SS Rankings - 2009

These rankings are for ESPN default leagues (5 IF positions + MI + CI, 5 x OF, UT) and ESPN position assignments.

Tier 1 – “High Demand, Big Payoff”
1. Hanley Ramirez (FLA) – The #1 overall fantasy player, in this writer’s humble opinion. He gives you 20-40 with an average above .300, great runs scored and good RBI for a SS.

2. Jose Reyes (NYM) – A bit of a drop-off from #1 to #2, but Reyes is still the game’s premier source of stolen bases, and he scores a boatload of runs in that stacked lineup.

3. Jimmy Rollins (PHI) – I considered putting him in Tier 2, but there’s a huge dropoff from Rollins to Furcal. Maybe he should have gone by himself in Tier 2? At any rate, solid production, but don’t count on 2007 here. 20hr and 30sb would be a fine season.

Tier 2 – “High Quality Options”
4. Rafael Furcal (LAD) – A back injury limited Furcal to only 36 games last season, but he was the best SS in the game by averages. A small sample space, to be sure, but even with a significant drop-off he will justify a pick in the 3rd/4th round.

5. Stephen Drew (ARI) – A breakout 2008 has perhaps raised expectations for Drew the Younger to unreachable expectations, but if he gives you 2008 again it will be enough to justify this ranking, with potential for a bit more.

6. Jhonny Peralta (CLE) – The Misspelled Masher had a breakout 2008 with 23 homers, 104 runs scored and 89 RBI. While those totals aren’t likely to be repeated, Peralta gives you solid pop for a mid-round SS, provided you can find steals elsewhere.

Tier 3 – “Solid, yet unspectacular”
7. Michael Young (TEX) – He’s on the wrong side of 30, so that’s something to be wary of, but he still hits for a high average and should be in the neighborhood of 80 runs and 80 RBI. The expected 3B eligibility will be a bonus, but you’ll almost certainly have him at SS based on scarcity.

8. J.J. Hardy (MIL) – A solid SS who hits for some pop but won’t contribute in the SB category and is average (at best) in average. One thing to note is that he’s prone to brutal slumps (and hot streaks), so you may be able to pry him away from an impatient owner when he’s in a cold spell.

9. Derek Jeter (NYY) – Almost always goes higher than he should based on reputation and name recognition. He’s 35, but if drafted properly he’ll merit his spot. Contributes across the board (.290/10+/80+/60+/10+). Don’t expect any more .330 or 30 SB seasons or you’ll be disappointed.

10. Troy Tulowitzki (COL) – People are all aboard the Tulowitzki bandwagon after his good second half of ’08 erased people’s memories of his sub-abysmal first half. I guess I’m just not as willing to pretend that 80 games don’t count for anything. He could be a top-5 SS, but could also be thoroughly mediocre.

11. Miguel Tejada (HOU) – No lies, this guy is a good source of power from a difficult position. However, he’s 35 (assuming he only fibbed once on his birth certificate), and I would rather perjure myself than pick him in the first 7 rounds of a 12-team mixed draft.

Tier 4 – “Passable”
12. Mike Aviles (KC) – His 2008 season was better than any of his minor league seasons, which raises a huge red flag. He’s bound to normalize, but his free-swinging ways should make him a good candidate for double-digit homers and 60-70 runs/RBI; not bad considering his team.

13. Edgar Renteria (SF) – Renteria seems to be one of the most controversial shortstops this year. People seem to be of the mind that he’s either a walking corpse or that he’ll walk on water due to his return to the NL. I’d split the difference and hope for a .280/10/85/60/5 season.

14. Yunel Escobar (ATL) – He’s not a BA assassin, he doesn’t steal many bases or hit for much power, and his R/RBI totals are unimpressive, but he does all of them just well enough to merit a spot in 12-team mixed leagues. You could certainly do worse, but if you pick him and still have to fill a MI position you could be in trouble.

15. Orlando Cabrera (FA) – He’ll chip in to your SB totals and won’t kill you with his average. Another tolerable option at SS, provided that he actually has a contract (details, details!).

16. Ryan Theriot (CHC) – Um, he steals bases. Actually a better player in fantasy than in real life, which doesn’t say much about either Jim Hendry or Lou Piniella, sadly.

Tier 5 – “The Dregs”
17. Elvis Andrus (TEX) – I am pretty terrible with rookies, so I’ll just put him here towards the end of the draft. Provided he sticks, he should contribute well in steals and that’s about it. I would only take him as a luxury or as a late-round flier.

18. Cristian Guzman (WAS) – That really was the mother of all fluke seasons, wasn’t it? I certainly wouldn’t expect that again, but if he hit .270 with some steals and runs scored, it wouldn’t shock the hell out of me, either.

19. Clint Barmes (COL) – Should start at 2B but should also be SS eligible, which is handy. I’m not sure which position is more scarce, but I’d guess the former. Serviceable.

20. Khalil Greene (STL) – His 2008 was truly awful, but he should be better than that. He’s capable of 20 HR, and if he hits .255 or better, that would be a bonus.

21. Jason Bartlett (TB) – Hey, at this point getting anything from your SS is a bonus, so Bartlett’s potential 20+ steals are bound to help out your team.