2012 FIRST BASEMEN CONSENSUS RANKINGS

[deansdaddy]

Okay - it's that time of year again to start our Consensus Rankings threads on the boards.

Please rank your Top-12 First Basemen using standard 5x5 rotisserie scoring rules (HR, BA, RBI, SB, R)

Feel free to provide commentary along with your picks.

Scoring will be done MVP style, your top catcher will get 12 points.

If you want to give honorable mentions to those outside your Top 12, feel free.

After we receive enough votes, we'll post the results in a separate thread along with comparisons to the Mastersball rankings.

The MB writers will participate - but we'd like to hear from the masses first.

Look forward to seeing everyone's lists and thoughts.

[captgus]

1. Albert Pujols - if it were anyone else, he's probably be bumped down a spot owing to a new park, new league and a 3 yr trend of declining BB% and FB%
2. Joey Votto - I'll probably get looks from people for bypassing Prince and Miggy but I'm all in. He continues to show more patience at the play, has established an elevated BABIP, steals bases every
now and then and with all of those doubles, should he ever bump up his FB% 35-40 HR could happen. Line Drive machine
3. Prince Fielder
4. Miguel Cabrera - these two are a toss up and could easily be flip flopped but I wonder how the "move" to third base is going to work out and the potential DH role.
5. Adrian Gonzalez - the drop in FB% and increase in GB% is puzzling but I suspect with his first year in the AL behind him, we see the AGONE we came to know and love in PETCO.
6. Mark Teixeira - I refuse to believe he's a .250 hitter and instead will focus on 3 yr trend of rising FB% and 4 yr trend of declining BABIP, he can't be that unlucky can he, unless of course he's
popping a lot of balls up.
7. Mike Morse - I don't think he's a .300 hitter but the power is real and there is nothing in his splits to indicate there is a RH/LH bias. I'll take youth over the next two at this point.
8. Paul Konerko - not sexy, just steady and I'm a fabulous wobbly three legged table dancer.
9. Michael Cuddyer - Coors or no Coors, he hits a lot of ground balls.
10. Michael Young - he's probably best served at 3B but he has 1B eligibility and well.....shameless UCSB Gaucho plug. Cross your fingers that the LD%/FB% gain/loss of last year was an aberration
and he comes closer to 18 HR's this year with a minor correction in AVG
11. Paul Goldschmidt - Love the youth, the home park, what he did in an albeit small sample size last year the CT% not so much.
12. Eric Hosmer - the GB% is worrisome but I like everything else, chips in a handful of stolen bases and his body of work in the minors supports last year's CT%.

[Mickey4081]

1. Pujols
2. Cabrera
3. Voto
4. Fielder
5. Gonzalez
6. Teixeira
7. Hosmer Young promising kid preferred here instead of 30 year old Morse who came out of nowhere.
8. Konerko Admittedly a Sox fan and I'll need to see more from Morse. Paully track record smashes Morse for me.
9. Morse
10. Freeman I like this kid. Reports of added weight/muscle work for me.
11. Berkman I'm not paying for last year's numbers but the guy obviously can still hit.
12. Howard

[bahamamike]

1. Adrian Gonzalez - I know I will be alone here, but has anyone looked at his numbers and though, wow he had shoulder surgery in the offseason.
2. Miguel Cabrera - can only be helped having Prince
3. Joey Votto
4. Albert Pujols - His contract is going to be a big albatros REAL soon
5. Prince Fielder - I don't think having Miggy will have any inpact on him, he had Braun in MIL
6. Mark Teixeira - that BA has to increase.... right?
7. Paul Konerko - Sooner or later he will decline
8. Ike Davis - was on the way to some good numbers before getting hurt last year
9. Michael Cuddyer - Will coors help? but I guess they are using the humidor now.
10. Lance Berkman - will he continue to have access to the fountain of youth
11. Michael Morse - can the breakout continue
12. Eric Hosmer - not really sold, but didn't like the choice of "pure" 1B

Omitted Ryan Howard - already having problems
Paul Goldschmidt - not really a fan

[AllstonRockCity]

1. Miggy - the top 3 are really close. Will moving across the diamond effect his 'delicate constitution'?
2. Pujols - Wanting to prove a contract is a curse almost as powerful as Madden's
3. Votto - seriously, what is there not to like with this guy?
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4. AdGon - put him above the next 2 cuz of his AVG
5. Prince - see #2 above
6. Teixeira - the most consistently unlucky AVG in baseball? sometimes regression to the mean is our friend
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7. Hosmer - hop on, its gonna be a great ride, front row seats in the bandwagon still available
8. Morse - something about a 29 y.o. that comes out of nowhere to hit 300/30/95 scares me
9. Cuddyer - would anyone rank him this high if he didn't play in Coors?
--------------(the geriatric tier)
10. Konerko - this time last year, I doubted you, you proved me wrong. care to try for 2?
11. Lee, C - I think he's got a little more left in the tank, and someone needs to drive in batters in HOU
12. Berkman - he'll put up the numbers if he can stay on the field

[SteveB]

My top 10


Pujols
Miquel
AdGon
Votto
Prince
Tex
Morse
Konerko
Cuddyer
Hosmer

ones i would be ok with....
Freeman
Goldschmidt
Davis



NL firstbasemen this year seems so weak with Pujols, Fielder gone and Howard still hurt. Just read about the Freeman knee problem (sublux right patella) Basically he dislocated or is prone to dislocations on his right knee. I have a young lady on my soccer team with this injury. It is not something that gets better quickly. Back in my day we called it a "trick knee" you know how they would just kind of give out on you all of a sudden. Not saying i totally forget him on draft day but until i get a follow up on his condition I knock him out of my top 10. Just think it becomes even more important to lock up a healthy starter at 1b ESPECIALLY in a NL only league.

[deansdaddy]

Ryan's Top 10 First Basemen:

1. Albert Pujols - I think he's going to enjoy his initial tour of the AL.
2. Miguel Cabrera - I have no problem with people considering Cabrera 1A. He money.
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3. Joey Votto - I actually drafted Adrian Gonzalez ahead of Votto in one of Perry's early season leagues. Today I wouldn't make that mistake.
4. Adrian Gonzalez - I'll give Todd (a Boston fan after all) credit for pouring a little ice water on my Gonzalez projections. It's still not enough for me to rank him any lower.
5. Prince Fielder - Fielder followed Pujols to the AL, laving a huge void at the top of the NL ranks. I think his power may dip this year and he is going to DH more than he thinks.
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6. Mark Teixeira - I have drafted Tex more than any other 1B so far this year, always in the second round. That's the key - his BA problems have allowed his 40 HR power to slide.
7. Eric Hosmer - I am sold on Hosmer and think he's going to end up on some MVP ballots when the year is over. I haven't drafted him much though since his price kind of sky rocketed.
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8. Paul Konerko - Wily vet should have a couple more productive seasons left. Great fallback option.
9. Michael Cuddyer - With the many injuries to guys like Howard, Morales and Justin Mourneau ,Cuddyer has been a target of mine when I've decided to wait at the position.
10. Mike Morse - You want power from this position and that is Morse's calling card. I actually like stealing him from others as my CI if I can swing it.
11. Adam Lind - Freeman's knee and Davis' valley fever make this easier to write - but fact is I've been drafting Lind ahead of them - so I should stick with that shouldn't I.
12. Paul Goldschmidt - If there is one guy who can break through to this list it is Goldy. Again, you are drafting for upside here and the power potential.

The rest:
I see why Berkman gets ranked here by some - but he's on my unwritten "avoid" list for this year. Mourneau, Howard and Morales are all players I have yet to draft this year. If you are going to wait and take a risk, just go Carlos Lee - at least you don't have to worry that he'll stay healthy.

There is a nice group of up and coming 1B with Freeman and Davis leading the way. I would have no problem having them as my 1b heading into the year, I just haven't waited that long to roster my 1B yet.

Adam Dunn has slipped so far he's almost a value play at this point.

Mike Carp has kind of been the poster boy for my late round approach to my drafts. I see that others like Lucas Duda around the same time I am chasing Carp.

[Black Sox]

1. Miggy
2. Pujols
3. A Gon - Elite BA guy. I'd still take what he did last year and be happy. Think it gets better
4. Votto - He's great but not better than A Gon
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5. Fielder - I'm avoiding him, look at what Miggy did his 1st time in AL
6. Tex - I think he raises that BA
7. Hosmer - Elite hitter already
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8. Cuddyer - Coors gotta give somewhat of a boost
9. Konerko - Should be higher but I've been burned by him before
10. Freeman

I want no part of Berkman or Morse. If I miss on these top 10 I'd rather wait and take my chances with C.Lee / G.Sanchez / I.Davis etc