Comments on: ESPN’s Fantasy Baseball Rankings Rankle

By: Griffey

Griffey — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:11:10 +0000

Hey Grey, you’re absolutely right about ESPN. I just finished a mock draft in their lobby, and with the 11th pick I ended up with this roster, seriously, it’s bs over there:
C- Soto
1B- Howard
2B- Phillips, Uggla, Barmes (yeah, I know silly)
SS- Reyes
3B- Longoria
OF- Granderson, Dunn, McLouth, Rivera, Rasmus, Byrd, Cargo
SP- Nolasco, Cain, Kershaw, Price, Neftali, Cueto, Liriano
RP- Soriano, Franklin, Aardsma
Bench- who needs one with this squad…wtf?
The analcysts @ ESPN should be mercifully led into an active volcano…

By: Grey

Grey — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:30:29 +0000

@Pancakes: Not a whole lot. Pitching can be punted even further in H2H because of weekly match-ups you can do.

By: Pancakes

Pancakes — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:00:28 +0000

Grey,
How much would your rankings and strategy change if you were in a h2h league?

By: David

David — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:10:58 +0000

I played in a ESPN league once and never ever will again. The interface is klunky and the rankings are terrible. Yahoo is the best imo. Their rankings aren’t that great either but their interface is much less of a eye sore

By: pwire

pwire — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:44:05 +0000

Thanks, you’re the man! I like getting your opinion because I need to stay away from being biased. I was thinking the same except the 63, 69 picks: taking two pitchers. I thought my offense would be loaded…

By: Grey

Grey — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:45:36 +0000

@pwire: Pujols, Hanley... Then maybe a 2nd baseman (Kinsler), 3rd baseman (Zimmerman) or an outfielder (Holiday, Sizemore, etc.). Then I'd go for one starter and one hitter (probably an outfielder) at the 63, 69 picks. Then I'd draft my team like any other team.

By: pwire

pwire — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:36:39 +0000

Grey,
I am going to attempt to clarify my question from before. I am in a 14 team 5X5 Roto that trades draft picks.
(1-C, 1-1B,1-2B,1-SS,1-3B,3-OF,1-U, 5-SP,2-RP,2-P)

So I have two first round picks (#1,#2 overall), a second round pick (#20 overall), two fifth round picks (#63, #69 overall),

The rest of my early picks are #98 overall, #106 overall, #114 overall, #121 overall, #140 overall #156 overall, #177 overall, #195, and #196.

Of course I have more picks, but what I was looking for was your opinion as to how to build this team with my picks under 200… There are 336 players taken 24 rounds.

I am going to take Pujols and Hanley #1, #2 overall… Then I am on to #20… (I hope this makes more sense) So essentially, I am asking your advice as to how you would map out your plan if you were in my position.
Hope this clears up the ambiguity.
So again here are my overall picks, #1,#2,#20,#63,#69,#98,#106,#114,#121,#140,#156,#177,#195,#196

By: Grey

Grey — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 04:20:13 +0000

@PC95: Stuff's been rehashed in the blog in the rankings and elsewhere on those guys, but Webb had shoulder trouble, not good for a pitcher. Crawford has creaky knees and his biggest asset is steals in the outfield, which there's a decent amount of. Reyes is only 26 at short and I think he's far from over.

By: PC95

PC95 — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 04:02:40 +0000

This is a great post and really helpful. I agree with just about all you are saying, but wanted to hear your explantion/thoughts on why you feel the rankings for Crawford and Reyes are based too much on 2009, while for B Webb’s ranking you seem to suggest they aren’t taking the one year into consideration enough….thanks!

By: Shizzmeister

Shizzmeister — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:29:23 +0000

Catchers are for tools. I am in a two catcher league as well. I agree that you cant punt on two catcher positions but dont go overboard either. Grey does point out some good solid options in a couple of his posts.

By: Neil

Neil — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:52:29 +0000

You guys are harsh. When you rank 300 guys there are bound to be some disagreements. Crawford at #8 isn’t a big deal: .300-15-50 with 160 runs + RBI is very valuable. Yeah, Beltre, Stewart, Dempster, Tejada are all ranked a bit low while Brett Anderson, Borbon, Pierre and Andrus are rated a bit high, but if everyone agreed on the projections, what would be the point of drafting?

One thing to note re: ESPN rankings is that catchers are ranked really low because ESPN assumes a 1 catcher league. For those of us in 2 catcher leagues, you need to move a bit quicker on catcher to guarantee you don’t have total garbage as your #2 C.

By: Gip

Gip — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:58:18 +0000

If your turn the ESPN ratings upside down they are not too bad. You can also print them out and use them to heat your home this winter
Don’t forget they have the great Mr. Dodo who is hoping to climb the corporate ladder in Bristol right into his own fantasy reality show.

By: Smokey

Smokey — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:54:19 +0000

@Bob: I'd go Bourn, Jurrjens and Cueto.

By: Shmorgie S. Board

Shmorgie S. Board — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:58:16 +0000

@Grey: Re: Crawdaddy FWIW, Crawford was the #6 rated hitter in ESPN's system for 2009. 1B is incredibly deep and while lots of OFs can get you speed, Crawford can help you win the category and not hurt you too much in HRs. If you have a SB monster like Crawford, you can also amass speed to deal if you need to and probably still have enough power. ESPN has lousy rankings (CBS might be worse. They're so bad I haven't checked them in years), but this one doesn't seem so bad to me. Man, I'd love to be in a draft where Ichiro is taken 23rd and Reyes is taken 40th! Hello, maroons, thank you for your moneys!

By: Shizzmeister

Shizzmeister — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:24:50 +0000

ESPN is for tools.

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:07:02 +0000

@Bob: Spring's not going to change that much. I don't even see him on your list. I'd keep Cueto, Bourn and CarGo. ****TAKE FOLLOWUPS FOR ME TO THE NEWEST POST.*****

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:56:09 +0000

One more keeper question for you.

I play in a points league with 11 keepers (no penalties for draft position.)
I’m set for my top 8, but trying to pick my last three for a balance of highest ceiling and most likely to get back in the draft.

I’m still deciding between Jurrjens, Cueto, Gordon, Bourn, and CarGo. Thoughts?

Also, how good would Liriano have to be this spring training for me to consider him?

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:50:03 +0000

@Jimmy Ray: No, I didn't see the mock in the mag. ****TAKE FOLLOWUPS FOR ME TO THE NEWEST POST.*****

By: Lava

Lava — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:38:47 +0000

@Real Tom: In addition to the email, if you look under draft central, and then draft analysis, you can look at the ADP's for players at every position. As for rankings, I think they're ranked in the "players" tab, and as far as I recall, you can click "next" to go through them. Yahoo's ADP is more useful than the rankings, in my opinion.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:29:48 +0000

@Real Tom: Shoot me an email. sglyon [at] gmail dot com. Got bored, put it into a spreadsheet.

By: Real Tom

Real Tom — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:25:56 +0000

Question for Grey and all Razzballers:

Has anyone found a list for Yahoo? I can find their top 60, but that’s it. Do I need to register for a team to see their list?

The top 60 is actually a tiny bit more in line with Grey (more than ESPN, that is) but not by a lot.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:25:47 +0000

@Grey: Oh, you totally had to stick to the high(low?)lights but depending on your league, not a bad late round grab.

By: Jimmy Ray

Jimmy Ray — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:19:56 +0000

Karabell has jumped the shark…have you seen his mock in the rotowire mag? tragic!!

By: Jimmy Ray

Jimmy Ray — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:18:29 +0000

Granderson is already in decline. his BABIP was 50 below his carrer avg because he pulls everything now! where will grandy bat? heck he could bat ninth!! the great player of 2007 is long gone. The guy is 10th round player being taken in 5th because he is a yankee

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:16:35 +0000

@Steve: Prolly... They're rankings are hella wonky. I obviously couldn't go over every single player they have either too high or too low. Beltre at 312 is crazy though.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:12:07 +0000

@Grey: I could be wrong (yes, it has been known to happen), but do they also have Beltre at 312 or something?

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:00:48 +0000

@Millsy: I didn't even look at their projections. Wow.

By: Millsy

Millsy — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:56:49 +0000

I’m not understanding where their Kershaw ranking is coming from. They have his rate stats and K’s at top level rates, but rank him below a bunch of guys that show nowhere near that level. The only thing I can figure out as to why is that they only project him for 8 wins. Yeah, he didn’t get many last season, but I’m not sure that luck is going to continue in the wins category if he keeps his ERA below 3 (or around it like ESPN says) and strikes out over 200 batters (like ESPN says).

Their Justin Upton projection is hilarious, too: .288-37-109 w/98R and 23 SB. I’m very high on Upton, but that seems a bit optimistic for a projection and is somehow for Roto rated a bit far below Kemp’s .307-24-91 w/96 R and 35 SBs. But I guess their player rater loves stolen bases.

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:50:21 +0000

@Hank: Nerd-dom in fantasy baseball? C'mon! @The Dude: Hehe @Bob: Utley, Reyes, Holliday, Greinke, McCutchen and Wainwright. @zombie: A hakapik? Whoa.

By: zombie

zombie — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:44:50 +0000

Me too.
Clara Bell hahahahaha! I don’t ordinarily enjoy whooping up on defenseless creatures like that odd little man. But for some reason I just can’t get enough of the clubbing of him. He’s not a pup anymore & been doing this long enough. He should know better by now. Their League setup aint bad though, so please continue to wield your hakapik Grey, so we can all tolerate another season of their expertise.