Fantasy Baseball 2014: Updating the Top 150 Big Board, Week 4

With the 2014 baseball season going full tilt, the fantasy version of the sport needs all kinds of attention. Like, every-week attention—lest we fickle owners get frustrated and cranky, and that just isn't good for anyone.

With that in mind, it's time for the weekly update of the Big Board. Now that games are underway and fantasy drafts are over, the focus shifts toward evaluating players' values based on the remainder of the season.

Think of it as your security blanket in an otherwise insecure world.

Below is a ranking of the top 150 players from now until the end of September. With opinions and circumstances changing since the last iteration, including player performances, transactions and injuries, a refreshing is in order.

Before getting to that, though, some housekeeping is needed, as this lengthy list of the top talents comes with a few key qualifications. First, everything is based on 10- or 12-team mixed leagues with standard 5x5 rotisserie scoring for hitters (BA, R, HR, RBI, SB) and pitchers (W, ERA, WHIP, K, SV).

Second, lineup construction accounts for 22 active-roster positions, consisting of: one each for catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, corner infield, middle infield and utility, along with five outfielders and nine pitchers.

And third, to be eligible at a particular position, players must have played at least 20 games there in 2013 or or 10 games in 2014.

With that out of the way, get ready to count down, starting with No. 150 and working all the way to No. 1.

Ins and Outs, On the Bubble, Risers and Fallers

This time around, only two players (J.J. Hardy and Francisco Liriano) fell off the Big Board.

The two newbies replacing them?

• Charlie Blackmon, who's spent the better part of April leading the majors in hitting while also notching five homers and seven steals
• Martin Perez, who is carrying a 26-inning scoreless streak

David Zalubowski

Because you're probably wondering about some players just outside the top 150, that list includes:

• Liriano, Tony Cingrani, Brian Dozier, Brandon Moss, Dee Gordon, Jed Lowrie, Nolan Arenado, Brett Lawrie, Lance Lynn, Angel Pagan, Kyle Seager, Coco Crisp, Chris Tillman and yes, MLB saves leader Francisco Rodriguez

Keep in mind: When a few players at the same position are coupled or bunched together—like David Robertson, Rafael Soriano and Joe Nathan, or Wilin Rosario and Salvador Perez—it means they're more or less in the same boat, with no clear favorite at the moment. That can and will change as more information, news, injuries and performance come to light. But for now, when players are grouped, consider their value to your team based more on specific category need than overall ranking placement.

This week, some of the biggest risers are:

• Jose Abreu (No. 64 to 40), Josh Donaldson (101 to 65); Carlos Beltran (105 to 73); Nelson Cruz (135 to 72); Anthony Rendon (95 to 75); Sonny Gray (119 to 94); Yordano Ventura (137 to 112); and Alex Wood (138 to 113)

Meanwhile, big fallers include:

• Chris Sale (No. 30 to 55); Matt Carpenter (46 to 88); Mark Trumbo (57 to 126); Allen Craig (72 to 93); Starling Marte (86 to 128); Pablo Sandoval (100 to 134); Salvador Perez (110 to 135); and Wilin Rosario (114 to 136)

Starting next week, the right-most column marked "+/-" on the Big Board will indicate a player who rose or fell in the rankings by at least 20 spots in either direction from the past edition.

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM	POSITION(S)	+/-
150	David Robertson	Yankees	RP
149	Rafael Soriano	Nationals	RP
148	Joe Nathan	Tigers	RP
147	Mat Latos	Reds	SP
146	Alex Cobb	Rays	SP
145	Martin Perez	Rangers	SP
144	Starlin Castro	Cubs	SS
143	Domonic Brown	Phillies	OF
142	Alexei Ramirez	White Sox	SS
141	Andrelton Simmons	Braves	SS
140	Michael Pineda	Yankees	SP
139	Zack Wheeler	Mets	SP
138	Yovani Gallardo	Brewers	SP
137	Charlie Blackmon	Rockies	OF
136	Wilin Rosario	Rockies	C
135	Salvador Perez	Royals	C
134	Pablo Sandoval	Giants	3B
133	Melky Cabrera	Blue Jays	OF
132	Aramis Ramirez	Brewes	3B
131	Billy Butler	Royals	UTIL
130	Shane Victorino	Red Sox	OF
129	Desmond Jennings	Rays	OF
128	Starling Marte	Pirates	OF
127	George Springer	Astros	OF
126	Mark Trumbo	Diamondbacks	1B/OF
125	Matt Adams	Cardinals	1B
124	Brandon Phillips	Reds	2B
123	Doug Fister	Nationals	SP
122	Chris Archer	Rays	SP
121	Ervin Santana	Braves	SP
120	Matt Wieters	Orioles	C
119	Anibal Sanchez	Tigers	SP
118	Shelby Miller	Cardinals	SP
117	Austin Jackson	Tigers	OF
116	Billy Hamilton	Reds	OF
115	Josh Hamilton	Angels	OF
114	Ryan Zimmerman	Nationals	3B
113	Alex Wood	Braves	SP
112	Yordano Ventura	Royals	SP
111	Hisashi Iwakuma	Mariners	SP
110	Martin Prado	Diamondbacks	2B/3B/OF
109	Koji Uehara	Red Sox	RP
108	Glen Perkins	Twins	RP
107	Aroldis Chapman	Reds	RP
106	Michael Cuddyer	Rockies	OF
105	Xander Bogaerts	Red Sox	SS
104	Jean Segura	Brewers	SS
103	Jose Altuve	Astros	2B
102	Ben Zobrist	Rays	2B/SS/OF
101	Alex Gordon	Royals	OF
100	Victor Martinez	Tigers	UTIL
99	Mike Minor	Braves	SP
98	Jonathan Lucroy	Brewers	C
97	Jeff Samardzija	Cubs	SP
96	Chase Utley	Phillies	2B
95	Andrew Cashner	Padres	SP
94	Sonny Gray	Athletics	SP
93	Allen Craig	Cardinals	1B/OF
92	Pedro Alvarez	Pirates	3B
91	Brian McCann	Yankees	C
90	Carlos Santana	Indians	C/1B/3B
89	Trevor Rosenthal	Cardinals	RP
88	Matt Carpenter	Cardinals	2B/3B
87	Greg Holland	Royals	RP
86	Kenley Jansen	Dodgers	RP
85	Matt Kemp	Dodgers	OF
84	Matt Cain	Giants	SP
83	Mike Napoli	Red Sox	1B
82	Johnny Cueto	Reds	SP
81	Michael Wacha	Cardinals	SP
80	Hyun-Jin Ryu	Dodgers	SP
79	Manny Machado	Orioles	3B
78	Jose Reyes	Blue Jays	SS
77	Jason Heyward	Braves	OF
76	Everth Cabrera	Padres	SS
75	Anthony Rendon	Nationals	2B/3B
74	Jayson Werth	Nationals	OF
73	Carlos Beltran	Yankees	OF
72	Nelson Cruz	Orioles	OF
71	Craig Kimbrel	Braves	RP
70	Anthony Rizzo	Cubs	1B
69	Cole Hamels	Phillies	SP
68	Julio Teheran	Braves	SP
67	Alex Rios	Rangers	OF
66	Elvis Andrus	Rangers	SS
65	Josh Donaldson	Athletics	3B
64	Gerrit Cole	Pirates	SP
63	Jon Lester	Red Sox	SP
62	Yadier Molina	Cardinals	C
61	Joe Mauer	Twins	C/1B
60	Ian Kinsler	Tigers	2B
59	Hunter Pence	Giants	OF
58	Buster Posey	Giants	C
57	Homer Bailey	Reds	SP
56	Brandon Belt	Giants	1B
55	Chris Sale	White Sox	SP
54	Matt Holliday	Cardinals	OF
53	Yoenis Cespedes	Athletics	OF
52	Jordan Zimmermann	Nationals	SP
51	James Shields	Royals	SP
50	Yasiel Puig	Dodgers	OF
49	Wil Myers	Rays	OF
48	David Ortiz	Red Sox	UTIL
47	Eric Hosmer	Royals	1B
46	Ian Desmond	Nationals	SS
45	Jay Bruce	Reds	OF
44	Gio Gonzalez	Nationals	SP
43	Masahiro Tanaka	Yankees	SP
42	Zack Greinke	Dodgers	SP
41	Justin Upton	Braves	OF
40	Jose Abreu	White Sox	1B
39	Shin-Soo Choo	Rangers	OF
38	Dustin Pedroia	Red Sox	2B
37	Madison Bumgarner	Giants	SP
36	David Wright	Mets	3B
35	Adrian Gonzalez	Dodgers	1B
34	Albert Pujols	Angels	1B
33	Clayton Kershaw	Dodgers	SP
32	Bryce Harper	Nationals	OF
31	Ryan Braun	Brewers	OF
30	David Price	Rays	SP
29	Max Scherzer	Tigers	SP
28	Justin Verlander	Tigers	SP
27	Cliff Lee	Phillies	SP
26	Stephen Strasburg	Nationals	SP
25	Jason Kipnis	Indians	2B
24	Jose Bautista	Blue Jays	OF
23	Jose Fernandez	Marlins	SP
22	Felix Hernandez	Mariners	SP
21	Adam Wainwright	Cardinals	SP
20	Yu Darvish	Rangers	SP
19	Adrian Beltre	Rangers	3B
18	Jacoby Ellsbury	Yankees	OF
17	Edwin Encarnacion	Blue Jays	1B
16	Prince Fielder	Rangers	1B
15	Hanley Ramirez	Dodgers	SS
14	Troy Tulowitzki	Rockies	SS
13	Joey Votto	Reds	1B
12	Chris Davis	Orioles	1B
11	Carlos Gonzalez	Rockies	OF
10	Adam Jones	Orioles	OF
9	Evan Longoria	Rays	3B
8	Robinson Cano	Mariners	2B
7	Freddie Freeman	Braves	1B
6	Giancarlo Stanton	Marlins	OF
5	Carlos Gomez	Brewers	OF
4	Andrew McCutchen	Pirates	OF
3	Paul Goldschmidt	Diamondbacks	1B
2	Miguel Cabrera	Tigers	1B/3B
1	Mike Trout	Angels	OF

Now that the season is nearly a full month in and most MLB teams and starting players have tallied about 25 games played, there's enough of a sample size to start to evaluate players more thoroughly.

Because this is still the very early stages, however, even one big/bad game or a  series can make a player's stats—and stock—increase or decrease noticeably. In other words, don't get too caught up in crazy-good performances by unknowns or has-beens; nor should you fret too much over a proven stud who's still struggling. A lot still can change in a game or three.

Elaine Thompson

For some perspective, think of where we are in the fantasy baseball season in fantasy football terms: Once April is done and teams have played about 30 games, that will be the fantasy football equivalent of roughly three weeks. If your first-round running back or second-round wide receiver were slumping through three games, you might be frustrated or even mad, but you wouldn't just go dropping or trading them away, would you?

Don't go taking such drastic measures in fantasy baseball, either.

This is the continuation of a writer-reader collaboration that's intended to take your opinions and perspectives into account, so let 'er rip in the comments below. Which rankings do you disagree with and why? Which players not included absolutely need to be on the Top 150 Big Board, and which ones would you kick to the curb? How's the top 10? The top 25?

To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11.