Along with the corner outfield positions, first base is a premium run-producing position. Significant home run, RBIs, runs scored and walk numbers accompany the first few tiers of first basemen.

Unlike most other positions, there isn’t a huge drop off between the first two tiers. Most teams put their big, strong defensive liability at first, making it a predominantly offensive position. Read more »

Fans and fantasy owners can be remarkably short-sighted.

In trying to project for an upcoming season, the tendency is to look at last season’s results and assume they are going to repeat themselves. Understandably so, too; the fresher information is the safest approach to evaluating players and the best way to feel good about the picks you’ve made.

It takes some guts to reach for a rookie or a player coming off an injury plagued season. We can’t look at the statistics and feel safe in our decision-making, so we tend to avoid those players and only look at them when prices are absolutely right. Read more »

The St. Louis Cardinals just seem to have Randy Johnson’s number.

In two starts against the Redbirds this month, Johnson has thrown just 9.2 innings and given up five home runs for a staggering 9.31 ERA. Considering that the Arizona Diamondbacks are in a tight race with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West title, every game matters here in the final week of the season. The D-Backs have only been in the running for an NL West crown as their way into the 2008 postseason, so Johnson’s rough outing dug them a big hole.

In his start Tuesday night to the Cards, Johnson went six innings while giving up seven hits and five earned runs. He struck out just one batter and took his 10th loss of the season in the process. Trade-deadline acquisition Jon Rauch didn’t help matters by giving up four hits and two runs in his only inning of work. Rauch’s numbers since joining the Diamondbacks have been atrocious after posting 17 saves for the Washington Nationals. Rauch has gone 0-6 with a 6.56 ERA since leaving the nation’s capital. Read more »

More rankings! Following up our team, rookie and closer rankings this week, we have our top 101 players overall. We swear, no more until at least, say, Monday. That should be plenty of time for things to change and start all over again.

Alex Rodriguez once again mans the top spot on our list because he is grinding out a stat line comparable to anyone else in fantasy baseball, despited missing two weeks with a sore quad. Matt Holliday surges up the list because he’s the next best thing to A-Rod, at least when it comes to fantasy. Very few can grind out stats like these two can, including a .300-plus average and 15-20 stolen bases. Read more »

When Prince Fielder hit his second home run of the night on Wednesday, he did more than lift the Brewers to a 5-4 win over the Phillies. He hit two home runs in a game for the first time this season and made a little personal, meaningless history in the process.

In 2007, when Fielder became the youngest player in baseball history to hit 50 home runs, his first two-homer effort also came on April 23, also in a 5-4 win. In each contest, his second homer of the night was the game-winner for the Brew Crew. Read more »