s still very young and his power could slightly improve, but he’s going to be more of an average hitter than power, and you’ll be lucky to get 12 HRs out of him. 

18. Kelly Shoppach - I like Shoppach as a nice sleeper, especially if Cleveland uses Martinez at DH and 1B most of the time. Shoppach definitely proved that he could hit at a major league level last season. 

19. Gerald Laird - I think this is the year that all the Detroit hitter hype comes true, and it looks like Gerald will be the guy manning catcher most every day in Michigan. Laird could be an absolute steal on draft day. 

20. Taylor Teagarden - Salty (Jarrod Saltalamacchia) gets more love than Taylor, but I have a feeling the job could be Teagarden’s if the Rangers get their way and find a trade partner to take Salty. Even if that doesn’t happen, this kid can actually catch - and he has nice hitting upside too.

Post from: Free Sports Picks

Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered Catcher Rankings

Related posts:

1. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered SS Rankings Talk about
2. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered 1B/3B Rankings This is si
3. Fantasy Baseball Preview: Tiered 2B Rankings The influx