12. Hell and Damnation- Torii Hunter, Brad Hawpe, Franklin Gutierrez. When you have one of the best infields you must sacrifice somewhere. Hunter has been a very steady power speed threat since coming over to the Angels however it seems every year he has some kind of injury that slows him down for a month. H&D would love to avoid that history this year because Hunter is the key to this OF. Brad Hawpe seems to be on the back end of his career as his numbers have been in decline over the last three seasons. Hawpe will be on a short leash this season and could find himself at some point in a platoon with Seth Smith. Hawpe will likely bat in the middle of the order for what should be a good offensive unit so a 25/90/90 season is possible. Franklin Gutierrez is a steady speed power guy but won't give you anything more than average with either. Gutierrez is better suited to be a solid UTIL option but as a third OF he is weak.
11. Tude Smackers- Alfonso Soriano, Josh Hamilton, Carlos Lee. This is by far the toughest OF combo to figure out. At seasons end this group could easily be the best or could even rank dead last. Carlos Lee is a solid fantasy option and is the safest of the bunch. Lee isn't considered a top player but every year he will give you a 285+ AVG 25 HR and likely will go 90/90. Josh Hamilton injuries derailed this comeback story last year after a rebirth in 08. Hamilton has the potential to be a top Fantasy Player he will hit in the middle of a good lineup he plays 81 games in one of the best hitters parks in baseball and he has all the tools. Can he stay healthy? If so will he be the player from 08 or the average OF from last season? As a diehard Cubs fan I would love for Soriano to have a bounce back season but after watching about 150 games last season I just don't see it. Soriano has never been able to hit breaking pitches and now the older he gets the slower his bat is. So now those fastballs that he once crushed for the 30-40HR each year are now swing and miss strikes. Even if he can bounce back from last season Soriano will no longer be the Speed Power threat of the former 1st RD choice.
10. Ohio River Carp- Jayson Werth, Nyjer Morgan, Adam Jones. This trio could be much better than this ranking. Werth had a career year last year showing the coveted speed and power that could make Werth a Top 25 overall player again. Werth swings and misses often so I don't see anything better than the .268 mark from last year and the 36HR were complemented by a 21% HR/FB rate so something over 25 sounds reasonable. Werth's value will be determined by his SB if he can steal 20 again than he is a legit #1 OF if not he is more of a 2nd or 3rd option. All this talk about power/speed leads me to Adam Jones. For as much time I have spent analyzing Werth Jones could simply build on his 08 and 09 campaigns and become that player. Jones has been projected as that type of player. Morgan is simply a SB option that will not hurt your AVG. Morgan will bat leadoff and will give you what you expect and nothing more.
9. Prestige Worldwide- Justin Upton, Andre Ethier, Raul Ibanez. Justin Upton is a fine young player in his early 20's and should only get better. My only question is can he match the 20SB of last season that made him a dual threat? I happen to think that he will not but I do feel a 30 HR season is in the works. Ethier is a solid fantasy player who will give you solid production everywhere except SB. Ibanez is the key to this trio. Ibanez was a MVP type player for 3/4 of the season last year and if he can match that output once again this OF will rank much higher than 9. I just can't see Ibanez as a 30+ HR player again.
8. Rubber Duckies- Matt Holliday, Manny Ramirez, Jay Bruce. Holliday was out of this world hitting behind Pujols last season. Holliday gives you good production everywhere and can even swipe 20 SB for you. I really like Jay Bruce this season. Jay Bruce had a really rough season last year hitting only in the .220's but he steal managed to hit 22 HR in only 345AB. Bruce suffered from a BABIP of only .221 so a correction in AVG should be expected. My only concern with Bruce is his inability to hit LH pitching which could lead to lost AB during the year. Manny Ramirez was nowhere even close to ressemblying the player the Dodgers signed for 20M a year last offseason, after returning from the steroid suspension. If Ramirez is capable of being that player once again then this OF trio will also be undervalued in these rankings I just don't see Ramirez being that player anymore. That said I still feel that he is better than the .218 hitter he was last Sept/Oct.
7.Maccabi Hebrewers- Nelson Cruz, Andrew McCutchen, Nate McLouth. Nelson Cruz could really be a stud this season and continue to build on the 09 campaign. Cruz is a threat for a 20/20 season and a improvement on his .260 AVG should be expected. McCuthcen is another speed/power threat that many Fantasy Owners are targeting for a breakout season. McCutchen was worthy of ROY consideration last year hitting .286 with double digit steals and HR. At this point of his career the SB seem to be more of a sure bet than a 25 HR season but all indication point toward another solid year and a rare bright spot for the Bucco's. Nate McLouth's trade to Atlanta cleared the way for McCutchen in Pittsburgh. It's only fitting that these to be reuninted on the Hebrewers. McClouth gives the Hebrewers another 20/20 threat in the OF. McLouth will bat at the Top of the Braves lineup and could be a threat to score 100 runs. It is rare to see such power/speed threats in one OF but AVG and RBI could be a issue for this group thus the middle of the pack ranking.
6. Hendo Colonels- Shane Victorino, Denard Span, Michael Cuddyer. A very balanced group. Cuddyer gives the Hendo's a true HR threat and could push 90 RBI once again. Cuddyer may not be able to match his 32 HR from last season but a 25 HR season should be expected. Victorino and Span are very similar players both are 25 SB threats both bat at the top of very good lineups and could both score 90+ Runs. Both will bat North of .285 and neither are power threats but they aren't Juan Pierre/Scott Podsednik either both could hit double digit HR's.
5. Arguementative 9irons- Shin-Soo Choo, B.J.Upton, Bobby Abreu. Choo is that coveted player that gives you good production everywhere. Choo won't hit 40 HR but he gives you a 20/20 threat with a .300 AVG to go with hit. He will likely hit 3rd or 4th for the Tribe so 100 RBI is a possibility. B.J. Upton could determine how succesful this OF is. If Upton is the Upton of the last two years than this group isn't the 8th best. Upton needs to be better than the .250 hitter or worse and 15-20 HR are needed to warrant his draft spot. I think Upton will be closer to the 07 version than the Juan Pierre type of 08 and 09. Abreu isn't the most exciting Fantasy Option but every year he gives you good production. Last year his HR/FB rate was only 10% so another 20/20 season should be ahead for 2010. He will give you a AVG north of 290 and as a 3rd or 4th hitter a 90/90 season or better seems to be a lock.
4. B'Ville Stars- Curtis Granderson, Adam Lind, Jason Kubel. Not as balanced of a group as you would desire but the overall production is tough to match. Granderson could be that rare player who will fit better in New York. Granderson is the 5th or 6th biggest name on the Yankees but as a Tiger he was the 2nd best player and thus had more pressure. Granderson's AVG dipped below.250 last season but a .275 BABIP could have been a big part of that. Expect a AVG closer to .270 this season. ANother 30 HR season could be in the works as Yankee Stadium is much more of a Hitters park than Comerica. Granderson could be a legit 30/30 threat as teh Yankees are the rare AL team that loves to run. Lind and Kubel are much the same. Both are threats to hit 30 HR both can post a decent AVG and both are likely 90/90 types.
3. Bear Creek FP Factory- Carl Crawford, Nick Markakis, Carlos Quentin. This rank could cause some more eye rolls but hear me out. Crawford is a elite SB option and can hit 15 HR to go with a .300 AVG. Markakis will someday be a consistent 300/30/100/100 player and I am counting on that happening this year. That leaves us with Quentin. Quentin was the AL MVP in 08 and a Bust in 09 because of injury. Quentin is a 30 HR threat and will bat in the 4th spot for a good ballclub. Another 90/90 threat with a AVG in the 270's can be expected from this monster of a man who is still only 27.
2. BC Dingers- Matt Kemp, Grady Sizemore, Ichiro Suzuki. A group worthy of the top spot. Kemp and Sizemore are both threats for a 30/30 season Kemp should be moved into the 4th or 5th spot so 90/90 sound attainable. Sizemore could be a average risk but Iciro cancels that out. Suzuki's better day's are likely behind him as he only stole 26 bases last season. Ichiro did hit 352 last season but that was thanks to a .384 BABIP so a .320 AVG sound more likely. If both Sizemore and Kemp can be the 30/30 threats as expected and Ichiro's decline waits until next year you could be looking at the best OF in the league.
1. LeMaestro's 41129ers- Ryan Braun, Jason Bay, Jacoby Ellsbury. I have been hard on the 41129ers with every 64/60 post I have had up until this point. I don't know how well the 41129ers will perform this season but I do know that if the OF remains healthy should the 41129ers fail it will not be because of this unit. Braun and Ellsbury are two elite players at what they do. Ellsbury could swipe 70 for the Sox this season and Braun is the best overall hitter other than Pujols. Braun is a 300/30/100/100/15 player and will more likely outperform those numbers. Bay is the perfect complement to both. Bay is a solid overall hitter who will hit 20+ HR and likely drive in 100. Bay can also give you double digit steals. Bay is a slight AVG risk but given the spacious OF in Citi the .267 mark from last year should be improved.
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