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Fantasy Baseball Draft GuideShortstops - AL
By Bryce McRae Disclaimer: Not all players are eligible to play the position or weren't primarily playing at the position last season. They have been inserted into this position because our editors felt this is where they would most likely play. 1) Derek Jeter | New York Yankees | Other Positions: None
PROS: The captain and face of the Yankees organization for what seems like forever, Jeter was again at his best last season, winning the Silver Slugger award as the top offensive player at the position. Jeter, who finished second in AL MVP voting, finished the season hitting .343 with 14 home runs, 97 RBI, 118 runs and 34 stolen bases. A three-time Gold Glove Award winner at the position, as long as he is healthy, he will be starting at shortstop for the Yankees. He also hits in one of the best lineups in the league. CONS: There isn't much not to like with Jeter. He hits for average, scores lots of runs and rarely gets a day off. One criticism has been his defensive play. Despite winning a Gold Glove last year, it has not been as good as in recent years. His power numbers have also declined the past two years, going from 23 home runs in 2004 to 19 in 2005 and just 14 last year. With the amount of games he has played in his career, age could finally start to catch up to him this season when he will turn 33. He also suffered a thumb injury last year, which knocked him out for just under a week. BOTTOM LINE: Jeter has high name recognition, which could lead to someone taking him early on in the draft. He may be worth it and is being drafted around the middle of the second in most drafts. 2) Miguel Tejada | Baltimore Orioles | Other Positions: None
PROS: The 2002 American League Most Valuable Player continues to be the focal point of the Orioles offense. Since arriving from the Oakland Athletics three seasons ago, Tejada has posted three of his four best seasons statistically. He also has the seventh-longest consecutive-games played streak in league history having played in 1,080 games straight. He hits for average, power and will drive in runs. Since coming to the Orioles, he has amassed 616 hits, 84 home runs, 348 RBI and 295 runs. Those numbers work out to averages of 205 hits, 28 home runs, 116 RBI and 98 runs scored per season. CONS: With the Orioles perennially in the bottom two in the American League East, there always seems to be speculation surrounding Tejada's future with the team. There is also not a lot of protection in the Orioles lineup with catcher Ramon Hernandez (.275, 23 home runs, 91 RBI) as the next best offensive threat. He also doesn't steal a lot of bases, averaging roughly seven per season in his eight full seasons, at a position where you might expect a bit more. His homers and RBI have declined from his 34-homer, 150-RBI season in 2004 to 26 and 98 in 2005 and 24 and 100 in 2006. BOTTOM LINE: Tejada should rival Jeter for the top shortstop spot in most drafts. The only area he really falls behind Jeter is the lineup surrounding him. He is being drafted at the start of the third round in most drafts. 3) Michael Young | Texas Rangers | Other Positions: None
PROS: A perennial candidate to lead the league in average, Young also improved defensively last year, bringing his error totals down from 18 to 14. Young should be in the prime of his career at 30 and has failed to miss much time due to injuries (averaging 160 games per season over the past four seasons). With 2006 totals of 103 RBI, 14 home runs, 93 runs and 217 hits, to go along with a .314 batting average, Young is a candidate to contribute in every category but stolen bases. He bats near the top of a good lineup in a reputable hitters' park. CONS: Young's power numbers tailed off last season, dropping from 22 home runs in 2005 to 14 last year. His runs scored also fell 21 runs down to 93. With low stolen base totals, he needs to stop the slight decline in his numbers in order to stay relevant fantasy-wise. The Rangers' lineup could be on the decline, with several pieces coming off down years. BOTTOM LINE: Young is a solid candidate to start on your fantasy team and should go around the mid-fourth round of most drafts. 4) Carlos Guillen | Detroit Tigers | Other Positions: None
PROS: Guillen is a key cog in the Tigers offense. He bats in the middle of the Tigers' lineup and can bring runners home. Guillen did just that last season, hitting .320 with 19 home runs, 85 RBI, 100 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. In what was a common theme on the club last year, those numbers were his best since joining the Tigers, which he did for the 2004 season. Guillen also is entering his contract year, which could be cause for an increased effort. At 31, this could be Guillen's last chance for a major contract and could result in an increase in his play. CONS: Guillen suffered a hamstring injury near the end of last season, which hurt his ability to produce on the base paths. He also struggled defensively, committing 28 errors last season. While he is still penciled in, he will have to cut down on that if he wants the team to pay him like an elite shortstop. Guillen played in 153 games last year, which is the most he has played in any one season. Needless to say, he's a bit injury-prone. BOTTOM LINE: Guillen might not be able to improve on last year's numbers, but he is still the Tigers' best option at the position and does not have any threats to his starting job. He is going as a late fifth-round pick. 5) Julio Lugo | Boston Red Sox | Other Positions: 2B/3B
PROS: Lugo was signed to a four-year, $36 million contract this offseason and should slot in at the leadoff spot. With designated hitter David Ortiz along with outfielders Manny Ramirez and J.D. Drew hitting behind him, the only thing asked of Lugo will be to get on base. Lugo also has experience playing against the American League East, having spent three seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His best season for power came in 2003, when he hit .275 with 15 home runs, 53 RBI and 58 runs in 117 games. In 2004 he drove in 75, and he hit .295 in 2005. Lugo also has the speed to be a threat on the bases as he stole 24 bases last season and 39 the year before. CONS: Lugo really only brings you great numbers in runs scored and steals. His defense, while not poor, is not that great either. He has also never played in an environment as intense as it will be in Boston. Last year he hit just .219 in his stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If he continues that this season the Boston faithful will likely be on him in no time. Lugo's biggest drawback is that his solid value doesn't come from him being a great player, but rather from the team around him. BOTTOM LINE: Lugo, with the exception of perhaps Jeter, has the best lineup around him, which boosts his fantasy value significantly. He also plays in a hitter-friendly park, which should increase his value. Expect him to go around the seventh round. 6) Orlando Cabrera | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Other Positions: None
PROS: The defensive captain for the Angels, Cabrera bounced back from a sub-par year in 2005 to post a batting average (.282) 13 points higher than his career average (.269) and tie a career-high in runs. Even at 32, he is still a threat on the base paths, getting caught stealing only three times in 30 attempts. In July last season he even stole home. He could increase his production this year as the Angels were among the worst in offenses last year, so there's room for improvement. With the potential they have, Cabrera could exceed his RBI (72) and runs totals from a year ago. With his solid defensive play, there is no question that he will be on the field in almost any situation. CONS: Cabrera's power numbers had declined the two previous seasons before increasing minimally last year. In 2003 he hit 17 home runs, but he has followed that up with totals of 10, eight and nine in the following years. He is getting up there in years and a decline in speed should be expected soon, which would affect his stolen base totals. The Angels still plan to field a lineup with a number of question marks. BOTTOM LINE: Cabrera is a solid, but not spectacular, shortstop. If you do draft him (likely at the end of the 10th round), make sure you have someone else in your lineup to supply you with home runs. 7) Jhonny Peralta | Cleveland Indians | Other Positions: None
PROS: You'll have to go back to 2005 to see any positives in Peralta's game as his 2006 season was a disappointment. In 2005, Peralta hit .292 with 24 home runs and 78 RBI and cemented himself as the team's No. 3 hitter. If he can get back to that form, he should play a huge role in the club's offense. He would likely be hitting in front of designated hitter Travis Hafner, who was having a monster season before bowing out to a hand injury. Peralta, who has played 375 career games, is also only 24 years old and should just be on the outskirts of entering his prime. CONS: Peralta's struggles at the plate last year made it harder for the team to ignore his defensive deficiencies. He hit only .257 with 13 home runs and 68 RBI in 569 at-bats. His 16 errors were actually less than he had in 2005; however, he consistently failed to get to balls and was a liability on the defensive side. His poor play precipitated a drop to the bottom of the lineup and he'll have to turn it around this year if he wants to remain the club's shortstop, both now and in the future. He also does not have much speed and has only stolen one base in his career (way back in 2003). BOTTOM LINE: Peralta represents a great risk-versus-reward pick. Because he is young, he could rebound from his poor year last year or he could keep playing poorly and wind up on the bench. He is likely about an 18th round draft pick. 8) Jason Bartlett | Minnesota Twins | Other Positions: None
PROS: After an early season demotion, Bartlett was called up in June and started 99 straight games for the Twins. In that time he hit .309 with two home runs, 32 RBI, 44 runs and 10 stolen bases. He also hits in a lineup with two of the top AL hitters, first baseman Justin Morneau and catcher Joe Mauer. Bartlett can swipe some bags, with 10 last year and 103 in 512 games in the minors during his career. CONS: Bartlett has little to no power with only five career home runs in 181 games. He also has only 49 career RBI in that time so if you draft him you will have a lot to make up in those areas. Prior to last season, Bartlett was expected to start at shortstop out of spring training but failed to make the impact the club wanted, largely due to his lack of leadership and his poor concentration on defense. BOTTOM LINE: Last season was about on par with what you will likely get from Bartlett. Because he has little name recognition, he might not go in many mixed drafts but should go in the 24th round or later if he does. 9) Yuniesky Betancourt | Seattle Mariners | Other Positions: None
PROS: Betancourt completed his first full season in the majors last year, hitting .289 with 47 RBI, eight home runs and 68 runs. He was also among the best defensively at the position, not committing an error through his first 31 games. With another year under his belt, he should continue the improvement on last year's totals. At 25 he has some promise and could continue to get better. CONS: One hazard with Betancourt is that he has only played 217 total games at the major league level and last season was his first playing a full season (157 games). He doesn't hit for great power (eight home runs) and was caught stealing almost as many times (eight) as he successfully stole a base (11). Prior to last season, Betancourt was also known as someone who struggled at the plate (.256 batting average in 211 at-bats in 2005) and that could easily resurface. BOTTOM LINE: The Mariners hope Betancourt continues his upward progress, especially in regards to his average. He could regress some but expect him to play most of the season as the Mariners' starting shortstop. He should be drafted in the final stages of most mixed drafts, if at all. 10) Ben Zobrist | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | Other Positions: None
PROS: The Devil Rays will enter 2007 committed to giving Zobrist the starting job. Zobrist is a disciplined hitter, with a career .324 average in the minors, and has been consistent in the field. With the amount of firepower in the Devil Rays lineup (outfielders Delmon Young, Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli) and their potential, Zobrist should be in a good position to score runs, even hitting at the bottom of the lineup. CONS: Zobrist is an unknown at this level and has not been productive in his 52 career games. In those games, he has hit just .224 with two home runs, 18 RBI and 10 runs. Power is certainly not his game. He will have to improve on that if he wants to stay at this level. He also is not assured of the starting job and could head back to Triple-A if he struggles. BOTTOM LINE: Zobrist could be hit-or-miss as he has the potential to be a solid hitter at this level but has not shown that yet. He should go undrafted in most leagues. 11) Bobby Crosby | Oakland Athletics | Other Positions: None
PROS: He was the 2004 AL Rookie of the Year. When he is on, Crosby has the ability to carry the lineup as he showed in 2004 (his best season). During that year, he hit only .239 but had 22 home runs, 64 RBI and 70 runs. He is still young, at 27 years old, and should be entering the prime of his career. He is solid defensively, which helps his cause, especially as he is not a consistent hitter. CONS: Where to begin? He has failed to build on that rookie season and some in the organization feel he regressed last year. Crosby has suffered through myriad injuries in his last two seasons, which has seen him play a total of 180 games. He might not even be healthy for the start of this season after it was made known he suffered a spinal fracture at the end of last season. There is little point having him on your roster if he is not going to play. Crosby is also a wildly inconsistent hitter, although the team seems to be patient with him and let him work through slumps. That could change this year as shortstop Marco Scutaro has hit well in winter league play and push Crosby for the starting job. He will at least have an early advantage as Crosby likely won't be ready to start the season. BOTTOM LINE: People are enamored with Crosby's potential, which could lead someone to reach for him in the draft. Don't look at him until at least the 20th round of most drafts. 12) Juan Uribe | Chicago White Sox | Other Positions: None
PROS: Aside from Tejada, Uribe probably has the most power in the AL at this position. Last season he hit 21 home runs with 71 RBI in 132 games. His career-high in home runs and RBI came in 2004, his first with the White Sox, when he had 23 home runs, 74 RBI and 82 runs. He also benefits from hitting in a lineup provided with first baseman Paul Konerko and designated hitter Jim Thome, in a park known for home runs. CONS: Despite the belief the matter will be cleared up prior to spring training, Uribe is currently being charged in a shooting case in the Dominican Republic. He has stated he is innocent and the club is backing him, but it could cause him to miss at least a part of spring training. Uribe is also just a career .258 hitter and had only one stolen base last year so you will have to look elsewhere for those stats. He is also not a favorite of manager Ozzie Guillen, who criticized him last year. BOTTOM LINE: If he returns in time Uribe could be decent value, especially if he can rebound from his struggles last season. He typically goes undrafted in most mixed drafts. 13) Hector Luna | Cleveland Indians | Other Positions: 2B/OF
PROS: Luna could be the primary backup for shortstop Jhonny Peralta and if Peralta's struggles continue, he could see more playing time. Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland last year, Luna hit a respectable .286 with six home runs, 38 RBI and 41 runs in 113 games. CONS: Luna doesn't have the backup infielder job locked down yet. If he wins it and Peralta bounces back, his value will be minimal. BOTTOM LINE: Luna should go undrafted in AL-only leagues. 14) Royce Clayton | Toronto Blue Jays | Other Positions: None
PROS: Clayton was brought in to compete with John McDonald for the starting shortstop job. He is expected to get most of the playing time and will benefit from playing a hitter-friendly park. The lineup surrounding him should also provide him with plenty of opportunities for stats. He has stolen 37 bases in the past three years. CONS: He hit only .258 with two home runs and 40 RBI in 137 games last season and is not an offensive force. He could also be substituted late in games for the more defensive-oriented McDonald, and he isn't expected to play every day. At 37 years of age, he is nearing the end of his career. BOTTOM LINE: Don't expect much from Clayton aside from what he has done in the past. He should go undrafted in most leagues. 15) Marco Scutaro | Oakland Athletics | Other Positions: 2B/3B
PROS: Scutaro is the primary backup for shortstop Bobby Crosby and given Crosby's injury history, he could see ample playing time, especially with experience at multiple positions. Scutaro has also hit well in the Venezuelan winter league, leading the league in batting average (.368) and on-base percentage (.464). CONS: Scutaro is not a power threat, nor is he a threat on the bases. His career-high for home runs came in 2005, when he had nine home runs. He is also only a career .258 hitter. BOTTOM LINE: Scutaro should go undrafted in all leagues. If Crosby misses the beginning of the season or goes down later in the year, Scutaro could have value in AL-only leagues. 16) Angel Berroa | Kansas City Royals | Other Positions: None
PROS: Berroa had an outstanding rookie season with the Royals, hitting .287 with 73 RBI, 17 home runs, 92 runs scored and 21 stolen bases. He has worked hard all offseason with former major leaguer David Segui to improve for this season. If he can reach the numbers from 2003, then he could be a steal in the later rounds. CONS: Berroa will begin the season in the minors. Since winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award and signing a new contract, Berroa has steadily declined in each year. He appeared to hit rock-bottom last year when he hit just .234 with nine home runs, 54 RBI and 45 runs. He also struggled defensively and committed a team-high 18 errors, which doesn't help his cause, and this is likely his last chance. BOTTOM LINE: Royals fans have heard Berroa's promise that this year will be better than the rest. Perhaps the only thing saving him has been the rest of the club's poor play around him. Expect him to go undrafted in most mixed leagues. 17) Alex Cintron | Chicago White Sox | Other Positions: 2B/3B
PROS: White Sox starting shortstop Juan Uribe struggled at times last year and wound up in manager Ozzie Guillen's doghouse. If that happens again, the club may want to give Cintron more chances and see if he can be their shortstop of the future. There are also Uribe's impending legal troubles, which could run into the season and give Cintron the starting job. CONS: Cintron will likely be the backup for Uribe, which means his playing time will be limited. When he has completed a full season in the past (in 2004 with the Diamondbacks), he has not hit for great power (only four home runs) and he is not a great threat on the basepaths (56 runs and only three steals). Last year, he was on pace for just 9 home runs and 16 steals. BOTTOM LINE: Cintron should go undrafted in all leagues. He could be a decent pickup in AL-only leagues if he came into regular playing time. 18) Tony Pena Jr. | Kansas City Royals | Other Positions: None
PROS: Pena is a slick-fielding 26-year-old shortstop. He hit .282 with 12 steals at Triple-A last season. With Berroa being sent to the minors, Pena will start the season as the starting shortstop. CONS: Pena adds little-to-nothing offensively. He hit just two homers with 26 RBI between the majors and minors last season. BOTTOM LINE: Pena doesn't translate well into fantasy baseball unless he steals a bunch of bases. He shouldn't be drafted. 19) Joaquin Arias | Texas Rangers | Other Positions: 3B/OF
PROS: Arias is considered the club's future at shortstop. In only six career games with the club, he has a .545 average with four runs and one RBI. CONS: The player in front of him, shortstop Michael Young, played in all 162 games last season. Prior to that he played in 160, 160 and 159 games from 2003-2005, so, barring injury, Arias likely won't see the field too often in 2007. The team is considering moving him to the outfield as well, and he will be given a shot in spring training at that position. BOTTOM LINE: In deep full-retention dynasty league Arias might have some value, but because of his lack of playing time he should go undrafted in all leagues. 20) John McDonald | Toronto Blue Jays | Other Positions: 2B
PROS: McDonald set career-highs in home runs, RBI and games played last season. Shortstop Royce Clayton is aging, and if he doesn't contribute enough offensively, the club could turn to McDonald for his defense. CONS: McDonald is a defensive substitution for the Blue Jays, so he probably won't be in the lineup that often. Setting career-highs doesn't mean much for McDonald as he had only three home runs and 23 RBI last year. His average also dropped to .223, below his career mark of .236. BOTTOM LINE: There is little chance McDonald will be drafted in your league, nor should he be. 21) Neifi Perez | Detroit Tigers | Other Positions: 2B/3B
PROS: Unlike most players ranked this low on the list, Perez has a lot of experience at the major league level (1,370 games) and he has performed well in that time. He played well in 2005 for the Cubs, hitting .274 with nine home runs, 54 RBI, 59 runs and eight steals. CONS: Putting aside the fact the he struggled with the Tigers last year, hitting .200 with five RBI in 21 games, Perez is not even guaranteed a spot on the roster this spring. BOTTOM LINE: Perez represents a no-reward pick and should undrafted in leagues. 22) Andres Blanco | Kansas City Royals | Other Positions: None
PROS: If starting shortstop Angel Berroa continues on his current career arc and Tony Pena Jr. doesn't pan out, Blanco could find himself in the starting role. There is the potential if he's given a more regular role. CONS: Blanco has only played in 78 career games, hitting .252 with zero home runs, 19 RBI, 24 runs and one stolen base. He is both inexperienced and has not shown he can be a fantasy contributor at this level. BOTTOM LINE: Blanco should go undrafted in all leagues and will likely stay on the free-agent list most of the season. More Articles You Will Like
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