Razzball provides rankings for a whole lot of league types; seriously, it’s overwhelming (my 18 team, 7×5 league on ESPN gets owned using these rankings). Right here, right now, however, these are my OPS rankings (I almost said “Phil B.s’ rankings,” and thought how silly it was to say that, and now I’ve done it anyway…great start). There’s no time to do position by position, so let’s get right to the good stuff, corner infielders. The basis of any good team, in any kind of format, this 2018 season provides many an option to choose from.
Using tiers makes it easier to not get too attached to one player; rather I can like a couple of guys in a group of them. So in honor of the Olympics, we’ll start with the medals and add in some other metals (btw, anyone reading Batman Metal right now? It’s real good and it has a Joker as Batman!) because there’s more than three tiers. So here we go!
Platinum (I know they didn’t have Platinum in Ancient Greece or at the first Olympics back in 1896…where the winner received silver (because Gold is expensive!) second place copper and third bronze):
Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arrenado, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Manny Machando, Freddie Freeman, Joey Votto, Cody Bellinger
These guys you can build your team around and I will thank you very much. Top picks and mucho auction dollars on these fellas. The dual position eligibility here is really nice too: Rizzo ridiculously qualifying at second in Yahoo; Bryant also an OF, Freeman both 1B and 3B and Machado should get SS eligibility early on for an added bonus. Throughout first base this season there are a lot of guys that qualify at other positions and furthermore I don’t remember (and am not looking, making a bar take) this five seasons ago even.
Gold (yellowish and shiny and if I had some money and I would buy me some): Jose Ramirez, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Abreu, Josh Donaldson, Rhys Hoskins, Anthony Rendon
Still can build around these guys, just a little more risk involved. Hoskins is an upside darling (which sounds like a dessert), but the Phils seem a year away at minimum; Ramirez I’d rather start at 2B; Abreu is consistent as they come, Rendon I’m buying this year, Edwin and Donaldson, two old Blue Jay teammates, aren’t done yet. Take a Platinum and Gold guy (but not this platinum and gold guy, yikes) and call it good.
Silver (you should make no investments based on reading a fantasy baseball OPS column, but Silver hasn’t gone up in price in like 30 years…seems weird): Miguel Sano, Wil Myers, Joey Gallo, Eric Hosmer, Justin Smoak, Ryan Zimmerman
There’s a lot to be ok with in this tier. Sano hasn’t hit 40 and now he’s going to? Not so fast, but he should get to 30. Gallo qualifies all over this season and if he gets to 40 he’ll have an OPS of .820+ easy; Smoak is for real for me as is Zimmerman; both should be available at reasonable prices and maybe even Myers, who is the most boring 20/20 guy around (though if Jason Heyward gave us what Myers has done there would be a parade; not for Heyward, but for his fantasy owners, right?). Hosmer is often drafted by the guy in your league that knows just enough to be dangerous so he takes him too early and doesn’t get why no one applauds the pick. You know the guy I’m talking about.
Copper (a solid metal used in lots of stuff):
Trey Mancini, Miguel Cabrera, Nicholas Castellanos, Carlos Santana, Justin Turner, Jake Lamb, Adrian Beltre, Mike Moustakas, Matt Olson
Miggy maybe has one great season left, too bad he’s going to waste it in Detroit. I have not been wasted in Detroit, at least not that I can remember. Does everyone know Jake Lamb can’t hit lefties? Well you do now. Turner could be/maybe should be higher but I am health and age adverse on him. Moustakas looks unlikely to sign on anything longer than a one year deal so hopefully it’s a hitter friendly environment, in which case he’d move up. Santana is what he is, and that’s a CI in a twelve teamer. Mancini I trust Gray on, since I’m not 100% sold, same with Castellanos. Olson I am all in on; he’s going to bash in Oakland.
Bronze (the bastard metal/medal): Travis Shaw, Rafael Devers, Jay Bruce, Kyle Seager, Chris Davis, Matt Carpenter, Hanley Ramirez
I’ll have a couple of these guys on my bench in deeper leagues, and would feel comfortable starting them at my Utility spot(s) in 12+ team leagues. That’s as excited as I can get about these guys, sorry. Except for Devers. He’s moving on up, but not until next season.
Aluminum (what they wrap chocolate in and what you throw away after you eat said chocolate, interpret that about these guys as you will): Evan Longoria, Yuli Guerriel, Josh Bell, Maikel Franco, Greg Bird, Buster Posey, Justin Bour, Eric Thames, Eduardo Nunez, Ian Desmond, Marwin Gonzalez, Matt Chapman
In 6×6 with OPS a lot of these guys are in higher tiers, but OPS only they aren’t. So that explains that. Deeper league, you might need them; if they start the season hot you should add them, if you draft them and they stink weeks you should cut them (of course none of this applies to Posey, who is a Catcher on someone else’s team).
Have at it Razzballers. If you’re interested in an OPS league, drop a comment and I’ll send you an invite. No pressure. Join a Razzball Commenter league; I did, and I feel much better. Enjoy the weekend party people!
