2008 Top 10 Fantasy First Baseman
Pujols, Howard, Fielder and Hafner Lead MLB Baseball 1st Basemen
Choosing the right first baseman can make or break your fantasy baseball team.
Here are the Top 10 Fantasy First Baseman in Major League Baseball.
1. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals. (2007 statistics: .327 BA, 32 HR, 103 RBI, 99 R, 2 SB). Sure, he had a down year in 2007. But he still topped .300, 30 homers and 100 RBI for the seventh straight season, and he did it in a year when he struggled with a host of nagging injuries and was without Scott Rolen for much of the season. This year, he'll be hitting next to Troy Glaus, who, if healthy, should provide enough protection and help to allow Pujols to hit like he did between 2001 and 2006.
2. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies. (.268 BA, 47 HR, 136 RBI, 94 R, 1 SB). Howard can beat the daylights out of a baseball. He's also got Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins hitting in front of him and Pat Burrell hitting behind him. He also plays in homer-friendly Citizens Bank Park. The big guy missed thirty games last year and still put up monster numbers. If he could strike out less, Howard will challenge Pujols as the best first baseman in baseball.
3. Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers (.288 BA, 50 HR, 119 RBI, 109 R, 2 SB). Fielder is another big bopper who hits in a good lineup. Last year, he became the youngest player in history to hit 50 dingers. It would be unreasonable to expect Fielder to match those homer totals in 2008, but he should be good for third best among first-sackers.
4. Travis Hafner, Cleveland Indians (.266 BA, 24 HR, 100 RBI, 80 R, 1 SB). Simply put, last year was an aberration. Hafner hit well over .300 in every season between 2004 and 2006 before dropping to .266 last year. Hitting in this lineup, Hafner will murder the ball like he did in the three seasons prior to 2007.
5. Mark Teixeira, Atlanta Braves (.306 BA, 30 HR, 105 RBI, 86 R, 0 SB). Tex hit for average but not much power in the first half last year, but once he arrived in Atlanta, he hit like it was 2005 (when he smacked 43 homers and 144 RBI).
6. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins (.271 BA, 31 HR, 111 RBI, 84 R, 1 SB). The Twins just gave him a six-year contract worth more than $80 million and Morneau is worth every penny (by MLB $ standards). Although he dropped off from his 2006 MVP numbers, Morneau still produced in 2007, and at 26 years old, it's safe to say that this kid is years away from a collapse.
7. Derrek Lee, Chicago Cubs (.317 BA, 22 HR, 82 RBI, 91 R, 6 SB). Lee will always hits for average, and given his power surge in the second half of 2007, he is a good bet to put up nice all-around numbers. The addition of Japanese sensation Kosuke Fukudome, and a full season by Alfonso Soriano, will give Lee protection and RBI opportunities that he didn't have last season.
8. Lance Berkman, Houston Astros (.278, 34 HR, 102 RBI, 95 R, 7 SB). The addition of Miguel Tejada should help Berkman, whose average and power numbers dipped slightly in 2007. Even if his numbers don't return to his 2006 figures, Berkman is still one of the eight or nine best-producing first basemen in the game. If you think he can return to pre-2007 numbers, take him 5th or 6th.
9. Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres (.282 BA, 30 HR, 100 RBI, 101 R, 0 SB). If he didn't play at Petco Park, he might be in the top five. Even in that huge park, however, Gonzalez will pop quite a bit. No speed.
10. Carlos Pena, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (.282 BA, 46 HR, 121 RBI, 99 R, 1 SB). Does anyone know what to do with Carlos Pena? In 2006, he was in the minor leagues. In 2007, he was one of the best-producing fantasy hitters in baseball. He needs to do what he did last year again before he moves up in the rankings. But then again: no risk, no reward.
There's your Top 10 Fantasy First Basemen for 2008.
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