Fantasy Baseball 2012 Rankings- Top 50
Below are my Fantasy Baseball Rankings for the top 50 players in 2012
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1. Albert Pujols (1B- Angels)
2. Miguel Cabrera (1B/3B- Tigers)
3. Matt Kemp (OF- Dodgers)
4. Troy Tulowitzki (SS- Rockies)
5. José Bautista (3B/OF- Blue Jays)
6. Robinson Cano (2B- Yankees)
7. Prince Fielder (1B- Tigers)
8. Adrian Gonzalez (1B- Red Sox)
9. Evan Longoria (3B- Rays)
10. Justin Upton (OF- Diamondbacks)
11. Jacoby Ellsbury (OF- Red Sox)
12. Joey Votto (1B- Reds)
13. Justin Verlander (SP- Tigers)
14. José Reyes (SS- Marlins)
15. Hanley Ramirez (3B/SS- Marlins)
16. Mike Stanton (OF- Marlins)
17 . Clayton Kershaw (SP- Dodgers)
18. Matt Holliday (OF- Cardinals)
19. Curtis Granderson (OF- Yankees)
20. Ian Kinsler (2B- Rangers)
21. Andrew McCutchen (OF- Pirates)
22. Roy Halladay (SP- Phillies)
23. David Wright (3B- Mets)
24. Ryan Braun (OF- Brewers)
25. Carlos Gonzalez (OF- Rockies)
26. Brian McCann (C- Braves)
27. Tim Lincecum (SP- Giants)
28. Mark Teixeira (1B- Yankees)
29. Dustin Pedroia (2B- Red Sox)
30. Josh Hamilton (OF- Rangers)
31. Ryan Zimmerman (3B- Nationals)
32. Felix Hernandez (SP- Mariners)
33. CC Sabathia (SP- Yankees)
34. Adrian Beltre (3B- Rangers)
35. Cliff Lee (SP- Phillies)
36. Jay Bruce (OF- Reds)
37. Jered Weaver (SP- Angels)
38. Buster Posey (C- Giants)
39. Brett Lawrie (3B- Blue Jays)
40. Elvis Andrus (SS- Rangers)
41. Carlos Santana (C- Indians)
42. Michael Young (1B/3B- Rangers)
43. Hunter Pence (OF- Phillies)
44. Alex Rodriguez (3B- Yankees)
45. Nelson Cruz (OF- Rangers)
46. Desmond Jennings (OF- Rays)
47. Starlin Castro (SS- Cubs)
48. Pablo Sandoval (3B- Giants)
49. Dan Haren (SP- Angels)
50. Carl Crawford (OF- Red Sox)
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Oh So Close :
51. Brandon Phillips (2B- Reds)
52. Mike Napoli (C- Rangers)
53. David Price (SP- Rays)
54. Michael Bourn (OF- Braves)
55. Paul Konerko (1B- White Sox)
56. Matt Cain (SP- Giants)
57. Jimmy Rollins (SS- Phillies)
58. Craig Kimbrel (CL- Braves)
59. Alex Avila (C- Tigers)
60. Dustin Ackley (2B- Mariners)
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Oh and by the way, Brett Lawrie is going to rake this year.
The Manoman
Sailing Ship?
Problem: The Yankees have too many starters.
Question: How do you get rid of A.J. Burnett?
Answer: Deal him to the Pirates.
A.J. Burnett
When the Yankees signed him during their massive offseason shopping spree in 2008, it looked like a fairly good deal. Burnett was coming off of an 18-10 season with the Blue Jays, during which he posted a 4.07 E.R.A. Those were pretty appealing numbers, leading the Yankees to sign him to a 5 year, $85 million deal to fill in the vacancy left by 20 game winner, Mike Mussina. In his first year with the club, Burnett pitched decently, posting a 13-9 record with a 4.04 E.R.A., but things just went downhill from there. In his last two years with the Yankees, he has a combined 21-26 record and a 5.21 E.R.A., along with control and attitude issues. He is also being paid $17 million a year lest we forget, and has now become the New York’s biggest enigma since the Mets had Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez. Luckily, there is a shining star in the distance, it being that there is a way to deal Burnett. The Pirates, coming off one of their most successful seasons in the past 20 years, are engaged in serious trade talks with the Yankees involving Burnett, and are even looking to take on $10 million of his salary for the next two years. However, the Yankees do not believe that this is enough, and are seeking to acquire a player such as Garrett Jones in addition to having the Pirates take on the $10 million.
I say that the Yankees deal Burnett while he still has any interested trade suitors left and still holds any trade value. With the position that the Yankees are in with their solid rotation, and their willingness to get under the luxury tax in the coming years, having a $17 million long reliever does not make any sense for the club. If the Yankees truly want a player back in the deal, they should go after a Double A prospect or something along those lines, not a potential key players for the Pirates in 2012. They should deal Burnett while they still can.
What do you guys think?
The Manoman
Darvish, Texas Ranger
Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Alexi Ogando, Neftali Feliz. That rotation (with the exception of C.J. Wilson) was the one that won the Rangers their 2nd consecutive AL Pennant. Now add Yu Darvish to that mix. Good luck Angels.
Darvish was a star in Japan, to a level that arguably eclipsed that of Daisuke Matsuzaka. He doesn’t have a “gyroball” but this was a guy who dominated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, and posted a 18-6 record with a 1.44 ERA. After years of waiting and anticipation, Darvish was finally posted by the Nippon-Ham Fighters this offseason. As soon as Davish was posted, rumors began to fly, with teams from the Blue Jays to the Yankees all being interested in the stud right hander. In the end, it was the Rangers who came out on top, putting up a $51.7 million posting fee to acquire the rights to negotiate with Darvish, and then signed him 6 year, $60 million contract to lock him up for good. Now with six talented starters, how do the Rangers format their rotation? Here’s how I have it set up:
2012 Rangers Rotation
1. Yu Darvish (R)- 18-6, 1.44 ERA (Japan-2011)
Yu Darvish
2. Derek Holland (L)- 16-5, 3.95 ERA
Derek Holland
3. Colby Lewis (R)- 14-10, 4.40 ERA
Colby Lewis
4. Matt Harrison (L)- 14-9, 3.39 ERA
Matt Harrison
5. Neftali Feliz (R)- 32 SV, 2.74 ERA (Closer-2011)
Neftali Feliz
When it’s all said and done, the Rangers will have a fearsome rotation in 2011 and will be a force to be reckoned with in the now competitive AL West race. The addition of Darvish moves Alexi Ogando back into the Texas bullpen, which gives the team another weapon in a talented bullpen that already includes studs Matt Adams, Koji Uehara, and the newly acquired Joe Nathan, who will serve as the closer for the club. I do not believe that the Rangers should go after Roy Oswalt as there have been rumors circulating that they may make a run for him, and frankly I don’t think that they will need him with the dominant rotation that they already possess.
The 2012 AL West race will certainly be an interesting one to watch, don’t Yu worry. (I just had to throw a Yu pun in there, had to 
)
The Manoman
The Ninja Nationals
In 2011, the Nationals finished in third place in the NL East with an 80-81 record, only playing in 161 games because of a game that never was made up since it had no effect on the playoffs. Over the winter, teams in the NL East have made moves to strengthen themselves, such as the Marlins completely upgrading their team with the signings of Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, and Heath Bell, and the Phillies adding Jonathan Papelbon to shore up the back end of their bullpen. However, you cannot discount the moves that the Nationals have made to keep pace with the rest of their division. Between trading for Gio Gonzalez and currently being the frontrunner for Prince Fielder, the Nationals are showing that they are not afraid of their talented rivals and that they plan to pack a punch in 2012. Coupled with the return of Stephen Strasburg and the arrivals of top prospects such as Bryce Harper and Stephen Lambardozzi, the Nationals with be fielding a strong team in 2012, and it would be wise for the other teams in the division to watch out for this team on the rise, before they sneak up and grab the NL East crown right out from under their fingers.
The Manoman
The Calm Before the Storm
Right now the MLB offseason is waiting… Just waiting for that one flame, that little spark, that will cause it to light up like a Christmas Tree and start the wheeling and dealing. It’s true, there have been some minor deals like the Iannetta for Chatwood swap and the Melky for J. Sanchez trade, but right now it’s like a standoff. Who will fire the first shot?
milb.com
Can’t wait until next week.
The Manoman
Not Just Some Mumbo-Jumbo
This post is a post to explain why I should be featured in a MLBlogs Jumbo Panel.
If you would like to read some other really cool baseball posts, please scroll down the page.
The Manoman
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You could say that it all started in 2008, when my dad boldly predicted the Rays had a shot to make it to the playoffs, if not win it all. I was pretty young back then, but I knew my stuff, and I strongly disagreed with him on that point.
“The Rays?”, I had said. “Really, are we talking about the same baseball team?”
Little did I know about the remarkable journey that was about to unfold for a team that went from worst to first in one year, and from then on, I was hooked.
I started this blog in the December of 2008, a month after the World Series, and while at times my post frequency has been sporadic, I always ensure that when someone reads my articles, it is worth their while. I personally enjoy discussing about the “What if” in my posts, and outlining how I feel that organizations should be run to ensure success for their teams. Posting posts with simply polls and photos are also a habit of mine, as I feel that they are able to inform the reader with the big story behind it, without requiring the reader to endlessly search for the true message being delivered. I take true joy in letting my readers know what is happening throughout the baseball world, and really conveying the inner mechanisms of my die-hard baseball mind to them as well.
Mark, if you are reading this, thank you for your time, and please consider making my blog a Jumbo Panel as it would mean a lot to me.
By the way, did I mention I’m a Yankees and Rays fan?
The Manoman
The Flying Fish
With the 2012 season comes great changes for the Marlins. New ballpark, new manager, new logo, the list runs on and on. Along with these changes to the ball club, comes new responsibility for owner Jeffrey Loria and GM Michael Hill to facilitate trades and acquisitions to bolster their current roster. With that in mind, I outlined my plans for the “Miami Marlins” in regards to this offseason, which will get them to the championship that they have longed for since 2003.
Miami Marlins
To begin with, let’s start out with the Marlins current roster.
H. Ramirez
E. Bonifacio
RIGHT FIELD
M. Stanton
In 2011, the Marlins went 72-90 and finished dead last in the NL East. That right, dead last, meaning behind even the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals. Something has to change, and this is how to do it.
The Plan of Attack
plugandplayfootball.com
1. Sign Jose Reyes to a 5 year (6 yr team option) $115 million deal
Jose Reyes
This deal seems like a perfect fit for the Marlins. They get a dynamic, young, speedy shortstop who enhances the Marlins offense, as well as defense, and can provide that constant “wow factor” night after night. His signing would lead to the Marlins shifting Hanley Ramirez over to third to take the spot of talented 3rd base prospect, Matt Dominiguez. However, I would rather see the Marlins shift Hanley to 2nd base, where the Marlins would have an extremely talented double-play tandem, and in turn, they would then either deal Omar Infante for bullpen relief, or keep him as a “super sub”, being as he has an ability to play multiple positions.
2. Sign Mark Buehrle to a 2 year, $21 million deal
Mark Buehrle
Yes, I know, I said that Buehrle should go to the Yankees in my 2011 Yankees Offseason Outlook, but Buehrle would also make sense for the Marlins as well. He would provide that veteran presence in their young pitching staff, and fits in as a solid 3rd starter in that rotation. Also, he would give them 180+ solid innings, providing them with durability that other Marlins pitchers such as Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco lack.
3. Trade Logan Morrison and two solid Double-A prospects to the Rays for James Shields
James Shields
By now, the whole baseball world pretty much knows that Logan Morrison and Owner Jeffrey Loria don’t have the best relationship, and that they have had quarrels in the past, which primarily stemmed from Morrison’s usage of his twitter account @LoMoMarlins. This trade would put an end to an unnecessary drama within the organization and would benefit both sides as well. Shields would provide the Marlins with a #2 starter of ace quality and he and Josh Johnson would create a fearsome 1-2 punch. Also, through the additions of Shields and Buehrle, the Marlins would have a rotation of Johnson, Shields, Buehrle, Nolasco, and Anibal Sanchez, which would arguably be the best in the NL East. In addition, the Rays would then send B.J. Upton to the Nationals, who are in active pursuit of a center fielder, for closer Drew Storen. This would clear up the center field spot for Desmond Jennings, allowing Morrison to play left, and would also give the Rays the long-term closer that they have been searching for since Roberto Hernandez. At this point,the Marlins could either put Omar Infante into left and move Hanley to second, or shift Matt Dominiguez to left and place Hanley at third.
With those three simple moves, the Marlins turn from a 2012 pretender into a 2012 contender, and now have a legitimate shot at winning it all for the Miami area in the years to come.
It’s time to go fishing.
The Manoman
