Masterball CONSENSUS RANKINGS FIRST BASE

[Todd Zola]

Please post your top-10 first baseman here.

[Hambowen]

Pujols
Miggy
Fielder
Howard
Tex
Morneau
Gonzalez
Berkman
Pena
Votto


Left off Youk/C. Davis because 3b is so weak he will be played at 3b in most leagues.

[Shyguy30]

Pujols- wish they could all be like him
Howard- led everyone in HR and RBI each of last two years
Cabrera- solid production across the board
Berkman- SB last year were nice, BA and RBI have always been nice
Teixeira- model of consistency
Morneau- hard to go wrong here
Fielder- one great season hasn't sold me quite yet
Youkilis- even at 1B he still cracks the top ten
Gonzalez- poor man's Teixeira with more k's
D. Lee- high avg and won't hurt you in HR, gets a few SBs

[msugray]

• Albert Pujols
  Miguel Cabrera
  Mark Teixeira
  Ryan Howard
  Lance Berkman
  Prince Fielder
  Justin Morneau
  Adrian Gonzalez
  Joey Votto
  Kevin Youkilis

Nothing too fancy here.

[drapes]

1. Pujols - No brainer.
2. Cabrera - No brainer... I actually like him for AL MVP.
3. Teixeira - Man crush on Tex. Is everything hoped D. Lee could have been for the Cubbies.
4. Berkman - Gimme the guy that does it all, every year, no glitz, glam, veggie diets or compulsion to swing every 2nd pitch.
5. Fielder - Arguably Howard should be here. But he's just slightly less powerful, and better across the rest of the spectrum.
6. Howard - I think his one dimensional power is overrated. I can get my HRs without sacrificing the rest.
7. Morneau - Honestly... I could really almost put him at 5. And I'd be ecstatic to get him later by passing on Fielder and Howard.
8. Gonzalez - Consistent stud. Not sexy... but rock solid.
9. Votto - Very solid young hitter on the upswing. Might be a slot or two high, but I like to gamble on youth.
10. Chris Davis/Youk - Davis likely doesn't qualify at 1B yet, so I added Youk as well. I like Davis to put up power numbers close to Gonzalez or Moneau. The BA will likely be lower due to the high amount of Ks... but he's no Ryan Howard either. (In so many ways really). Youk is solid production in the bank. I think his power numbers regress a touch.

[Bodhizefa]

1. Albert Pujols - The Puj is The Best.
2. Miguel Cabrera - I can't believe he's still only 26 years old. Most of the time, people say that when a guy hasn't broken out yet in hopes that he still has a chance to do so. Hell, I bet people will say that about 27-year-old Rickie Weeks, for god's sakes! Buy buy buy!
3. Mark Teixeira - Being on the Yankees boosts up those R/RBI even more. Yay!
4. Lance Berkman - An excellent bat in all facets of the game. I may be overranking him a bit, but I like his overall game more than the next two guys enough to boost him up a bit.
5. Ryan Howard - Man, that batting average is awful, ain't it?
6. Prince Fielder - He could easily jump a couple spots with a return to 40+ HR power.
7. Adrian Gonzalez - Good lord I wish he played somewhere other than San Diego.
8. Justin Morneau - I've never liked him as much as others. The Twins were extremely lucky as a team in terms of batting runners in last year, and I think Morneau's RBI and Runs totals will deflate an awful lot. Still, he's a very solid competitor with some upside.
9. Youk/Chris Davis - I'm putting them together as many did because one of them is bound to be used as a third baseman in your league (if not both). I love them both for various reasons, Davis for his prodigious power and Youk for his excellent production across the board.
10. Joey Votto - I like him an awful lot, and he takes over the former slot that Derrek Lee occupied for so long in the top ten as a guy who has double digit speed to go along with mid-to-upper 20's homerun power.

[50 Desert Eagles]

Miguel Cabrera
Albert Pujols
Mark Teixeira
Lance Berkman
Prince Fielder
Ryan Howard
Justin Morneau
Adrian Gonzalez
Joey Votto
Kevin Youkilis

OK everyone is like WHAT Pujols NOT in first???? Honestly, I expect a 25% reduction in AB this year for his injuries. Based on head to head leagues, he will HURT you for 4-6 weeks. YES YES I have spoken!!! Trade him NOW for Miggy and a good 2nd rounder and u will be happy later!!!!

[aburt19]

No big surprises

Pujols
Cabrera
Teixeira
Berkman
Fielder
Howard
Morneau
Gonzalez
Votto
Youkilis

[da_big_kid_94]

• Pujols
• Teixeira
• Cabrera
• Morneau
• Howard
• Berkman
• Gonzalez
• Fielder
• Youkilis
• Conor Jackson

[cwk1963]

Pujols - Big surprise, Huh!
Tex - A little NYY homerism? Maybe. But I expect him to beat projections across the board in the Bronx.
Miggy - Solid.
Berkman - Produces across the board. SB a bonus.
Morneau - Won't hit as many bombs as Prince or Howard but you won't need to prop up his BA either.
Fielder - BA puts him ahead of Howard.
Howard - Too much of a BA drain IMHO. Not looking for .300; .280 would move him way up.
Youk - Being a Bosox not held against him.
Adrian - Yo Adrian! As Bod said, too bad he plays in San Diego.
Chris Davis - Love power hitters in that Texas heat.

[Shyguy30]

I'm curious why people have Ryan Howard so low. I can understand having him ranked as low as 4th but not the 8th-best 1B. Yes, the batting average last year was not good. Trust me, it was driving me crazy as an owner. But, he's still a career .279 hitter, and a lot of the same people seem to just overlook a slightly lower one-year average from Sizemore as if it never happened. Even if you look at his BA over the last 3 years it is .277, and ranges from last year's .251 to .313. Very inconsistent. What he has shown to be able to do consistently is beat EVERY OTHER PLAYER, not just 1B, by 8-10 home runs and 15 or so RBI. Is it possible he's being undervalued here based on one stat for (part of) one year? Sure, he's not going to steal any bases, but it's not like Morneau or Fielder or Gonzalez are lighting up the base paths. Just curious for the people that have him ranked outside of the top 5 to confirm that they think the BA from last year is the real Howard I guess.

[msugray]

I'm curious why people have Ryan Howard so low. I can understand having him ranked as low as 4th but not the 8th-best 1B. Yes, the batting average last year was not good. Trust me, it was driving me crazy as an owner. But, he's still a career .279 hitter, and a lot of the same people seem to just overlook a slightly lower one-year average from Sizemore as if it never happened. Even if you look at his BA over the last 3 years it is .277, and ranges from last year's .251 to .313. Very inconsistent. What he has shown to be able to do consistently is beat EVERY OTHER PLAYER, not just 1B, by 8-10 home runs and 15 or so RBI. Is it possible he's being undervalued here based on one stat for (part of) one year? Sure, he's not going to steal any bases, but it's not like Morneau or Fielder or Gonzalez are lighting up the base paths. Just curious for the people that have him ranked outside of the top 5 to confirm that they think the BA from last year is the real Howard I guess.

I do not have Howard out of my top 5, so I may not be the proper respondent to your question.

However, I do understand the fears of other.

Your BA numbers are accurate but let's look at the 3 year trend listed from 2006 to 2008:
BA: .313, .268, .251
SO: 181, 199, 199 (improved from '07)
BB: 108, 107, 81
OBP: .425, .392, .339
SLG: .659, .584, .543
OPS: 1.084, .976, .882
BABIP: .363, .336, .289

The 3-year average may not be telling the whole story as he has straight line regressed across the board.

He doesn't necessarily have a body built for longevity. What happens if he gets 529 AB as he did in 2007?
Would a .260, 40, 125, 0 stat line be unreasonable at most recent production rates? How much more valuable than Adam Dunn is that as a 1st round draft choice?

I haven't moved him down my list yet, but I see the trepidation. I'm starting to question my ranking after this reply.

[Shyguy30]

I see your points, I really do. But I also see the validity of questioning the "conventional wisdom". I've seen countless "experts" saying they would never draft Howard and chastising anyone who takes him in the first round while practically wearing Grady Sizemore's jock on their head. I'm arguing that they aren't that different as far as fantasy value goes. Let's just put up Sizemore's trend stats for the last three years.

BA: .290 .277 .269
SO: 153, 155, 130
BB: 78, 101, 98
OBP: .375 .390 .374
SLG: .533 .462 .502
OPS: .908 .852 .876
BABIP: .342 .334 .291

The trend line isn't quite as well defined but like Howard, he strikes out a ton, and had a relatively high BABIP even while failing to hit above .290. Of course you have to love the power/speed combo with Sizemore, but I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see Howard end 2009 with a higher BA. Is that unreasonable? Plus, Howard's 3-year averages in HR and RBI dwarf Sizemore's career high numbers from last year.

[msugray]

My current rough estimate:
Howard +15 HR
Howard +45 RBI
Sizemore +35 SB
Sizemore +15 R
Sizemore +.015 BA

I guess, I'm more willing to give Sizemore a "do over" on BA.
His stat trends are more tightly bunched than Howard's.
Howard's 2006 seems to be the clear outlier in the 3 year average. Maybe it's unfair to disregard the .313, but I'm going to.
I believe Sizmore will hit the middle of his 3 year average (.275) and Howard will hit the middle of his last 2 years (.260).
Sizemore is 3 years younger than Howard.
I don't see Sizemore's numbers trending; I see them varying. There is a difference to me. Howard has nothing moving in a positive/growth direction.
Sizemore K rate actually improved.
I'm more confident Sizemore will reach his AB projection than Howard will reach his.

One of us will be right. If you're right, you win!
(Or we're BOTH wrong. )

[Shyguy30]

We are probably both wrong.

I guess it's just one of my pet peeves when people use someone's career year as a baseline and automatically project bigger and better things. Not that you are guilty of doing that, but a lot of people/fantasy sites are. I just personally feel that Sizemore is very near his ceiling with what he did last year. As an example, I just finished a mock draft in which Adam Jones was taken in the 16th round while I scooped up J.D. Drew in the 23rd. I'm always willing to take a guy who has done it before, so to speak.

[50 Desert Eagles]

Personally, I have always thought he was overated....put him on a team like cincy, with no lineup around him and his numbers will drop. He swings like he has a club(captian caveman comes to mind) I would take him in the top 20, but not in my top 10.....Much rather have a Braun or even an Utley.....Same as Adam Dunn....Griffey got so much better when he stopped aiming the bat for the fence everytime....yes some have the power(holliday n Pujols), but he just dont have THAT much muscle.....sure he will hit some HR's, but he will cost u BIG time in BA.....Ross hit what half or more of what Howard did.....anyway, thats my take on him...Bring back Fernando "taco" Valwefnwoivnkervnksvacla.......

[Todd Zola]

Food for thought when comparing Howard and Sizemore...

Howard is 29
Sizemore is 26

[drapes]

Food for thought when comparing Howard and Sizemore...

Howard is 29
Sizemore is 26

More food for thought... Howard could eat Sizemore in one sitting....


just saying

[Todd Zola]

More food for thought... Howard could eat Sizemore in one sitting....

With fava beans and a nice Chianti?

[Todd Zola]

My turn..

Pujols
Cabrera
Teixeira
Howard
Fielder
Berkman
Morneau
Gonzalez
Pena
Votto

Youkilis, Davis and Atkins would be consecutively after Gonzalez if placed at 1B.

[roche]

Pujols
Cabrera
Berkman
Morneau
Gonzalez
Texeira
Howard
Fielder
Lee
Votto--all of the other guys have longer track records. 1B is a position where I want to pay for a sure thing.

[Mickey4081]

1. Pujols
2. Cabrera
3. Texeira
4. Howard
5. Fielder
6. Berkman
7. Mourneu
8. Gonzalez
9. Youkilis
10. Voto

[AllstonRockCity]

1. Pujols - Shocking, I know
2. Cabrera - Everyone should have an 'off year' like he did last year
3. Teixeira - As a Sox fan, I have to say that I hope the NY pressure get to him, but I don't see it
4. Fielder - Personal preference. I just feel he's safer than.......
5. Howard - BA risk, will his K-rate eventually catch up w/ him?
6. Berkman - Still has a few good years left in him
7. Gonzalez - Remarkably consistent and productive over the last 2 years
8. Morneau - More upside than #7, more risk too
9. Votto - full season under his belt, appears he's earned his crazy managers trust
10.Loney - he's been real good so far, but I think he's still got room to grow

To be honest, Carlos Pena and Derrek Lee could just as easily been 9 and 10 on my list. I value all 4 of these guys about the same. I went with youth.
Youk, Davis and Atkins are all more valuable at 3rd than 1st, that why they aren't here.