Han-Ram a second-rounder. Say what?

It's insane how much difference a single year can make. Ask Hanley Ramirez. Heading into 2011 fantasy baseball drafts, Han-Ram was a consensus top-three selection after hitting better than .300 in every year since 2007. It didn't hurt that his position - shortstop - was extremely shallow. The dropoff in talent there was well worth the risk of taking him in the top five picks, given his history of elite offensive production.

Hanley's 2011 didn't go so well - as we all know - and that's an understatement. He hit just .243 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs in 338 at-bats. As a top-three pick, he single-handedly ruined the seasons of those managers that confidently drafted him.

Ramirez's collapse last year left many cursing him, including the fans in Miami. As a result, many fantasy players are making him pay for it this year; his early average draft position is nearing the end of the second round. The earliest he's being selected is the end of the first round.

It's not a surprise given his monumental failure to deliver in 2011, but this is a huge drop for a guy that could easily bounce back and finish in the top five of 2012 roto performers.

So what went wrong last year? You name it, it went wrong. The 28-year-old landed on the DL twice, once with a back ailment and the second time from a shoulder injury that required surgery. As a result, he played in just 92 games and never became comfortable at the dish.

Hanley didn't handle failure - tasting it for the first time in his big league career - very well. He admitted to pressing the majority of the time, too. A poor attitude and lack of hustle was well documented last season and led to run-ins with managers Edwin Rodriguez and Jack McKeon. Just another factor that has led many owners to sour on his future prospects.

A career-low .275 BABIP didn't help matters. His ground-ball rate was once again north of 50 percent (50.9) for the second straight season, suggesting that his power stroke could be fading slightly. In his defense, nagging injuries all year long could have played a huge part in this.

That leaves us staring Han-Ram down in 2012. The offseason in Miami was a whirlwind. Heck, it's almost like a hurricane came through town and shook everything up. There is a ton to digest. New unis, a new manager (Ozzie Guillen), a new closer (Heath Bell) a new ball park and the biggest one: Jose Reyes.

The Reyes acquisition led to the biggest offseason soap opera in South Beach concerning yours truly, Hanley Ramirez. Public relations attempts to salvage the situation have been prevalent, but it's very clear that Ramirez is unhappy about the organization moving him to third base to accommodate Reyes.

Get over it already! He will, and recent reports suggest he's beginning to jump on board with the plan - with help from Guillen, of course. Ramirez's sensitivity leaves him prone to squabbles and pouting, though, so it's always a concern.

Reyes will make everyone better

Having Guillen there should help, but the poor guy now also has Carlos Zambrano to babysit. Aside from all the drama, which I think won't be as big an issue as the media is making it out to be, you can't help but think that Ramirez is in a position to bounce back in a huge way.

That lineup will be downright scary; Reyes, Emilio Bonifacio, Han-Ram, Mike Stanton, Gaby Sanchez, Logan Morrison… They can bang with the best of them, and the team speed is through the roof. Loads of runs scored and RBIs await.

Ramirez's BABIP should level out, and as long as he can stay healthier than he was last year, his BA and power numbers should return to normal levels. Twenty-plus jacks and 100 RBIs should be easily attainable in this lineup, and he should be a virtual lock for another 20-plus stolen base campaign.

Oh yeah, he'll have both 3B and SS eligibility, too. Yes, please. His attitude problems in the past have been disappointing, but I'm not letting that keep me from drafting this high-end talent at his now-reduced price. I'm confident that Guillen will be able to push the right buttons here, and Ramirez will have plenty of motivation to play out of his mind.

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Keith, an editor with KFFL, joined the team as a Hot off the Wire analyst in 2008 and has been playing fantasy sports since 2005. He is involved in MLB, NFL and NASCAR content. He graduated from the University of California-San Diego in 2005 with a B.A. in Communications and was a four-year starter as a member of the baseball program.

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