Shockingly, Pujols is the top 1B for 2011.

While we still have over a month until voluntary report dates (Feb. 14th can’t get here quickly enough), it is never too early for fantasy owners to start digesting mock drafts, big boards and keeper options.

With that, Athlon Sports has perused the World Wide Web for the latest and greatest positional rankings and brought them together for a one-stop shop. Big media names like ESPN, CBS, Athlon Sports and Yahoo! were incorporated as well as a variety of smaller, yet no less insightful, sites like FantasyPhenoms.com, DeepLeagues.com, RotoChamp.com, HardballTimes.com and RotoProfessor.com.

Each site’s rankings — including Athlon’s own rankings, which will be released early in February — were compiled and averaged into one “consensus” ranking. (Age on Opening Day 2011)

1. Albert Pujols, STL (31)
If you get the first pick in the draft, do not overanalyze it. Nothing in fantasy sports is an easier and safer choice than King Albert. He had the worst batting average (.312) of his ten-year career in 2010 and still led the National League in runs scored, home runs and RBIs. Pujols simply never has a bad year. If you took his worst numbers in each category for a season (.312/.955 with 32 HRs, 103 RBIs, 99 runs scored), he’d still be an All-Star. If you took his three-year average from 2008-10 (.331/1.074 with 42 HRs, 123 RBIs, 113 runs scored), you’d have the best player in the game.

2010 stats: 115 R, 42 HR, 118 RBI, 14 SB, .312/1.011

2. Miguel Cabrera, DET (27)
The Tigers’ big slugger is the closest thing we have to Pujols when it comes to top-flight production and consistency. If Detroit had been in postseason contention last year, Miggy may have taken the MVP after leading the American League in RBIs and on-base percentage. Cabrera hit .292 in his first year (2008) for the Tigers but has hit .324 and .328 in the two following seasons. His three-year average in Detroit (36 HRs, 119 RBIs, 97 runs scored, 38 doubles, .954 OPS) is as good as it gets in the AL. He is another easy draft choice; just sit back and watch the numbers pile up.

2010 stats: 111 R, 38 HR, 126 RBI, 3 SB, .328/1.042

3. Joey Votto, CIN (27)
In 2008, he showed signs of being a solid hitter while finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting. A .322 average with 64 extra-base hits in 2009 suggested Votto was going to move to the top of second tier of National League first basemen, right behind Pujols, Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder and Adrian Gonzalez. In 2010, he clearly jumped into the first tier with an MVP season in which he led the NL in both on-base and slugging percentage. Votto is entering his prime, and all signs point to another stellar year for this crushing Canadian.

2010 stats: 106 R, 37 HR, 113 RBI, 16 SB, .324/1.024

4. Adrian Gonzalez, BOS (28)
It can be risky in fantasy analysis to get too preoccupied with ballpark factors, but it’s difficult to see Gonzalez’s move from PETCO to Fenway as anything but incredibly positive. His 2007-10 average (34 doubles, 34 HRs, 105 RBIs) in the pitching-friendly San Diego can only increase in Beantown. Additionally, the stacked Red Sox lineup will give him many more opportunities for runs scored and batted in. Like David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and Adrian Beltre in the recent past, look for A-Gon to put up huge numbers in the land of the Green Monster.

2010 stats: 87 R, 31 HR, 101 RBI, 0 SB, .298/.904

5. Mark Teixeira, NYY (30)
Was his 2010 decline in batting average (.292 in ’09) a sign of something bigger or just a function of battling a deep bone bruise in his right thumb? We tend to think the latter, as Big Tex had trouble gripping the bat late in the season and hit only .220 with three homers after September 1. An “ailing” Teixeira still led the American League in runs scored, and he still hit the 30 HR/100 RBI plateau. Even with his annual slow start, look for the Bronx Bomber to return to his usual high production levels.

2010 stats: 113 R, 33 HR, 108 RBI, 0 SB, .256/.846

6. Prince Fielder, MIL (26)
His production fell off big time in 2010 after an incredible 2009 campaign (141 RBIs). Fielder had monster seasons in 2007 and ’09 (averaged 48 HR, 130 RBI, 1.013 OPS), but those were followed by significant dropoffs in 2008 and ’10 (averaged 33 HR, 92.5 RBI, .875 OPS). Will he continue the pattern of having a Top 10 fantasy season every other year? Fielder is playing for a mammoth free agent contract and has shown good plate discipline (114 walks in ’10), but the .471 slugging percentage and 57 extra-base hits must raise red flags when drafting in the first or second round.

2010 stats: 94 R, 32 HR, 83 RBI, 1 SB, .261/.871

7. Kevin Youkilis, BOS (32)
Obviously he is ideal at third base, but his numbers are good enough to play at first if your league allows. The injury bug struck many of the top first basemen last year, and Youkilis was no exception. He put up his usual solid numbers in 102 games before season-ending thumb surgery in August. After three seasons of playing 145+ games from 2006-08, the Greek God of Walks has played 136 and 102 the last two seasons. While a thumb injury is a concern, Youk should be healthy this season and in the middle of a loaded lineup. You won’t get a 35-45 homer season, but the numbers across the board will be more than solid.

2010 stats: 77 R, 19 HR, 62 RBI, 4 SB, .307/.975

8. Ryan Howard, PHI (31)
This is as low in the rankings as Philly’s big bopper has been in a few years. From 2006-09, his average season (102 runs, 49.5 HRs, 143 RBIs, .967 OPS) was stellar. However, the numbers were down in 2010 as Howard turned 30. He was leading the NL in RBIs when an August ankle injury sidelined him for three weeks. Howard hit .231 with eight HRs and 27 RBIs in the 39 games after he returned, but then had a postseason full of strikeouts and no RBIs. He’s still a great source of power stats, but his OPS decline and the aging Phils’ batters are definitely eye openers.

2010 stats: 87 R, 31 HR, 108 RBI, 1 SB, .276/.859

9. Kendry Morales, LAA (27)
The Angels’ slugger had a breakout season in 2009 (.308/.924 with 34 homers and 108 RBIs). He was on that type of pace through 51 games last season before breaking his left ankle while celebrating a game-winning grand slam against the Mariners on May 29. With Morales out for the year, the Angels struggled on offense and did not have a .300 hitter on the club. He looks to be an up-and-coming hitter in his prime, but you have to worry a little about the lack of pop in the Angels’ lineup. With L.A. whiffing in free agency, opposing pitchers may work around Morales this season.

2010 stats: 29 R, 11 HR, 39 RBI, 0 SB, .290/.833

10. Justin Morneau, MIN (29)
His season was ended on July 7 by a concussion, but he had career-highs in on-base and slugging percentage at the time of the injury. Target Field is a tough park for home runs, and Morneau hit 14 of his 18 long balls on the road. The Twins were second in the majors in on-base percentage, so the former MVP will hit in the middle of a loaded lineup. While the lingering effects of a head injury is always a concern, Morneau should be healthy and a solid value if you miss out on the top six to eight guys.

2010 stats: 53 R, 18 HR, 56 RBI, 0 SB, .345/1.055

Ike Davis had a great rookie year for the Mets.

11. Adam, Dunn, CWS (31)
If you can deal with a lower average and Ks, he’s a consistent producer. Headed to a great home run ballpark.

2010 stats: 85 R, 38 HR, 103 RBI, 0 SB, .260/.892

12. Paul Konerko, CWS (35)
Was a fantasy boon last year as the veteran slugger revisited his career-bests from 2004-06.

2010 stats: 89 R, 39 HR, 111 RBI, 0 SB, .312/.977

13. Billy Butler, KC (24)
Great for your team’s average, but last year’s power drop (21 HRs/ 93 RBIs in ’09) is worrisome.

2010 stats: 77 R, 15 HR, 78 RBI, 0 SB, .318/.857

14. Aubrey Huff, SF (34)
Had a solid 2010 effort, where his road splits (.315/.948) were greatly superior to his home numbers (.264/.832).

2010 stats: 100 R, 26 HR, 86 RBI, 7 SB, .290/.891

15. Carlos Pena, CHC (32)
Hard to see him getting back to 2007-09 statlines of 30+ homers and 100+ RBIs after a .196 season.

2010 stats: 64 R, 28 HR, 84 RBI, 5 SB, .196/.732

16. Gaby Sanchez, FLA (27)
Hit more HRs (19) in Florida than any season in the minors, but average dropped off in second half (.302 to .237).

2010 stats: 72 R, 19 HR, 85 RBI, 5 SB, .273/.788

17. Michael Cuddyer, MIN (32)
Runs, hits and average were basically the same as ’09, but home runs dropped from 32 to 14.

2010 stats: 93 R, 14 HR, 81 RBI, 7 SB, .271/.753

18. Ike Davis, NYM (24)
Solid debut season; just needs to develop consistency (.214 in July, .330 in September).

2010 stats: 73 R, 19 HR, 71 RBI, 3 SB, .264/.791

19. James Loney, LAD (26)
Even with his youth, solid fielder is raising concerns with declining average and homers.

2010 stats: 67 R, 10 HR, 88 RBI, 10 SB, .267/.723

20. Derrek Lee, BAL (35)
First-time American Leaguer had a huge 2009 campaign, but struggled in 2010.

2010 stats: 80 R, 19 HR, 80 RBI, 1 SB, .260/.774

**Rookies to monitor: Freddie Freeman, ATL; Brandon Belt, SF

Doc Halladay tops the list once again.

While we still have over a month until voluntary report dates (Feb. 14th can’t get here fast enough), it is never too early for fantasy owners to start digesting mock drafts, big boards and keeper options.

With that, Athlon Sports has perused the World Wide Web for the latest and greatest positional rankings and brought them together for a one-stop shop. Big media names like ESPN, CBS, Athlon Sports and Yahoo! were incorporated as well as a variety of smaller, yet no less insightful, sites like FantasyPhenoms.com, DeepLeagues.com, RotoChamp.com, HardballTimes.com and RotoProfessor.com.

Each site’s rankings — including Athlon’s own rankings, which will be released early in February — were compiled and averaged into one “consensus” ranking. (Age on Opening Day 2011)

1. Roy Halladay, PHI (33)
The numbers for Doc Halladay are staggering. He has led his league in complete games four years running — leading the majors in three of those four. His 34 CGs over that span doubles second place CC Sabathia (18). However, a slight regression from his astronomical 2010 season is probably in store. His 219 strikeouts were a career high. His innings, wins, ERA and WHIP were his second highest career totals. Halladay also led the league in hits allowed (231). Even with back-to-earth ratios and K totals, Doc is the surest thing on the mound this side of Mo Rivera.

2010 Stats: 250.2 IP, 21 W, 219 K, 2.44 ERA, 1.04 WHIP

2. Felix Hernandez, SEA (25*)
For the fourth straight year, King Felix’s innings went up. And for the fourth straight year, so did his strikeouts — all while watching the ERA plummet each season. His WHIP has dropped three seasons in a row as well. For a guy who seems to conjure injury notions in owner’s minds, Hernandez has a stout five-year, 30-start streak going. The tiny win total – he has averaged 12 wins per year other than his 19-win 2009 – is the only thing keeping him from taking the top spot away Halladay.

2010 Stats: 249.2 IP, 13 W, 232 K, 2.27 ERA, 1.06 WHIP

* - Hernandez will be 25 on April 8th.

3. Adam Wainwright, STL (29)
A strong case can be made that Wainwright could be the top fantasy pitcher in 2011. Obviously, it would take a small regression from Halladay (which is possible) and another stellar year from the Cardinal ace (which is almost guaranteed). Wainwright posted career bests in BB/9 (2.2) and H/9 (7.3) giving his owner’s a nasty 1.05 WHIP. His 162-game average over his last three seasons: 20-9, 233 IP, 2.68 ERA, 202 K, 1.14 WHIP. A career ERA of 2.97 – and dropping every year – indicates he is nearing his prime. The big fella turns 30 in August and with two years left on his contract, will be at his best over the next 24 months.

2010 Stats: 230.1 IP, 20 W, 213 K, 2.42 ERA, 1.05 WHIP

4. Tim Lincecum, SF (26)
2010 was a major off year for Lincecum. Okay, a Timm-ah off year isn’t the same as anyone else — he led the league in strikeouts for the third straight season. He allowed a career high 194 hits, which led to his largely “inflated” ratios. After a poor May (4.95 ERA) and an atrocious August (7.82 ERA), The Freak turned it on. He allowed 18 ER in his next 70.2 innings (2.30 ERA) with 85 strikeouts through September and the playoffs. The small dip in velocity is a concern, but owners should expect a return to normalcy for the World Series Champion.

2010 Stats: 212.1 IP, 16 W, 231 K, 3.43 ERA, 1.27 WHIP

5. Jon Lester, BOS (27)
Last year was the last season to get Mr. Lester at any sort of discounted rate. As the ace of the best team in the American League, he will cost you an early (2-4) round pick from here on out. He has three straight 200+ IP seasons to go with back-to-back 225 K campaigns as well. He is 50-23 over that span. Putting together one full-season – his second half ratios jumped from 2.78/1.09 to 3.89/1.35 – is the only thing keeping him from challenging the elite tier of pitchers above.

2010 Stats: 208.0 IP, 19 W, 225 K, 3.25 ERA, 1.20 WHIP

6. Cliff Lee, PHI (32)
The curious case of Cliff Lee continues. Alliteration aside, why has one of the single most dominant pitchers in the game today changed teams five times over the last two seasons? But since his clubhouse demeanor means nothing to your fantasy team, owners can expect ratio greatness once again. The wins should be there as well pitching against most team’s No. 2 starter. This might be a bit high for a pitcher who has never topped 200 strikeouts in a season – his 185 last season were a career best. Also not to be overlooked, what sort of impact does finally signing the big contract have, if any?

2010 Stats: 212.1 IP, 12 W, 185 K, 3.18 ERA, 1.00 WHIP

7. CC Sabathia, NYY (30)
Fantasy owners yearning for CC circa 2008 will be sadly mistaken. It is highly unlikely that Sabathia will ever return to his 2.70 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 251 K, 10 CG form of a few years ago, but the big man is still an absolute horse. The 6’7” 290-pounder has topped 230 innings in four straight seasons, will win plenty of games and will push for 200 strikeouts. There is a player option he is most likely to exercise for 2012, but should he post huge numbers, he could play the open market once again. That propostition should have fantasy owners salivating.

2010 Stats: 237.2 IP, 21 W, 197 K, 3.18 ERA, 1.19 WHIP

8. Josh Johnson, FLA (26)
Johnson is an interesting risk-reward option. On one hand, he could lead the league in ERA and be downright unhittable for long stretches. On the other, he has had one healthy season over his first five major league campaigns. He struck out more than a batter per inning last season but also had an MLB-high seven blown wins by his bullpen. Tommy John surgery, back issues, soreness have all kept Johnson from elite status. If he puts an entire season together, he could be magical seeing as how he is only 26.

2010 Stats: 183.2 IP, 11 W, 186 K, 2.30 ERA, 1.11 WHIP

9. Justin Verlander, DET (27)
If you can weather his normally poor starts, fantasy owners are usually rewarded with No. 1 starter numbers from a No. 2 starter draft pick. His 2008 looks more and more like the outlier while his three-year drop in ERA, coupled with four straight 200+ IP seasons, places the hard-throwing righty squarely in the top 10. He was won at least 17 games in four of the last five seasons and has topped 200 strikeouts two years in a row. A repeat of 2010 would cement '08 in the 'please disregard' category.

2010 Stats: 224.1 IP, 18 W, 219 K, 3.37 ERA, 1.16 WHIP

10. Clayton Kershaw, LAD (23)
How many 22-year old southpaws have back-to-back sub-3.00 ERA seasons under their belts? While upping his innings (171 to 204.1), strikeouts (185 to 212) and wins (8 to 13), The Claw still managaed to drop his walk total from 91 to 81. With his tiny 7.2 career H/9 ratio, Kershaw figures to be mowing hitters down in Chavez Ravine for years to come.

2010 Stats: 204.1 IP, 13 W, 212 K, 2.91 ERA, 1.18 WHIP

Did a '10 innings jump hurt Price's value in '11?

11. Ubaldo Jimanez, COL (27)
The ultimate tale of two halves: Jimenez went 15-1 in 18 starts with a 2.20 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 127 IP over the first half of 2010. In roughly the same number of starts (15), he posted a 4-7 record, a 3.80 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 94.2 IP. While Ubaldo can electify with triple-digit heat, he still has yet to totally master his arsenal. His walk rate is still high (3.7 in 2010, 4.0 career), so if he can eliminate 12-15 free passes per year, he could easily find himself in the top five on this list.

2010 Stats: 221.2 IP, 19 W, 214 K, 2.88 ERA, 1.15 WHIP

12. Cole Hamels, PHI (27)
The Phorgoten Philly quietly turned in career bests in ERA, strikeouts and games started last fall. And even though his 2009 season seems like the outlier, his 22 total wins over the last two seasons are the only thing keeping the Phillies fourth starter from being in the top 10 on fantasy draft boards. His walk rate, albeit solid at 2.6, was his worst since his first season, yet his 9.1 K-rate was his best since his first season. If he can put together the complete campaign, owners would be happy to spend a fourth or fifth-round pick on the lefty.

2010 Stats: 208.2 IP, 12 W, 211 K, 3.06 ERA, 1.18 WHIP

13. Jered Weaver, LAA (28)
It may have taken a little while, but the younger Weaver has officially reached stud status. His innings and strikeouts have increased for five straight seasons and his ERA and WHIP have improved three straight years. Owners should not expect Weaver to lead the majors in Ks or the league in starts again, but something close isn't out of the question. Having Dan Haren behind him for 30+ starts will help as well.

2010 Stats: 224.1 IP, 13 W, 233 K, 3.01 ERA, 1.07 WHIP

14. David Price, TB (25)
MLB Network's Tom Verducci has already released his 'Verducci Effect' for 2011 and Price was sitting squarely in the middle of the pack. Of course, his theory about increased workload for younger pitchers has plenty of validity. However, Josh Johnson and Felix Hernandez both made the list in 2010 and then both proceeded to lead their respective league in ERA. If Price continues to lower his pitch counts and increase his K/BB rate, he has a chance to outperform this ranking with ease. The defense behind him and his run support will take a big hit this year, but there just aren't too many 6'6" 225-pound lefties who can touch triple digits on the gun.

2010 Stats: 208.2 IP, 19 W, 188 K, 2.72 ERA, 1.19 WHIP

15. Matt Cain, SF (26)
Is a 0.00 ERA good? That is what Cain delivered to Giants faithful in three postseason starts. His walk rate continues to fall every season from 4.1 in 2006 to a nasty 2.5 last summer. Despite improving numbers in almost every category that matters, Cain has only averaged a 10.5-12.3 win-loss record since 2007. That said, his 14- and 13-win seasons in his last two years, combined with his brimming postseason confidence, put Cain on the verge of a career year in the win column.

2010 Stats: 223.1 IP, 13 W, 177 K, 3.14 ERA, 1.08 WHIP

16. Roy Oswalt, PHI (33)
A notoriously strong second half guy, Oswalt has never been beaten in Citizens Bank (9-0).

2010 Stats: 211.2 IP, 13 W, 193 K, 2.76 ERA, 1.03 WHIP

17. Dan Haren, LAA (30)
Pretty simple for a guy with six straight 200+ IP seaons: 4.60 ERA in 141.0 IP in ARI, 2.87 in 94.0 IP in LAA.

2010 Stats: 235.0 IP, 12 W, 216 K, 3.91 ERA, 1.27 WHIP

18. Zack Greinke, MIL (27)
A move to the NL Central and a dramatically upgraded offense? What's not to like?

2010 Stats: 220.0 IP, 10 W, 181 K, 4.17 ERA, 1.25 WHIP

19. Tommy Hanson, ATL (24)
Made the big innings jump (127.2 to 202.2) and dropped walk rate. More stable, bigger things in store.

2010 Stats: 202.2 IP, 10 W, 173 K, 3.33 ERA, 1.17 WHIP

20. Mat Latos, SD (23)
Huge innings jump required SD to shut him down early. But ratios, 9.2 K/9 are just sick.

2010 Stats: 184.2 IP, 14 W, 189 K, 2.92 ERA, 1.08 WHIP

21. Chris Carpenter, STL (36*)
Two straight solid seasons post surgery, but how much longer can he be elite?

2010 Stats: 235.0 IP, 16 W, 179 K, 3.22 ERA, 1.18 WHIP

* - Carpenter will turn 36 on April 27

22. Francisco Liriano, MIN (27)
Strikeouts and his ability to keep people in the park are back, but never 2006 back.

2010 Stats: 191.2 IP, 14 W, 201 K, 3.62 ERA, 1.26 WHIP

23. Max Scherzer, DET (26)
Finally learned how to pitch deeper into games, upside potential is sky high with his stuff.

2010 Stats: 195.2 IP, 12 W, 184 K, 3.50 ERA, 1.25 WHIP

24. Yovani Gallardo, MIL (25)
Slight improvement in BB rates, and Ks are very sexy, but still puts too many people on base.

2010 Stats: 185.0 IP, 14 W, 200 K, 3.84 ERA, 1.36 WHIP

25. Brett Anderson, OAK (23)
Should be an excellent draft day value as injuries scar his near elite numbers.

2010 Stats: 112.1 IP, 7 W, 75 K, 2.80 ERA, 1.19 WHIP

26. Ted Lilly, CHC (35)
A 1.06 WHIP over the last 370.2 IP and 8 straight 10+ win seasons makes him wildly underrated.

2010 Stats: 193.2 IP, 10 W, 166 K, 3.62 ERA, 1.08 WHIP

27. Clay Buchholz, BOS (26)
Wins will be there but lack of strikeouts and high walk rate could make him poor value on draft day.

2010 Stats: 173.2 IP, 17 W, 120 K, 2.33 ERA, 1.20 WHIP

28. Chad Billingsly, LAD (26)
WHIP has always been an issue, but Bills posted a career best in 2010. He should continue to bounce back from terrible 2009.

2010 Stats: 191.2 IP, 12 W, 171 K, 3.57 ERA, 1.28 WHIP

29. Tim Hudson, ATL (35)
What he lacks in Ks, he more than makes up for in ratios and wins. An ageless wonder.

2010 Stats: 228.2 IP, 17 W, 139 K, 2.83 ERA, 1.15 WHIP

30. Trevor Cahill, OAK (23)
A twelve-year younger version of Huddy. Great ratios and wins, but virtually nothing in K column.

2010 Stats: 196.2 IP, 18 W, 118 K, 2.97 ERA, 1.11 WHIP

31. Daniel Hudson, ARI
32. Matt Garza, CHC
33. Wandy Rodriguez, HOU
34. Jonathan Sanchez, SF
35. John Danks, CHW
36. Colby Lewis, TEX
37. Shaun Marcum, MIL
38. Brett Myers, HOU
39. Gio Gonzalez, OAK
40. Hiroki Kuroda, LAD
41. Ricky Romero, TOR
42. Phil Hughes, NYY
43. Ryan Dempster, CHC
44. Jhoulys Chacin, COL
45. Jamie Garcia, STL
46. Brandon Morrow, TOR
47. C.J. Wilson, TEX
48. Ricky Nolasco, FLA
49. Josh Beckett, BOS
50. Jeremy Hellickson, TB

Can CarGo repeat his 2010 breakout season?

While we still have over a month until voluntary report dates (Feb. 14th can’t get here quickly enough), it is never too early for fantasy owners to start digesting mock drafts, big boards and keeper options.

With that in mind, Athlon Sports has perused the World Wide Web for the latest and greatest positional rankings and brought them together for a one-stop shop. Big media names like ESPN, CBS, Athlon Sports and Yahoo! were incorporated as well as a variety of smaller, yet no less insightful, sites like FantasyPhenoms.com, DeepLeagues.com, RotoChamp.com, HardballTimes.com and RotoProfessor.com.

Each site’s rankings — including Athlon’s own rankings, which will be released early in February — were compiled and averaged into one “consensus” ranking. (Age on Opening Day 2011)

1. Carlos Gonzalez, COL (25)
Few players in history have ever posted a line like CarGo put up last summer. Unsurprisingly, the seasons that compare most with Gonzalez 2010 were also posted by Rockies. This is, of course, because home-road splits for most Rocks look off balance – as is the case with CarGo. He has a career home OPS of .985 and career road OPS of .739. Just let your imagination run wild with what this guy could do if he played a whole year in Coors Field?

2010 Stats: 111 R, 34 HR, 117 RBI, 26 SB, .336/.974

2. Ryan Braun, MIL (27)

Braun is entering his fifth major league season at an unprecedented level. His career averages: 99 R, 32 HR, 105 RBI, 16 SB, .307/.918. No player in history has touched Braun’s first four years of production and owners can expect much of the same in 2011.

2010 Stats: 101 R, 25 HR, 103 RBI, 14 SB, .304/.866

3. Carl Crawford, BOS (29)

Crawford has led the league in triples four times and stolen bases four times. Last season, he added two more categories to his roto-friendly game. He set career highs in runs, home runs and ribeyes in 2010. The change to Boston should actually be relatively negligible. The line-up around him is a small step up but the switch in parks (from a hitting standpoint) could actually hurt him. His career .275 BA and .708 OPS in Fenway makes his new home one of his worst hitting parks in the AL. However, playing on a natural surface instead of that terrible turf in Tampa should add some years to his baseball life.

2010 Stats: 110 R, 19 HR, 90 RBI, 47 SB, .307/.851

4. Matt Holliday, STL (31)
Holliday will never relive his 2007, where he led the league in hits, doubles, RBI, batting average and total bases. But his career .317 average makes him as dependable as anyone in baseball. In 831 at-bats as a Cardinal, Holliday has 41 homers, 158 RBI and a percentage line that is a very juicy .324/.386/.552. I guess hitting around King Albert is a good thing, eh? His speed is solid (career 13 SBs per season) but will never revert back to 2008 form (28 SB).

2010 Stats: 95 R, 28 HR, 103 RBI, 9 SB, .312/.922

5. Josh Hamilton, TEX (29)

The issue with Hamilton isn’t his talent or upside. Those make him capable of fantasy magic every year. But his poor history with injuries had led to wildly inconsistent at-bat totals: 298, 624, 336, 518. Moving him from center to left should help him protect his body better. The lack of speed (and the injury concern) is the only thing keeping him from being the leagues best fantasy OF.


2010 Stats: 95 R, 32 HR, 100 RBI, 8 SB, .359/1.044

6. Matt Kemp, LAD (26)

What a wild ride the last few years have been for Kemp. A magical, breakout, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, trip to the NLCS 2009 announced Kemp’s arrival. Yet, every aspect of his game took major steps back last fall – including his electric defensive prowess. It appears that a “lack of focus” may be the culprit (along with one famous pop star), so expect a bounce back year. That won’t happen, however, until he learns how to take a pitch. He struck out 462 times over the last three years.

2010 Stats: 82 R, 28 HR, 89 RBI, 19 SB, .249/.760

7. Shin-Soo Choo, CLE (28)

Choo is a model of consistency – which is even more impressive when you consider the team he plays on. Without much help around him, Choo has topped the .300 mark in each of his first three season (min. 300 ABs). His HR and RBI have gone up slightly three straight seasons. His upside is not that of the names above, but when it comes to consistent five (or six) category production, few can match Choo. And he should get Grady Sizemore back around him in the line-up.

2010 Stats: 81 R, 22 HR, 90 RBI, 22 SB, .300/.885

8. Jose Bautista, TOR (30)
This fantasy story is well-documented and might be the single most intriguing in all of fantasy-dom. Which one does not belong: 16, 15, 15, 15, 13, 54? Hmm, that is an easy one. Those are Bautista’s home run totals for the last six seasons. Can he hit 20-25 dingers in 2011? Certainly, but how does a career .238 hitter (prior to 2010) maintain his stellar percentages (.260/.378/.671) from last year?

2010 Stats: 109 R, 54 HR, 124 RBI, 9 SB, .260/.995

9. Andrew McCutchen, PIT (24)

In short order, the hard-working McCutchen has become one of the best players in the game. From a fantasy perspective, even the team around him couldn’t slow him down last fall. Yet, his only roto weakness, RBI, could take a huge step forward IF Clint Hurdle could move him down in the order.

2010 Stats: 94 R, 16 HR, 56 RBI, 33 SB, .286/.814

10. Nelson Cruz, TEX (30)
Cruz is very similar to another Texas Ranger fantasy stud outfielder. If only he could stay healthy. The rightfielder has hit 55 home runs and stolen 37 bases in only 861 at-bats over the last two years. However, Cruz has averaged only 81 games played per year since breaking in Texas back in 2006 – and has never topped 130 games in any one year. He has topped 100 only twice in his career. If he can stay on the field, Cruz could push for a HR title.

2010 Stats: 60 R, 22 HR, 78 RBI, 17 SB, .318/.950

11. Alex Rios, CHW (30)
Rios clearly put his 2009 season in the rearview mirror. He returned to his five-category contributor self last season in his first full year in the Windy City. His four-year averages prior to his shockingly pathetic ’09 campaign were 86 R, 16 HR, 76 RBI, 20 SB, .289/.807. He was even better than that in 2010, so expect Rios to exceed those averages once again in 2011.

2010 Stats: 89 R, 21 HR, 88 RBI, 34 SB, .284/.791

12. Jason Heyward, ATL (21)
One down, 14 more to go. Pitchers, catchers, pitching coaches and fans of other NL East teams have at least a decade of dominance to look forward to from Mr. Heyward. As a rookie who started (and homered) from day one, Heyward only touched the surface of his potential last season. Despite the power, RBI numbers dipping in the second half last fall, the young Bravo improved his percentages dramatically in the second half. His BA went from .251 to .302 and his on-base percentage went from .366 to .419. His walks went up and his strikeouts went down as well.

2010 Stats: 83 R, 18 HR, 72 RBI, 11 SB, .277/.849

13. Ichiro, SEA (37)
Despite being largely a two-catergory contributor, Ichiro continues to produce at the plate at an alarming rate. He has an MLB record 10-straight 200-hit seasons – including leading the majors in that category for five straight. However, until the rest of the Seattle line-up can get Ichiro home, his run totals will be mediocre. He has rarely helped any team’s power numbers. If you need BA or SB help, though, Ichiro is still a fantastic option.

2010 Stats: 74 R, 6 HR, 43 RBI, 42 SB, .315/.753

14. Hunter Pence, HOU (28*)
When it comes to power numbers, few can offer the stability and consistency of Pence. He has knocked exactly 25 dingers in three straight seasons. His stolen base totals have increased every year, his strikeouts have dropped three straight seasons and his average stabilized at exactly .282 over the last two seasons. Now, if he can get some help from the young-ins around him.

2010 Stats: 93 R, 25 HR, 91 RBI, 18 SB, .282/.786

* - turns 28 on April 13

15. Jayson Werth, WAS (31)
Werth set career highs in runs, doubles, OPS and slugging percent. And that was with names like Utley, Howard, Rollins, Victorino, Polanco and Ibanez hitting around him. Now its Desmond, LaRoche, Morgan, Bernadina, Espinosa and (at least one stud) Ryan Zimmerman. Werth will need to shoulder more of the load in a bigger park, with worse players around him and more pressure.

2010 Stats: 106 R, 27 HR, 85 RBI, 13 SB, .296/.920

16. Justin Upton, ARI (23)
Is still very young with a good amount of experience, but how do we explain the 100-point drop in OPS?

2010 Stats: 73 R, 17 HR, 69 RBI, 18 SB, .273/.798

17. Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS (27)
If he stays healthy, he is rated entirely too low here. Is a .300, 120 R, 50 SB threat atop the best line-up in baseball.

2010 Stats: 10 R, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 7 SB, .192/.485

18. Andre Ethier, LAD (29*)
He has yet to top 600 ABs in any season. Health has been the only thing keeping him from an MVP season.

2010 Stats: 71 R, 23 HR, 82 RBI, 2 SB, .292/.857

* - turns 29 on April 10.

19. Shane Victorino, PHI (30)
Has 31 triples, 95 SB, 288 R and hit at a .281 clip over the last three years. The Flyin Hawaiian is a dependable speed merchant who offers some pop too. He is always a good value.

2010 Stats: 84 R, 18 HR, 69 RBI, 34 SB, .259/.756

20. Jay Bruce, CIN (24*)
This could be the last year to snag Bruce at a good price. But he could also revert back to his .240 form (career BA prior to 2010).

2010 Stats: 80 R, 25 HR, 70 RBI, 5 SB, .281/.846

* - turns 24 on April 3.

21. Chris Young, ARI (27)
A career .241, it is virtually impossible to project much of anything accurately for Young. Seriously, your guess is as good as mine.

2010 Stats: 94 R, 27 HR, 91 RBI, 28 SB, .257/.793

22. Nick Markakis, BAL (27)
Last season was tough, but the talent is so obvious for Markakis. With additions Derrek Lee and Mark Reynolds, expect his numbers to bounce back.

2010 Stats: 79 R, 12 HR, 60 RBI, 7 SB, .297/.806

23. B.J. Upton, TB (26)
Bossman Junior has topped 40 stolen bases in three straight seasons. But he hit well below .250 the last two seasons, has never scored 90 runs in a single season and his power fluctuates from 24 HR (2007) to 9 (2008).

2010 Stats: 89 R, 18 HR, 62 RBI, 42 SB, .237/.746

24. Corey Hart, MIL (29)
Career highs in runs, homers and ribeyes are highly unlikely to be repeated. And his speed is all but gone. A very risky pick in ’11.

2010 Stats: 91 R, 31 HR, 102 RBI, 7 SB, .283/.865

25. Colby Rasmus, STL (24)
His work ethic and attitude might be the only thing that could slow this rising star.

2010 Stats: 85 R, 23 HR, 66 RBI, 12 SB, .276/.859
 

Will Sizemore return to form in 2011?

26. Mike Stanton, FLA (21)
2010 Stats: 45 R, 22 HR, 59 RBI, 5 SB, .259/.833

27. Curtis Granderson, DET (30)
2010 Stats: 76 R, 24 HR, 67 RBI, 12 SB, .247/.792

28. Delmon Young, MIN (25)
2010 Stats: 77 R, 21 HR, 112 RBI, 5 SB, .298/.826

29. Juan Pierre, CHW (33)
2010 Stats: 96 R, 1 HR, 47 RBI, 68 SB, .275/.657

30. Drew Stubbs, CIN (26)

2010 Stats: 91 R, 22 HR, 77 RBI, 30 SB, .255/.773

31. Torii Hunter, LAA (35)
2010 Stats: 76 R, 23 HR, 90 RBI, 9 SB, .281/.818

32. Grady Sizemore, CLE (28)
2010 Stats: 15 R, 0 HR, 13 RBI, 4 SB, .211/.560


33. Adam Jones, BAL (25)
2010 Stats: 76 R, 19 HR, 69 RBI, 7 SB, .284/.767

34. Vernon Wells, LAA (32)
2010 Stats: 79 R, 31 HR, 88 RBI, 6 SB, .273/.846

35. Carlos Quentin, CHW (28)
2010 Stats: 73 R, 26 HR, 87 RBI, 2 SB, .243/.821

36. Brett Gardner, NYY (27)
2010 Stats: 97 R, 5 HR, 47 RBI, 47 SB, .277/.762

37. Ben Zobrist, TB (29)
2010 Stats: 77 R, 10 HR, 75 RBI, 24 SB, .238/.699

38. Bobby Abreu, LAA (37)
2010 Stats: 88 R, 20 HR, 78 RBI, 24 SB, .255/.787

39. Jason Bay, NYM (32)
2010 Stats: 48 R, 6 HR, 47 RBI, 10 SB, .259/.749

40. Nick Swisher, NYY (30)
2010 Stats: 91 R, 29 HR, 89 RBI, 1 SB, .288/.870

41. Carlos Beltran, NYM (33)
2010 Stats: 21 R, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 3 SB, .255/.768

42. Denard Span, MIN (27)
2010 Stats: 85 R, 3 HR, 58 RBI, 26 SB, .264/.679

43. Carlos Lee, HOU (34)
2010 Stats: 67 R, 24 HR, 89 RBI, 3 SB, .246/.708

44. Michael Bourn, HOU (28)
2010 Stats: 84 R, 2 HR, 38 RBI, 52 SB, .265/.687

45. Aubrey Huff, SF (34)

2010 Stats: 100 R, 26 HR, 86 RBI, 7 SB, .290/.891

46. Michael Cuddyer, MIN (32)

2010 Stats: 93 R, 14 HR, 81 RBI, 7 SB, .271/.753

47. Austin Jackson, DET (24)
2010 Stats: 103 R, 4 HR, 41 RBI, 27 SB .293/.745

48. Angel Pagan, NYM (29)
2010 Stats: 80 R, 11 HR, 69 RBI, 37 SB, .290/.765

49. Andres Torres, SF (33)
2010 Stats: 84 R, 16 HR, 63 RBI, 26 SB, .268/.822

50. Jose Tabata, PIT (22)
2010 Stats: 61 R, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 19 SB, .299/.746

51. Magglio Ordonez, DET (37)
2010 Stats: 56 R, 12 HR, 59 RBI, 1 SB, .303/.852

52. Adam Lind, TOR (27)
2010 Stats: 57 R, 23 HR, 72 RBI, 0 SB, .237/.712


53. Desmond Jennings, TB (24)

2010 Stats: 5 R, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB, .190/.625

54. Travis Snider, TOR (23)
2010 Stats: 36 R, 14 HR, 32 RBI, 6 SB, .255/.767

55. Coco Crisp, OAK (31)
2010 Stats: 51 R, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 32 SB, .279/.780

56. Logan Morrison, FLA (23)

2010 Stats: 43 R, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 0 SB, .283/.837

57. Raul Ibanez, PHI (38)
2010 Stats: 75 R, 16 HR, 83 RBI, 4 SB, .275/.793

58. Marlon Byrd, CHC (33)
2010 Stats: 84 R, 12 HR, 66 RBI, 5 SB, .293/.775

59. Rajai Davis, TOR (30)

2010 Stats: 66 R, 5 HR, 52 RBI, 50 SB, .284/.697


60. Josh Willingham, OAK (31)

2010 Stats: 54 R, 16 HR, 56 RBI, 8 SB, .268/.848

Can Kinsler stay healthy for the whole year?

While we still have over a month until voluntary report dates (Feb. 14th can’t get here quickly enough), it is never too early for fantasy owners to start digesting mock drafts, big boards and keeper options.

With that in mind, Athlon Sports has perused the World Wide Web for the latest and greatest positional rankings and brought them together for a one-stop shop. Big media names like ESPN, CBS, Athlon Sports and Yahoo! were incorporated as well as a variety of smaller, yet no less insightful, sites like FantasyPhenoms.com, DeepLeagues.com, RotoChamp.com, HardballTimes.com and RotoProfessor.com.

Each site’s rankings — including Athlon’s own rankings, which will be released early in February — were compiled and averaged into one “consensus” ranking. (Age on Opening Day 2011)

1. Robinson Cano, NYY (28)
The Yankees’ second baseman may be the best player in the Bronx and has ascended to the top of his positional rankings. Cano finished third in AL MVP voting last year on the strength of an amazing combination of average and power. His 73 extra-base hits were best in the majors among second basemen, and his .319 average was eighth-best in baseball for all positions. In 2011 Cano should continue to produce top numbers across the board (except for steals), and he will move into the Top 10 overall selections in many drafts.

2010 stats: 103 R, 29 HR, 109 RBI, 3 SB, .319/.914

2. Chase Utley, PHI (32)
The five-time All-Star will present an interesting decision on your draft day. Utley is obviously among the top second basemen, but is he still a Top 10 overall pick? The usually-durable Utley only played in 115 games last year, as he missed a month and a half after injuring his right thumb sliding into second base in late June. Utley compiled his lowest batting average and OPS since 2004, and he hit .273 with five homers in 43 games after returning in mid-August. Even with the decline, the four-time Silver Slugger should be healthy for 2011 and should still provide stellar numbers like in year’s past.

2010 stats: 75 R, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 13 SB, .275/.832

3. Dustin Pedroia, BOS (27)
The highly productive ‘Laser Show’ only played in 75 games last season after suffering a broken bone in his foot in late June. Pedroia will help your fantasy team in all categories, especially in average (.305 career hitter), runs scored and OPS. All reports are that the former AL MVP is completely healthy for the 2011 season. Pedroia should resume his place among the game’s elite second basemen, especially batting in an absolutely loaded Red Sox lineup.

2010 stats: 53 R, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 9 SB, .288/.860

4. Dan Uggla, ATL (31)
No second baseman has more home runs over the last five seasons than Uggla. He was especially good in 2010, establishing career-highs in batting average, home runs, RBIs and OPS. The former Marlin will now call Turner Field his home park, a better yard for long balls than Sun Life Stadium. Another positive on Uggla is that he has not had any of the injury issues (averaged 155 games played in his five MLB seasons) that many at his position have experienced. If he hits above .280 again, his numbers will be among the best in baseball.

2010 stats: 100 R, 33 HR, 105 RBI, 4 SB, .287/.877

5. Ian Kinsler, TEX (28)
Coming off a 31 HR/31 SB season in 2009, expectations were huge for Kinsler last year. He got off to a rough start, hit well in the middle of the summer, and then missed the entire month of August because of a strained groin in late July. The sum added up to only 103 games played with mixed results: career-lows in home runs and doubles, but a decent batting average, run total and  a career-high in OBP (.382) because of improved plate discipline. Kinsler should be healthy to start 2011, but the decision to draft him high depends on how risk averse (five-year average of 124 games played) you are.

2010 stats: 73 R, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 15 SB, .286/.794

6. Brandon Phillips, CIN (29)
The Reds’ second sacker puts up fairly consistent numbers, although it’s starting to look like he may have hit his plateau in an outstanding 2007 season (.288./.816 with 30 HRs/94 RBIs/107 runs scored/32 steals). Phillips has come close to some of those numbers in the three years since, but never in the same season. He was under the 20-mark in both homers and steals in 2010 because of a decline in slugging percentage (.430) and stolen base efficiency (16-for-28). Despite being in a playoff run, Phillips struggled through the second half (.247/.679 with 6 HRs/6 steals) of the season.

2010 stats: 100 R, 18 HR, 59 RBI, 16 SB, .275/.762

7. Rickie Weeks, MIL (28)
After a throw-away season in 2009 (37 games), Weeks played an entire season in 2010 and put up big numbers across the board. He had never played 130 games in his career, so getting 160 from the oft-injured Weeks was thrilling for both the Brewers and fantasy owners. Weeks’ previous high in at-bats was 475, so last season’s 651 (most in the NL) led to career-highs totals in most categories, with the exception of steals. His 29 long balls were tied for second (with Cano) in the majors among second basemen, only trailing Uggla’s 33.

2010 stats: 112 R, 29 HR, 83 RBI, 11 SB, .269/.830

8. Kelly Johnson, ARI (29)
After coming over from Atlanta, Johnson had a power explosion in the desert last season. His 67 extra-base hits ranked best among second basemen in the National League and were second in the Majors to only Cano. Johnson was a very streaky player throughout the season (three months with a batting average above .310, and three months below .260), but he was solid in the end with career-highs in home runs, RBIs, steals and OPS. Johnson hit especially well in the two hole last season (.343/.999 in 166 ABs).

2010 stats: 93 R, 26 HR, 71 RBI, 13 SB, .284/.865

9. Brian Roberts, BAL (33)
A herniated disk caused a wasted season for the usually consistent second sacker, who only played 59 games in 2010. Roberts was hurt in the fourth game of the year and did not return to the field until July 23. Before last season, he had averaged a solid 152 games played from 2004-09. It’s just a question of health for the 33-year old Roberts, who had a very productive three-year average (290/.814 with 12 HRs/64 RBIs/107 runs scored/40 steals) from 2007-09.

2010 stats: 28 R, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 12 SB, .278/.745

10. Martin Prado, ATL (27)
Even with Uggla coming on board, he should still have second base eligibility in most leagues. He was an above average super-sub in 2008-09 and had a breakout 2010 campaign (.294/.832 with 16 HRs) as a full-time player. After playing parts of five seasons, Prado has a career average of .307 and an .810 OPS. He should be a good late value in an improved Braves’ lineup.

2010 stats: 100 R, 15 HR, 66 RBI, 5 SB, .307/.809

Hill is a good source of power later in the draft.

11. Aaron Hill, TOR (29)
His stellar 2009 numbers (.286/.829 with 36 HRs/108 RBIs) plummeted to Earth and beyond in 2010. Good power source, but must improve average and dreadful on-base percentage.

2010 stats: 70 R, 26 HR, 68 RBI, 2 SB, .205/.665

12. Howie Kendrick, LAA (27)
Coming into last year, the oft-injured Kendrick had never had over 374 at-bats in a season. He had 616 in 2010, yet underwhelmed with career-lows in average and OPS.

2010 stats: 67 R, 10 HR, 75 RBI, 14 SB, .279/.721

13. Gordon Beckham, CWS (24)
After a quality rookie year, his second season was a tale of two halves. A terrible start (.216/.581 with 3 HRs) was followed by a significantly better second half (.310/.877 with 6 HRs).

2010 stats: 58 R, 9 HR, 49 RBI, 4 SB, .252/.695

14. Ben Zobrist, TB (29)
The surprise slugger of 2009 (.297/.948 with 27 HRs/91 RBIs) faded badly in 2010. After a solid start, he was horrid after the All-Star Break (.177/.587 in 232 ABs).

2010 stats: 77 R, 10 HR, 75 RBI, 24 SB, .238/.699

15. Chone Figgins, SEA (33)
Ugly debut season in Seattle. Good source of steals, but declined majorly in 2010 from a five-year (2005-09) average of 95 runs scored and hitting .291.

2010 stats: 62 R, 1 HR, 35 RBI, 42 SB, .259/.646

16. Neil Walker, PIT (25)
Had a solid rookie year. His numbers after the All-Star Break (.306/.847 with 9 HRs/54 RBIs in 74 games) are very encouraging.

2010 stats: 57 R, 12 HR, 66 RBI, 2 SB, .296/.811

17. Omar Infante, FLA (29)
First time All-Star was part of the Uggla trade. Has a .316 average over the last two seasons (674 ABs), but very limited in power and speed.

2010 stats: 65 R, 8 HR, 47 RBI, 7 SB, .321/.775

18. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN (26)
The Japanese batting champion and five-time All-Star joins a strong batting order in Minnesota.

2010 stats: 121 R, 11 HR, 59 RBI, 22 SB, .346/.905 (144 games with the Chiba Lotte Marines)

19. Juan Uribe, LAD (31)
Helps in the power department (16+ home runs in six of the last seven seasons), but average and steals will suffer.

2010 stats: 64 R, 24 HR, 85 RBI, 1 SB, .248/.749

20. Freddy Sanchez, SF (33)
The 2006 NL batting champ (.344) has a three-year average of .284 with 8 HRs, 47 RBIs and 3 steals.

2010 stats: 55 R, 7 HR, 47 RBI, 3 SB, .292/.739

**Rookies to monitor: Dustin Ackley, SEA


Wilson closed the door on a 2010 World Championship.

While we still have over a month until voluntary report dates (Feb. 14th can’t get here quickly enough), it is never too early for fantasy owners to start digesting mock drafts, big boards and keeper options.

With that in mind, Athlon Sports has perused the World Wide Web for the latest and greatest positional rankings and brought them together for a one-stop shop. Big media names like ESPN, CBS, Athlon Sports and Yahoo! were incorporated as well as a variety of smaller, yet no less insightful, sites like FantasyPhenoms.com, DeepLeagues.com, RotoChamp.com, HardballTimes.com and RotoProfessor.com.

Each site’s rankings — including Athlon’s own rankings, which will be released early in February — were compiled and averaged into one “consensus” ranking. (Age on Opening Day 2011)

1. Joakim Soria, KC (26)
“The Mexicutioner” not only has the best nickname in the game but he’s the best fantasy closer in the world. (But if there is a REAL baseball game that needs the final three outs recorded, you should probably still call Mo Rivera.) Over four seasons, Soria carries a 2.01 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and .197 BAA, with 132 saves and 281 K in 255.0 IP. Soria has laser-like control (4/1 K/BB ratio), doesn’t blow saves (13 career) and doesn’t give up home runs (17 career). And don’t buy the old “he closes for a bad team” wives’ tale; the “Mexicutioner” is the best bet in fantasy.

2010 stats: 65.2 IP, 1-2, 43 SV, 71 K, 1.78/1.05

2. Heath Bell, SD (33)
Since arriving in San Diego, Bell has been one of the most valuable relievers around — first, as a holds-heavy setup man (34 HLD in 2007, 23 in ’08) and now as a solid closer. Bell has averaged 85 K over those four seasons and has found a way to vulture six wins apiece in each of those years. Playing for a small ball club in the pitchers’ park that is Petco makes Bell one of the few stress free closers in the game.

2010 stats: 70.0 IP, 6-1, 47 SV, 86 K, 1.93/1.20

3. Brian Wilson, SF (29)
From forgotten Beach Boy namesake to “Fear the Beard” nationwide phenomena, Wilson came a long way during the Giants’ World Series run of 2010. But he’s been closing for three seasons. Along with steady ERA/WHIP improvement (dropping from 4.62/1.44 in 2008 to 2.74/1.20 in ’09 to 1.81/1.18 last year) Wilson has also upped his Ks (rising from 67 to 83 to 93 last year). Plus, Wilson is the unquestioned closer on a pitchers’ team that thrives on close games.
 
2010 stats: 74.2 IP, 3-3, 48 SV, 93 K, 1.81/1.18

4. Neftali Feliz, TEX (22)
The reigning AL Rookie of the Year brings ace stuff to the closer role. That is both the good news and the bad news. If you draft Feliz as your key saves man and the young righty steps into the rotation, you’re out of luck. But odds are, the Rangers will keep the 22-year-old slamming doors at the end of games for at least another season. Regardless, Feliz is an arm worth investing in. Last season, the young gun posted a 1.42 ERA, 0.66 WHIP and .148 BAA with a 3-1 record, 17 saves and 29 K in 31.2 IP after the All-Star break.

2010 stats: 69.1 IP, 4-3, 40 SV, 3 HLD, 71 K, 2.73/0.88

5. Mariano Rivera, NYY (41)
The G.O.A.T. has had a sub-2.00 ERA in 10 of his 14 years as the Yanks’ full-time closer (including seven of the last eight), a sub-1.10 WHIP in 11-of-14 and at least 30 saves in 13-of-14 (including 39 or more eight times). If Mo were 31 years old instead of 41, he would have to have started pitching in pinstripes as a ‘tween — and he’d be considered the clear-cut top fantasy closer around. As it is, the only thing forcing Rivera down the list is paranoia over his age. But remember, the sky was falling after Mo’s “bad” 2007 season (3.15 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 30 saves).
 
2010 stats: 60.0 IP, 3-3, 33 SV, 45 K, 1.80/0.83

6. Carlos Marmol, CHC (28)
Marmol has absolute nasty stuff. Although last year was his first as a full-time closer, Marmol has been a full-time relief pitcher since 2007. During that stretch the Dominican dart-thrower has averaged 110 K in 77 IP. Control can be an issue; but a WHIP that moved from 1.46 in 2009 to just 1.18 last season is encouraging. Marmol is not the safest pick but he has a higher ceiling than anyone other than Soria or Feliz and could develop into one of the top two or three closers in fantasy.

2010 stats: 77.2 IP, 2-3, 38 SV, 138 K, 2.55/1.18

7. Jonathan Papelbon, BOS (30)
There was a time when Papelbon’s fist-pumping mad man routine was beloved in Beantown. That was before the once-clutch closer’s September meltdown (10.61 ERA, 2.14 WHIP with 16 H, 11 ER in 9.1 IP) contributed to a scary second-half statline (4.35 ERA, 1.45 WHIP in 31.0 IP). If Papelbon doesn’t return to his old form immediately, young Daniel Bard (1.93 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 3 saves, 76 K in 74.2 IP) or former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks (173 saves in six seasons) will be getting the ball in the ninth. Don’t avoid Papelbon, but make sure Bard or Jenks (or both) are also on your team as insurance.

2010 stats: 67.0 IP, 5-7, 37 SV, 76 K, 3.90/1.27

8. Andrew Bailey, OAK (26)
In two seasons as the A’s closer, young Bailey has been lights out — with a 1.70 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 51 saves and 133 K over 132.1 innings. Bailey was shut down for the final two weeks of last season due to right elbow issues but the 26-year-old was throwing long toss in the first week of January and is currently on schedule to be ready for the start of spring training. Bailey falls into a risk-reward group that also includes the likes of K-Rod, Nathan and Broxton, just to name a few.

2010 stats: 49.0 IP, 1-3, 25 SV, 42 K, 1.47/0.96

9. Francisco Rodriguez, NYM (29)
Unless you’re K-Rod’s baby’s granddaddy, the fired-up fireman should be on your short list of elite closers. Since transitioning from dominant setup man (1.82 ERA, 12 saves, 27 HLD, 123 K in 84.0 IP in 2004) K-Rod has become a first-rate closer. That said, Franky has not been the same since going coast-to-coast from the Los Angeles California of Anaheim club to Queens New York. K-Rod averaged 48.5 saves with the Angels from 2005-08 and just 30 in two years with the Mets.

2010 stats: 57.1 IP, 4-2, 25 SV, 67 K, 2.20/1.15

10. Jonathan Broxton, LAD (26)
The 300-pounder was a heavyweight champ on the mound in 2009 — posting an intimidating 2.61 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, .165 BAA, 7-2 record, 36 saves and 114 K in 76.0 IP. Broxton was equally untouchable before the break last year, with a 2.11 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 19 saves and 55 K in 38.1 IP. But the bigger they are, the harder they fall; and Broxton fell off the fantasy map like a ton of bricks — going all 7.13 ERA, 2.13 WHIP, three saves and 18 K in 24.0 IP after being an All-Star.

2010 stats: 62.1 IP, 5-6, 22 SV, 3 HLD, 73 K, 4.04/1.48

Can K-ROD bounce back.

11. Huston Street, COL (27)
The consistently inconsistent 2005 AL Rookie of the Year has had two seasons with 30 or more saves (37 in ’06, 35 in ’09), two with at least 20 (23 in ’05, 20 in ’10) and two in the high-teens (18 in ’08, 16 in ’07).

2010 stats: 47.1 IP, 4-4, 20 SV, 45 K, 3.61/1.06

12. Jose Valverde, DET (32)
After posting back-to-back 40-plus save seasons in 2007 (47) and ’08 (44), has closed the door 25 and 26 times the past two years while maintaining a steadily strong ERA, WHIP and K/9 ratio.

2010 stats: 63.0 IP, 2-4, 26 SV, 63 K, 3.00/1.16

13. Joe Nathan, MIN (36)
During his dominant six-year run from 2004-09, Nathan was a four-time All-Star who averaged 41 saves and 86 Ks over 69.2 innings — with an ERA that “fluctuated” from 1.33 (2008) to 2.70 (’05). But after missing the 2010 season and undergoing Tommy John surgery, Nathan is no longer Mo Rivera statistical lock he once was.

2009 stats: 68.2 IP, 2-2, 47 SV, 89 K, 2.10/0.93

14. Chris Perez, CLE (25)
The control issues Perez experienced with the Cardinals (1.35 WHIP over 65.1 IP) have all but vanished since the flame-thrower (171 K in 161.2 IP) was traded to the Indians (1.08 WHIP over 96.1 IP).

2010 stats: 63.0 IP, 2-2, 23 SV, 9 HLD, 61 K, 1.71/1.08

15. J.J. Putz, ARI (34)
The veteran reliever has a solid track record (3.19 ERA, 421 K in 406.1 IP) but just two seasons as a full-time closer (40 saves in ’07, 36 in ’06).

2010 stats: 54.0 IP, 7-5, 3 SV, 14 HLD, 65 K, 2.83/1.04

16. John Axford, MIL (28)
The Canadian import had a rookie season that was equal parts dominant (1.97 ERA, 14 saves, 44 K in 32 IP after the All-Star break) and consistent.

2010 stats: 58.0 IP, 8-2, 24 SV, 3 HLD, 76 K, 2.48/1.19

17. Francisco Cordero, CIN (35)
The fact that Cordero has recorded at least 34 saves in six of the last seven seasons proves he can handle the ninth inning. The question is whether or not Aroldis Chapman will “Neftali Feliz” his way into the Reds’ closer role.

2010 stats: 72.2 IP, 6-5, 40 SV, 1 HLD, 59 K, 3.84/1.43

18. Brad Lidge, PHI (34)
Has melted down in two of the last five seasons — with a 7.21 ERA and 1.81 WHIP (but 31 saves) with the Phillies in 2009 and a 5.28 ERA and 1.40 WHIP (but 32 saves) with the Astros in ’06. But Lidge does have 221 saves (32 per year) over the last seven seasons.

2010 stats: 45.2 IP, 1-1, 27 SV, 52 K, 2.96/1.23

19. Ryan Franklin, STL (37)
Standing on his last leg with the Cardinals, Franklin could see his job shared with (or stolen by) “closer of the future” candidates Jason Motte or Mitchell Boggs.

2010 stats: 65.0 IP, 6-2, 27 SV, 42 K, 3.46/1.03

20. Craig Kimbrel, ATL (22)
The rookie fireballer is the most likely candidate to take over for retiring lefty legend Billy Wagner. Judging by last year’s production, Kimbrel could be untouchable until further notice.

2010 stats: 20.2 IP, 4-0, 1 SV, 2 HLD, 40 K, 0.44/1.21

** Rookies to watch: Aroldis Chapman, CIN; Chris Sale, CHW

While we still have over a month until voluntary report dates (Feb. 14th can’t get here quickly enough), it is never too early for fantasy owners to start digesting mock drafts, big boards and keeper options.

With that, Athlon Sports has perused the World Wide Web for the latest and greatest positional rankings and brought them together for a one-stop shop. Big media names like ESPN, CBS, Athlon Sports and Yahoo! were incorporated as well as a variety of smaller, yet no less insightful, sites like FantasyPhenoms.com, DeepLeagues.com, RotoChamp.com, HardballTimes.com and RotoProfessor.com.

Each site’s rankings — including Athlon’s own rankings, which will be released early in February — were compiled and averaged into one “consensus” ranking. (Age on Opening Day 2011)

The middle reliever rankings come with a few disclaimers. For starters, a great closer is still dramatically more valuable than any set-up man with similar ratios. It’s a simple numbers game. The save is rarer and more difficult statistic to find than the hold, so therefore, players with a chance to slide into the closers role and be just as successful in the ninth inning as the eighth get the nod over pure holds guys – even if they did set records last year.

1. Rafael Soriano, NYY (31)
With his recent contract signing (finally), Soriano jumps right to the top of this list - and not just for holds. Mo Rivera's innings have dropped six straight seasons, and undoubtedly, Soriano will get his fair share of save opps. In the meantime, the Yankees have the most talented set-up man in the league - as long as he stays healthy.

2010 Stats: 62.1 IP, 3 W, 45 SV, 57 K, 0 HLD, 1.73 ERA, 0.80 WHIP

2. Craig Kimbrel, ATL (22)
The stirkeouts are astounding. The walks are too. However, Kimbrel is the leader in the clubhouse for the Braves closer role and figures to get the majority of the chances. That being said, manager Fredi Gonzalez has announced that Jonny Venters will get lots of opportunities (based on lefty-righty matchups) as well in the ninth. If Kimbrel, the righty, can eliminate the walks, it is tough to see him not locking down the closers role eventually.

2010 Stats: 20.2 IP, 4 W, 1 SV, 40 K, 0.44 ERA, 1.21 WHIP

3. Aroldis Chapman, CIN (23)
This will be the first full season for the flame-throwing, cult legend lefty. And its hard not to be a believer of the young set-up man. It is also difficult seeing him stay in a that role for too long - whether that means a move to the ninth inning or the rotation. The difficulty with drafting Chapman is that his high profile arrival - and fastball - has made his draft day value sky-rocket. You will have to pay a pretty penny to land this Cuban defector.

2010 Stats: 13.1 IP, 2 W, 0 SV, 19 K, 4 HLD, 2.02 ERA, 1.05 WHIP

4. Chris Sale, CHW (22)
This youngster is an intersting case for a variety of reasons. First, there just aren't too many 6'6" 175-pound southpaws. Second, not too many players spend a total of 60 days in the minors. Sale pitched 4.0 innings in A+ and 6.1 in AAA before making his MLB debut on Aug. 6. In his first full season, the lanky lefty could take over the closers role or become one of the leagues top set-up men. An eventual move to the rotation is very possible, but this season Sale should offer plenty of fantasy bullpen help.

2010 Stats: 23.1 IP, 2 W, 4 SV, 32K, 2 HLD, 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP

5. Drew Storen, WAS (23)
Storen is another young reliever who spent very little (less than a year) in the minors. Less than a year after being drafted, Storen made his debut in May of 2010 and stuck with the club for the entire season. After a promising rookie year, Storen enters year two in a battle for the closers job with basically everyone else on the roster. It should be his job to lose, and with his experience as the closer at Stanford, leads me to believe he will stick in that role.

2010 Stats: 55.1 IP, 4 W, 5 SV, 52 K, 10 HLD, 3.58 ERA, 1.27 WHIP

6. Matt Thornton, CHW (34)
Three-year averages for Thornton: 67 IP, 6-4, 5 SV, 82 K, 2.70 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. Those numbers will play in any format in any fantasy league. But in a holds league, he is a proven commodity who will get plenty of save chances as well. A 15 SV-15 HLD season isn't out of the question.

2010 Stats: 60.2 IP, 5 W, 8 SV, 81 K, 21 HLD, 2.67 ERA, 1.01 WHIP

7. Hong-Chih Kuo, LAD (29)
Over the last three year, few players have been as valuable out of the bullpen as Kuo. His numbers over that span: 170 IP, 10-5, 13 SV, 201 K, 47 HLD, 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP. That is the stuff fantasy stars are made of. Most expect closer Jon Broxton to bounce back to form, but Kuo will still be second in line and will get some chances. The term 'lefty specialist' just doesn't do Kuo justice - he finished 2010 with a .095 BAA against lefties in 31.0 innings against his counterparts.

2010 Stats: 60.0 IP, 3 W, 12 SV, 73 K, 21 HLD, 1.20 ERA, 0.78 WHIP

8. Johnny Venters, ATL (26)
As it stands, Venters looks to be the closer for Atlanta - against lefties. It looks like he and Kimbrel will share ninth inning duties, with Kimbrel the favorite to take over the job fulltime at some point. Venters' 93 punchouts are the highest returning total by a member of Braves bullpen. He followed his stellar rookie year up with 5.1 scoreless postseason innings in which he struck out eight and walked none.        

2010 Stats: 83.0 IP, 4 W, 1 SV, 93 K, 24 HLD, 1.95 ERA, 1.20 WHIP

9. Luke Gregerson, SD (26)
In only his second full season in the majors, Gregerson set an MLB record with 40 holds last year. Other than a oddly out of place 3.22 ERA, the ratios are down right nasty: 10.2 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, 5.4 H/9 and 4.94 K/BB. All of which points to an unlucky ERA and a potential sub-3.00 season in 2011. He is as solid a pure holds option as there is in the game, but could easily find himself closing games should the Padres deal Heath Bell during the summer.

2010 Stats: 78.1 IP, 4 W, 2 SV, 89 K, 40 HLD, 3.22 ERA, 0.83 WHIP

10. Daniel Bard, BOS (25)
Along with Gregerson, Bard is likely his league's top pure holds man heading into the spring. Both he and Gregerson have clearly defined set-up roles behind stud closers. Bard's team is likely to be leading after the fifth inning quite often this year and his numbers were stellar across the board. His awesome fastball and bulldog mentality should provide a small handful of save opps too. His BB/9 rate did dip from 4.0 to 3.6, but is still something to keep an eye on. 

2010 Stats: 74.2 IP, 1 W, 3 SV, 76 K, 32 HLD, 1.93 ERA, 1.00 WHIP

11. Evan Meek, PIT (27)
To quote the greatest baseball broadcaster of all time, "...and the Meek shall inherit the mound." Vin Scully nailed it. Meek walked to the bump 70 times last season and was downright nasty. If he could trim the top off of his BB rate (3.5 BB/9), he would easily be in the top ten. Also, we will see if he can handle the closers role as he should battle Joel Hanrahan for the job in spring. Either way, this All-Star reliever will be a big contributor to any fantasy pen.

2010 Stats: 80.0 IP, 5 W, 4 SV, 70 K, 15 HLD, 2.14 ERA, 1.05 WHIP

12. Ryan Madson, PHI (30)
When healthy, few in the majors have been as effective in the set-up role as Madson. His numbers when filling in for Brad Lidge in the ninth leave a bit to be desired. Entering his ninth, and possibly final, season with the Phils, Madson has been in the pen for the last four. Since the move, the 6'6" righty has a 162-game averages of 74 IP, 5 W, 5 SV, 70 K, a 3.01 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. Even with missing some time, Madson has totalled 58 holds over the last three seasons.

2010 Stats: 53.0 IP, 6 W, 5 SV, 64 K, 15 HLD, 2.55 ERA, 1.04 WHIP

13. Joaquin Benoit, DET (33)
Nope, you are not reading that wrong. Benoit allowed a total of 42 base runners in his 60.1 innings leading to an astronomical 0.68 WHIP. However, owners cannot expect a repeat. Over his nine-year career (651.2 IP), Benoit has a 4.47 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. His ERA has topped 5.00 four times before and once finished at 4.86. Only three seasons has he been below 4.50. While he does strike out plenty of hitters, his 11.2 K/9 last fall was by far a career best and a return to his career average of 8.5 K/9 is more likely. 

2010 Stats: 60.1 IP, 1 W, 1 SV, 75 K, 25 HLD, 1.34 ERA, 0.68 WHIP

14. Jake McGee, TB (24)
If there is one thing we can guarantee about Mr. McGee is that he will have an important job of some kind. Benoit, Soriano and Grant Balfour have all moved on, and with the Matt Garza trade movng Jeremy Hellickson firmly into the rotation, there should be loads of innings for McGee to eat up. Despite starting 129 of his 140 games in his seven-year minor league career, McGee could very well end up closing games for the Rays. Me and Jake-y McGee would take anything close to his career 10.4 K/9 rate (over 620.2 career minor league innings).

2010 Stats: 5.0 IP, 0 W, 0 SV, 6 K, 0 HLD, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP

15. Mike Adams, SD (32)
His bullpen partner Gregerson has the major league holds record, but techincally Adams broke topped the old record too (36). The Sammy Sosa of holds, if you will. He is much older than Gregerson and has dealt with some injury issues which limited his innings. The 1.06 WHIP mirrors his career mark, so it will stay put. The ERA, however, could creep north of 2.00. More than a K per inning for his career indicates the punchouts should stick around as well.

2010 Stats: 66.2 IP, 4 W, 0 SV, 73 K, 38 HLD, 1.75 ERA, 1.06 WHIP

16. Sean Marshall, CHC (28)
2010 Stats: 74.2 IP, 7 W, 1 SV, 90 K, 22 HLD, 2.65 ERA, 1.11 WHIP

17. Rafael Betancourt, COL (35)
2010 Stats: 62.1 IP, 5 W, 1 SV, 89 K, 23 HLD, 3.61 ERA, 0.96 WHIP

18. Tyler Clippard, WAS (26)
2010 Stats: 91.0 IP, 11 W, 1 SV, 112 K, 23 HLD, 3.07 ERA, 1.21 WHIP

19. Grant Balfour, OAK (33)
2010 Stats: 55.1 IP, 2 W, 0 SV, 56 K, 16 HLD, 2.28 ERA, 1.08 WHIP

20. Koji Uehara, BAL (36*)
2010 Stats: 44.0 IP, 1 W, 13 SV, 55 K, 6 HLD, 2.86 ERA, 0.95 WHIP

* - turns 36 on April 3.

21. Kevin Jepsen, LAA (26)
2010 Stats: 59.0 IP, 2 W, 0 SV, 61 K, 27 HLD, 3.97 ERA, 1.41 WHIP

22. Jason Frasor, TOR (33)
2010 Stats: 63.2 IP, 3 W, 4 SV, 65 K, 14 HLD, 3.68 ERA, 1.38 WHIP

23. Hisanori Takahashi, LAA (36)
2010 Stats: 122.0 IP, 10 W (12 GS), 8 SV, 114 K, 3 HLD, 3.61 ERA, 1.30 WHIP 

* - turns 36 on April 2.

24. Bobby Jenks, BOS (30)
2010 Stats: 52.2 IP, 1 W, 27 SV, 61 K, 0 HLD, 4.44 ERA, 1.37 WHIP

25. Nick Masset, CIN (28)
2010 Staas: 76.2 IP, 4 W, 2 SV, 85 K, 20 HLD, 3.40 ERA, 1.27 WHIP

26. Clay Hensley, FLA
27. Darren O’Day, TEX
28. Michael Wuertz, OAK
29. Brandon League, SEA
30. Brian Duensing, MIN
31. Wilton Lopez, HOU
32. Carlos Zambrano, CHC
33. Ramon Ramirez, BOS
34. Matt Guerrier, MIN
35. Kris Medlen, ATL

Athlon's positional fantasy baseball rankings:

Consensus Top 125
First Base
Starting Pitchers
Catchers
Middle Relievers
Shortstops
Third Base
Closers
Second Base
Outfield