Now that 2010 is here, the fantasy baseball season is right around the corner. Your Mother’s Mustache will be previewing each position in preparation for your draft day. All rankings are based on a points system which values overall player productivity, or OPS (On-base Plus Slugging). Because if you’re still playing in a 5X5 roto league, you probably also have a “Members Only” jacket hanging in your closet.
CATCHERS
1. Joe Mauer (MIN)- The reigning AL MVP had a career year in ‘09, hitting .365 with a ridiculous .444 on base percentage. Mauer has always been a great contact hitter, but his 28 homeruns and .587 slugging percentage raised some eyebrows. He is just entering his prime, so it’s possible that he maintains the power numbers, but there is a distinct possibility that ’09 was the outlier rather than the norm. Add to that his long list of injuries and the fact that he will be playing in a new ballpark in 2010 and you have a risky early round pick. He is easily the best player at his position, so he is worthy of a third to fourth round pick, but reaching for him any earlier could be disastrous to your draft.
2. Victor Martinez (BOS)-A mid season trade brought Martinez to Boston, where he hit .335 with 7 homeruns and 36 RBI for the Red Sox. Batting cleanup behind Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis will give Matinez plenty of baserunners to drive in, although he will lose some protection this year withthe departure of Jason Bay. His eligibility at both catcher and first base gives him the slight edge over Brian McCann, and makes him a solid pick on draft day.
3. Brian McCann (ATL)- McCann’s season was derailed early on with an eye infection that resulted in a DL stint. When he returned, he showed his old form and finished the year strong with a .280 batting average, 21 homeruns and 94 RBIs. He will again serve as the Braves cleanup hitter this year, giving him plenty of RBI opportunities. McCann’scareer arc has always alternated big years with ”down” years, so 2010 is lining up to possibly be his best season yet. He could easily hit .300/25/100, making him a steal in the fifth to sixth rounds of drafts.
4. Matt Wieters (BAL)-I’ve never been a huge fan of drafting hyped prospects, because you will most likely have to spend a mid round draft pick to select them, but Matt Wieters is an exception. He has the pedigree to be one of the best hitting catchers in the game, and his .300 average after the All Star break last season shows he has the ability to make adjustments to big league pitching. His potential to put up big numbers this season is limited only by the uncertainty of where he will bat in Baltimore’s lineup. Either way, catcher’s who hit for average and power don’t grow on trees, so if you miss out on one of the top tier options at this position Wieters is an excellent alternative.
5. Kurt Suzuki (OAK)- Suzuki enjoyed a breakout season last year, scoring the third most points of any catcher in a standard points league. Some of his success can be attributed to his 598 plate appearances, second most among all catchers. But he also showed the ability to put the bat on the ball consistently, and drove in a career high 88 runs for an Oakland team that lacks a prototypical middle of the order hitter. His clean bill of health and relatively low mileage behind the plate make him an excellent sleeper pic on draft day.
6. Bengie Molina (FA)-Although Molina has yet to sign with a team, all indications are that he will be a Met before the season starts. Citi Field has a way of neutralizing fringe power hitters, and Molina certainly falls into that category with a career .418 slugging percentage. But if he can drive the ball into the gaps and produce some RBI, he’ll still be a better option than anyone below him on this list. If you decide to wait on a catcher until the late rounds of your draft, Molina is an excellent option.
7. Russell Martin (LAD)-Many owners will view Martin as a ”buy low” candidate in upcoming drafts after posting the worst numbers of his career in ‘09. He didn’t hit for average or power, and his steal total dropped to 11. But before you plan on taking Martin, remember that Joe Torre has the reputation for running his catchers into the ground (see Jorge Posada), so a bounce back year is far from guaranteed after averaging 150 games the last 3 seasons. Martin was still able to produce the eighth most fantasy points among all catchers last season, but he is no longer an elite option. Draft accordingly.
8. Geovany Soto (CHC)-Reefer. Take it from your friends at Your Mother’s Mustache- it’s not easy to play a sport when you’re high as a fucking kite. Soto got caught smokingthe peace pipe in spring training, and after reports of his failed drug test broke a few weeks into the season, he never recovered. I’ve never been a big proponent of investing a mid round pick on a player coming off of a “sophomore slump”, but if you can wait on Soto until the later rounds he is well worth the risk. He hit .285 and slugged .504 just 2 years ago, so the talent is there.
9. A.J. Pierzynski (CHW)-Nobody likes drafting A.J. Pierzynski. Announcing his name on draft day will usually lead to a barrage of taunts and heckling from your fellow owners. But if you take a look at the numbers, he produces top 10 numbers at the catcher position every year. He’s getting up there in age, and at 33 the wheels could be about to fall off of the wagon, but I’d rather take a chance on a player with a track record than this year’s preseason fantasy darling (see Kelly Shoppach, Chris Ianetta, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, etc).
10. Jorge Posada (NYY)-The poster boy for what catching 140 games a year for 8 straight seasons can do to an athlete, Posada has struggled to stay healthy the past few years. He still has one of the best bats at the position, and playing at the new Yankee Stadium will only help his power numbers, but his age and high mileage make him a risky pick on draft day. Now that Nick Johnson has been signed to take over as the full time DH, Posada’s opportunities will be limited even further, making him nothing more than a platoon player for your fantasy team.
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