2010 Top 15 Shortstop Rankings
Here’s an early look at Shortstop Rankings.
1. Hanley Ramirez—Jose Reyes excused himself from the discussion last year.
2. Troy Tulowitzki—Tulo emerged as the No. 2 SS last year, combining power and speed. He was a beast from June on.
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3. Derek Jeter—I know he doesn’t have the potential of Reyes, but I think Jeter is well-suited for his new ballpark. In that lineup you know he’s going to rack up the runs and hits. Plus, he supplies a decent amount of HRs and SBs.
4. Jose Reyes—OK, I’ll stop the bleeding with Reyes, who was not only the second-ranked SS last year, but a top five overall pick. He’ll likely move up a slot when all is said and done, but he has to prove he hasn’t lost his speed first.
5. Jimmy Rollins—Rollins got off to a miserable start, hitting .229 before the All-Star Break. He finished with 100 runs, 21 HRs, 77 RBI, and 31 SBs, which is enough to keep him in the top five.
6. Elvis Andrus—Elvis led all shortstops in SBs last year, and he has a good chance of repeating even with Reyes’ return. He showed improvement in the second half of last year, has a year under his belt, and plays in a potent offense, all of which should lead to even bigger numbers in 2010.
7. Alexei Ramirez—Alexei had a solid year but was a disappointment in terms of his expectation level. He also made the transition from 2B to SS. He is loaded with talent though and could make a serious run at 25 HRs and 85 RBI.
8. Yunel Escobar—Speed isn’t his game, but he’s a solid hitter who should bolster your average, run, and RBI categories. He ranked no worse than seventh in those three categories last year.
9. Stephen Drew—Drew was another guy who didn’t meet his expectation level last year. He’s such a good, young hitter though, it’s hard to imagine him not bouncing back.
10. Jason Bartlett—Bartlett had a major breakout season for the Rays last year. The fluke factor keeps him down at 10, but he’s still worthy of a top 10 ranking.
11. Everth Cabrera—Cabrera should also be one of the top base stealers next year. He should add around 85 runs.
12. Miguel Tejada—No matter where he lands, Miggy remains one of the top hitting shortstops in the game.
13. Jhonny Peralta—He moved over to Third Base but still has SS eligibility. His runs, average, and HRs took a dive last year, but he did drive in 83 runs.
14. J.J. Hardy—A change of scenery should help Hardy, who suffered through a miserable 2009 season. If he can regain his form 80 runs, 20 HRs, and 70 RBI aren’t out of the question.
15. Rafael Furcal—If he can stay healthy, he’ll climb this list.
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