The pool of third basemen is teeming with talent, from upper-echelon studs to youngsters with potential to old standbys. The top three players in my overall 2008 rankings are all third basemen. It's become one of the game's deepest positions, rivaling first base and starting pitching.
As we stroll down the third-base line, the conversation has to begin with Alex Rodriguez, by all accounts the top fantasy player entering the season. A-Rod's stats were off the charts in 2007, even for him - career highs in RBIs, runs and on-base and slugging percentages - and with Rodriguez still in his prime and in a virtually unchanged New York Yankees lineup, he represents the safest and smartest pick at No. 1.
However, if you can't get your hands on A-Rod this year, no
worries. There are two other third basemen who can make legitimate claims of being top-five worthy, and their numbers shouldn't be all that far behind Rodriguez's by season's end.The first is David Wright, another Big Apple idol. The New York Mets' golden child is a five-category contributor, with rarely seen speed (34 steals in 2007) for a third baseman. If you can get that kind of production from a corner outfielder, you've won half the battle. I have Wright ranked as the No. 2 overall fantasy player.
The other truly elite third baseman is Miguel Cabrera, who checks in at No. 3 on my overall list. He's already building Cooperstown credentials at age 24, and the thought of him moving into the Detroit Tigers' mini-Murderer's Row lineup is about as scary as the eye black/war paint Cabrera wears. It's conceivable he could finish the year as fantasy's best third baseman, assuming he doesn't struggle adjusting to the American League.
Rodriguez, Wright and Cabrera will soon have some company at the top. Start with the Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun, last year's National League Rookie of the Year. Braun is actually moving to left field this season - but don't worry, he'll keep third base eligibility in most leagues.
Defense is about the only hole in his game, as his amazing rookie numbers (.324 average, 34 home runs, 97 RBIs, 91 runs, 15 steals) weren't that far off Wright's or Cabrera's. The small sample size (451 at-bats) worries me a bit, but now Braun can focus a little less on fielding and more on padding those stats at the plate.
Who's this year's Braun? Could be Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays. Insert your own "Desperate Housewives" joke here, but don't laugh at the kid's game - the sweet-swinging, smooth-fielding 22-year-old has been on the fast track to the majors and may win the Rays' starting job this spring. Even if he doesn't, expect to see him making a run at AL rookie honors by midseason.
And while we're on the subject of young talent, don't overlook the Kansas City Royals' Alex Gordon, last year's much-hyped uber-prospect who hit a wall (.247, 137 strikeouts in 543 at-bats) as a rookie. Gordon is way too gifted to give up on yet, and after being overvalued at last year's draft, he'll be undervalued this year. Good time to buy low.
It's not just the Big Three and the fresh faces at third this year, either.
You've got your old reliables (Aramis Ramirez, Chipper Jones, Mike Lowell) your up-and-comers (Garrett Atkins, Ryan Zimmerman, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Chone Figgins) and your sleepers (Edwin Encarnacion, Hank Blalock) - a little something for everyone. If you get locked out of the top-tier guys, there's plenty of depth in the middle rounds.
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