Position Eligibility for 2010 Fantasy Baseball, Companion Piece
December 21, 2009
Category: 2010 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2010 Fantasy Baseball Keepers, 2010 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
The comments were shut off on the Position Eligibility for 2010 Fantasy Baseball post because that post was just listing players and their eligibility for 2010 fantasy baseball. Now, in this here post, we get down to business. Or bidness, if you mispronounce business. That business is pointing out players that gain some advantage by having more eligibility than they know what to do with. Are you going to finish the rest of that 3rd base eligibility? Multiple position eligibility is a funny thing. Just when you think someone has no value, they unbutton the top button on their shirt and a heaving bosom of multiple position eligibility comes pouring out. It’s the “butterface” of fantasy players. Thanks for dinner, Ian Stewart, but I have a headache… *reveals 2nd base eligibility* Well, you don’t have to go home just yet. If I left someone off of this post from the position eligibility for 2010 fantasy baseball post it’s because I didn’t see any added boost in their value from having extra eligibility. Or maybe I forgot them. I’m half-idiot, sometimes. Anyway, here’s some players who see a boost in their 2010 fantasy baseball value because of their multiple position eligibility:
Victor Martinez – You want him at catcher, but the added eligibility is nice if you lose a 1st baseman to an injury and need to slot in V-Mart. Krishna knows it’s easier to find a random schmohawk catcher off waivers than a 1st baseman.
Jorge Cantu – Without the 3rd base eligibility, he wouldn’t even be drafted in most leagues. With the eligibility, you still want to avoid him. For those keeping score, that’s damned if you do, and damned if you do.
Chris Davis – When you’re looking to draft a player that is capable of striking out 300 times, you probably want them at a corner infidel spot, so the additional 3rd base eligibility doesn’t add much. If you don’t play with corner infielders, you want Davis at 3rd, but with only 11 games there you may be S.O.L. in some leagues. (Damn you, ESPN.)
Ryan Garko – From the files of “Yeah, No Kidding,” he’s a whole lot more appealing as a 5th outfielder than a 1st baseman. And even in the outfield, it’s really only in deep leagues.
Bobby Crosby – Psyche! He has no added value anywhere, but seeing him on the position eligibility list made me realize something. He played 54 games at 1st base and 42 at 3rd base. Billy Beane might be like the Orson Wells of baseball GMs. The Moneyball years is to Citizen Kane as Bobby Crosby playing 1st and 3rd base is to Orson Welles shilling for cheap wine.
Clint Barmes – 2nd base eligibility is nice, but, as the Yankee Doodles used to say, shortstop eligibility is macaroni.
Alberto Callaspo – With MI and CI eligibility, he has the coveted superfecta of eligibility. Though, I wouldn’t say Callaspo is necessarily coveted. Funny how that worked.
Jose Lopez – You want him at 2nd base or MI.
Ben Zobrist – Zobrist’s risk of not repeating is definitely counterbalanced by the nice eligibility. He played 91 games at 2nd base, 70 games at outfield and 13 games at shortstop. Hmm… No wonder he hit 27 homers and stole 17 bases, he played in 174 games.
Emilio Bonifacio – I wouldn’t own him outside of NL-Only leagues, but he does have the Pick 3 of eligibility.
Mark DeRosa – Slot him in at the corner infielder spot, grow bored and put him in your fifth outfielder spot. Lose interest and drop him. You know what I’m saying, you’ve been there before.
Casey McGehee – You know you’re more likely to take a chance on him at 2nd base or MI than 3rd base. Yes, I know you better than you know yourself.
Mark Reynolds – You think you’ll be fine with him as your 1st baseman, but, by the end of 2010, you’re going to want him as your 3rd baseman.
Jhonny Peralta – He gained 3rd base eligibility this year to go along with shortstop…. yay! He hit 11 homers in 582 at-bats. Moving on…
Ian Stewart – I’m excited about Ian Stewart for 2010 fantasy baseball. Looks like Mark Reynolds going into 2009. Oh, and he’s eligible at 2nd base.
Juan Uribe – Won’t find him on a Grey Albright team out of a draft, but in single league, uh, leagues he has solid eligibility.
Michael Cuddyer – Corner infield and outfield eligibility is nice, but I’ll bet you $5 he’s the first guy you want to drop.
Adam Dunn – Probably will end up in your outfield, but the flexibility of putting Dunn in at corner is nice. And that is the only time a sentence will ever contain flexibility and Dunn.
Nick Swisher – See Adam Dunn or 1/12th of an inch above.
Garrett Jones – Robot Jones is in the same boat as Casey McGehee. The added eligibility makes the gamble easier to take.
Chase Headley – Maybe it’s the three whiskey sours talking, but I’m sorta excited about Headley at third base this year.
Asdrubal Cabrera – Shortstop eligibility is a nice added bonus, so we’ll excuse him for fielding his position in the shape of a swastika.
December 21st, 2009 at 2:49 am
You didn’t miss a thing when grandma took you to the track, did you?
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 4:42 am
Another 2 great laughs in there…
“Hmm… No wonder he hit 27 homers and stole 17 bases, he played in 174 games.”
“Shortstop eligibility is a nice added bonus, so we’ll excuse him for fielding his position in the shape of a swastika.”
Great pic… And this is all definitely useful going into the draft!
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 5:32 am
how about Beckham? he’s moving to 2B?
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 6:49 am
Re: Robot Jones
Added eligibility makes him easier to take slotted as a 5th OF or CI?
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 6:58 am
Zobrist- He’ll be 29 this year but last year was his first real year with playing time, what do you think of him this year Grey? Is he a 25/15 roughly .300 hitting 2B/SS/OF eligible guy, or is are people going to be disappointed, a la Alexie Ramirez?
POSITIVE: Zobrist only K’d 104 times in 599 AB’s and walked 91.
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 7:14 am
@Tony: And his 1st half 2nd half spilts are almost identical…. no tail off.
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 7:23 am
adam kennedy has flexibility .
coghlan <== drafting him as my eventual 2B-man
[Reply]
@Steve: We were using my money, after all.
@Cheese: Cool, glad you could use it.
@Antrim Warriors: I listed people that had multi-position eligibility going into the draft. He doesn’t yet. Though you’re right, he is moving to 2nd base for 2010, as of right now.
@sean: Not sure I follow your question. Yeah, it does add value.
@Tony: I don’t fully trust him. But at 2nd base or SS, it softens the blow if he sucks.
@big o: Kennedy — eh.
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 9:02 am
@Grey: zobrist a 5-6th rounder in a 12 teamer?
[Reply]
@Tony: That sounds about right for where he’d go. Though I’d probably hold off until 7-8th round.
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 9:24 am
@Grey: haha ya…. I saw my buddys draft list when i went to visit him in GA this summer from our past season. He was about a round or 2 behind on every guy. I have a feeling if i’m planning on getting Zobrist in the 7/8th its not happening… kind of wishful thinking.
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 10:14 am
@Grey
When does position Rankings come out? Thanks
[Reply]
@jaime: In January.
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 6:01 pm
See updated post on the Razzball Mock: real winner: Steve L.
http://razzball.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=5790
[Reply]
@Simply Fred: How did Steve sneak out the victory with no games played in the last few months?
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 6:41 pm
@Grey: Don’t get the reference. In the first pass, I had not scored every position drafted. Plus I had adjusted James’ projections (for my own preferences) for a few players and left them in thinking they wouldn’t make a difference. The combo was my bad. The final scored according to the original draft rules and to clean James’ projections.
Teacher’s Pet indeed earned the win!
[Reply]
December 21st, 2009 at 6:45 pm
@Simply Fred: This all in reference to our Slow Annual Razzball Mock.
[Reply]
@Simply Fred: Ah, I see.
[Reply]
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:51 am
@Simply Fred: @Grey:
ok .
are we then to assume that steve should move back in
with the in-laws ,
for the sake of his fantasy career ?
[Reply]
December 22nd, 2009 at 5:26 am
IS MARK REYNOLDS going to be 1B eligible ONLY after this year?
[Reply]
@Tony: I doubt it.
[Reply]
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
hey grey…what are your expectations for reynolds going into 2010?
i have votto/youk/reynolds in a keeper league but can only keep 2…
[Reply]
@PJtres: I’m going to have a whole post about Reynolds (next week, I believe). He’s very overrated this year from what I’ve seen. I’d want Votto and Youk in a redraft, but I’d take Reynolds and Votto in a keeper.
[Reply]
December 30th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Oh Grey, I need 2010 rankings I gots the shakes here! Stop drinking egg nog you moustachioed maniac and get the shizznit going!
Or don’t. I’m so ineffectual.
[Reply]
January 5th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
Currently have Mauer, Ryan Howard, Utley, and Kemp as my 4 solid keepers and trying to use El Panda, Figgins, Carpenter, Peavy and Gallardo as trade bait to upgrade at 1B and OF and chances of that happening you think?
[Reply]
@Oscar: Depends who you’re going for. If you find a team that needs depth of keepers and could use your guys while having, say, Justin Upton and Youk available it’s not that crazy.
[Reply]
January 5th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Well its a four keeper per team at 12 teams. I want to keep hitting over pitching because i have a feeling that some good pitching will be abundant this year. I would like to go after Morneau or Longoria, willing to trade Howard due to K potential
[Reply]
@Oscar: So you have 4 solid keepers in a 4 keeper league but you want to trade those other guys for lesser keepers? I might be confused as to the question. But if it is what I think, you should hold tight.
[Reply]
January 5th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
So I am solid than with Mauer, Ryan Howard, Utley, and Kemp than? last question would be who would be an upgrade for 1B or Outfield?
[Reply]
@Oscar: You are solid, but if you’re going to upgrade How about say Mauer and one or more of the guys you are not keeping for Braun or Longoria?
[Reply]
January 10th, 2010 at 12:36 am
@Grey: Have you by chance done a post on guys losing position eligibility as well, or do you intend to? Guys who will become DH only are good to know about….plus, positional inflexibility has a certain ring, no?
[Reply]
@Nate: It does have a nice ring, I’ll look into doing it, but the problem is people play with so many different eligibility rules.
[Reply]
January 22nd, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Keeper Question-
260 salary, 14 hitters (1 C and 2 Utl) 9 pitchers
Keep 4 with salary increase of $5 from 2009
Potential keeper with new 2010 salary
Ryan Braun 41
Chase Utley 34
Ryan Howard 39
Rob Cano 15
Jacoby Ellsbury 16
Adam Jones 17
Jay Bruce 13
Chris Carpenter 11
Jered Weaver 10
Who do you keep?
If you were wondering- yes I won my league hands down with this line-up
Thanks Mike
[Reply]
@Mike: It kinda depends on how many teams in your league, but tentatively Cano, Ellsbury, Utley and Howard…I don’t doubt you won your league, but your salary increases are going to be tough this year.
[Reply]
January 22nd, 2010 at 4:27 pm
12 team mixed
You would keep Howard at 39 instead of Braun at 41?
I am also thinking this might be Bruce’s year?
[Reply]
@Mike: I figured 12 teams. I liked the idea of Howard and Ellsbury, but Braun could work, but then you don’t have a 1st baseman and your outfield has two guys. The problem with Bruce over Ellsbury is Ellsbury is around a 2nd rounder and Bruce is around a 12th rounder, so you’re really going for upside rather than a sure thing.
[Reply]
January 22nd, 2010 at 5:56 pm
What about Braun, Ellsbury, Utley, and Howard? I only worry about the cost- Do you think this would be getting value for the cost?
[Reply]
@Mike: They’re great, and I considered that, but it’s a lot to be dropping on 4 players.
[Reply]
February 25th, 2010 at 10:38 am
Not sure if it has been mentioned but G. Beckham will gain 2B eligibility within two weeks of the 2010 season under most league formats. He is a decent pickup at 3B but will be an absolute beast in the 2B slot.
[Reply]
@Andy: Yeah, he’s not listed here because he doesn’t have the eligibility yet.
[Reply]