Drop the balloons and get out your noisemakers, it’s time for the 2010 Fantasy Baseball Rankings. It’s a celebration, snitches! All the 2010 Fantasy Baseball rankings will live in that link. The 2010 fantasy baseball rankings can also be found at the top of the page. See next to the Fantasy Baseball Forum link? Yeah, right there. Way to use those eyes! The 2010 Fantasy Baseball Rankings will be an ever-evolving mass like the blob. This fantasy baseball top 10 for 2010 list is as of right now and could potentially change with a big injury or Pujols retiring to become a hand model, so while it is the 2010 fantasy baseball gospel. Take it with a tablet of salt. Tomorrow we will cover the rest of the top twenty for 2010 fantasy baseball then we will go around the horn with a top 20 list for every position. Then for pitchers and outfielders, I’ll turn the dial to 80. Listed next to each player are my 2010 projections. Did I consult with CHONE, Bill James, ESPN, Marcel and whoever else does projections? Yeah, of course. Dur. But in the end they are my projections. Finally, as with each list in the 2010 fantasy baseball rankings, I will be mentioning where I see tiers start and stop. I look at tiers like this, if Chase Utley and Albert Pujols are in the same tier, it doesn’t matter if one guy is ranked 1st and one guy is ranked 3rd, they’re both very close. It comes down to personal preference. I would prefer the guy at number one better than the guy at three, but you do what you do and I’ll do what I do. Anyway, here’s the top 10 for 2010 fantasy baseball:
1. Albert Pujols – This is the first tier. This goes from here until Braun. I call this tier, “The, uh, top five.” The first round is stacked with talent so don’t take this the wrong way, but Pujols has a wonky elbow, Utley has had more hip surgeries than Zsa Zsa and Hanley’s shoulder comes out of the socket when he’s playing Wii Tennis. I hope they’ll all be fine, but I worry about them more than I should for the first picks of a draft. Maybe I’m just a worrywart. It’s not like Jose Reyes, Grady Sizemore or David Wright had any issues after getting ranked in the top ten last year. 2010 Projections: 110/40/120/.337/10
2. Hanley Ramirez – I almost put Hanley first because I can see myself taking him first overall in certain leagues, but what finally convinced to go with this ranking is my nagging want for a first baseman in the 1st or 2nd round. I like Billy Butler and all but he’s a corner man, I don’t want his moobs jiggling around in my 1st base slot. Hanley’s work ethic was questioned last year by Dan Uggla. Yeah, and Uggla sucks. Though I’m going to drop some caveats on you. Hanley’s not stealing like he used to because the team doesn’t want to risk him getting hurt and Hanley’s aforementioned shoulder might cause issues with power. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Hanley go 20/20 with a .300 average, but because of his track record and position, I couldn’t drop him any lower. 2010 Projections: 100/25/110/.320/25
3. Chase Utley – I love Chase Utley. Easily my favorite player. Look next to the definition of gritty and you see a picture of a young Clint Eastwood, but then under that it says, “See also Chase Utley.” You can’t make that shizz up. 2010 Projections: 110/32/105/.300/15
4. Alex Rodriguez – When you have a bottom line of 30 homers, 15 steals and a .290 average, a stacked lineup surrounding you and eligibility at 3rd base, you have my vote for the 4th pick of the draft. 2010 Projections: 110/36/120/.310/15
5. Ryan Braun – Could easily have been fourth, but the outfield eligibility softens his case. What I really like about Braun is how he feels like a 40 homer, 20 steal player who just hasn’t gotten there yet. In other words, he’s on the rise. In other other words, I wouldn’t kick the fifth pick of any draft out of bed. 2010 Projections: 110/37/120/.305/17
6. Mark Teixeira – After the high five, this is a new tier. This tier goes from here to the beginning of the top 20. I call this tier, “I hope someone takes Joe Mauer in this tier so I can take one of these other guys.” Teixeira’s consistency is being rewarded with this high ranking. Yes, some players get contract extensions, others get bonuses. Teixeira is being rewarded with a high ranking by yours truly. Congrats! I fought with myself for far longer than I care to admit regarding who I want first between Miguel Cabrera and Teixeira. Alas, you lose, Miggy. 2010 Projections: 100/37/120/.305
7. Miguel Cabrera – I know too many numbers give you the yawns, but Miguel Cabrera’s peripheral numbers are incredibly consistent. HR/FB since 2007 — 18.5%, 18.9% and 18.3%. FB% over the same time — 39.3%, 39.3% and 36.8%. The total percentage of pitches he swung at — 51.6%, 51.5% and 50.8%. Those numbers are across three years, playing in the American and National League and being drunk. Holy see, that’s consistent. Doode is a robot. 2010 Projections: 105/35/115/.320/3
8. Matt Kemp – Let’s face it, the first round is not filled with much upside. A-Rod, Tex, Howard, Fielder etc etc etc are great, but they’re not getting much better. Now Kemp feels similar to Braun in that he can exceed expectations. If I may don my “Running for Councilman” hat, that promise of a better tomorrow has Kemp ranked a smidge higher than maybe his numbers say. In 2010, count on Kemp not hitting in the 6th hole or lower in over 350 ABs as he did last year. 2010 Projections: 100/30/110/.305/32
9. Prince Fielder – In these lean steroid-testing times, 40 homer guys like Prince Fielder aren’t as easy to find anymore. Yes, that is the only time lean and Prince Fielder have been used in a sentence. His career HR/FB rate is 20.4%. Last year, he was at a 23.1% clip. I think he gets to 40 homers; I don’t think 45 is necessarily in the bag. 2010 Projections: 100/42/115/.285
10. Ryan Howard – So many guys wanted to be in this spot. Kinsler flashed his 20/20 potential and his eligibility, Longoria bragged of his potential and Lincecum smoked the competition (bad pun point for Grey). Alas, it’s Howard at the end (not to be confused with Howard’s end). The one thing that really bothered me about Fielder and Howard is, if the brothers from another chubby mother are first round picks, how is Adrian Gonzalez a late second round pick? Here’s how I reconciled that in my head. Firstly, Adrian Gonzalez is a 40 homer hitter going on a 35 homer hitter. Fielder is going the other way and Howard is a no doubt 45 homer hitter. Secondly, Prince Fielder is a .285 hitter going on a .300 hitter. Gonzo is a .280 hitter going on a .270 hitter. Thirdly, Gonzo has the schmohawk behind door number one hitting in front of him and the schmohawk behind door number two behind him. Fourthly, Petco. Fifthly, there’s no such thing as a fifthly. Howard is a .275 hitter with that lineup, that ballpark and that guaranteed power. 2010 Projections: 105/47/140/.275