Third base is a shallow position and gets even shallower with players like Kevin Youkilis losing eligibility. That’s not to say that some new options haven’t emerged. Let’s take a look at how things currently look (remember, these remain extremely early rankings and will likely significantly change as the season progresses):
- Evan Longoria – Tampa Bay Rays
- Alex Rodriguez – New York Yankees
- Ryan Zimmerman – Washington Nationals
- David Wright – New York Mets
- Adrian Beltre – Boston Red Sox
- Jose Bautista – Toronto Blue Jays
- Mark Reynolds – Arizona Diamondbacks
- Michael Young – Texas Rangers
- Pablo Sandoval – San Francisco Giants
- Pedro Alvarez – Pittsburgh Pirates
- Aramis Ramirez – Chicago Cubs
- Casey McGehee – Milwaukee Brewers
- Ian Stewart – Colorado Rockies
- Scott Rolen – Cincinnati Reds
- Placido Polanco – Philadelphia Phillies
Thoughts
- For those who want to believe that David Wright has “rediscovered” himself, the numbers are a bit deceiving. Yes, he’s hitting .292 with 17 HR, 77 RBI and 17 SB. Yes, he’s likely to go 20/20 this season. But he is also one of the streakiest players in the league. The highs and the lows are maddening, especially for those in head-to-head formats. Maybe another hot streak pushes him back past Ryan Zimmerman, but right now I just can’t do it.
- Beltre was a low-end option entering the season but may have found the perfect spot to call home. Now, if he stays there or not is certainly going to help determine his ultimate value. For now, hitting .328 with 22 HR, 80 RBI and 62 R may make him the best 3B this season and a great option for 2011. If he leaves Boston, he’s a lock to fall. In fact, once projections are done, he very well could fall regardless.
- I’ve discussed Sandoval in detail already (click here to view), so I’m not going to go into too much detail here. The fact is, if he isn’t able to get back to the power he showed in 2009, his value falls significantly.
- The more home runs Jose Bautista hits, the more value he gains for 2011. It’s easy to say that he won’t repeat these numbers and, the truth is, you are probably right. The fly ball rate is significantly higher then his career mark (52.7% vs. 44.8%). His HR/FB is among the elite in the league (21.4%). Still, with a BABIP of .241, you would have to think the average will increase even if the power decreases. At a weak position, he has a ton of value.
- Alvarez is hitting .279 with 7 HR and 24 RBI in 29 games since the All-Star game. It’s just a taste, but certainly gives us an idea of just how good he can be. He has the potential to move even further up these rankings over the final few weeks, but as it is he should be considered a starter in all formats.
- Among the players likely to lose eligibility and are excluded from this list include Kevin Youkilis, Martin Prado, Gordon Beckham and Chone Figgins
What are your thoughts on these rankings? Who is being overvalued? Who is being undervalued?
Make sure to check out our other extremely early 2011 rankings:
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