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The other day we went over the top 20 catchers for 2009 and today we look at the top 20 1st basemen for 2009 fantasy baseball. This was after going over our top 10 for 2009 fantasy baseball and top 20 for 2009 fantasy baseball.  All this can be found in the 2009 fantasy baseball rankings page.  This top 20 list could probably go to 40 and still have worthwhile names on it, so after we go through all the top 20 lists for every position, maybe I’ll add some more.  Is this the 28th day of Christmas or some shizz?  No, I’m just real giving like Bono and Chris Tucker on an Africa trip.  As with the catchers, the first basemen are broken up into tiers.  Also, there’s some guys below other guys that I want more. They’re below on this list because they can be drafted later than the other schmohawks.  Also, check out our 2009 Fantasy Baseball Player Rater.  Anyway, here’s the top 20 1st basemen for 2009 fantasy baseball and 2009 projections:

1. Albert Pujols – See the top 10 for 2009 fantasy baseball post for Albert Pujols’s projections.

2. Miguel Cabrera – See the top 10 for 2009 fantasy baseball post for Miguel Cabrera’s projections.

3. Ryan Howard – See the top 10 for 2009 fantasy baseball post for Ryan Howard’s projections.

4. Mark Teixeira – See the top 20 for 2009 fantasy baseball post for Mark Teixeira’s projections.

5. Prince Fielder – See the top 20 for 2009 fantasy baseball post for Prince Fielder’s projections.

6. Lance Berkman – See the top 20 for 2009 fantasy baseball post for Lance Berkman’s projections.

7. Justin Morneau – This is a new tier.  This tier goes from here to Votto.  I call this tier, “If you didn’t get one the 1st basemen in the first tiers, you better get one in this tier.”  I prefer a guaranteed 30 home run hitter from my 1st baseman, so I tend to miss Morneau.  And that’s not miss as in “long for.”  2009 Projections:  90/27/115/.285

8. Adrian Gonzalez – Imagine Adrian Gonzalez traded out of Petco.  Ah… Dare to dream. (Speaking of dreams, I had this dream where there’s two unicorns having sex and right before one… becomes satisfied, he practices the withdrawal method and does his business on a giant, oversized toothbrush.  And, in my home, that’s how toothpaste became known as unicorn jizz.  But I digress.)  2009 Projections:  85/34/95/.280

9. Kevin Youkilis –  Morneau is very close to Youuuuuk and the former goes way before him.  (Is it just me, or does former and latter always trip you up?)  2009 Projections:  95/25/110/.295

10. Joey Votto – I already went over why Votto’s a 2009 fantasy sleeper.  This doesn’t mean he’s going to outproduce the top guys on this list, but I could see Votto taking Berkman’s spot at number six for 2010.  I’m a big believer.  2009 Projections:  85/28/100/.300/12

11. Derrek Lee – This a new tier.  This tier goes from here to Carlos Pena.  I call this tier, “For better or worse, you know what you’re getting with these guys.”  Derrek Lee has played in 150+ games in 7 of the past 8 years and besides 2005 when he hit 46 home runs, he’s never really showed much power.  When I was writing this up, I was looking at how Derrek Lee’s career has taken shape and I realized something.  In 2009, Lee’s going to be 33 years old for the majority of the season and he’s not putting together a HOF career.  For some reason, I thought he was a much better player stat-wise.  This was really a personal observation that didn’t have much to do with fantasy baseball.  Carry on.  2009 Projections:  95/22/90/.295/8

12. Garrett Atkins – The Holliday trade to the A’s hurts Atkins value too.  And, frankly, for the last three years, Atkins was hurting his own value.  He’s gone from 29 to 25 to 21 home runs since 2006.  If you were taking the SATs, the next number in that sequence would be 17.  His slugging percentage has been following suit, as well.  The way Atkins is headed, he’s going to need 2nd base eligibility to have any value by 2010.   2009 Projections:  80/24/90/.290

13. Carlos Delgado – Delgado could be the poster boy for someone who won’t exceed expectations in 2009.  I almost put Delgado above Atkins, cause I think he might outproduce Atkins, but then I thought about if I were drafting and whether I would draft Delgado before Atkins.  I wouldn’t.  2009 Projections:  80/31/110/.260

14. Carlos Pena – Here’s the last guy in this tier of boring guys.  I don’t think guys in this tier will be on many 1st place teams in September.  2009 Projections:  75/32/95/.265

15. Chris Davis – Now we’re in a new tier.  This tier goes from here to Cantu.  I call this tier, “Too interesting to be in the above tier, but too risky as well.”  Everyone and Voletta Wallace is going after Chris Davis in 2009 fantasy drafts.  I added my own hype when I posted, Chris Davis, 2009 Fantasy Sleeper.  Okay, sleeper my coolie hole.  Not after Bill James gave him MVP projections.  2009 Projections:   75/30/95/.275/3

16. Jorge Cantu – He’s showed that he can be absolutely worthless for entire seasons so I’d be careful about making Cantu your 1st baseman, but, as a corner man, you can do much worse.  He’s also going to be the magical 27-years-old in 2009.  (An age when hitters supposedly peak and porn stars hopefully retire.)  2009 Projections:  80/25/90/.270/5

17. Aubrey Huff – Now we’re in a new one person tier.  Let’s call this tier, “Guys Named Aubrey Huff.”  In 2008, Huff outperformed about ten of the names listed above him here.  Whatevs.  I wouldn’t draft him on any team and couldn’t, in good conscience or while conscious, tell you he should go in the top ten.  2009 Projections:  75/22/75/.280

18. Mike Jacobs – This last tier, goes from here to Jackson.  I call this tier, “Late fliers.”  Jacobs’s average in 2008 of .247 was actually a little bit worse than it should’ve been.  He’s more of a .260 hitter.  I know, big whoop.  Well, it’s a small enough whoop to make him intriguing late in a draft.  Though the Royals situation is a bit murky with their seventeen 1B/DHs.  2009 Projections:  65/28/75/.260

19. Nick Swisher – Is Swisher going to be a doughy bagel, i.e., a top ten performer?  Nah, you just got carried away with yourself.  I see a small keep-expectations-in-check rebound coming after a dreadful 2008.  He’s ranked 19th, but he could exceed this ranking.  2009 Projections:  70/30/80/.255

20. Conor Jackson –  Conor Jackson almost equals Derrek Lee.  Cust kayin’.  2009 Projections:  85/17/85/.300/10

After the top 20 1st basemen for 2009 fantasy baseball, there’s a lot of names but two stand out:

Carlos Guillen – Sure, C. Guile is sneaky fast, which am0unts to, like, 10 steals.  At 1st base, I’d actually prefer Huff.  2009 Projections:  80/14/80/.300/10

James Loney – Since I’m such a Pollyanna, I’m going to leave you on a positive note.  Loney is a cheap-as-dog-balls Derrek Lee with some slight upside.  No, Loney didn’t pay me to say that.  Don’t expect too much from Loney and you might be pleasantly surprised.  2009 Projections:  75/17/85/.295/7