Article:Fantasy Baseball 2008

It's that time of year again when the smell of grass; yells for popcorn, hotdogs, and beer; and the cheering of fans fill the air in ball parks all across the nation. It's the time of year when the great American past-time comes back to the faithful everywhere. Yet, even though there is nothing better then being in the stadium, cheering with friends, new and old, rooting your favorite team to that final victory, there is a new trend that is catching hold everywhere. This is not for the fans. This is for the fanatics! For those people that need to get that daily dosage of their favorite players stats and statistics. For those people that want more then to just let the professionals play the game. It's Fantasy Baseball. Where even your everyday Joe, can take his team to the world series.

Worried about who you should take with your first pick? Or how long you should wait before picking a reliever over a position player? Don't worry your not alone. Fanatics across the nation are already looking over stats and trying to decide who they should pick up and when.

It is the general consensus, as LeDainian Tomlinson was for football; Alex Rodriguez is the #1 pick in the 2008 fantasy draft. With the unfathomable numbers he put up in 2007, and the fact he is still getting better, there is no better choice to be made. Now for all those that follow from #2 all the way to #20, your choices are going to get allot more difficult. The distance between the #2 and the #20 pick are closer then ever for 2008. This is where depth starts to play a role.

In the top 20 players there are 6 outfielders and 4 first baseman, but there are 0 catchers and only 1 second baseman. This is where preference and performance have to walk hand in hand. Being willing to take a slightly weaker player in one position further down the draft so you can boost another position is what smart drafting is all about.

Fantasy sports is not about who your favorite players are, but rather what will the players bring to your team. This means, just because you love Derek Jeter, you would be crazy to pick him in front of Jimmy Rollins. This sport is all about numbers and consistency. Be sure to pick those guys that will bring you the most points, consistently, for the longest period of time.

Another thing to remember; big names do not equal big numbers! Take for instance, Gary Sheffield. He is an all-star player, but in fantasy baseball, he does not ever break into the top 50!

Breaking down each position and just how much your willing to give in each position to get the better players in the other spots will determine if you can put together a contender, or if you are going to march out a pretender for every game.

Some things to consider when picking your players:  How healthy is he? Will he be around enough to be work picking him up with the first round pick or should he slide to the third. What type of ball park does he play in this year? This type of question is big for those off season trades (Johan Santana went to the Mets, a very pitcher friendly ball park with its deep fence line.  So now he is one of the best pitchers in the league, in a new home made for pitching.). What type of trend does he have over the past three years? If the player has been declining over three years, it is unlikely he will be making a change for the better any time soon. Where does he bat in the line up and who is his supporting cast around him? (A very important question for big hitters.)  Albert Pujols is a great example of this. With the loss of Rolens and Edmonds he will be batting in a very new looking line up.

When it's all said and done, there is only one thing that matters. Will you be the one with bragging rights till next year, or will you be the one wish you did? Best of luck to you and happy drafting!

2008 MLB.com Fantasy Preview: Top 50

Stats listed are 2008 projections

 

Player                     POS         TM          $$            Notes

 

Alex Rodriguez       3B            NYY        41            Best fantasy player ever at this position.

David Wright            3B            NYM        37            Already among the best and still getting better.

Jose Reyes             SS           NYM        36            SB champ should recover from second-half slide.

Hanley Ramirez       SS           FLA         36            Unlikely to match '07 production.

Albert Pujols            1B            STL          36            Skills still there for 40-plus homers.

Matt Holliday            OF           COL         36            Great park, great hitter ... what's not to love?

Miguel Cabrera        3B            DET          36            Elite young masher joining a top-shelf offense.

Jimmy Rollins           SS           PHI           35            Should come close to '07 MVP numbers.

Johan Santana        SP            NYM        35            Top starter could shine even brighter in NY.

Ryan Braun             3B            MIL           34            Budding star, even if he declines after historic debut.

Carl Crawford         OF           TB            34            Don't think twice about grabbing him in first round.

Chase Utley             2B            PHI           33            Fantasy's top 2B worthy of first-round pick.

Alfonso Soriano      OF           CHC         32            Likely first-rounder remains great all-around threat.

Grady Sizemore      OF           CLE          32            Power-speed potential too impressive to ignore.

David Ortiz*             DH           BOS         32            Even injuries couldn't stop Big Papi last year.

Ryan Howard          1B            PHI           31            Could challenge 60 HR, 150 RBIs.

Carlos Lee               OF           HOU         31            Hitting machine reliably delivers big numbers.

Carlos Beltran         OF           NYM        31            A little brittle but still all-around elite player.

Prince Fielder          1B            MIL           30            Best young power hitter in recent memory.

Jake Peavy              SP            SD           29            Challenging Johan for No. 1 starter spot. half, look out.

Aramis Ramirez       3B            CHC         29            Consistent slugger still capable of a career year.

Magglio Ordonez     OF           DET          28            Added protection should help keep numbers lofty.

Vladimir Guerrero    OF           LAA         28            Veteran superstar to deliver more of the same.

Ichiro Suzuki            OF           SEA         27            Expect elite AVG, R and SB from Mr. Consistency.

Jonathan Papelbon  RP            BOS         27            Young, gifted and bulletproof.

J.J. Putz                   RP            SEA         27            Last year's dominance no fluke.

B.J. Upton                OF,2B      TB            26            Potential 30-30 player offers multi-position eligibility.

Derrek Lee              1B            CHC         26            Wrist no longer bothersome, should increase power.

Justin Morneau        1B            MIN          26            Don't read too far into second-half slide.

Alex Rios                 OF           TOR         26            Expect talented youngster to continue improving.

Francisco Rodriguez RP         LAA         26            Lives up to nickname, but command is iffy.

Joe Nathan              RP            MIN          26            As reliable as they come.

Troy Tulowitzki        SS           COL         25            Capable of approaching .300-30-100.

Eric Byrnes             OF           ARI          25            Expect repeat of '07 breakout production.

Lance Berkman       1B,OF      HOU         25            Starts slowly but usually finishes north of 100 RBIs.

Ian Kinsler               2B            TEX          25            Should become all-category force.

Manny Ramirez       OF           BOS         25            Future HOFer likely to bounce back.

Brandon Phillips       2B            CIN           25            Could turn in second straight 30-30 campaign.

Curtis Granderson  OF           DET          25            Last year was no fluke, but may SB may fall.

Garrett Atkins          1B,3B      COL         25            Last year was no fluke, so expect more of the same.

Victor Martinez        1B,C        CLE          24            Durable, consistent All-Star in prime of career.

Russell Martin          C              LAD         24            Catching's lone five-category threat.

Adam Dunn             OF           CIN           24            Another 40-HR season in store.

Chipper Jones         3B            ATL         24            A force when healthy, but have a backup plan.

Mariano Rivera        RP            NYY        24            Still an elite option.

Ryan Zimmerman    3B            WAS        24            Move from RFK could lead to breakout season.

Brandon Webb        SP            ARI          23            Consummate ground-ball pitcher.

Derek Jeter              SS           NYY        23            Veteran Al-Star showing slight signs of decline.

Bobby Jenks           RP            CWS        23            Has joined upper echelon.