Fantasy Baseball Rankings

Second Baseman Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [February 10, 2011 at 1:18pm CST]

Our catcher and first baseman rankings are up; now it's time to look at second base. As always, my dollar values reflect a 12-team mixed league with 23-man active rosters (C, C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, MI, CI, OF, OF, OF, OF, OF, DH). Everything here is subject to change and open to suggestion. Average draft round is in parentheses, courtesy of Mock Draft Central.

Chase Utley (2) - $20.62
Dustin Pedroia (3) - $18.97
Robinson Cano (1) - $17.85
Rickie Weeks (4) - $16.78
Ian Kinsler (5) - $16.56
Dan Uggla (5) - $14.75
Tsuyoshi Nishioka (38) - $14.27
Brian Roberts (11) - $11.28
Sean Rodriguez (39) - $10.56
Brandon Phillips (4) - $9.93
Kelly Johnson (10) - $9.66
Ben Zobrist (11) - $9.64
Danny Espinosa (42) - $8.94
Howie Kendrick (20) - $8.55
Martin Prado (7) - $7.70
Neil Walker (33) - $7.28
Gordon Beckham (20) - $5.56
Chone Figgins (8) - $5.56
Aaron Hill (15) - $3.84
Omar Infante (27) - $3.34
Bill Hall (Not drafted) - $1.68
Alexi Casilla (Not drafted) - $1.45
Juan Uribe (28) - $0.95
Mike Aviles (15) - $0.41

Let me start by saying that I am aggressive in my playing time projections. I don't like to hedge and average Brian Roberts' last two seasons' AB totals and put him down for 431 in 2011. I generally project as if the player is healthy, so Roberts gets 600 ABs from me. So these dollar values don't really reflect injury risk, but I think that's necessary to make good rankings. Last year if you put Rickie Weeks down for 400 ABs you might have not realized what he would do with 650.

With that in mind, Cano does not carry the injury risk of Utley or Pedroia. Cano has the first-round ADP and I think that's justified. But, a healthy Utley or Pedroia ought to be right there with him in value. Kinsler in the fifth round strikes me as early given his health issues. Then again, 600 ABs and he's literally my top-ranked second baseman.

This is a position that will win leagues, with potential massive bargains like Nishioka, Rodriguez, Espinosa, Walker, and Beckham. I sprung for Beckham in the eighth round last year and I'm not convinced he's all that different of a player a year later. There is a surprising number of second basemen capable of double digit home runs and steals. There are too many steals at this position to go for a Uribe or even a Prado, in my opinion. Prado, Phillips, Figgins are going too early for me.

Clearly to draft Nishioka over Phillips as your primary second baseman (assuming Nishioka qualifies at the position) is a risky move. Nishioka has yet to play in the Majors and Phillips is a perennial 20/20 guy. But if there is ever a year to pass on the big names at second base and stock up on two or three late-draft gambles, this is it.

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First Baseman Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [February 7, 2011 at 9:58am CST]

We posted a solid set of catcher rankings a few days ago; now it's time to rank the first basemen. As always, my dollar values reflect a 12-team mixed league with 23-man active rosters (C, C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, MI, CI, OF, OF, OF, OF, OF, DH). Everything here is subject to change and open to suggestion. Though they don't have 20 games played at first base from 2010, I've included Adam Lind, Freddie Freeman, Dan Johnson, and Juan Miranda. Average draft round is in parentheses, courtesy of Mock Draft Central.

Albert Pujols (1) - $41.46
Miguel Cabrera (1) - $33.66
Joey Votto (1) - $26.48
Adrian Gonzalez (1) - $24.45
Mark Teixeira (2) - $22.59
Ryan Howard (2) - $21.97
Prince Fielder (2) - $21.54
Kevin Youkilis (3) - $20.22
Adam Dunn (5) - $17.36
Kendry Morales (5) - $16.02
Paul Konerko (6) - $12.41
Justin Morneau (5) - $12.21
Billy Butler (8) - $9.76
Derrek Lee (24) - $9.53
Adam Lind (15) - $9.24
Gaby Sanchez (20) - $8.85
Carlos Lee (12) - $8.75
Aubrey Huff (10) - $8.27
Buster Posey (4) - $8.22 - if drafted strictly as a 1B
Ike Davis (22) - $7.78
Carlos Pena (19) - $7.66
Michael Cuddyer (21) - $7.29
Lance Berkman (28) - $6.88
Freddie Freeman (31) - $6.29
Adam LaRoche (17) - $5.06
Dan Johnson (Not drafted) - $4.79
Mitch Moreland (33) - $3.22
James Loney (25) - $2.23
Kila Ka'aihue (Not drafted) - $2.16
Matt LaPorta (33) - $2.13
Juan Miranda (Not drafted) - $1.08
Justin Smoak (33) - $0.77

As always, drafting first overall comes with the huge advantage of building your team around Pujols. Cabrera is a monster, yet Albert is worth 23% more.

I mentioned a few days ago that once the second round ends, the top seven first basemen will be off the board. Of the Big Seven, only Pujols, Cabrera, Votto, and Gonzalez offer elite batting average, and only Pujols and Votto can steal you ten bags. If you like Votto for a repeat of his MVP season rather than a mild step back, don't be shy about taking him earlier than seventh and even second overall.

If you miss out on the Big Seven, Youkilis, Dunn, and Morales are solid consolation prizes. Though he's coming off a broken leg, Morales in the fifth round has potential for profit.

My Morneau projection is for 475 ABs, given the uncertainty around his concussion issues. If everything looks peachy in Spring Training and you like him for 575 ABs, he's in Tex-Howard-Fielder territory.

Fantasy leaguers seem so desperate to have Butler when he has his long-awaited power breakout that he always goes earlier than his numbers warrant. He's not a good play in the eighth round with Derrek Lee, Lind, and Sanchez capable of similar overall value if not the .300 average. Toss in Carlos Lee, Huff, and Davis, and you'll find a slew of first basemen projected for an average in the .270s, 22-24 homers, and around 90 ribbies. If someone manages to knock in 100 or hit .290, they'll separate themselves. Sanchez's history suggests he could quietly swipe ten bags for you, and he's getting no respect right now. Huff is going too early for me; I'm not expecting .290 or 100 runs scored again.

Next you find first basemen with warts like a low batting average or playing time concerns. Take a flyer on Freeman or Moreland late for your CI slot. With 575 ABs either player could jump to the $8-9 range and not hurt you in batting average. Freeman is a Rookie of the Year contender as he'll apparently be handed Atlanta's starting job. Also keep an eye on the Giants' Brandon Belt. He gets a fantasy boost as an average runner who could steal 10+ bags in a full season. At the moment he's blocked at first base by Huff, and the Giants' outfielder corners are crowded as well.

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Catcher Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [February 4, 2011 at 12:49pm CST]

It's time to get serious and attempt some position rankings for mixed leagues. This is how we find the undervalued players. As always, my dollar values reflect a 12-team mixed league with 23-man active rosters (two catchers). As such, the 24th-ranked catcher should be worth a buck.

Please note that these rankings are very much subject to change and I welcome your input. I've included the player's average round drafted per Mock Draft Central in parentheses. Also keep in mind that playing time is crucial to these rankings, and a swing of 75 ABs one way or another would move a player several spots.

Joe Mauer (2) - $30.12
Carlos Santana (10) - $22.92
Buster Posey (4) - $22.87
Victor Martinez (3) - $22.47
Brian McCann (3) - $20.68
Jorge Posada (14) - $13.90
Geovany Soto (9) - $13.63
Mike Napoli (10) - $13.54
Chris Iannetta (28) - $12.34
Kurt Suzuki (16) - $12.29
Matt Wieters (12) - $11.97
Miguel Montero (11) - $10.59
John Buck (20) - $9.03
A.J. Pierzynski (25) - $7.14
Miguel Olivo (21) - $6.78
Russell Martin (27) - $5.32
Yorvit Torrealba (32) - $5.26
Carlos Ruiz (19) - $5.25
Yadier Molina (18) - $5.08
Nick Hundley (Not drafted) - $4.37
Rod Barajas (31) - $3.15
Ramon Hernandez (33) - $2.90
Chris Snyder (34) - $2.31
Jonathan Lucroy (28) - $1.00

Carlos Santana deserves special mention. He's not necessarily a better bet than all those catchers listed after him. I simply think he will do big things if he gets 480 ABs. It could be a fluke, but his nine steal attempts in 438 PAs last year lead to a seven-steal projection for 2011, which would top all catchers except for Martin. Throw in a .280 average, 20 homers, and 80 RBIs, and you can see why Santana would sneak past guys with similar numbers but six fewer steals. Santana is a riskier choice than backstops like Posey, V-Mart, and McCann, but that's balanced by his 10th round ADP. He had knee surgery in August, and is now doing baseball activities and is expected to be ready for Opening Day.

Posada jumps out as a potential bargain. I've put him down for 500 ABs, which might be aggressive but seems quite possible as a full-time DH. He is coming off a minor November knee surgery and is 39, so that's why you'll find him in the 14th round. But he's easily in the top ten if he can hit 20 homers and knock in 80. Soto is another player coming off surgery; he had a September procedure on his shoulder. If Soto finds 475 ABs he's a fourth-round value.

Iannetta is so far off the radar that he is not being drafted in mixed leagues. He's the starting catcher for the Rockies and should have no problem reaching 20 home runs for the first time if he gets 450 ABs. He only has to fend off Jose Morales for those ABs. I can see Buck reaching 20 homers again, as the Marlins gave him a big contract and barring injury he should set a career-high in ABs. Hundley also has a clearer path to a career-high in playing time, with Rob Johnson serving as his backup.

I've always been a big Napoli fan, but he does not have a starting job right now and I'm hesistant to project more than 400 ABs. Bump him from 400 to 450 and he jumps to $17.53, so take a chance if you think he'll sneak in those additional ABs bouncing around at third-string catcher and backup 1B/DH. Guys like Ryan Doumit, Jesus Montero, and Kelly Shoppach would also intrigue me with 450 ABs. Injuries to catchers are common, which is why you have to watch RotoWorld like a hawk.

Back in August I was intrigued by J.P. Arencibia, labeling him the Napoli of 2011 minus playing time issues. However, I am starting to think the better comp might be Barajas or Snyder. Can Arencibia crack a .240 average or rack up decent RBI/run numbers at the bottom of Toronto's lineup? It's possible he gives you 20 home runs and little else, so I'd take him only as a second catcher during the last few rounds.

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Starting Pitcher Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [March 8, 2010 at 1:55pm CST]

Today let's dive into my starting pitcher rankings for 12-team mixed leagues. Average draft round is in parentheses.

Tim Lincecum (2) - $41.40
Roy Halladay (3) - $34.66
Dan Haren (4) - $33.74
C.C. Sabathia (3) - $30.31
Zack Greinke (3) - $30.17
Felix Hernandez (3) - $28.56
Justin Verlander (4) - $27.52
Johan Santana (4) - $27.35
Adam Wainwright (5) - $25.91
Javier Vazquez (6) - $25.76
Josh Beckett (7) - $24.38
Tommy Hanson (7) - $24.37
Cole Hamels (9) - $23.32
Jon Lester (5) - $21.72
Chris Carpenter (7) - $20.78
Cliff Lee (5) - $20.28
Ricky Nolasco (9) - $20.20
Yovani Gallardo (8) - $19.46
Jake Peavy (9) - $19.38
Josh Johnson (6) - $19.01
Clayton Kershaw (8) - $18.85
Matt Cain (8) - $18.36
Chad Billingsley (11) - $18.00
James Shields (11) - $17.81
Phil Hughes (27) - $16.53
Ubaldo Jimenez (9) - $16.26
Wandy Rodriguez (10) - $16.09
Jair Jurrjens (12) - $15.08
Ted Lilly (15) - $14.93
Scott Baker (13) - $14.88
Brett Anderson (13) - $14.40
Matt Garza (11) - $13.78
Ryan Dempster (15) - $13.43
John Lackey (11) - $13.38
Jered Weaver (12) - $12.68
Roy Oswalt (14) - $12.56
Rich Harden (19) - $12.04
A.J. Burnett (11) - $11.64
Max Scherzer (13) - $10.81
Aaron Harang (22) - $10.38
Brandon Webb (12) - $10.19
Kevin Slowey (19) - $10.03
Colby Lewis (N/A) - $9.69
Stephen Strasburg (26) - $9.56
Jonathan Sanchez (20) - $8.87
Clay Buchholz (17) - $8.83
Joe Blanton (25) - $8.75
Carlos Zambrano (15) - $8.52
Randy Wolf (18) - $8.43
Scott Kazmir (15) - $8.07
Johnny Cueto (19) - $7.08
Neftali Feliz (15) - $7.08
Jorge de la Rosa (17) - $6.93
Francisco Liriano (20) - $6.53
John Danks (14) - $6.45
David Price (15) - $5.77
J.A. Happ (22) - $5.30
Gavin Floyd (16) - $5.10
Ervin Santana (20) - $4.94
Tim Hudson (18) - $4.76
Daisuke Matsuzaka (17) - $4.73
Mat Latos (28) - $4.35
Erik Bedard (20) - $4.29
Bronson Arroyo (28) - $3.71
Ben Sheets (19) - $3.32
Kevin Correia (23) - $3.18
Mark Buehrle (20) - $3.07
Jeff Niemann (19) - $3.00
Hiroki Kuroda (22) - $2.85
Wade Davis (27) - $2.81
Brett Myers (28) - $2.81
Andy Pettitte (18) - $2.58
Edwin Jackson (15) - $2.50
Derek Lowe (27) - $2.09
Kenshin Kawakami (36) - $1.83
Randy Wells (28) - $1.75
Ryan Rowland-Smith (N/A) - $1.56
Justin Masterson (N/A) - $1.55
Joel Pineiro (24) - $1.00
Clayton Richard (28) - $0.62
Jason Hammel (28) - $0.21

The top tier pitchers seem to be valued appropriately, with the possible exception of Hamels. Maybe you don't want to wait until the 10th round to take a pitcher, but you could wait until the 7th or 8th and create a very strong staff. Brad Penny, Brian Matusz, and Marc Rzepczynski just missed my cut for positive mixed league value, but that doesn't mean they're junk. At a certain point it's wise to ignore projections and rankings and fill out your staff with pitchers you like, guys with good stuff. Maybe that means Buchholz, Feliz, and Liriano - there are probably a dozen pitchers on this list with the ability to destroy their projections.

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Designated Hitter Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [March 3, 2010 at 1:13pm CST]

Only three DHs have positive value for me in a typical 12-team 5x5 mixed league...

Vladimir Guerrero (12) - $9.22
David Ortiz (17) - $7.53
Hideki Matsui (22) - $2.87

I have Vlad and Papi at 525 ABs, Matsui at 500. If you see them getting more, add a buck or two. Travis Hafner, Troy Glaus, Jim Thome, and Pat Burrell did not make my cut for positive mixed league fantasy value. These guys generally have projected ABs of 400 or so, but Glaus doesn't make the cut even with 525.

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Outfielder Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [February 25, 2010 at 4:15pm CST]

Time for our outfield rankings for 12-team 5x5 mixed leagues with 14 hitters and 9 pitchers. Average draft round is in parentheses.

Ryan Braun (1) - $31.37
Matt Kemp (1) - $26.52
Carl Crawford (2) - $25.14
Jacoby Ellsbury (2) - $23.34
Matt Holliday (2) - $21.67
Nelson Cruz (6) - $19.97
Grady Sizemore (3) - $18.89
Jayson Werth (3) - $16.56
Justin Upton (3) - $16.06
Carlos Lee (6) - $15.23
Nick Markakis (5) - $14.36
Andrew McCutchen (8) - $14.20
B.J. Upton (5) - $13.59
Rajai Davis (14) - $13.28
Curtis Granderson (5) - $13.19
Michael Bourn (8) - $13.09
Jay Bruce (11) - $13.06
Juan Pierre (20) - $12.76
Jason Bay (3) - $12.53
Shin-Soo Choo (6) - $12.38
Adam Lind (4) - $12.19
Ben Zobrist (5) - $12.07
Bobby Abreu (7) - $11.89
Shane Victorino (6) - $11.62
Julio Borbon (17) - $11.62
Hunter Pence (8) - $11.28
Adam Jones (8) - $10.94
Chris Coghlan (20) - $10.67
Manny Ramirez (6) - $10.66
Ichiro Suzuki (4) - $10.40
Andre Ethier (6) - $10.17
Torii Hunter (9) - $10.01
Denard Span (11) - $9.95
Josh Hamilton (5) - $9.76
Nate McLouth (8) - $8.91
Adam Dunn (5) - $8.84
Nyjer Morgan (11) - $8.56
Carlos Quentin (9) - $8.21
Johnny Damon (11) - $7.85
Garrett Jones (13) - $7.30
Alex Rios (10) - $6.99
Alfonso Soriano (7) - $6.88
Carlos Gonzalez (11) - $6.34
Franklin Gutierrez (22) - $6.21
Corey Hart (17) - $6.04
Carlos Beltran (8) - $5.68
Cody Ross (26) - $5.63
Michael Cuddyer (10) - $5.54
Nolan Reimold (17) - $5.40
Ryan Ludwick (16) - $5.33
Kyle Blanks (27) - $5.10
Jason Kubel (10) - $4.65
Travis Snider (21) - $4.49
Magglio Ordonez (25) - $3.96
Brad Hawpe (10) - $3.67
Raul Ibanez (8) - $3.66
Cameron Maybin (25) - $3.65
Vernon Wells (17) - $3.46
Jermaine Dye (16) - $3.44
Coco Crisp (28) - $3.34
Carlos Gomez (20) - $3.16
Conor Jackson (27) - $2.86
Jake Fox (28) - $2.45
Juan Rivera (15) - $2.30
Mark DeRosa (21) - $2.25
Matt Diaz (N/A) - $1.95
Marlon Byrd (26) - $1.93
Jeff Francoeur (28) - $1.65
Josh Willingham (22) - $1.63
Scott Podsednik (28) - $1.57
Drew Stubbs (27) - $1.41
Mike Cameron (21) - $1.14
Nick Swisher (21) - $1.00
Ryan Raburn (28) - $0.91
Brett Gardner (28) - $0.54

Is it possible that Cruz is being undervalued again, following a 33 HR, 20 SB season in 462 ABs? I think so. I also feel that Carlos Lee has slipped too far. McCutchen is a nice upside pick - I have him at .279-16-67-97-32 in 625 ABs, but I could see more.

Davis would need 550 ABs to get my projected 81 runs and 54 SBs. Similarly, Pierre's ranking comes with a 625 AB projection, Borbon's 575 ABs. Keep an eye on Bruce as a breakout candidate. Coghlan, Garrett Jones, Hart, Gutierrez, and Ross all appear undervalued. It's important to pay attention to those who are expected to steal double-digit bags and those who aren't.

On the overvalued side, Bay scares me in the 3rd round. Ichiro in the 4th is also worrisome, if he stays below 30 SB. Ibanez looks questionable as well.

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Third Baseman Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [February 24, 2010 at 12:01pm CST]

Next up, our third baseman rankings for 12-team mixed 5x5 leagues using 14 hitters (including one 3B and a CI) and 9 pitchers. I moved the games played requirement from 20 to 10 to gel with Yahoo leagues. Average draft round is in parentheses.

Alex Rodriguez (1) - $27.55
David Wright (2) - $22.74
Evan Longoria (1) - $20.11
Mark Reynolds (2) - $18.19
Ryan Zimmerman (3) - $16.19
Kevin Youkilis (3) - $14.80
Pablo Sandoval (4) - $14.38
Chone Figgins (7) - $12.72
Aramis Ramirez (6) - $11.81
Gordon Beckham (8) - $10.42
Ian Stewart (11) - $8.10
Michael Young (8) - $7.19
Adrian Beltre (16) - $5.52
Jorge Cantu (15) - $4.49
Martin Prado (20) - $4.35
Alex Gordon (19) - $4.21
Mark DeRosa (21) - $3.78
Chipper Jones (12) - $3.32
Garrett Atkins (24) - $2.79
Kevin Kouzmanoff (28) - $2.28
Jake Fox (28) - $2.22
Chase Headley (21) - $0.11
Edwin Encarnacion (27) - $0.03
Jhonny Peralta (18) - $0.03

Aramis has a 525 AB projection; 575 would boost him above Youkilis. Beckham is a solid upside pick with position flexibility, as he'll play second base for the Sox. Stewart is projected at 520 ABs and would move up a few spots with more.

Beltre, Gordon, and Fox are some later picks that could be mild sleepers. Chipper in the 12th round, not a fan.

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Shortstop Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [February 24, 2010 at 10:32am CST]

Today let's rank shortstops, using AVG, HR, RBI, R, and SB. This is for 12-team mixed leagues employing 14 hitters and 9 pitchers (including one 2B, one SS, and an MI).

Hanley Ramirez (1) - $28.88
Jose Reyes (2) - $23.86
Jimmy Rollins (2) - $18.81
Troy Tulowitzki (2) - $17.28
Derek Jeter (4) - $13.38
Asdrubal Cabrera (13) - $10.88
Everth Cabrera (21) - $8.41
Elvis Andrus (13) - $8.21
Alexei Ramirez (10) - $7.75
Miguel Tejada (12) - $6.86
Erick Aybar (17) - $6.59
Alcides Escobar (23) - $6.49
Jason Bartlett (9) - $5.06
Yunel Escobar (13) - $4.62
Orlando Cabrera (16) - $3.15
Rafael Furcal (12) - $2.06
Stephen Drew (10) - $1.75
Marco Scutaro (18) - $1.50
Ryan Theriot (23) - $1.00
Jhonny Peralta (18) - $0.16
J.J. Hardy (23) - $0.14

The Big Three has officially become the Big Four, as Tulo is firmly in the mix with Reyes and Rollins. Hanley continues to stand alone. Reyes is riskier than Rollins given last year's hamstring surgery. Rollins had an off-year too, but at least stayed healthy. Given his 2009, I can see why folks are taking Tulo over Reyes and Rollins.

Asdrubal Cabrera is an intriguing 13th round choice. A June shoulder injury kept his ABs down, but if he's healthy he should get 600. That could mean something like .292-10-76-97-19.

Everth Cabrera, Andrus, and Escobar are similar to me - guys who could steal 30-40 and score 80+ runs. I wouldn't overextend for Andrus, who goes much earlier than the other two. Alexei fits the power/speed bill, while most others offer only one of those traits. Bartlett and Drew are a couple of 9th-10th round choices that don't thrill me.

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Second Baseman Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [February 19, 2010 at 12:59pm CST]

Time for RotoAuthority's second baseman rankings for 5x5 12-team mixed leagues using 14 hitters (including a 2B, SS, and MI) and 9 pitchers. These are subject to change. Average draft round in parentheses.

Chase Utley (1) - $22.83
Ian Kinsler (2) - $20.29
Dustin Pedroia (4) - $16.64
Brandon Phillips (3) - $16.08
Brian Roberts (4) - $14.50
Ben Zobrist (5) - $14.25
Robinson Cano (4) - $13.16
Asdrubal Cabrera (13) - $12.63
Aaron Hill (5) - $10.46
Dan Uggla (8) - $9.70
Ian Stewart (11) - $9.55
Jose Lopez (11) - $7.61
Kelly Johnson (28) - $7.28
Martin Prado (23) - $6.00
Howie Kendrick (12) - $5.29
Rickie Weeks (17) - $5.03
Placido Polanco (22) - $4.12
Clint Barmes (26) - $3.49
Akinori Iwamura (28) - $0.83
Orlando Hudson (17) - $0.38
Adam Kennedy (28) - $0.18

Zobrist lacks the track record, but he could be a bargain in round five. That's with a .273-26-80-91-15 projection. We're projecting Cabrera at 600 ABs currently, and if he gets there he could be a 13th-round steal. If Hill comes back to Earth and hits a respectable 25 HR, you may regret making him a fifth-round pick.

Stewart could be a poor man's Uggla, and I'd add $5 to his projection if he gets 600 ABs. Former teammates Johnson and Prado look like bargains, with Johnson getting a 530 AB projection for the D'Backs and Prado 600 ABs for the Braves. Kendrick and Weeks are both in the 450-460 AB range, and they'd jump up the list with healthy 600 AB seasons. Both still have top five potential, and you can get Weeks pretty late.

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First Baseman Rankings

By Tim Dierkes [February 15, 2010 at 8:18pm CST]

Our tentative first baseman rankings, for a 12-team mixed league using AVG, HR, RBI, R, and SB and 14 active hitters. These are subject to change, and I'm open to arguments in the comments. Current average draft round is in parentheses.

Albert Pujols (1) - $32.49
Miguel Cabrera (1) - $23.44
Prince Fielder (1) - $22.23
Ryan Howard (1) - $21.80
Mark Teixeira (1) - $20.69
Joey Votto (3) - $20.62
Mark Reynolds (2) - $17.80
Kevin Youkilis (3) - $14.58
Adrian Gonzalez (3) - $14.46
Pablo Sandoval (4) - $14.18
Lance Berkman (6) - $13.26
Justin Morneau (4) - $13.06
Kendry Morales (5) - $12.05
Adam Dunn (5) - $10.30
Derrek Lee (8) - $10.04
Carlos Pena (7) - $9.16
Garrett Jones (13) - $8.86
Billy Butler (8) - $8.83
Adam LaRoche (21) - $8.23
Michael Cuddyer (10) - $7.22
Chris Davis (14) - $6.46
James Loney (20) - $6.10
Jorge Cantu (15) - $4.81
Paul Konerko (20) - $4.21
Garrett Atkins (25) - $3.20
Nick Swisher (22) - $2.97
Todd Helton (19) - $2.39
Aubrey Huff (28) - $0.77

Cabrera, Fielder, Howard, Teixeira - I value all four similarly. Cabrera wins right now because he's the only one projected to hit over .300. With 575 ABs Votto could be right there with them, and he could be the one swiping more than five bags. As a third-round pick he's a mild bargain.

Berkman in the sixth round is another potential value pick, as he could match several guys picked in the third. With a poor batting average but 12 projected steals, Jones is someone to consider at CI. But he deserves to be in the 13rd round range until he proves 2009 wasn't a fluke. Butler is going pretty early, in the 8th round. You probably won't regret the pick, yet taking him that early means paying for a level of performance he hasn't reached yet. I was among many fantasy owners burned by Davis last year, and he's dropped eight rounds. The 30 HR potential remains if you can stomach a questionable AVG, though Justin Smoak is knocking on the door.

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