2010 Top 15 Third Basemen Rankings
Here’s an early look at Third Base Rankings.
1. Alex Rodriguez—Evan Longoria is closing fast, but I expect more A-Bombs from A-Rod this year, especially with the World Series monkey off his back.
2. Evan Longoria—He has surpassed A-Rod in keeper leagues, but in yearly leagues, he’ll have to settle for No. 2.
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3. David Wright—I’m expecting a return in power. Jason Bay’s arrival should help, especially with Carlos Beltran’s status up in the air. Wright’s speed and average carry him to No. 2.
4. Kevin Youkilis—He’ll almost exclusively play first base this year, thanks to the arrival of Adrian Beltre, but he still maintains eligibility. Youk should be a nice source of average and RBI while providing a good amount of HRs.
4. Mark Reynolds—I’m expecting a dip in production, but his power and speed still make him a valuable commodity.
5. Pablo Sandoval—Sandoval could challenge for the batting title. He’s that good of a hitter.
6. Ryan Zimmerman—Zimmerman bounced back nicely, setting career highs in runs, HRs, and OPS. As long as he can stay healthy, he’ll be a high-end 3B once again.
7. Aramis Ramirez—Ramirez is another guy who needs to stay healthy. When he does, he can rake.
8. Chone Figgins—Chone is unique because he totally dominates SBs for the position. He could even get a bump in his RBI production hitting behind Ichiro.
9. Michael Young—The move from SS to 3B did not hurt Young. He should continue to put up solid numbers.
10. Chipper Jones—Chipper still puts up solid R, HR, and RBI numbers. His average should improve dramatically, allowing him to sneak into the top 10. Make sure you draft a good insurance policy, though.
11. Jorge Cantu—The power was down last year (29 HRs to 16), but his RBI actually increased (95 to 100). He qualifies at 1B and 3B, which gives you some flexibility. Look for another solid year from Cantu.
12. Gordon Beckham—His OPS rose from .751 before the All-Star Game to .833 after it. The youngster should blossom this year. Twenty HRs and 80 RBIs aren’t out of the question.
13. Kevin Kouzmanoff—His batting average is an issue, along with runs, but he’s a nice value source for HRs and RBIs. The move to Oakland should give him a slight bump in value.
14. Placido Polanco—He’s manning the hot corner for the Phillies now. He’ll score his share of runs while hitting at a nice clip.
15. Ian Stewart—His average leaves plenty to be desired, but he’s a nice power source.
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