Third base is a surprisingly deep position and while there are some studs at the top, especially in NYC, there are plenty of good options in the low teens.
1. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees - He's still #1 in all of our hearts. [Vomit]
2. David Wright, New York Mets - Two stats when looking at David Wright's overall numbers surprise me. 1) He only hit 26 homers. 2) He had 20 steals. 20 steals is pretty good from the 3B slot, and from someone that puts up Wrights overall numbers. And as for 26 homers, he should improve that to 30+ this season.
3. Miguel Cabrera, Florida Marlins - Miguel is a stud, he is Manny Ramirez the younger version. He had a slight downtick in homeruns last year but an upturn in average. I'd expect the average to fall back somewhere in the high .320s but the homers to move back to the mid 30s.
4. Aramis Ramirez, Chicago Cubs - Aramis had 119 rbis last season for a roster which did not include Derek Lee and Alfonso Soriano in it. Only concern with Ramirez would be the fact that last year was a contract year.
5. Garrett Atkins, Colorado Rockies - Talk about a guy who flies under the radar. Atkins hit almost .330 with 29 homers and about 120 runs and rbis and yet no one ever mentions his name? Amazing.
6. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals - I am a big fan of Zimmerman, he put up very good numbers during his rookie season and showed a knack for getting the big time clutch hit. Really the only negative with Zimmerman is his environment, aka the fact he plays for the Nationals in that cavernous ballpark.
7. Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves - If Chipper could just stay healthy his numbers would be absolutely terrific. Last year he played in 110 games hit .324 had 26 homers, 86 runs and 87 rbis. Thats phenomenal for 110 games. Extrapolate that out to 150 games and thats 35 dingers 118 rbis and 117 runs. That puts him close to Arod. But the injury bug is there.
8. Chone Figgins, LAA Angels - Not a fan of the drop in average to .257 last season. But Figgins once again provides you a big time steals guy who will get you 50+ in that category and help you focus on the rest of the stats in the remainder of your draft.
9. Troy Glaus, Toronto Blue Jays - Big time power numbers if he continues to stay healthy. He's a consistant .250 hitter though.
10. Joe Crede, Chicago White Sox - Had a terrific year in a terrific lineup but I think he may go ahead of when I would think about taking him.
11. Chad Tracy, Arizona Diamondbacks - I think Chad Tracy goes off this year and improves a lot from his .281 and 20 HRs numbers.
12. Scott Rolen, St. Louis Cardinals - Before I make up my mind on Rolen I want to know how he performs during spring training with his shoulder problems. Rolen had good but not great numbers in his 142 games last season, so the question is whether or not he will be healthy enough to replicate them.
13. Morgan Ensberg, Houston Astros - I have Ensberg higher than just about everyone on the planet in the 3rd base rankings. Why, he seems to perform best on odd calendar years. He battled through injuries last year and was an average killer but the previous 3 seasons he was a low .280s hitter. I expect a bounce back season from Morgie.
14. Eric Chavez, Oakland Athletics - For some reason I have a feeling he returns to 30 homers this season, but I still don't see the average being good.
15. Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh Pirates - The average is beautiful but the home runs, runs, rbis, and steals aren't. The best part about Sanchez is he's 2nd base eligible. Therefore, you most likely won't be drafting him for 3b.
16. Adrian Beltre, Seattle Mariners - For all the bashing of Beltre he's not that bad. Sure his average stinks, .268, but he did have 25 HRs and double digit steals.
17. Melvin Mora, Baltimore Orioles - Mora's numbers aren't quite the same as they used to be but atleast he put up double digit steals and homers.
18. Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles - Had some fantastic numbers for the DRays in 03 and 04 but has slid back in both 05 and 06, so which Huff are you getting, I'd say closer to 05, a .280 hitter mid 20 homers.
19. Edwin Encarnacion, Cincinnatti Reds - .276 and 15 dingers in his rookie season. Hits in a good lineup in one of the best parks in baseball, there's a good possibility of improvement.
20. Mark Teahen, Kansas City Royals - Had very good numbers (.290 18 Hrs 11 Steals) last year for the meager Royals so why is he rated so low, look at #21. If he has an every day role move him up the board.
21. Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals - The number 1 prospect in baseball, what are the Royals going to do with him and Teahan who was very productive last season. Right now it's too early to thrust Gordon up the rankings. If he solidifies his spot on the roster move him up. Especially in a keeper league.
22. Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox - Pre All Star break .307 post-break .257. Which do you believe? I lean towards the second half.
23. Hank Blalock, Texas Rangers - How the mighty have fallen. Hank keeps on getting worse every season, steroids perhaps? 16 homers last season? Piss Poor.
24. Akinori Iwamura, Tampa Bay Devil Rays - Tough to rate a guy or talk about him if you have never seen him play and have no idea whether or not he's going to be the starting 3B on opening day.
25. B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Devil Rays - With Upton you are getting steals but a big time unknown with total playing time. Where is Upton going to get starts? Starts directly coincide with steals, runs and rbis. In addition last season Upton had his worst batting average in the minors. He's a spring training watch.
26. Brandon Inge, Detroit Tigers - Power was Inge's good stat in 2006, think that lasts? I don't.
1. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees - He's still #1 in all of our hearts. [Vomit]2. David Wright, New York Mets - Two stats when looking at David Wright's overall numbers surprise me. 1) He only hit 26 homers. 2) He had 20 steals. 20 steals is pretty good from the 3B slot, and from someone that puts up Wrights overall numbers. And as for 26 homers, he should improve that to 30+ this season.
3. Miguel Cabrera, Florida Marlins - Miguel is a stud, he is Manny Ramirez the younger version. He had a slight downtick in homeruns last year but an upturn in average. I'd expect the average to fall back somewhere in the high .320s but the homers to move back to the mid 30s.
4. Aramis Ramirez, Chicago Cubs - Aramis had 119 rbis last season for a roster which did not include Derek Lee and Alfonso Soriano in it. Only concern with Ramirez would be the fact that last year was a contract year.
5. Garrett Atkins, Colorado Rockies - Talk about a guy who flies under the radar. Atkins hit almost .330 with 29 homers and about 120 runs and rbis and yet no one ever mentions his name? Amazing.
6. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals - I am a big fan of Zimmerman, he put up very good numbers during his rookie season and showed a knack for getting the big time clutch hit. Really the only negative with Zimmerman is his environment, aka the fact he plays for the Nationals in that cavernous ballpark.
7. Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves - If Chipper could just stay healthy his numbers would be absolutely terrific. Last year he played in 110 games hit .324 had 26 homers, 86 runs and 87 rbis. Thats phenomenal for 110 games. Extrapolate that out to 150 games and thats 35 dingers 118 rbis and 117 runs. That puts him close to Arod. But the injury bug is there.
8. Chone Figgins, LAA Angels - Not a fan of the drop in average to .257 last season. But Figgins once again provides you a big time steals guy who will get you 50+ in that category and help you focus on the rest of the stats in the remainder of your draft.
9. Troy Glaus, Toronto Blue Jays - Big time power numbers if he continues to stay healthy. He's a consistant .250 hitter though.
10. Joe Crede, Chicago White Sox - Had a terrific year in a terrific lineup but I think he may go ahead of when I would think about taking him.
11. Chad Tracy, Arizona Diamondbacks - I think Chad Tracy goes off this year and improves a lot from his .281 and 20 HRs numbers.
12. Scott Rolen, St. Louis Cardinals - Before I make up my mind on Rolen I want to know how he performs during spring training with his shoulder problems. Rolen had good but not great numbers in his 142 games last season, so the question is whether or not he will be healthy enough to replicate them.
13. Morgan Ensberg, Houston Astros - I have Ensberg higher than just about everyone on the planet in the 3rd base rankings. Why, he seems to perform best on odd calendar years. He battled through injuries last year and was an average killer but the previous 3 seasons he was a low .280s hitter. I expect a bounce back season from Morgie.
14. Eric Chavez, Oakland Athletics - For some reason I have a feeling he returns to 30 homers this season, but I still don't see the average being good.
15. Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh Pirates - The average is beautiful but the home runs, runs, rbis, and steals aren't. The best part about Sanchez is he's 2nd base eligible. Therefore, you most likely won't be drafting him for 3b.
16. Adrian Beltre, Seattle Mariners - For all the bashing of Beltre he's not that bad. Sure his average stinks, .268, but he did have 25 HRs and double digit steals.
17. Melvin Mora, Baltimore Orioles - Mora's numbers aren't quite the same as they used to be but atleast he put up double digit steals and homers.
18. Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles - Had some fantastic numbers for the DRays in 03 and 04 but has slid back in both 05 and 06, so which Huff are you getting, I'd say closer to 05, a .280 hitter mid 20 homers.
19. Edwin Encarnacion, Cincinnatti Reds - .276 and 15 dingers in his rookie season. Hits in a good lineup in one of the best parks in baseball, there's a good possibility of improvement.
20. Mark Teahen, Kansas City Royals - Had very good numbers (.290 18 Hrs 11 Steals) last year for the meager Royals so why is he rated so low, look at #21. If he has an every day role move him up the board.
21. Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals - The number 1 prospect in baseball, what are the Royals going to do with him and Teahan who was very productive last season. Right now it's too early to thrust Gordon up the rankings. If he solidifies his spot on the roster move him up. Especially in a keeper league.
22. Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox - Pre All Star break .307 post-break .257. Which do you believe? I lean towards the second half.
23. Hank Blalock, Texas Rangers - How the mighty have fallen. Hank keeps on getting worse every season, steroids perhaps? 16 homers last season? Piss Poor.
24. Akinori Iwamura, Tampa Bay Devil Rays - Tough to rate a guy or talk about him if you have never seen him play and have no idea whether or not he's going to be the starting 3B on opening day.
25. B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Devil Rays - With Upton you are getting steals but a big time unknown with total playing time. Where is Upton going to get starts? Starts directly coincide with steals, runs and rbis. In addition last season Upton had his worst batting average in the minors. He's a spring training watch.
26. Brandon Inge, Detroit Tigers - Power was Inge's good stat in 2006, think that lasts? I don't.
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