2009 Fantasy Baseball: Top 20 Outfielders, Updated

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Now that we're just two weeks away from Opening Day, I thought it would be a good time to do some updating to my rankings. With additional research, free agent signings, and injuries, some significant changes have occurred. Here are the top 20 outfielders as of today (to view the original rankings, click here):

1. Ryan Braun - Milwaukee Brewers
2. Grady Sizemore - Cleveland Indians
3. Josh Hamilton - Texas Rangers
4. Carlos Beltran - New York Mets
5. B.J. Upton - Tampa Bay Rays
6. Manny Ramirez - Los Angeles Dodgers
7. Carlos Lee - Houston Astros
8. Alfonso Soriano - Chicago Cubs
9. Matt Holliday - Oakland Athletics
10. Alex Rios - Toronto Blue Jays
11. Carl Crawford - Tampa Bay Rays
12. Jason Bay - Boston Red Sox
13. Matt Kemp - Los Angeles Dodgers
14. Carlos Quentin - Chicago White Sox
15. Vladimir Guerrero - Los Angeles Angels
16. Nick Markakis - Baltimore Orioles
17. Ichiro Suzuki - Seattle Mariners
18. Curtis Granderson - Detroit Tigers
19. Corey Hart - Milwaukee Brewers
20. Nate McLouth - Pittsburgh Pirates

Notes:

• At this point, I’m not willing to move Braun down from the top spot, even with the injury concern. He’s just too good of a hitter, and things do not appear to be serious at this point. Obviously, that could change pretty quickly, but until then, he's best.
• Alfonso Soriano took a fall for no other reason than the concern over potential injury. I wrote an article recently about why I would not select him in the second round (click here to read), so he had to slip.
• Matt Kemp made a good leap, from No. 18 on the original rankings to No. 13. Credit the signing of Manny Ramirez (who also jumped a bit thanks to his official signing with the Dodgers).
• With a scorching-hot spring, Corey Hart jumped from No. 24 into the Top 20. He’s a player that I’ve been high on all preseason, and he's only adding fuel to the fire with his great play. Shane Victorino was the player to fall out of the Top 20 to make room for Hart.
• Matt Holliday lost a few spots from his original ranking. He should be good, but with that park in Oakland working against him, I just don’t like him over some of the other options.
• Carlos Quentin took a bit of a tumble as fears about his wrist are starting to pop up. To date he has just one HR and nine RBI in 46 spring AB. Couple that with my original prediction of regression, and there was little choice here

What do you think?  Who am I still overrating?  Underrating?

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