Here is a look at my 2010 final fantasy baseball rankings for the position of third base. Several players are included in the list that did not start the year at third base, based either on games played or where I expect them to play in 2011.
1. Jose Bautista – hit .237 the first half with 24 home runs and was even better after the break, hitting .287 with 30 home runs in 73 games. Attributed a change in his swing that saw him hit 8 home runs in September of 2009 as the reason for the jump in home runs. Could go anywhere from round 1 to 3 in 2011 mixed fantasy baseball leagues.
2. David Wright - Wright was much better in his second year in Citi Field as his power rebounded. Still of some concern going forward is his rising strikeout rate which will hinder his batting average somewhat.
3. Evan Longoria - home runs dropped by 11, stolen bases and batting average were both up for a second straight season. Expect home runs to bounce back up in 2011; still a solid first round pick.
4. Adrian Beltre - bounced back from an injury marred 2009 to turn in the second best season of his career since his 2004 year. Managed 28 home runs despite hitting none in the month or April.
5. Alex Rodriguez - turned 35 in July and the numbers are starting to slow down. Third straight season he failed to play in more than 140 games. Also the third straight year his stolen base totals and batting average have declined. Based on his name alone most people will still consider him a first round pick next year but based on age and some other young players rising up the board, that should not be a guarantee.
6. Ryan Zimmerman – nothing to really nit pick on regarding his performance. Missed 20 games, otherwise his numbers would have been a little bit closer to 2009.
7. Michael Young – numbers similar to 2008 when he played close to the same amount of games. Now at age 34, his days of double digit steals are likely over.
8. Casey McGehee – built upon his rookie season and held up over a full season of at bats, hitting .285 with 23 home runs. His play has kept prospect Mat Gamel stuck in the minor leagues and he seems well suited to hit 5th in the lineup going forward.
9. Chase Headley – his value is somewhat inflated because of his number of stolen bases at a position where not too many occur. Has not shown the ability to hit for power yet in the major leagues, managing to his just three home runs at home this year.
10. Scott Rolen – Rolen was on fire the first half of the season, hitting .290 with 17 home runs in 79 games. Managed just three after the All-Star break, getting only 188 at bats as he battled injuries. The 20 home runs he hit were the most since 2006 when he hit 22.
11. Mark Reynolds – by fay the biggest fantasy bust at third base based on draft position. Rising strikeout rate hit 42% this season, leading to a drop in numbers across the board. Hit just .176 after the All-Star break and went homerless in September.
12. Placido Polanco – similar numbers to when he was in Detroit, batting average close to .300 with five or six home runs and stolen bases. No real upside but you always know what to expect when you own him.
13. Aramis Ramirez – Second straight year he missed significant time due to injuries. Has not played in more than 150 games since 2006. Still flashed power but low batting average dragged his value down.
14. Ian Stewart – was on his way to 20+ home runs before being limited the second half of the season to only 130 at bats. Likely remains in a platoon role in 2011 which limits his upside.
15. Pablo Sandoval – had a sharp drop off in performance in 2010. Could have been partly due to weight issues as well as the league adjusting to him. Second biggest bust at 3b after Reynolds.
16. Alberto Callaspo – was much better stats wise in Kansas City then with the Los Angeles Angels after being traded. Hit only two home runs in 213 at bats after being dealt.
17. Kevin Kouzmanoff - the move to the American League had little impact on his numbers as he put up similar stats to 2009. The home ballpark still seems to affect his power numbers even in a new location as he only hit five home runs at the Oakland Coliseum.
18. Chris Johnson – solid rookie campaign in 341 at bats with a .308 average and 11 home runs. Will not to improve his plate discipline going forward if he wants to maintain that same level of performance. Had only 15 walks against 98 strikeouts this year.
19. Brandon Inge – predictable fall off from his 27 home runs, much like it was from the 2006 to 2007 season. His .247 batting avergae was the highest it has been seen 2006.
20. Casey Blake - power numbers were there but batting average dropped by 32 points and runs scored fell by 28. Turned 37 in August so this could be the start of the end for him.
