So this is weird, but the top 20 shortstops for 2013 fantasy baseball are deeper than the top 20 2nd basemen for 2013 fantasy baseball. Here, my new favorite BFF, Josh Rutledge, is ranked 10th. On the 2nd basemen post he was ranked 8th. The middle tiers for the shortstops goes on forever, then it falls off a cliff, ending with a Cliff. (Symmetry points!) For those in leagues with a middle infidel, you have the answer to where you are drafting that slot from. Up until last year, I usually gave shortstops the short end of the stick with my drafting. I’d grab one late and that was that. I still don’t see any way I’m drafting a top shortstop. I honestly can’t remember the last time I drafted a 1st or 2nd round shortstop, and I play in about ten leagues per year. I could see grabbing one or even two from the 4th ranked guy here until the 19th ranked guy, where I’ll probably only have one 2nd baseman. Last year it was the opposite. As with the other top 20 rankings, I point out where I think tiers start and stop and my projections. All the 2013 fantasy baseball rankings can be found under that thing that says 2013 fantasy baseball rankings. Unsuccinct! Anyway, here’s the top 20 shortstops for 2013 fantasy baseball:

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Okay, it’s more of a blog post than an awards show, but it’s still really effing prestigious.  Well, maybe it’s not prestigious either, but no one watches sports award shows anyway, and I think we can all agree that the ESPY’s would be much better if it were simply a short-form blog post.  I’ll be digging into team-by-team 2013 previews in the coming weeks, so what we have for you here is one last look around the 2012 Minor League Baseball action.  Enjoy.

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Last Wednesday, I joined Rudy and Nick for the Razzball Baseball Podcast.  On the show, we counted down my top 15 prospects, but truth be told, I was fully prepared to discuss my top 20.  So, with the MiLB season winding down and all, I thought now would be a good opportunity to put the entire list out there in written form.  This is a preliminary ranking — I’ll roll out more official and specific ranks during the off-season, once the dust has settled and I’ve had a chance to gather more intel.  Please keep in mind that this list is limited to prospects still in the minors prior to September 1st call-ups.  Also, in the interest of not being too farsighted, I included only guys who’ll be making their impacts within the next year or two (which is certainly a matter up for debate).  Anyway, my top 20:

1.  Jurickson Profar, SS, Rangers – Current Level: MLB Age: 19 – Five-tool shortstop projects to go 20/20 annually, and he’s certainly gifted enough to do more.

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Back in May, while previewing some draft prospects, I mentioned that Marcus Stroman was well suited to climb the ladder quickly.  And then just three weeks ago in my Week 18 MiLB report, I reiterated that sentiment, this time suggesting that Stroman might even be in line for a September call-up.  Well, a lot can change in just a few weeks, especially when, during those few weeks, you test positive for something called Methylhexaneamine.  That’s what Stroman did.  And in case you hadn’t deduced it already, Methylhexaneamine is banned substance in baseball.  Hence:  Stroman was slapped with a 50 game suspension.  The Jays’ first-rounder won’t see a pro ball field ’til late next May, and that’s truly bad news for a guy who should’ve been competing for a spot on the big club in spring training.  With big time heat to go with a plus slider, Stroman has immediate high-leverage reliever potential.  He certainly could’ve entered 2013 with hype similar to that with which Addison Reed entered 2012.  Not anymore.

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The Rangers are thinking about calling up big-time prospect, Jurickson Profar.  When I saw that news my eyes did the John Lithgow’s eyes when he sees the gremlin on the wing of the plane in Twilight Zone, The Movie.  Then I started thinking, as I’m wont to do on occasion, Kinsler is on lock, Andrus isn’t going anywhere yet, Beltre and Olt can play 3rd, while Young can butcher all 4 positions and fly the “This guy is the heart of our team” flag.

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For the past few weeks I’ve been super pumped for Dan Straily‘s arrival — like, Brett Lawrie-on-a-shizzload-of-RedBull pumped.  I first wrote about him here, providing a little background and a brief scouting report.  Then, earlier this week, I rolled out my Top Ten Prospects for the Stretch Run, and Straily topped the list.  He debuted on Friday night.  I watched.  And what I saw was pretty much what we expected:  Straily worked his fastball at 91-92, touching 93 a handfull of times, commanding it all over the zone, and drawing variable contact.  He countered with his sharp slider and his fading change often.  Both offerings looked like plus pitches, generating whiff-rates right around 25%.  He also threw a few curveballs, but he used the pitch sparingly, and it looked like nothing more than a get-me-over type.  When he needed to throw strikes, he threw strikes.  And as his pitch count reached toward triple-digits, his velocity didn’t dip, and his pitch movement remained steady.  There was one glaring mistake, however:  the run he allowed in the fourth inning on a sac fly from Rajai Davis.  Straily flat out hung that slider — zero movement, 82 mph, fat part of the plate.  Davis should’ve blasted that pitch.  Check it out the Brooks Baseball charts from that at bat and see what I mean.  And check out the rest of Straily’s Brooks charts here — the site is off-the-chain cool.  In all, though, I was impressed.  The A’s ‘pen squandered his W, but Straily looks like he’ll handle himself very well going forward.  Go ahead and blow out your FAAB.

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