First Basemen in Fantasy Baseball: Four Burning Questions

The second that the New York Giants were eliminated from NFL Playoff contention, I immediately began to anticipate the MLB season that was perched right around the corner.

This was only partly due to the fact that I’m a New York Yankees fan and am very excited to see how our new acquisitions will help this team retain their title.

The other reason that I dreamt of the fresh-cut grass, the fastballs, and the Midsummer Classic was because regular baseball meant one thing, and one thing only...fantasy baseball!

So without further ado, I present to you the first article in what will shortly be a saga of well-written analysis, predictions that are sure to be wrong once in a while, and if nothing else, some comedic relief. I partnered up with my good friend Aaron Hamilton, an avid Red Sox fan and one of the most baseball-savvy people I know, and the next thing you know, this article series was spawned.

I ask that you do your best to go in with an open mind, and hopefully you enjoy reading our opinions. Feel free to send a personal message if you would like us to discuss any pressing fantasy questions you have. The second installment, discussing second basemen, will be out before the end of the week.

Enjoy!

Best First Baseman [Other than King Albert]

Travis: Where many people may think that Mark Teixeira is the obvious choice here, I prefer the heavy-hitting Miguel Cabrera to everybody but Pujols himself.

Miggy was a steady hitter all of '09 and will continue to provide the same big bat and quick hands for the Detroit Tigers. He raked over 30 homers and fell just short of 200 hits. He packs a punch in every offensive category except stolen bases, but let’s be honest, for first basemen that’s simply the cherry on top of the home run-hitting, batting average leading cake.

Aaron: This one is a toss-up between Miguel Cabrera and Mark Teixeira. Expect Cabrera to have a higher batting average out of the two and between 33 and 37 home runs. Teixeira should hit more, however, possibly 40-plus, which would be a first for him since '05. You can’t really go wrong with either player. If you’re in a rotisserie league I would recommend Cabrera, but in a points only league I might go Teixeira.

Player to Snag in a Pinch

Travis: Like Madonna, 60 Minutes, and LL Cool J, Billy Butler seems like he’s been around forever.

Unlike the others, however, Butler is only 24-years-old and had a breakout 2009 season. He could very well continue the trend in 2010. Another career spike in numbers is much more likely than a regression at this point. Don't be surprised if at the end of the season, you kick yourself for passing up on him when the big boys were gone.

He is a viable option this year and could be not only a top first baseman, but a top 10 MVP candidate as well. A guy like that is always worth a fifth or sixth round pick. Always.

Aaron: The first base position in baseball is extremely deep, with plenty of quality players throughout the league. That makes a question like this difficult to answer due to how many guys would at least be serviceable.

A player like Kendry Morales would be a safe fantasy bet; there honestly wasn’t much of a fantasy drop-off, if any, between Morales and Teixeira last year. Morales had a higher batting average, but Teixeira had more homers and RBI.

Best Backup Player

Travis: It’s odd how Derrek Lee even fits into this category, but if the shoe fits...

Lee has tremendous value for a sneaky middle to late round pick. He notched 30-plus dingers last year and drove in over 100 for the first time in three years. He has a great relationship with Wrigley Field (a 100-point boost to on-base percentage) and should have an even better one with fantasy teams in 2010.

Besides, if Lee ends up being a bust, you get to be the butt of all the you-drafted-Lee jokes. I like to be the optimist in many, if not all, situations.

Aaron:

Player A: .305 BA, 27 HR, 94 RBI, 150 Hits
Player B: .301 BA, 21 HR, 93 RBI, 183 Hits

Player A is Kevin Youkilis, who came in sixth in AL MVP voting last year. Have you figured out Player B yet? It’s Billy Butler of the Kansas City Royals. He had a great, yet overlooked, third year in baseball. He’s only 23, so if you’re in a league where you can sign players to contracts or keep them for multiple years, lock him up early.

Don't Forget About ______

Travis: Kevin Youkilis and Pablo Sandoval.

Both are amazing players and offer you something else that no other big name first baseman does: eligibility at third base.

Don’t let this fact slip past you on draft day, because it may be the reason you choose Youkilis over Justin Morneau, or the tough decision of Kung Fu Panda and Adrian Gonzalez. (Side note? Not that tough. No way I’m taking Gonzalez on draft day over Pablo. Not worth the valued pick for only 40 homers and an awful supporting cast.)

Something like this can turn your season around and open you up to more trade possibilities down the road.

Aaron: Todd Helton. He’s getting up there in age (will turn 37 in August), but it hasn’t slowed him down too badly. He’s no longer a 30 to 45 home run threat, but he still swings a hot bat.

After an injury-plagued 2008 season, he came back last year to have the second highest batting average for a first baseman in the league (.325 BA). He also managed to hit 15 homers and had 86 RBI.

Closing Note

The first baseman candidates this year are as deep as deep can be. It will certainly be a position that has a lot of future All-Stars but will garner very little trade value due to the surplus. Snag a top of the line guy and you may be able to rocket to the top of your league, no matter the type or size.

Travis Rand is a Community Leader for the New York Giants and is a Communications major at the University of Southern Maine. Aaron Hamilton has been a close friend for a long time and has agreed to work on some fantasy baseball articles for the entire 2010 MLB season.