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Tuesday, March 03, 2009

THT’s 2009 season rankings

Posted by Paul Singman at 4:50am

The Fantasy Focus section of the Hardball Times is one of the most well-rounded fantasy sites. With a strong group of writers, we are able to produce daily content covering new statistics, player analysis and fantasy baseball theory.

One thing we lacked, though, was rankings; regular old position-by-position rankings. To fill the void, I asked the Fantasy Focus writers to submit their personal rankings for the 2009 season. I then compiled all the lists and came up with the composite ranking for each player by position.

Here are the results (which will be updated regularly until the start of the season):
+--------------------------+--------------------+----------------------+-----------------------+
|        Catcher           |     First Base     |       Second Base    |       Third Base      |	
+--------------------------+--------------------+----------------------+-----------------------+
|  1  Brian McCann         |  1 Albert Pujols   |  1  Chase Utley      |  1  David Wright      |
|  2  Joe Mauer	           |  2 Miguel Cabrera  |  2  Ian Kinsler      |  2  Alex Rodriguez    |
|  3  Russell Martin       |  3 Mark Teixeira   |  3  Dustin Pedroia   |  3  Miguel Cabrera    |
|  4  Geovany Soto         |  4 Ryan Howard     |  4  Brian Roberts    |  4  Kevin Youkilis    |
|  5  Victor Martinez      |  5 Lance Berkman   |  5  Brandon Phillips |  5  Aramis Ramirez    |
|  6  Ryan Domuit          |  6 Prince Fielder  |  6  Robinson Cano    |  6  Chipper Jones     |
|  7  Chris Iannetta       |  7 Justin Morneau  |  7  Alexei Ramirez   |  7  Evan Longoria     |
|  8  Jorge Posada         |  8 Kevin Youkilis  |  8  Dan Uggla	       |  8  Garrett Atkins    |
|  9  Matt Wieters         |  9 Adrian Gonzalez |  9  Kelly Johnson    |  9  Aubrey Huff       |
|  9  Bengie Molina        | 10 Joey Votto      | 10  Rickie Weeks     | 10  Adrian Beltre     |
| 11  AJ Pierzynski        | 11 Derrek Lee      | 11  Placido Polanco  | 11  Ryan Zimmerman    |
| 11  Ramon Hernandez      | 12 Aubrey Huff     | 12  Howie Kendrick   | 12  Chris Davis       |
| 13  Mike Napoli          | 13 Carlos Pena     | 13  Mark DeRosa      | 13  Chone Figgins     |
| 14  Kelly Shoppach       | 14 Carlos Delgado  | 14  Jose Lopez       | 14  Edwin Encarnacion |
| 15  Dioner Navarro       | 15 James Loney     | 15  Aaron Hill       | 15  Jorge Cantu       |
| 16  Jarrod Saltalamaccia | 16 Garrett Atkins  | 16  Ian Stewart      | 16  Alex Gordon       |
| 17  Pablo Sandoval       | 17 Conor Jackson   | 17  Felipe lopez     | 17  Carlos Guillen    |
| 18  Brandon Inge         | 18 Adam Dunn       | 17  Orlando Hudson   | 18  Mark DeRosa       |
| 19  Ivan Rodriguez       | 19 Chris Davis     | 18  Freddy Sanchez   | 19  Mark Reynolds     |
| 20  Kurt Suzuki          | 20 Pablo Sandoval  |                      | 19  Troy Glaus        |
| 20  Jeff Clement         |                    |                      | 19  Hank Blalock      |
+--------------------------+--------------------+----------------------+-----------------------+

+---------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
|    Shortstop	      |	       Outfield	      |	   Starting Pitcher   |	    Relief Pitcher      |	
+---------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
|  1  Hanley Ramirez  |	 1  Grady Sizemore    |	 1  Johan Santana     |	 1  Jonathan Papelbon   |
|  2  Jose Reyes      |	 2  Ryan Braun	      |  2  Tim Lincecum      |	 2  Mariano Rivera      |
|  3  Jimmy Rollins   |	 3  Carlos Beltran    |	 3  CC Sabathia	      |  2  Joe Nathan          |
|  4  Alexei Ramirez  |	 4  Matt Holliday     |	 4  Jake Peavy	      |  4  Francisco Rodriguez |
|  5  Derek Jeter     |	 5  Alfonso Soriano   |	 5  Brandon Webb      |	 5  Joakim Soria        |
|  6  Troy Tulowitzki |	 6  Carlos Lee	      |  5  Cole Hamels	      |  6  Brad Lidge          |
|  7  JJ Hardy	      |  7  Josh Hamilton     |	 7  Dan Haren	      |  7  Jonathan Broxton    |
|  8  Rafael Furcal   |	 8  BJ Upton	      |  7  Roy Halladay      |  8  Carlos Marmol       |
|  9  Stephen Drew    |	 9  Carl Crawford     |	 9  Josh Beckett      |	 9  Jose Valverde       |
|  9  Michael Young   |	10  Manny Ramirez     |	10  Ervin Santana     |	10  Brian Fuentes       |
| 11  Jhonny Peralta  |	11  Nick Markakis     |	11  John Lackey	      | 11  Bobby Jenks         |
| 12  Miguel Tejada   |	12  Matt Kemp	      | 12  James Shields     | 12  BJ Ryan             |
| 13  Orlando Cabrera |	13  Ichiro Suzuki     |	13  Chad Billingsley  |	13  Francisco Cordero   |
| 14  Yunel Escobar   |	14  Vladimir Guerrero |	14  Roy Oswalt	      | 14  Kerry Wood          |
| 15  Edgar Renteria  |	15  Alex Rios	      | 15  Joba Chaimberlan  |	15  Heath Bell          |
| 16  Mike Aviles     |	16  Jason Bay	      | 16  Felix Hernandez   |	15  Huston Street       |
| 17  Ryan Theriot    |	17  Curtis Granderson |	17  Cliff Lee	      | 17  Matt Capps          |
| 18  Christan Guzman |	18  Jacoby Ellsbury   |	18  Javier Vazquez    |	18  Chad Qualls         |
| 18  Kahlil Greene   |	19  Bobby Abreu	      | 18  Scott Kazmir      |	19  Brian Wilson        |
|		      | 20  Carlos Quentin    |	20  Francisco Liriano | 20  Trevor Hoffman      |
|		      | 21  Magglio Ordonez   |	21  Daisuke Matsuzaka |	21  Joey Devine         |
|		      | 22  Nate McLouth      |	22  Matt Cain	      | 22  Rafael Perez        |	      
|                     | 23  Shane Victorino   |	23  Edison Volquez    |	23  Grant Balfour       |
|		      | 24  Corey Hart	      | 23  AJ Burnett	      | 24  Mike Gonzalez       |     
|		      | 25  Adam Dunn	      | 25  Jon Lester	      | 25  Chris Perez         |
|		      | 26  Torii Hunter      |	26  Adam Wainwright   |	26  Frank Francisco     |
|		      | 26  Hunter Pence      |	27  Yovani Gallardo   |	27  Joel Hanrahan       |
|		      | 28  Jermain Dye	      | 28   Rich Harden      |		                |
|		      | 29  Vernon Wells      |	29  Ricky Nolasco     |		                |
|		      | 30  Raul Ibanez	      | 30  Aaron Harang      |		                |
|		      | 31  Johnny Damon      |	31  Carlos Zambrano   |		                |
|		      | 32  Jay Bruce	      | 32  Jered Weaver      |		                |
|		      | 33  Andre Ethier      |	33  Erik Bedard	      |	                        |
|		      | 34  Brad Hawpe	      | 34  Zach Greinke      |		                |
|		      | 34  Ryan Ludwick      |	35  Justin Verlander  |		                |
|		      | 36  Nelson Cruz	      | 36  Scott Baker	      |	                        |
|		      | 37  Chris Young	      | 37  Derek Lowe	      |	                        |
|		      | 38  Conor Jackson     |	38  Chris Young	      |	                        |
|		      | 38  Justin Upton      |	39  Josh Johnson      |		                |
|		      | 40  Delmon Young      |	39  Matt Garza	      |	                        |
|		      | 41  Mlton Bradley     |	39  Brett Myers	      |	                        |
|		      | 42  Fred Lewis	      | 42  John Danks	      |	                        |
|		      | 43  Jason Werth	      | 42  Ted Lilly	      |                         |
|		      | 44  Adam Lind	      | 44  Kevin Slowey      |		                |
|		      | 45  Jeff Francoeur    |	45  David Price	      |	                        |
|		      | 45  Adam Jones	      | 46  Chien-Ming Wang   |		                |
|		      | 47  Lastings Milledge |	47  Ryan Dempster     |		                |
|		      | 47  Carlos Gomez      |	48  Max Scherzer      |		                |
|		      | 48  Cameron Maybin    |	49  John Smoltz	      |	                        |
|		      | 49  Hideki Matsui     |	49  Gil Meche	      |			      	|
|                     | 49  Shin Soo-Choo     |	51  Clayton Kershaw   |	                        |
|		      | 51  Xavier Nady	      | 52  Chris Volstad     |		                |
|		      | 51  David DeJesus     |	53  Johnny Cueto      |		                |
+---------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+



Paul has been managing fantasy baseball teams for many seasons and writing for THT Fantasy over the past three years. He is currently a student at UPenn welcomes readers' thoughts at his email here or in the comments below.


sam said...

Hanley? Kinsler?? noooo

Posted 03/03  at  11:57 AM
Jim said...

Do you have dollar values that can be used for standard leagues?

Posted 03/03  at  12:12 PM
Andrew said...

I’d be interested in knowing the players whose rankings certain THT writers disagree with the most, especially the man himself, Derek Carty.

Posted 03/03  at  12:29 PM
bpasinko said...

Samesies.  Whenever music sites come out with a top list of albums, they usually post what each writer put.  This should be no different.  Maybe a chat of all the writers arguing about players? 

This is a great list and I’m sure to use it, but it’s just a taste I would love to have some more.

Posted 03/03  at  03:36 PM
Beanster said...

Thanks for posting in this format - very helpful.  Seems a bit conservative on second year players - Conor Jackson ahead of Chris Davis and Pablo Sandoval just ahead of Brandon Inge??

Posted 03/03  at  04:28 PM
Kyle Mathews said...

I would also find it very interesting to see what certain writers think of certain players. Also a full list not by position would be interesting. And I also think Matt Holliday at 4 is ridiculous.

Posted 03/03  at  07:00 PM
Paul Singman said...

Guys, certainly expect future articles expanding upon these rankings (and updating them).

Posted 03/03  at  08:46 PM
bpasinko said...

Sweet, I’m looking forward to it.

Posted 03/04  at  10:30 PM
mymrbig said...

Randy Johnson no in the top 53 starting pitchers when Chien-Ming Wang and John Smoltz make the list (not to mention Volstad and Cueto and Chris “Iron Man” Young)?  That seems a little screwy.

Otherwise I like the lists.  I’d be interested to see these exact same lists broken into tiers for each position.

Posted 03/05  at  12:54 PM
Tim said...

I am confused as to how these rankings are related to the projections that you guys have in your Season Preview.  A good projection should take into account the probability that a player underperforms, improves, has a breakout season, etc.  Everyone at THT is well aware of that fact, and i have no doubt that your projections take that into account.  It seems t o me that since that is taken into account, the rankings should be in almost the same order as the best projections.  That doesn’t seem to be the case, however.  For instance, consider Matt Weiters.  According to the THT projections, he will have the following line:
72 runs, 25 HR, 83 RBI, 1 SB in 541 PA with a .291 Average. 
If you compare this line to the other top catchers, it is almost identical to McCann’s (10 point difference in average), and arguably better than anyone else’s.  At worst, it would put him in the top 5 catchers.  Yet he is # 9 in this list above. 
This is just one example, but can you help me see why this discrepancy exists.  Thanks a lot

Posted 03/08  at  04:26 PM
Paul Singman said...

Tim, these rankings are not based on the THT projections listed in the Spring Preview; they are the personal rankings of the THT Fantasy Focus writers averaged together.

Speaking for myself, when making projections I will use a projection system as a baseline, but then move players up or down after looking at some stats the systems don’t take into account. That is why the differences you see exist.

Posted 03/08  at  09:52 PM
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