1B and 3B Rankings for 2013
FANTASY 411 SEASON RECAP CENTRAL
Hey everyone,
On today’s podcast, we unveiled our preliminary first base and third base rankings for 2013. Here are the complete lists, and be sure to listen to the podcast when it comes out later today as Mike and Cory will discuss all of this in-depth. Also note that on Friday we’ll cover second base and shortstop.
And most importantly, we want to hear from you! Feel free to comment on these rankings and we’ll read some of your responses on Friday’s show.
-Zach
FIRST BASE
1. Albert Pujols
2. Joey Votto
3. Prince Fielder
4. Edwin Encarnacion
5. Adrian Gonzalez
6. Paul Goldschmidt
7. Mark Teixeira
8. Paul Konerko
9. Allen Craig
10. Adam Dunn
Honorable Mentions: Freddie Freeman, Adam LaRoche, Eric Hosmer, Ryan Howard, Anthony Rizzo
THIRD BASE
1. Miguel Cabrera
2. David Wright
3. Adrian Beltre
4. Evan Longoria
5. Brett Lawrie
6. Aramis Ramirez
7. Ryan Zimmerman
8. Pablo Sandoval
9. Chase Headley
10. David Freese
Honorable Mentions: Alex Rodriguez, Will Middlebrooks, Mike Moustakas, Kevin Youkilis
mlbtstufantasy411
Does E5 lose 3B eligibility next year?
stricker,
Unfortunately, in almost all leagues, yes. Only one game started at 3B this year.
Zach
How about Garrett Jones at 1B and Todd Frazier at 1B/3b?
They didn’t make the cut, Gil. But one can definitely make a case for Jones as an HM. His numbers are in the same ballpark as LaRoche’s. I’m not as high on Frazier though.
Zach
Won’t Hanley Ramirez still have 3B eligibility in 2013? Surprised he’s not in the Top 10 or even Honorable Mentions…
Dee,
Yes, he will. But we’re making him a SS for the purposes of these rankings. So you’ll see him on the next show. In fact, he’s the #1 SS!
Zach
Right on — and a spoiler alert!
Thanks for the response.
1B Rankings
1. Joey Votto
2. Adrian Gonzalez
3. Prince Fielder
4. Edwin Encarnacion
5. Albert Pujols (At the time I am writing this comment the podcast hasn’t come out for me, so I don’t get how he still number 1)
6. Paul Goldschmidt
7. Allen Craig
8. Paul Konerko
9. Adam Dunn
10. Ryan Howard
Honorable Mention: Adam Dunn, Eric Hosmer, Freddie Freeman, Justin Morneau, Corey Hart
3B Rankings
1. Miguel Cabrera
2. David Wright
3. Adrian Beltre
4. Evan Longoria
5. Chase Headley
6. Brett Lawrie
7. Pablo Sandoval
8. Ryan Zimmerman
9. Aramis Ramirez
10. Will Middlebrooks
Honorable Mention: David Freese, Kevin Youkilis, Pedro Alvarez, Mike Moustakas, Trevor Plouffe
PS could yall possibly do a small segment on notable players losing there eligibility?
Jon from Texas
What about Trumbo ?
thank you
yes. i second the motion. what about the rusty trumbo?
Headley should be a top 5 guy, ahead of Panda, Ramirez, and Lawrie. Better season with great upside.
Keeper ?
Can take 3 of the 4.in the following round…16 team 5×5 roto
Braun 2nd
Harper 19th
Strasburg 6th
Freese 12th
Harper is a given. Braun probably. Stras or Freese?
Alex,
Definitely yes on Harper and Braun. Stras/Freese is close, but ultimately, as much as I hate drafting starting pitching early, I’d lean towards Strasburg. Freese for a 12th rounder is good value but I just think that Strasburg is more of a difference maker. And I can see him going as early as 3rd/4th round in 12-team drafts. So that makes him more of a late 2nd/early 3rd rounder in 16-team leagues. I personally wouldn’t draft him that early but would definitely consider him in the 6th.
Zach
No question about it man, forget Freese
Definitely think that they need to put Trevor Plouffe from Minnesota on this list, I know he hasn’t done much yet but he’s going to. 35+ homers next year if he gets 550 AB’s
How is Lawrie and Ramierez ahead of Chase Headley, Where is Billy Butler. 30 homeruns 100rbi 300 average is not good enough for a top 10 spot??? He should be top 5
Joe,
If you think Headley will go 30-100 again, feel free to put him at #3 or #4. We’re skeptical, that’s all. Butler won’t be 1B eligible in most leagues, so that’s why he’s not on there. If he was 1B eligible, an argument can be made for him being #6…not top-5.
Zach
What about Mark Reynolds and Manny Machado? GO ORIOLES
Zach
Keeper Question. I’m in a 12 team roto. We get to keep 4.
I am pretty certain about
Cano, Beltre & Kershaw
But not sure who to grab next
Trumbo
Gio Gonzalez
Jennings
Carlos Santana(kept the last 2 years)
Carlos Gomez(looks like he could be the real deal?)
Allen Craig
Mike Morse
Melky Cabrera
Thanks for all the advice this season. Streaming toward the end brought me from 11th to 3rd on the last day of the season. Cheers.
Be well
Zach
Zach,
I really like Jennings for next season. We all know he can run and he’s proven that he can also hit for power. If he avoids the DL next year, I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see him hit around .270 with 20 homers, 40+ steals and 100+ runs.
The other Zach
Hi Zach, What are your thoughts on Pedro Alvarez? He did manage a .244/30/85/.784. How much better will he get? Thanks!
Alan
Alan,
Wow, that’s a very quiet 30-85. Didn’t even realize he had that! The bottom line with Alvarez is that he has to cut down on those strikeouts. He’s very streaky but I wouldn’t mind taking a chance on him in the middle rounds next year as a CI with upside. He’s still just 25. I wouldn’t feel all that comfortable drafting him to be my starting 3B in a 12-team mixed though.
Zach
Is it just me or is Pedro Alverez starting to look like a Carlos Pena clone?
Alvarez deserves more patience than the 34-year-old Pena, and there’s a big difference between .244 and .197!
Zach
Oh I know…I meant the career. Big promise, disappointing start, late blooming, all or nothing hitter. Alverez is obviously the better fantasy option.
Thanks for your response guys. Seems like 3B and 1B are going to be very deep.
I would like to know your thoughts on trading for Goldschmidt. I would most likely trade a pick in the first keeper round of the draft (6th). I will trade Hosmer if I add him. Who is the better play here, keeping Hos or adding AuSchmidt?
Jay,
I view them very similarly going forward, giving the slight edge to Goldschmidt simply because he was the more consistent player this year. Both offer a nice power/speed mix though. All things equal I’d take Goldschmidt. But if going with Goldschmidt means you have to trade away another significant piece, like a high draft pick, I’d sooner stick with Hosmer and hope for a rebound, which I think is very possible.
Zach
I like your pick of Pujols above Votto some people may think that Votto will be better, but once Pujols got the ball rolling he was once again the best first baseman in baseball and I don’t believe that will stop. Also call me crazy, but I have a hunch that if A-rod was to change scenery he will start putting up big numbers again.
Andrew,
Yeah, it’s not like Pujols did anything to lose that #1 spot and there’s not enough of a reason to bump up Votto considering that he’s coming off an injury-plagued season. This is definitely a “to be the best you’ve got to beat the best” situation.
As for A-Rod, I’m not so sure that all he needs is a change of scenery. He’s put together some monster regular seasons while with the Yankees. He’s just gone cold in the playoffs, with the exception of 2009. So for fantasy purposes, playing in New York hasn’t been an issue. The real issue here is his age, increased injury woes and declining performance. He’s not getting any younger and I just don’t see him offering a ton of value in 2013 drafts. It’s not like he’ll last until the 15th round. Odds are you’ll have to use a top-10 round pick to get him, and at that price I’m just not that interested.
Zach
Who would be the best pick for a top corner infielder next year, among 1B/3B in a AL only keeper league if Cabrera isn’t available? Pujols, Fielder or Longoria?
Another AL only keeper question. I’ve got 3 catchers with 2 catcher spots and I need a good starting pitcher. Should I keep Wieters at $17 and Flowers at $1 instead of Lavarnway at $5, or should I keep Flowers and Lavarnway to save money for the draft and try and trade Wieters for a pitcher like Matt Moore, Jarrod Parker or Brett Anderson?
Shouldn’t Ike Davis at least get an honorable mention? Even with his horrible first half he still had a similar slugging percentage to Anthony Rizzo, who got an honorable mention, and after the All-Star break he had a slashline of .255/,346/.542 with 20 home runs. You also have to consider that the first half of the season he was dealing with Valley Fever, so his second half might look a lot more like his season next year.