I’ve decided to do something different for this top 60 outfielders for 2017 fantasy baseball. Instead of listing the players’ names, I’m going to list their favorite cheese course: Muenster, Cheddar, Cheddar, Cheddar, Swiss, Gruyere. Gruyere?! C’mon, Puig! Maybe I should go back to listing players’ names. Yeah, I don’t even remember who Limburger was. Fine! I will rank with names and numbers! As with all of my 2017 fantasy baseball rankings, my projections are included and where I see tiers starting and stopping. Anyway, here’s the top 60 outfielders for 2017 fantasy baseball:
41. Ender Inciarte – This tier started in the top 40 outfielders for 2017 fantasy baseball. I called this tier, “Not Qaddafi, y’all leadoff-y.” This tier ends here. Here’s what I said this offseason, “(Ender) signed a five-year deal with the Braves. Inciarte is sneaky for fantasy and real baseball value. So sneaky his name tells you he’s In CIA, and you don’t even know he’s covert. He waves his hand in front of his face like John Cena and says, “You can’t see me,” and you really can’t see him. For fantasy, he’s a cheap Eaton. I will call him Eaton at Popeye’s. Not a whole lot of power, but should get a decent average, runs and steals.” And that’s me quoting me! Outfielders conitnue into the top 60 outfielders for 2017 fantasy baseball. 2017 Projections: 92/7/39/.297/21 in 587 ABs
42. Miguel Sano – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Contreras. I call this tier, “Excitement, but not excitement like IDWTFLISFSITOBHWR.” Just when you thought I’d only use the acronym IDWTFLISFSITOBHWR in two outfielder posts, I bust it out in a third! This is what you call making your writing accessible to new readers. Number of Google searches for IDWTFLISFSITOBHWRA goes from zero to “Ugh, I don’t even wanna try to type that into a Google search.” IDWTFLISFSITOBHWR is explained on the top 20 outfielder post in case you skipped ahead. As for Sano, went over him in the top 20 3rd basemen for 2017 fantasy baseball.
43. Nomar Mazara – Already gave you my Nomar Mazara sleeper. I wrote it while nailing a Mazara to my doorjamb. 2017 Projections: 72/26/81/.277/2 in 554 ABs
44. Yasmany Tomas – He’s like the Cuban Rodney Dangerfield. I will call him Carlos Dangerfield. What? Too close to someone else’s alias? Everyone’s like Puig this, Puig that, Puig’s fat only it’s spelled phat! He’s the Cuban God of Baseball! Then Yasmany hits 31 homers and .272 in his first full year of at-bats and he’s still not being ranked in front of Puig? Damn, someone needs to give Carlos Dangerfield some respect. Enter Grey Albright, Fantasy Master Lothario (don’t abbreviate it). 2017 Projections: 63/25/72/.274/2 in 478 ABs
45. Jose Ramirez – Went over him in the top 20 3rd basemen for 2017 fantasy baseball.
46. Keon Broxton – Already gave you my Keon Broxton sleeper. It was written while wearing a diaper (don’t ask). 2017 Projections: 64/18/71/.237/31 in 490 ABs
47. Randal Grichuk – Already gave you my Randal Grichuk sleeper. I wrote it while on line for a cronut in 2008. 2017 Projections: 72/28/86/.245/8 in 514 ABs
48. Kole Calhoun – His projections kinda look like a rich man’s Puig. I will call him Pork Belly. My excitement for Calhoun has weaned as he continues to not peak. Guess that means I’m a ‘Pork Belly weanie.’ Why do I still have the slightest bit of interest in the PB Weanie? He’s only 29 and maybe he can get back to the 26+ homer guy I thought he was. 2017 Projections: 84/22/72/.260/2 in 585 ABs
49. Marcell Ozuna – OZUNA need to prove self this year. OZUNA sense people are losing faith. OZUNA gotta have faith. OZUNA can’t believe George Michael die on 12/25. OZUNA really can’t believe George Michael of Sports Machine died on 12/24. OZUNA scared for Michael Cera who play George Michael for next year’s 12/26. 2017 Projections: 78/25/83/.256/1 in 551 ABs
50. Lorenzo Cain – This tier has a little element of Ghost of Past Excitement. Cain was injured last year, yet more or less on pace for the same great season as two years ago, and it fills me with wonder which makes me wonderful. My big concern with Cain…Sugar! is his age. A middle-of-an-order guy is rested, gonna do some time. He got three years now that he’s murdered the ball — is that a crime? A 31-year-old man is caught stealing 24 times. He’s out in the draft and maybe dresses for Halloween as Shaft! And that’s the way it goes, raah! Cain…Sugar! Cain…Sugar! 2017 Projections: 83/14/79/.285/20 in 509 ABs
51. Joc Pederson – Already gave you my Joc Pederson sleeper post. I wrote it while high on The Tussin. 2017 Projections: 72/31/79/.252/10 in 440 ABs
52. Willson Contreras – Already went over him in the top 20 catchers for 2017 fantasy baseball.
53. Jay Bruce – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Puig. I call this tier, “Eat a D.” I just took some truth serum, and I wanna give it to you straight. I want to put on angel wings and walk down a runway during Victoria Secret’s fashion show and tell you, “This is the truth,” then I will envelope you with a light shining so bright it will blind you with beauty and love. Instead, I’m just going to tell you the truth that there are no outfielders in this tier I’m excited about. There will be more in the top 80, but Jay effin’ Bruce and company? They need to eat a D. As for Jay “I’m all 1st half pardner” Bruce, yeah, he can eat a big D. 2017 Projections: 70/27/84/.247/5 in 545 ABs
54. Carlos Gomez – Here’s what I said this offseason, “(Gomez) re-signed with the Rangers, though it might be more accurate to say the Rangers were resigned to re-sign Gomez. Or maybe re-sighed. CarGomez did have his best month last September (6 HRs, .326), and was solid with the Rangers overall (8 HRs, 5 SBs, .284 in 33 games), so it comes down to what Gomez you believe. The one that looked like a shell of his former self, or the one that broke out of his shell and was turtley awesome. I’m more in the former camp.” And that’s me quoting me! 2017 Projections: 73/17/57/.238/24 in 521 ABs
55. Ian Desmond – Here’s what I said this offseason, “(Desmond) signed with the Rockies (for five years, which is one of the worst real life baseball deals I’ve heard in a while, but this is about fantasy, so let’s move on. Dot dot dot. Okay, one last thing on real life baseball, the Rockies would be a playoff contender if every final game score was 7-6.). As for fantasy, *going through the old Rolodex in the brain looking for a Desmond highlight* There it is! In his rookie year, Desmond hit the longest home run at Nationals Park, and Adam Dunn was on that team. In 2015, he hit the 8th longest home run in the majors at 470 feet. What the hell am I getting at? Desmond doesn’t hit wall scrappers, he hits bombs, and now he’s headed to Coors. He may average 430 feet on his 30 HRs next year. Yes, I said it, 30 HRs. I’m done underestimating the magic Silver Bullet that is Coors. As of now, the Rockies say he’ll play 1st base, which makes total sense with his cannon for an arm. Ow, eye roll headache!” And that’s me quoting me! One small additional note, yes, there’s a ton of Rockies hitters in the first twenty, and, if possible, I’d own all of them on the same team. We need to embrace the Rockies hitters like we all embraced Embrace of the Vampire when Alyssa Milano decided she needed to do nudity to show she had grown out of being a child star. UPDATE: I hate early drafts. There’s absolutely no skill involved in drafting on March 3rd and avoiding Ian Desmond due to a broken hand that hasn’t happened yet. It’s like not getting on a subway car and you end up marrying a Cougar vs. Coldplay’s Chris Martin and you keep forgetting your Apple ID so you can’t download a song you really want to hear vs. getting free iPhones hand-delivered by Bono. Admittedly, I never saw the movie, Sliding Doors, but I picture the plot being something like that. I want to marry Chris Martin and get iBonos! Man, this effin’ sucks. Yes, that’s my ‘pert opinion. It effin’ sucks. 2017 Projections: 49/17/54/.253/11 in 369 ABs
56. Yasiel Puig – Is anyone more fitting in the Eat a D tier than Puig? If there’s a pyramid of eating a D, Kanye and Trump’s cabinet are near the top of eating a D, but they’re all looking up at Puig. He is the King of Eating a D. In fact (Grey’s got more!), if Rajai is the King of SAGNOF, Puig will forever be known as the King of Eating a D. Living in LA, I feel like I know what it must’ve been like for Red Sox fans to go to the stadium and see J.D. Drew. (Speaking of eating a D, the entire Drew family can eat a D.) Puig is the Cuban Drew. “He has so much ability,” everyone says. Then three months after the season starts, everyone says, “Puig can eat a D.” 2017 Projections: 65/18/71/.277/7 in 461 ABs
57. Curtis Granderson – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until the top 80 outfielders for 2017 fantasy baseball. I call this tier, “A Cinqfecta of Old.” Cinqfecta is a trifecta with five. But there’s obviously more than five guys in this tier if it goes into the top 80 outfielders post. Yes, but there’s no word for a trifecta with six. Are we sure there’s a word cinqfecta? Leave me alone, Random Italicized Voice! As for Granderson, there’s so much to say about him that hasn’t been said before. For unstints, did you know his grandfather’s name was Grady? Or that he’s old enough to be a grandfather himself? All possibly true facts. 2017 Projections: 84/25/51/.241/5 in 525 ABs
58. Ben Zobrist – Went over him in the top 20 2nd basemen for 2017 fantasy baseball.
59. Carlos Beltran – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Signed with the Astros, after choosing between the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays. The teams interested in a player like Beltran has become so predictable. Surprised the Rangers weren’t also in the mix. So, Beltran is back with the Astros, and still looks like Ricky from My So Called Life. Maybe Beltran will get 27+ homers again and maybe he’ll open-mouth kiss George Springer.” And that’s me copying and pasting me! 2017 Projections: 68/24/75/.276/1 in 465 ABs
60. Matt Holliday – Already went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2017 fantasy baseball.
Unless I get a trade done, here are my keeper options with draft pick cost. 7×7 H,QS yahoo. Who to keep?
Machado 1
Bumgarner 1
Thor 2
Degrom 2
Cespedes 3
Polanco 5
Dozier 6
Miller 7
Pujols 8
Allen 9
Ozuna 12
Verlander 12
Smyly 12
Brinson 23
@Adam:
4 keeps
@Adam:
Machado 1
Cespedes 3
Polanco 5
Dozier 6
@Adam: Machado, Thor, Dozier, Verlander… Not great keepers
A truer paragraph has never been written about Puig….and the Drew family.
@TK: Yes! D eaters!
Schwarber has and will retain Catcher eligibility in Yahoo! Seeing as how must people aren’t nearly as obsessed with preparing for the draft, and most rankings are based on ESPN, is it possible that an early round catcher could be a bargain this year? Or is he too visible and there’s no chance people sleep on his eligibility?
@Brad: this is great news, I have him and Gary Sanchez for a total of $9 next year.
@Brad: If you’re in a league where managers don’t realize his eligibility, you should find a new league. Or don’t, and easily dominate!
Hahaha I love you Cram!!!
Cracking up so hard at that Puig writeup.
1. Surprised to see Leonys and Broxton but no Kiermaier here given the love for him in the last couple months of the season. How would you distinguish those 3? Kevin seems like a top of the order bat going at a 20/30 pace last year (derailed only by an injury which is in the past) with batting average upside in the .270 range, no?
2. Really interested in Joc as an OBP / OPS league darling that gets underdrafted due to his average, which is irrelevant in those leagues. Around what number OF would you put him and his double digit walk rate in OBP / OPS leagues?
Thanks!
@Duda Want to Build a Snowman?: KK is not a 20/30 guy, regardless of the “pace” he was on 100 games in. I’d give him 12/30 tops with a mediocre average and shitty counting stats. I do like his upside and have championed him since he came on the scene but he’s got to prove it before ranking him next to Leonys and Broxton. Makes a good sleeper to me though!
@Cram It: Makes sense – in that case, I’ll happily grab him in the reserve rounds and roll out Brox or Leonys as my OF5.
@Duda Want to Build a Snowman?: 1. Agree with Cram 2. Bump him up about 10 spots
Currently keeping Springer, polanco, Villar, Turner, scherzer. With your first pick I’ll have choice of stanton, pollock madbum cano abreu. Thinking madbum what would you do?
@Scott steelers: Stanton. I’d want a power/RBI source there.
@Scott steelers: Agree with Cram
January Grey set the bar high for February Grey – thanks.
How does this affect your Leonys ranking if he is not batting 1 or 2 ? –> “Manager Scott Servais on Thursday said Jarrod Dyson will get a shot as the team’s leadoff hitter during Cactus League play. Another recently acquired player, shortstop Jean Segura, would bat second in that scenario, per Seattle Times reporter Ryan Divish”….
@Bodacious Taters: Thanks! No way Dyson stays at leadoff
Im high on Leonys Martin this year too. I’m a little concerned with the trade for Dyson. What are your thoughts on that, and do you see Martin losing playing time and/or now hitting in the bottom of the lineup because of Dyson? Thanks
@Richard Davis: Dyson is garage that can steal 40 bases — SAGNOF — No way Dyson stays at leadoff
Help with keepers please:
5×5 10 team keep forever yahoo. Keep five of these guys (4 easy, 1 tricky)
Betts, Harper, Kershaw, Rizzo and
1 of Desmond/Myers/Kinsler/Seager/Carrasco/Bradley
Thanks and shanks.
PS – how did I get four amazing keepers? Razzball techniques…
@Silver nonedim:
Desmond would be my 5th
@Silver nonedim: Desmond
@Silver nonedim: can you make a trade? Seems like you could package a couple guys for another top guy.
I’ve only just started scanning these Yahoo ranks, but not as bad as usual it seems, aside from ranking SPs very high:
1. Weird Eligibility: Bryant, Frazier, V-Mart at 1B. Schwarber at C (more sensical).
2. Rankings:
Correa (21)
Pollock (33), ahead of Story (36)
Odor (42)
Desmond (44)
Rajai (267)
I really like how the first 4-5 rounds should go. Seems like we could all easily draft a top 1B in round 1 (esp with Bryant eligible there), then Correa in 2, Story in 3, Odor and Desmond in 4/5 before turning to Carrasco, Stras, Archer, Degrom types in 6.
@Duda Want to Build a Snowman?: You make it sound so easy to get all the guys you want!
@Cram It: Why not? Obviously depends on your leaguemates, of course. Fortunately, the Yahoo league I’m in is a work league where most people draft by the default rankings and spend those 2nd and 3rd rounds taking Ace (TM)s.
@Duda Want to Build a Snowman?: Ok, well if you’re talking work leagues with Suzy Secretary, then sure, you shouldn’t have a problem.
@Cram It: Yeah – these guys mostly pick the good real life baseball players and/or the guys on their team when faced with a close call.
My other two leagues on the other hand, no shot at grabbing all of those guys unfortunately.
@Duda Want to Build a Snowman?: That’s what I was saying..That “we could all easily draft” scenario mostly applies to you in your work league.
@Cram It: True, lazy writing on my part. Though I do think that all of us in Razzballland, in non-RCL leagues, could get the top 20 trio of Story, Odor, Desmond without reaching.
@Cram It: Suzy Secretary is a beast with waivers
@Grey: Suzy Secretary makes the best pot of coffee this side of the Mississippi.
And picks up closers faster than anyone!
@Grey: She has insider access to all the best spreadsheets.
She calls her fist ‘the hole puncher’
@Grey: Her team name is Trout Crotch Odor.
Catch My Trout Odor
@Grey: She is Queen of the D Eaters!
She makes them work for her….Literally, they’re in the temp pool
@Grey: Agree with above, Yahoo rankings of course a bit wacky but not as atrocious as in years past.
Haven’t looked in depth
@Cram It: and johnny lunchpail, bobby 6 pack.
@Duda Want to Build a Snowman?: 1. Goofy 2. Wow
14 team H2H standard ESPN points dynasty – Giolito/De Leon/Franco vs Hendricks/M. Carpenter?
Always love the write ups.
@K3189: Giolito side, all day.
@Cram It: What makes you say that?
@K3189: Because it’s a keeper league. You’re getting 3 younger guys that should be very good players. Carpenter’s on the wrong side of 30.
@K3189: Agree with Cram
Hi Grey,
(this would be much easier if you had already released your Top 100, lol),
16-man H2H dynasty league, keep 22 out of 28 players. Team has been low on power forever.
I give: Adam Eaton, James Paxton, Rhys Hoskins.
I get: Chris Davis, John Lackey, Matt Manning.
Yay or nay?
@ichirosan: Sounds fine to me
12 team H2H Keeper. We keep 10.
Better keeper to have Franco or Villar?
In need of a SS of trea is not eligible nor bregman. Or should i just wait and draft a SS and wait for Trea to become eligible (on yahoo)?
As of not the team looks like this:
edwin
d.gordon
Trea
Bregman
Franco
Cespedes
Mazara
Moncada
Harvey
Cueto
my other options are:
Devon Travis
Kepler
Glasnow
Velazquez
@Juan: Villar
Was really hoping to see Renfroe in the 60. What happened to Grey Smitten Kitten? Rather take a flyer on him hitting behind Myers than Eat a D Puig. Think he’ll at least be Sanoish.
@The Great Knoche: Love me some Renfroe, but more risk than Puig… Though, honestly, the difference between the 55th ranked OF and the 75th ranked OF is a matter of opinion and how your team looks… The difference between the 8th ranked outfielder and the 20th is larger than the 55th and the 90th… Wow, I had a lot to say on that
I’m new to the a keeper league this year, and we get to keep eight players. At last year’s auction, players in the top 10 at their position went $5-$10 higher than I expected. I am probably keeping Springer at $35, and this being an OPS league helps his value. I don’t necessarily think this is a “great” price for him. With the thinning pool of available players from the keepers and my league tendencies to “overpay” for great players,however, I’m expecting his price to possibly to balloon to around $40 because I had several trade offers from different teams last year for him, and many of the other upper-tier OFs are already being held. Thoughts?
@Burningbridges247: Keep him.
@Cram It: Thanks, Cram. Pretty sure that was the right move. Just needed some confirmation in that.
@Burningbridges247: Sure thing. And you’re right, the top guys almost always cost more than whatever reference you have as their average cost.
@Burningbridges247: Agree with Cram
WHY DO YOU HATE STARLING MARTE NOW… YOU’RE TEARING THIS FAMILY APART
*runs away hysterically*
@Roger Podacter: Huh?
@Grey: Flashbacks suck.
You talking about This is Us?
@Grey: HAHA. No but I could all day. Great show.
Haha
You obviously think Joc stays in a platoon. Seems like continued improvement could change that and make him way more valuable. Do you think he stays platoon because that’s what Roberts does or because his skills don’t improve enough to warrant it?
@Mike: Platoon because he can’t hit lefties, if you read the sleeper post link in Joc’s blurb.
@Cram It: I did read that already. I guess I don’t understand how not hitting lefties at age 24 automatically becomes “can’t hit lefties at all”. Not that he is Anthony Rizzo, but this is a typical skill trajectory for LH top prospects.
He could, but he hasn’t yet…
@Mike: Well until he does that…he’s going to lose AB’s. I’d play the trend over unfounded speculation.
@Cram It: I don’t understand what you are saying at all. How is projecting modest improvement against LH pitching for a top prospect in his 3rd season “unfounded speculation”? I’m not saying Joc’s a top 20 OF, but he sure as heck is in the top 50!
@The Grand Poppy: lots of OF’ers fighting for playing time with the Dodgers
@The Grand Poppy: I was talking about his playing time PLUS his improvement vs LH. His major league line vs LH is .178/.275 with a 40% K rate. What’s a modest improvement? 10 points? 20 points? So he’s going to get 100+ more AB’s still hitting under .200 against lefties? I don’t see it.
I’m also not saying he’s undraftable! If I can platoon him in against righties when he plays, I would love to have him!
@Mike: Agree with Cram
“But there’s obviously more than five guys in this tier if it goes into the top 80 outfielders post. Yes, but there’s no word for a trifecta with six.”
Sexfecta? Can you write that on this blog? Well, I just did. Sorry.
@Blackjack: Haha
My takeaway from today is:
Melvin Upton will play like a Melvin again this year after being a Bossman last year.
Don’t disagree, not even sure he plays, prolly weak side platoon
I love how half your post is like, I already gave you this shit so click here!! Way to go man, you get better every year!!
Ha! Well, I did!
in that 30 teamer where we start about 2 months earlier than we have any actually good reason to week 1 FA bids are due in about 8 hours. with this is a reference (these guys were bid on to these amounts back just after christmas, and most bids were matched). 110 million per year budgets. OPS added 6X6
list of winning bids (mostly matched):
-stanton 23.101 mil per (4 years), this was my bid
-posey 18 mil 3 years
-freeman 18.56 mil per for 6 years
-votto 16.5 for 2 years
-cano 16 for 3 years
-braun and cargo 1, 15.5 mil for 2 years (each)
-a.jones 13 for 3 years
-cespedes 16.5 for 3
-son of donald 22.5 for 3
-E5 18 for 2
– villar 11 for 3
-upton/bautista/trumbo/tulo for somewhere in the 12-13 window and 2-3 years each
this week these are biddable, desmond/c.davis/mostsuckass/leonys/kendrys/healy/rajai
, clearly desmond is the top. and there’s worse guys than these all over too.
1. does this ranking look about right?
2. what’s max down to min that you’d bid on these guys if your roster entirely at this point was
C d’arnaud
CI (2) beltre
MI (2) segura
OF (3) altherr/e.rosario
util (1) b.drury (who could go in OF/MI/CI)
1. Looks good 2. Desmond — $18, Davis — $7… Then $1-3
@Grey: minimum is .400 million (anybody on rookie contracts are that, so all of my d’arnaud/drury/altherr/rosario (and on pitching side davies/m.ynoa/rey lopez/urena)). minimum contract such that we can’t just cut the player with no penalty is in fact 1 mil, anything over 1 mil you have to eat half of contract (so 10 mil 3 year deal if you cut in year one is 5 per year or you could eat more in some years than others).
Ah… Desmond for $10 for two, Davis $7 for 1, then a bunch of minimums for 1 year
@goodfold2: agree that all of above are best off getting 2 year bids or more in certain instances? probably only 1 on older guys like rajai. league has a silly max 12 mil for 1 year deals (but i wasn’t bidding more than 12 on rajai anyway)
Yeah, I guess go to 2 year bids if you have due to league rule
@Grey: but not longer on any of these is the idea (i tend to think exactly the same on this, esp with pitchers, esp even more with RP). so many bad things can happen to somebody and you are stuck with either having dead money on roster or half the dead money with somebody not even on roster.
Yeah exactly don’t get tied up with anyone that long
@Grey: went back and saw you had desmond at both 18 and 10 for 2. 10 for sure won’t win him, but just seeing if you think his value is that cheap,
– my earlier shown guys with their bids for reference were all their average price shown (so my bid on stanton of 23.101 was PER year for 3 or 4 years)