Can you believe it’s that time again? No, not 8:23 AM. It’s time for the 2009 fantasy baseball rankings. We begin our 2009 fantasy baseball rankings with the top 10 for 2009 fantasy baseball. Tomorrow we will cover the rest of the top twenty for 2009 fantasy baseball then we will go around the horn with a top 20 list for every position. All of these top 20 lists will live in the 2009 fantasy baseball rankings section. Some deeper positions will require a top 40 list. Listed along with this top ten for 2009 fantasy baseball list are my 2009 projections for each player. You know what else you can do if you’re feeling especially industrious (or if you know what industrious means)? Look at our 2009 fantasy baseball player rater. This top 10 list has me mentioning, amongst other things, where I see tiers starting and stopping. I like to look at tiers like this, if Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols are in the same tier, it doesn’t matter if one guy is ranked 1st and one guy is ranked 5th, they’re both very close. It comes down a bit to personal preference. Now, obviously, I would prefer the guy at number one better than the guy at five. This top 10 list is as of right now and could potentially change with a big injury or trade in spring training, so while it is the 2009 fantasy baseball gospel. Take it with a tablet of salt. Got it? Good. Anyway, here’s the top 10 for 2009 fantasy baseball:
1. Hanley Ramirez – I’m done fighting the man. I’ve given up. I’m going to take my medicine and admit that last year when I ranked Hanley 5th overall that I ranked him a bit too low. Part of what makes me a fantastic fantasy baseball ‘pert is my willingness to admit mistakes. Frankly, I’m still worried about Hanley’s shoulder and its propensity to give out on a swing and miss. But, and it’s a J. Lo-sized but, there’s no one who has done what Hanley has done the last three years even with this shoulder issue. Then throw in his position, and he’s the number one guy off the board. 2009 Projections: 125/37/80/.295/35
2. Jose Reyes – I’m going on a picnic and I’m bringing Jose Reyes and I don’t care who you’re bringing. I love Reyes. There, I said. 60 steals and 15 home runs is exactly what you want from your shortstop. 2009 Projections: 125/15/70/.290/60
3. David Wright – Let’s be clear, I’m not a Mets fan. I watch them, but I have Direct TV so I watch everyone (preferably not the Pirates). David Wright came in first on this 2009 fantasy baseball player rater by a hair and I think there’s a case to be made for the first four guys on this top ten list to be number one. My biggest concern with Wright is how he derives a lot of his value from his steals and I think he’s more of a ten steal guy than a twenty steal guy. 2009 Projections: 110/33/120/.310/14
4. Albert Pujols – If you have the fourth pick overall and get “stuck” with POO-holes then you gotta love that. Pujols is about as steady as they come for production, apparently, with or without a working elbow tendon. As said in the David Wright blurb, the top four could all be number one in someone’s draft rankings, i.e., an argument could be made for any of them to be one overall. This is the end of the first tier of the first round. 2009 projections: 105/35/110/.335/5
5. Miguel Cabrera – So begins the 2nd tier of the first round. I call this tier, “I really hope I don’t have to pick 5th overall. This shizz gets dicey.” If you have the 6th pick, you’re getting a slightly lower echelon player. In the big picture, these guys are still top notch players and you shouldn’t complain… too much, at least. I say this is the second tier, because I don’t think a serious argument can be made that Miguel Cabrera should be number one overall. 2009 Projections: 100/39/125/.305
6. Grady Sizemore – Sizemore is as good a lock for 30/30 as anyone. His strikeouts are declining and BB/K is increasing. In 2009, his average should move in the right direction. The 5th Chapter of Akron’s Middle-Aged Bitties for Grady’s Babies approve this ranking. 2009 Projections: 110/37/85/.285/30
7. Ryan Braun – Something’s not kosher here. Ryan Braun exceeded my expectations, but somehow fell off everyone else’s radar. His 2008 92/37/106/.285/14 must’ve disappointed everyone who thought he was going to hit .320 every year. I warned everyone before last season started — repeatedly — Braun is not a .320 hitter. Though a guy that could hit 40 home runs and steal 15 bases is not someone you should underrate. 2009 Projections: 100/40/110/.280/15
8. Ryan Howard – Say what you will about his .250 average last year, but 45 home runs and a 140 RBIs go a real far way. Oh, and there’s the two year average of one steal/year. You can count on one finger how many players Bill James said will hit 50 home runs in 2009. The same finger you can flip to your detractors at your draft when you choose Howard ninth overall in 2009. 2009 Projections: 100/45/140/.265
9. Johan Santana – Unless Johan really falls and, by that, I mean early 3rd round, I won’t get him. I’ve placed him 10th because I can see him easily earning this value, but I’m not drafting him here. He’s the first player on this top ten list that I wouldn’t draft at the place where I ranked him. If that makes any sense… *SPOILER ALERT* If you don’t want to know how the top 20 for 2009 starts, stop reading here. If Utley is ready to start the 2009 season on Opening Day, I’d switch him from 11th overall to 10th and put Johan there. (BTW, If I had a pimped out car with a spoiler kit, I’d write SPOILER ALERT on the side in metallic paint. Cause that’s how I roll!) 2009 Projections: 18-6/2.95/1.12/210
10. Chase Utley – You know you don’t want this pick in any 2009 fantasy drafts. You’d prefer to grab Teixeira or Hamilton. You know what else? You smell like vagina. Last year, you didn’t want Pujols either. You talked about the risk involved and wanted the safe bet. You wanted Vlad or David Ortiz. How’d that turn out? Utley’s due back by 2009 Opening Day. I don’t doubt for one second Utley will work his hardest to be there. Maybe he has a small setback and is out until May. In 2007, Utley missed a month and still put up quality stats. I know it doesn’t feel like the safest pick, but you gotta trust Utley. He got you. 2009 Projections: 105/29/105/.295/10
