2011 Fantasy Projections No. 9: Why Carl Crawford Is Better Than Carlos Gonzalez

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings.

Carl Crawford has always had below-average power (13 HRs per in eight full seasons), and top-flight speed (50 steals per season). However, Crawford hit a career-high 19 bombs in 2010 while also posting a personal-best .188 ISO power (slugging percentage minus batting average).

After signing a monster seven-year, $142 million contract last month with the Boston Red Sox, the 29-year-old will likely bat second or third in a lineup featuring Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz. Given his lineup surroundings and Fenway’s short fence in right field, the left-handed hitting Crawford may finally surpass 20 home runs in 2011.

This, in addition to his history of durability (150-plus games in six of the last eight seasons), his ability to maintain a .300 batting average (something he’s done in five of the last six seasons), and his potential to swipe 50-plus bases give Crawford the nod over Carlos Gonzalez as our second-ranked outfielder heading into 2011.

If Crawford does indeed reach the 20-HR, 50-steal, .300 batting average plateau, he’ll be the first player to do so since Hanley Ramirez posted a ridiculous 29/51/.332 line in 2007.

	PA	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG
2010 Stats	663	110	19	90	47	.307
Three-Year Average	606	92	14	72	44	.297
2011 FBI Forecast	675	120	21	100	45	.309

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: FANTASY BASEBALL INSIDERS

Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ 2011 Big Board:

• No. 1: Albert Pujols
• No. 2: Hanley Ramirez
• No. 3: Miguel Cabrera
• No. 4: Troy Tulowitzki
• No. 5: Adrian Gonzalez
• No. 6: David Wright
• No. 7: Evan Longoria
• No. 8: Ryan Braun

Previous articles from Fantasy Baseball Insiders:

• 2011 Projections: Adrian Beltre
• The Sub-2.50 ERA Curse: Why 5 Elite Starting Pitchers May Regress in 2011
• 2010 Batting Average on Balls in Play Leaders: What to Expect in 2011?
• 2011 Closer’s Corner: Papelbon, Cordero and Rivera Are the Only Reliable Options

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