2008 Top 10 Fantasy Shortstops
Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins Top the Rankings List
The young guys are taking over the six spot.
1. Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins (2007 Statistics: .331 BA, 29 HR, 81 RBI, 125 R, 51 SB). If conventional wisdom could indeed speak, it would tell you to draft Jose Reyes or Jimmy Rollins as the top fantasy shortstop. And conventional wisdom would be wrong. Rollins is due for a letdown in performance after his stunning 2007 season, and Reyes doesn't hit well enough to justify taking him over Ramirez.
2. Jose Reyes, New York Mets (.280 BA, 12 HR, 57 RBI, 119 R, 78 SB). After his late season slump and rumors that he is a clubhouse disruption, a lot of fantasy owners might be hesitant to draft Reyes in the early going. Don't fall into this trap. Use a high draft pick, or if you are in an auction league, spend if you have to get him, because Jose Reyes is going to steal 80 bases this year, and nobody else in baseball will top 60. He'll also hit for average and score a ton of runs with Wright and Beltran backing him up.
3. Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies (.296, 30 HR, 94 RBI, 139 R, 41 SB). Even though Rollins probably won’t repeat his remarkable 2007 season, he will still steal 40 bases, score 120 runs and put up good power numbers. Overall, his totals will likely be lower than the power mad Ramirez and the super-speedy Reyes, but for overall balance, he’s a good bet.
4. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies (.291 BA, 24 HR, 99 RBI, 104 R, 7 SB). The 2007 National League Rookie of the Year is big and strong, hits in a good lineup, and plays in a park that favors sluggers. Look for him to take the next step in 2008. If he could steal more bases, Tulowitzki would be the number two shortstop.
5. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees (.322, 12 HR, 73 RBI, 102 R, 15 SB). Jeter is still a solid and balanced hitter who will bat well over .300, but keep in mind that he dropped off quite a bit last year in some key categories. His 102 runs were only fifth best among shortstops (and were his lowest ever in eleven full seasons). He also stole just 15 bases after swiping 34 in 2006, and he hit only 12 home runs, which is his lowest in a full season since 1997. However, he is still Derek Jeter, and he does hit in baseball's best lineup. A healthy Johnny Damon could also pump up his RBI numbers. Take him in the fourth or fifth round and you will be okay.
6. Miguel Tejada, Houston Astros (.296 BA, 18 HR, 81 RBI, ). Minute Maid Park will help his home run and RBI totals. Hitting in front of Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman can’t hurt, either. He might be a better fantasy bet than Jeter.
7. Michael Young, Texas Rangers (.315 BA, 9 HR, 94 RBI, 80 R, 13 SB). Young quietly had another solid season in 2007, but his power numbers dropped, causing him to fall in many mock drafts, while players like Tulowitzki and Tejada get taken several rounds ahead. While Young isn’t an exciting player, he’s a good value if you can pick him up in the later rounds. Expect to see a slight increase in runs and runs batted in because of an improved lineup. He’ll have a healthy Hank Blalock batting behind him and Ian Kinsler should bat leadoff for the entire season.
8. Edgar Renteria, Detroit Tigers (.332, 12 HR, 57 RBI, 87 R, 11 SB). He hit for a career-high average last year, but his power disappeared in the second half. He's certainly in a better lineup than he was in 2007 with the Braves, which should help him score more runs. Bottom line: not enough speed or pwer to justofy a higher pick.
9. J.J. Hardy, Milwaukee Brewers (.277 BA, 26 HR, 80 RBI, 89 R, 2 SB). All upside. His dropoff in the middle of last season was disappointing after a great April and May. But he came back in August and September. He's risky, but he's a good bet in the later rounds, when he should still be available.
10. Jhonny Peralta, Cleveland Indians (.270 BA, 21 HR, 72 RBI, 87 R, 4 SB). Another guy who's risky, but he's a good value for the tenth best shorstop.
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