THE
FANTASY MAN'S
TOP 25 for 2007
1.
Albert Pujols
.330/49/137/119/7
while missing a few weeks
on the DL.
MVP?
Expect: The usual, .330+/45/140/120/9
2.
Alfonso Soriano
New
contract, smaller park, better surrounding hitters,
commitment to win from ownership... & the Billy
Goat?
SOR + LEE + RAM = WHOA! ... or is he setting us up for a Beltran-like bust year!
His AVG & OBP stink for a lead off guy but his 40/40
power/speed potential puts Soriano in top 3 and a pick above Reyes!
Expect: .280/41/100/120/35
3.
Ryan Howard
An
unstoppable force. Led league in HR & RBI.
Pitchers are on to him and 0 SB's drops him below Sir
Albert! Still more upside?? .....or is he going to get
the Bonds treatment?
Expect: .300+/45/135/100
4.
Jose Reyes
Will
his legs hold up?
Can he break .300/20hr/70sb/120runs?
His potential
is uncomprehendable!
Could be #1, 2, 3, or 4!
Expect: .300/15/85/120/60
5.
Alex Rodriquez
He's
still AROD! Don't be down on him yet! Still the
best! If you pass up on him now, you'll be sorry!
You heard it HERE first!
Expect: .300/40/120/120/15
6. David Ortiz
Equal
to Howard but a bit less AVG and that pesky DH thing
keeps Papi where he was ranked last year! Also,
keep an eye on the whole Manny-Trade rumors thing, a
move could have a huge impact on Big Papi's totals!
Expect w/Manny: .290/50/145/110
Expect w/o Manny: .280/45/130/100
7.
Carlos Beltran
The
best .275 hitter I know although his power, 120+ run
potential and 15-25 SB potential finally puts him
in the elite. If he gets his AVG up to .300, he's
top 3!
Expect: .280/39/120/120/20
8.
Lance Berkman
AB's,
HR's, RBI's, OBP identical to Pujols! Only 15
points less in average and about 25 fewer runs due to
poor offensive support. Unfortunately, this may be
the only "Pre-January" draft list you will see
Berkman in the top 10, that's disappointing! He is
better than everyone else thinks he is. Hitters park
puts him ahead of Cabrera.
Expect: .320/40/130/100/5
9.
Miguel Cabrera
Added
9 SB's to his repertoire last season and his .330+
average combined with his power numbers and upside
considering the offensive support he had to work with,
is my reasoning for ranking him over Vlad! Oh, by
the way, he's only 22 years old.
Expect: .330/30/120/120/10
10.
Vlad Guerrero
Still
a stud but his 40/40
days are long gone.
DL stint always
possible.
Expect: .320/35/120/100/15. If he gets Manny, he
moves up past Beltran to #6!
11.
Chase Utley
The
"Do-It-All" Man! Love his combo of speed and
power for a weak position like 2B. Could easily be top 5
and will be in some
drafts, guaranteed!
131 Runs -
Tops in the NL!
Expect: .300/35/110/120/15
12.
Johan Santana
Don't
let him go past 12th, although he should be gone by
8th! I rank him lower because hitters are more
valuable than pitchers!
If you want Johan, you'll
have
to act fast. If he lasts this long, you have no
choice but to take him!
Expect: 200+inn/20-4/2.75era/220k/.980
13.
Carl Crawford
More
power? More speed? Maybe this year? #'s
identical to Reyes minus 33 runs. Still only 25
and that power is coming soon!
Expect: .300+/22/90/100/45
14.
David Wright
This
guy is unique and still has a ton of upside. One
die-hard told me he expects
".300+/30/120/120/20". I told him
"So will every other magazine/expert in the
country!" He'll need to stay consistent down the
stretch for that too happen though! He'll be 24 in
December, yikes!
Expect: .300+/28/110/110/22
15.
Travis Hafner
Lead
the league in OBP at .438. Only eligible at DH. A
power Stud who has more power potential than Mourneau. Expect:
.300+/40/120/100 with 500+ AB's.
16.
Justin Mourneau
AL
MVP had a monster breakout year. The question
is.... Can he repeat?? Yes, or else he wouldn't be
on this list! We still don't know if he is 100% for real
or not. Watch out for slow start but
Expect: .320/30/125/100/4
17.
Manny Ramirez
Will
the knees hold up? Is he staying in Boston? Too many
questions and risky but was hitting .320/35/102 when
shut down in late August. He is the league's most
professional hitter and a first ballot Hall of Famer...and
he will slip in drafts. If he's healthy on draft
day, don't let him slip by you in the second round.
Expect: the same as above but with 120+ RBI's
with 500+ AB's.
18.
Derek Jeter
MVP?
Hmmm. Conspiracy I say! By far his best hitting
year of his career. Average may dip but not
much. Could see a few extra HR's and possibly a
few at bats from the 3-hole eventually. Yep, heard
that HERE too! Will he break the 100 RBI mark??
Could easily be ranked higher but his lack of power is
hurts his valuable. Its his
"5-tool-ness" that puts him in round 2!
Average puts Jeter in front of Sizemore.
Expect: .320+/19/100/110/25
19.
Grady Sizemore
Jeter
type numbers. Sizemore hit more homers &
runs. Jeter more avg, rbi's, sb's. Sizemore 8
years younger. Jeter in 2-slot. Sizemore leading
off & led league in runs. Its a coin toss
people!
Expect: .305/30/90/120/25
20.
Jason Bay
Pittsburgh
Sucks!... Thus Bay being ranked #20! Power numbers are
there but not the 30/30 everyone predicted. Still
a hell-uva player though with that precious power/speed
combo! Swipes puts Bay in front of Tex.
Expect: .290/35/100/100/15
21.
Mark Teixeira
What
happened? I thought he was gonna hit 50? So
what are we gonna get this year? The 50/120 guy or
the 33/110 guy? Probably somewhere in between. I
think he feels he has something to prove!
Expect: .300/40/120/100
22.
Hanley Ramirez
There's
a new stud in town and his name is Hanley! Blew away
expectations and had a Reyes/Crawford type rookie
year. He's young with a
ton of upside.
Expect: .290/20/80/120/50
23.
Matt Holliday
Mourneau
type #'s in Colorado with more 5-tool upside
potential. I rank him over ARAM, A. Jones, V.
Wells, D-Lee because of the potential Coors Field
creates and his overall #'s
in each category!
Expect: .320/35/120/120/10
24.
Carlos
Lee
Just recently traded to Houston and adding a nice one
two punch behind Berkman. That alone could put Lee in
line for a sweet season or at the very least, as good as
2006. Not to mention, Houston's ballpark is heaven
for power hitters! He's not really a misfit. Could
easily be top 15, he just doesn't excite me! I prefer a
higher average.
Expect: .295/35/120/95/15
25.
Vernon Wells
Another
5-tool player who is getting better but is more of a
"middle-class man's" Carlos Beltran.
Just a tick less #'s in homers, RBI's, runs. His
30/20 potential should not last much past pick #25.
Fellow Experts may view Wells as a higher draft choice than
#25, but you'll be making a mistake. Vernon is prone to
the
"super slump"!
Expect: .300/100/30/110/15
The following players
are
On The
Bubble!
These are players who can easily be drafted earlier, but
some lack the "pizzaz" of the above players or
I just couldn't fit them in the Top 25 because of better
performances. There always seems to be that one "something"
holding them back . Let's call these guys The Misfits
of the Top 25. "Because nobody wants
a
Charlie - in - the - Box"!
Roy
Halladay
Just
as good as Carpenter, but the Blue Jays won't win as
much and Toronto faces the Yankees and the Red Sox 15+
times each.
Chris Carpenter
His
2006 numbers say it all. A tick under Johan but a
great 2nd or early 3rd round pick. I like Carp over Halladay
because he's got a better supporting cast and doesn't
face the Yankees or Red Sox....or Pujols!! Could easily
be in Top 25 but lowered him to fit Carlos Lee, since
Hitters are always more valuable than Pitchers.
Expect: 200+inn/18-6/3.00/200k/1.10
Carlos
Zambrano
Cy
Young Winner? Has Carpenter type #'s but a higher WHIP
and ERA knocks CZAM a tick lower. Still has tremendous
upside! I also think his body will hold up just fine,
despite fellow experts' belief that his arm has logged
too many innings. He's only 25!
Miguel
Tejada
Average
higher than normal but his homers and RBI's were
not! Less Juice? Crappy team? You decide...
Ichiro
Suzuki
40+
SB's and .320+ average but his power numbers knock him
down quite a bit or else he would be in the
Reyes/Crawford/Ramirez category.
Bobby
Abreu
A
great move for him staying with the Yanks. Could
bat 3rd or 4th depending on ARod. Is he 30/30
anymore? Nope, he's probably a 20/25 guy now with
that right field porch in Yankee Stadium. Only hit
7 homers in 2nd half as a Yankee. You make
the decision.
Jermaine
Dye
Stud
numbers last year but was he for real? I think so
but his health risk knocks him just below the top
25. If he does it again this year, he'll be top
12. You make the decision.
Aramis
Ramirez
His
first half slump last year and the year before, and the
year before that really tightens the knot in my stomach
from this guy. Every year I trade him in June and
every June he starts to light it up! You make the
decision.
Derrek
Lee
Coming
off injury year and we still don't know if his monster
2005 season was for real or not. Soriano is a huge
lift but we could see a struggle for RBI's if Soriano
keeps clearing the bases 40+ times a year. You
decide.
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