2011 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft

It is that time of the year where football is coming to an end and our attention now needs to change to fantasy baseball.  Come March, there will be an abundance of fantasy baseball drafts and I am starting early to help your brain transition from fantasy football to fantasy baseball.  Each week I will add a new round of draft picks.  Feel free to comment on my draft picks and let me know what you think….

Round 1

1. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins

The best player going into this fantasy baseball season is definitely Albert Pujols.  The thing that hurts his fantasy draft stock this year in my 2011 mock draft is that there are a lot of big time first basemen that can be picked up later on.  The reason I go with Hanley Ramirez number one overall is that there are not many shortstops that produce his kind of numbers.  He hits for power, steals bases, drives in runs, and scores many runs.  Troy Tulowitzki is about the only other SS that comes close the Ramirez’s numbers.

2010 Stats: Avg. .300, 21 HR, 76 RBI, 92 Runs, 32 SB’s

2. Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

The second pick in your fantasy baseball draft may be the easiest this year.  If someone like me picks Hanley Ramirez then it’s a no brainer you go with Pujols and if the first pick is Albert Pujols then you have to go with Ramirez.  Pujols does not need much discussion about because he is the best player in the game and may be the best hitter in baseball history.

2010 Stats: Avg. .312, 42 HR, 118 RBI, 115 Runs, 14 SB’s

3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers

Cabrera has been getting better every year he has been in the league.   He has hit over 30 HR’s in 6 of his 8 MLB seasons and also hit for a great average as a power hitter, which is hard to come by.  Last year he had a career year for his overall stats and I expect him to have the same production in 2011.

2010 Stats: Avg. .328, 38 HR, 126 RBI, 111 Runs, 3 SB’s

4. Carl Crawford, OF, Boston Red Sox

Carl Crawford has been one of the best fantasy outfielders in the last few seasons.  In a rotisserie league, one of the biggest categories that I try to win the stolen base category.  Crawford is one of the best at the art of stealing bases.  In his 9 seasons of MLB experience he has had 7 seasons when he has stolen over 40 bases.  Along with the stolen base category, he can hit for average, drive in runs, score runs, and even hit close to 20 home runs.  Now in Boston, with a short left field fence he could look at even more home runs and maybe a higher average.

2010 Stats: Avg. .307, 19 HR, 90 RBI, 110 Runs, 47 SB’s

5. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Boston Red Sox

Adrian Gonzalez has produced extraordinary numbers in San Diego’s pitcher friendly park and now he is playing in Fenway Park.  Fenway is a lefty friendly park, with a short left field fence.  Gonzalez is a very good opposite field hitter so the green monster should also be very appealing to him.

2010 Stats: Avg. .298, 31 HR, 101 RBI, 87 Runs

6. Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees

The battle between the top second basemen is between Robinson Cano and Chase Utley.  Utley ended up missing a large part of the season last year and Cano had a career year in 2010.

2010 Stats: Avg. .319, 29 HR, 109 RBI, 103 Runs, 3 SB’s

7. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

Longoria was drafted in 2006 and made his way to the majors very quick.  Since he has been up with the Tampa Bay Rays, he has done nothing but put up big numbers.  He has produced over 20 HR’s, and over 85 RBI’s in his three professional seasons.  Last year, he also showed some speed on the bases with 15 stolen bases.

2010 Stats: Avg. .294, 22 HR, 104 RBI, 96 Runs, 15 SB’s

8. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds won the National League Central Division for the first time since 1995.  Joey Votto was a major reason for the turn around.  He won the National League MVP for the monster numbers that he put up.  Everyone knew that he was capable of his 2010 stat line it was just a matter of time for it to show.  He has overcome a lot of adversity and I believe he will be a force in the NL for many years to come.

2010 Stats: Avg. .324, 37 HR, 113 RBI, 106 Runs, 16 SB’s

9. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies

I have seen a few fantasy baseball mock drafts have Troy Tulowitzki in the top 5.  I think that is a little too high but I definitely can understand the reason he would be drafted so high.  It goes along with my explanation for drafting Hanley Ramirez number one overall.  The reason I have him slipping a little is that he has missed a decent amount of games over his last three seasons, so that scares me but his numbers don’t lie and position scarcity helps him go in the first round of most fantasy baseball drafts.

2010 Stats: Avg. .315, 27 HR, 95 RBI, 89 Runs, 11 SB’s

10. Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Although outfield depth is an easier position to come by, Ryan Braun is one of my favorite fantasy players in the past three years.  He has played in over 150 games, driven in over 100 runs in each of the last three seasons, and hit over 30 HR’s in 3 out 4 seasons.  You could call him Mr. Consistency and that is a huge factor in my fantasy baseball drafts.

2010 Stats: Avg. .309, 25 HR, 103 RBI, 101 Runs, 14 SB’s

Fantasy Baseball Winter Meetings

As 2010 begins and fantasy football has ended, fantasy gurus are starting to look towards the spring.  With the MLB winter meetings over and a lot of the big names being signed or traded away January and February begin fantasy baseball winter meetings.  These winter meetings are where owners get their fantasy keeper baseball teams organized and start preparing for the 2010 season in hopes of capturing their first title or recapturing the crown.

Sports Fantasy Guide is here to jump start your fantasy mind and help transition you from fantasy football to fantasy baseball.  We have broke down the American and National league by breaking down the pitchers and batters.  Now is also the time to start thinking about who your keepers will be and we will help clarify who is worth the money to keep and who isn’t.  It will also include sleeper bargains for this season as well as take a look at the minor league system that can help you win a league title in years down the road.

2010 Fantasy Batter Rankings >>>

2010 Fantasy Pitcher Rankings >>>

AMERICAN LEAGUE PITCHERS   >>>

AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTERS >>>

NATIONAL LEAGUE PITCHERS >>>

American League Pitchers

Worth the Money

Zack Greinke – Kansas City Royals – The 2009 Cy Young winner will look to repeat in 2010 and I believe will do just that.  He will again be in the running for the Cy Young in 2010.  Last season, Greinke finished with a 2.16 ERA and going 16-8.  Greinke didn’t have the highest amount of wins compared to the other candidates but he does play for the Kansas City Royals and they did blow a few of his wins.  Greinke is only 26 years old and moving into his prime.  He is a good pitcher to build your fantasy starting staff for years to come.

C.C. Sabathia – New York Yankees – After starting slow in the big city last year, Sabathia really came on strong and finished as a top pitcher down the stretch in the 2009 season.  He was a big reason that the Yankees finished as World Champions.  Now turning the page to fantasy 2010,  Sabathia is a great keeper because he will rack up the wins for you as well produce a lot of innings which will help your ERA.  Last year he pitched 230 innings and had a 3.37 ERA.  Fantasy owners should expect similar numbers for at least the next five years and this means gold for keeper fantasy owners.

Jake Peavy – Chicago White Sox – Jake Peavy was traded to Chicago in the middle of last season and was only able to pitch in three games with them.  In those three games he finished with 1.35 ERA, 18 strikeouts in 20 IP and in all three of those games he recorded the win.  Peavy is expected to fully healthy for the 2010 season.  He is only 28 years old and has a lot of good years left in his right arm.

A.J. Burnett – New York Yankees – Some people cringe when they hear the name AJ Burnett because he doesn’t have the greatest ERA and is very inconsistent.  What I am considering when looking at Burnett for the 2010 fantasy season is his total strikeouts (195 in 2009) and strikeouts per 9 innings pitched (8.46 in 2009).  The one big factor with Burnett is his injuries in the past.  The 2009 season was the third time that he had started over 30 games so this could be a red flag but if I am putting him the the “Worth the Money” category beacause if you can get him for 28-32 dollars then he is worth the money.  Anything over that might be a stretch.

Felix Hernandez – Seattle Mariners – It is hard to think that Hernandez is only 23 years old because he has been pitching in the majors for the past five years.  He was the runner up for the Cy Young in 2009 and I feel will win it in 2010.  He finished last year with a 2.69 ERA, 217 k’s in 238.2 innings.  His ERA has gotten better ever year as well as upping his innings and strikeouts. Fantasy owners should be salivating at the fact of keeping him or buying him in the auction.  Sabathia and Hernandez are the only two pitchers that I would spend whatever it takes to get one of these two pitchers.  They are definitely worth the money!

Not Worth the Money

Rich Harden – Texas Rangers - Harden’s talent has never been questioned.  He has an overpowering fastball and great complimentary pitches as well.  The biggest problem that he has had is injuries.  The most innings he has ever pitched was 189.2 in 2004 with the Oakland Athletics.  He has a career 3.39 ERA and has a 50-29 record.  When out on the mound he is a great fantasy pitcher but risking to pay him a lot of money is not worth the risk.

Joba Chamberlain – New York Yankees – Currently we don’t know how Joba is going to be used this year.  The Yankees have added Javier Vazquez who will be their third or fourth starting pitcher.  With this addition does this mean Joba will be the fifth starter or in the bullpen.  Right now the fifth spot is between Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, or Chad Gaudin.  We know that he has the stuff to be a viable fantasy option but right now he doesn’t have a definite roll in the rotation or bullpen.

Scott Kazmir – Los Angeles Angels – Kazmir has always been hyped as a guy who could be an Ace of a pitching staff.  He didn’t work out in Boston and it didn’t really work out in Tampa Bay either.  Coming to Los Angeles may be the place for.  At the end of the season with the Angels, Kazmir pitched the best of his career.  With the way he ended the 2009 season fantasy owners will probably jump on his band wagon but I am going to stick with the long term facts and pass him up on auction day.  He has struggled with injuries in the past few seasons and also struggles with his accuracy at times.

Under the Radar Keepers

Scott Feldman – Texas Rangers – Feldman didn’t finished with a great ERA (4.04) so fantasy owners may turn away when seeing his name come up but he actually had a great season for Texas.  Fantasy owners that picked him up saw him record 17 wins and 113 k’s in 189.2 innings.  He also added 1.28 WHIP in 2009.  He has only started in 56 games so there isn’t a lot to go on but in the last two seasons he has 24 wins.  He could come as a good price in the auction or as a keeper option for fantasy owners.

Jeff Neimann – Tampa Bay Rays – Neimann has been a top prospect in Tampa’s organization for awhile and finally got his chance in 2009.  In 180.2 innings, Neimann finished with 13 wins, 3.94 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 125 stikeouts.  He is still young and will be looked on more in this coming year to carry the load for the talented Rays.

Jered Weaver – Los Angeles Angels – Throughout his four year major league career, Jared Weaver has been producing for the Angels.  He has started a 110 games in the four seasons, pitched in 161.2 innings, and has a 3.73 ERA.  The last two years he has started at least 30 games.  Pitching out in Los Angeles and behind John Lackey has taken all the publicity off him but quietly he has been a top fantasy pitcher.

Dallas Braden – Oakland A’s - He ended up on the disabled list at the end of the season but before then he put together a nice 2009 season.  The A’s always find good talent and then ship them else where.  I feel that Braden will have a big season if he can stay healthy and then once his contract is about to end they will ship him out of Oakland.

Sleepers

Marc Rzepczynski – Toronto Blue Jays – In his first year in the big leagues, Rzepczynski preformed very well.  He started in 11 games finishing with a 3.67 ERA.  He pitched in 61.1 innings and recorded 60 strikeouts which is a great stat for fantasy owners to see.  He isn’t going to be your number one or two starters and maybe not even your third but he would be a great low end pitcher for your fantasy squad.  He will keep your ERA low and help you in the K category.

Brandon Morrow – Toronto Blue Jays - It has been said that Brandon Morrow has great “stuff” and control.  With a short stint as a Seattle Mariner there were flashes of what everyone was talking about but he couldn’t piece it together.  With a change of environment and a certain roll within the Blue Jays rotation he could bring back what made him a top prospect throughout MLB.

Fausto Carmona – Cleveland Indians – This pick is me going out on a limb.  Going into this season he won’t be a very hot commodity so he won’t be auctioned for very much and that is where my thinking starts.  He will be worth taking a chance.  He has proven that he can be a great pitcher in this league like in 2007 when he started 32 games and finished with a 3.06 ERA and 19 wins.  But the past two seasons his ERA has been 5.88 and a combined 19 losses.  He will be entering the season as one of their most experienced guys and maybe the Indians ace.  I believe he can get back to his 2007 form in 2010.

Minor Leagues

Neftali Feliz – Texas Rangers – He has been the top prospect for the past few years and at the end of last season we found out why.  He saw action in 20 games pitching in 31 innings and finishing with a 1.34 ERA, 1 win, and 2 saves.  Heading into this season he is projected as a starter and could be a Cy Young candidate in years down the road.

Brian Matusz – Baltimore Orioles – In 8 games last year with the Orioles he went 5-2 but had a 4.63 ERA.  Going into this season he should be solidified in the rotation.  They brought a great veteran in Kevin Millwood to help be the ace of the staff as well as help this young pitchers grow and mature.  I believe Matusz has the stuff and desire to eventually be Baltimore’s ace of the future.

American League Batters >>>

World Series

World Series Let Down

This years World Series is one that a lot of people were definitely going to tune into.  Everyone was extremely excited about the teams that were supposed to make it all the way this year, and everyone in the country was anticipating the excitement that would come with the controversy surrounding the series.

Now I feel like everyone will find something better to do while the games are on.  That’s because the L.A. Dodgers lost and the Boston Red Sox are on the verge of losing.  I know the Sox aren’t out of it yet but seriously if they come back and win this thing when they were down 7 runs with 7 outs left in their postseason, well that will be stupid.  I will call the Tampa Rays the biggest chump team of all time and I will lose faith in the small market teams being able to compete against the big boys regardless of their regular season record.  Anyway the reason the series won’t be as good is because everyone wanted to see a Red Sox vs. Dodgers match up.  We definitely won’t get that now that the Phillies (whom I think would never have come close to where they are without Cole Hamels) and the Rays are basically getting ready to play each other.

Could there be a more boring Series than this.  Yea I guess it’s exciting that the Rays are an expansion team and they have made their team good the old fashion way, which is through their farms system.  But let’s be fair. Who in this country has really been a die hard Rays fan throughout their life.  It’s tough to say you have been because they’ve only been around since the mid 90’s.  The Phillies, well a lot of people love them and are die hards but I think those people are idiots because the Phillies are garbage for the main reason that I always get garbage for being a Yankees fan.  Everyone always says Yanks fans are two-faced because some people kill A-Rod when he struggles.  Yet I watched several Phillies games this year and it’s amazing how many times last years MVP, who doesn’t make even close to the money that A-Rod makes, SS Jimmy Rollins got booed when he was struggling.  Granted he was doing awful but this guy is a Philly.  He has made that team good for years, where as the Yankees were better off in a championship sense without A-Rod.  It also doesn’t help Phils fans that I hate the Eagles but oh well for them.

Basically though I just think it’s a disappointment that we won’t get to see a Torre vs. the Sox match up one more time.  It also would have been great to see Manny return home to Boston, because it would have been wildly entertaining.  Every baseball fan in the country would have watched that Series no matter who their favorite team was because there was some kind of entertainment or story for everyone.  I like the Rays but I have to be honest and I have to say I can’t promise I’m going to watch any World Series games this year.

.