Kuzul

There is a general feeling among many people that Elvis Andrus is overrated.  When you look at his numbers from 2010, it isn’t a surprising thought:

588 At Bats
.265 Batting Average (156 Hits)
0 Home Runs
35 RBI
88 Runs
32 Stolen Bases
.342 On Base Percentage
.301 Slugging Percentage
.317 Batting Average on Balls in Play

The number that jumps off the page is his home run total.  If he was hitting for extra bases in other ways it may not be as glaring, but he had just 15 doubles and 3 triples.  Both were down from his 2009 campaign when he had 31 total extra base hits (17 doubles, 8 triples, 6 home runs).

It’s not like the latter is very impressive, but at least it is a little bit more appealing.

It isn’t likely that he is going to hit for much power, with a career fly ball rate of 21.1 percent through his first two seasons, but after hitting six in 480 AB in his rookie season it is hard to imagine him as a player who doesn’t hit any.

He is still just 22 years old and, with experience, you would think that he will add a little bit of pop.

He’s not likely to suddenly develop into Jose Reyes or Jimmy Rollins, pairing speed and power, but seeing him rebound into the 6-9 HR range would not be shocking.  It would also significantly help his potential value.

He’s being dropped to second in the Rangers lineup this season, with Ian Kinsler moving into the leadoff spot.

Considering the team’s ability to light up the scoreboard, the move should do little to impact our view on his potential to score runs.  Seeing him in the 90s is very realistic, especially with his improved ability to draw walks (7.4 percent to 9.5 percent in ’10).

In fact, with Kinsler filling the bases in front of him, one could argue that he has the ability to improve upon his RBI total.

Again, it’s not going to be a dynamic leap into the 70s or 80s, but the 50s or low 60s?  Especially if he does add the power that I discussed, it’s a very realistic mark.

The big question, and the biggest source of value, is Andrus’ speed.  He stole 23 bases the first half of the season, but was also caught 10 times.  His inefficiency helped to cause the Rangers to tighten the reigns in the second half (though he also struggled, hitting .247), with Andrus only attempting 14 stolen bases (and being successful on nine).

You would have to think that improving Andrus’ ability to steal a base is a major priority for the Rangers this season.

He clearly has the speed to be a 40 SB threat, it’s just a matter of teaching him to get the job done.  I wouldn’t enter the season expecting it, but it certainly isn’t unreasonable to think that, with more experience, he can achieve the mark in 2011.

You put it all together and get the following projection for 2011:

.285 (171-600), 7 HR, 55 RBI, 90 R, 35 SB, .328 BABIP, .363 OBP, .377 SLG

Obviously, there are a lot of question marks surrounding Andrus, but I don’t think it is unrealistic to see him reach those marks.

In fact, is it hard to imagine him exceeding those types of numbers?

At a weak position, there are plenty of reasons to like Andrus.

Maybe he’s going a little bit early, with an ADP of 71.88 according to Mock Draft Central.

Still, with his potential, especially in the SB department, he has a chance to be a huge asset.  After the top six or seven at the position, how much certainty is there really?

What are your thoughts of Andrus?  What type of numbers are you expecting from him in ’11?  Do you think he could reach my projection?

**** Make sure to order your copy of the Rotoprofessor 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, selling for just $5, by clicking here. ****

Make sure to check out some of our 2011 projections:

• Barmes, Clint
• Buchholz, Clay
• Butler, Billy
• Choo, Shin-Soo
• Drew, Stephen
• Ethier, Andre
• Freese, David
• Hudson, Tim
• Hughes, Phil
• Jaso, John
• Johnson, Chris
• Kendrick, Howie
• Uggla, Dan
• Morrow, Brandon
• Phillips, Brandon
• Reyes, Jose
• Reynolds, Mark
• Rios, Alex
• Sanchez, Gaby
• Span, Denard
• Stanton, Mike
• Suzuki, Kurt
• Walker, Neil
• Wieters, Matt
• Willingham, Josh
• Young, Michael

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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At the age of 28 years and 41 days, Jon Daniels became the youngest GM in baseball history on October 4, 2005, succeeding John Hart.

Daniels took over a team that was restocking the roster from the outside via free agency. After turning that around completely by rebuilding through the draft he’s turned around the Rangers win-loss column as well. He led the Rangers to their first World Series appearance last year in his fifth season at the helm.

He’s also well known for setting the standard for getting the most for a player in their prime. He will forever be linked with that trade, but for Rangers fans there are a few trades they would like to forget. Here is Jon Daniels’ best three and worst three trades.

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In 2010 Elvis Andrus had an average year batting average-wise and still made the AL All-Star team. 

Now heading into his third season in the “Bigs,” Andrus has the opportunity and ability to emerge as the AL’s top short stop.

Andrus hit .265/.342/.301 in 2010 with 35 runs batted in, 32 stolen bases and no home runs. 

What will he have to do to be top gun come mid-July in 2011?

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The last time he demanded a trade he got denied.  But now, I think he’s really on his way out.

After the Adrian Beltre signing, Michael Young was moved from third base over to the DH spot.  Now, with the acquisition of catcher/first basemen/DH Mike Napoli, Young has been relegated to a backup infield/DH role.

The Rangers currently have insane amounts of depth, and Michael Young has requested to not be a part of it.

He’s understandably upset.  Young has put 11 solid—and I mean solid—years with the Texas Rangers franchise.  He has done whatever has been asked of him over the years and only recently has begun to complain.

After the Alfonso Soriano acquisition in 2004, Young graciously shifted to his right and played shortstop until the 2009 season, when high-profile prospect Elvis Andrus made his debut.  He has played third base since then, and he has played it flawlessly.

Now, he’s on the move again.  Unfortunately, it could be to a different club altogether. 

Young is the staple of consistency. He hasn’t played in less than 135 games since 2001, when he also hit for the lowest average in his career at .249.  Ever since that season, his lowest average is a respectable .262, which he hit the following season.

His best season came in 2005, when he led the league in hits with 221 and batting average with .331.  He had a .331/.385/.513 slash line that season with a career-high 24 home runs.  He knocked in 91 runs and hit 40 doubles and five triples, just for good measure.

Young as hit over .300 in six of his 11 seasons in the bigs and has had over 200 hits five times.

What team wouldn’t salivate over acquiring that kind of production?

Young has declared that he won’t waive his no-trade clause to the 22 teams that are on the list.  In other words, the Rangers can only trade him to the eight nameless teams that are on the list.

The Rangers, at this point, are looking just to get rid of their disgruntled superstar, but he could demand a hefty return. 

He can still pick it at any position in the infield, and his bat is one of the most consistent in the league. 

Theoretically, he could be acquired for two mid- to high-level prospects.  Realistically, we’ll see.  Teams will probably look to buy low on the star considering his recent demands. 

Seeing Young anywhere but Arlington is going to be difficult for baseball fans, and even more difficult for Texas fans who have grown to love their underrated superstar. 

He’ll produce anywhere he goes, no doubt about it, but the Rangers will be sorry he’s gone.  It’s just too difficult to replace that kind of consistency and production.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Okay, before anyone totally freaks out, this is not a “Brewers are looking to trade Prince Fielder” story. This is strictly a what-if scenario, plain and simple.

As we know, there are some teams out there that have had a disappointing offseason thus far. Their fans are clamoring for their team to do something. As a result, a team might be looking to make a splash the size of Prince Fielder doing a cannonball into the proverbial MLB pool. 

It has been made clear that the Brewers are in “go for it” mode this season. What if one of those aforementioned teams gets desperate and makes an EXTREMELY aggressive and attractive offer to the Brewers for Fielder?

I want to take a look at 10 potential deals that may just get the Brewers to think long and hard about dealing their slugger while still allowing them to go for it this year. Other players could be included from the Brewers besides Fielder in any of these trade scenarios.

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Shortstop is a position that has a lot of players with the potential to excel and make fantasy owners look brilliant, but very few certainties. 

Even among some of the top options, you have to wonder what you are going to get.  Let’s take a look at how things currently look on our Top 15 rankings:

1. Hanley Ramirez – Florida Marlins
2. Troy Tulowitzki – Colorado Rockies
3. Jose Reyes – New York Mets
4. Elvis Andrus – Texas Rangers
5. Jimmy Rollins – Philadelphia Phillies
6. Derek Jeter – New York Yankees
7. Alexei Ramirez – Chicago White Sox
8. Starlin Castro – Chicago Cubs
9. Stephen Drew – Arizona Cardinals
10. Rafael Furcal – Los Angeles Dodgers
11. Jhonny Peralta – Detroit Tigers
12. Ian Desmond – Washington Nationals
13. Juan Uribe – San Francisco Giants
14. Alcides Escobar – Milwaukee Brewers
15. Yunel Escobar – Toronto Blue Jays

Thoughts:

• Shortstop has quickly developed into as shallow a position as there is in baseball.  Yes, there are decent players at the bottom of the rankings, but there is only so much quality and then a ton of question marks.
• Headlining the questions is Jimmy Rollins.  If he stays healthy, he is a stud option, but at this point it is far from a lock that he does so.  While the average has struggled the past two seasons, so has his BABIP (.251, .246).  He’s not likely to produce like 2007, but he’ll score runs and is worth the gamble.
• Speaking of staying healthy, Rafael Furcal anyone?  He has had over 400 AB just once in the past three seasons, so if you are going to draft him, I’d make sure I have an Ian Desmond or Juan Uribe on my bench.  In other words, make sure you have someone you can plug into your lineup for a few weeks, just in case.
• It will be easy to argue Andrus’ spot in these rankings, but I stand by my opinion of him.  This is a debate that we’ll have in the near future.
• If you can stomach a poor April, Alexei Ramirez has proven that he has the ability to be among the better shortstops in the league.  Just don’t panic when he’s hitting .200 on May 1.
• We can all tell that Derek Jeter is slowing down, but he’s still hitting atop a loaded Yankees lineup.  That means all he has to do is hit .270 and he’ll be near 100 runs scored.  If he is able to rebound at all, he could easily top 110 and maybe even approach 120.  There’s a lot to be said about that.
• Yesterday I posted my projection for Jose Reyes, which you can view by clicking here.

What are your thoughts on these rankings?  Who’s too high?  Who’s too low?

Make sure to check out our early 2011 rankings:

• Top 15 Catchers
• Top 15 First Basemen
• Top 15 Second Basemen
• Top 15 Third Basemen
• 2011 Fantasy Draft First Round Breakdown

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Texas Rangers have a flexibility about them that would make Mary Lou Retton jealous.

From pitching to fielding, slugging to plate discipline, stealing bases to a fat kid that runs funny, the Texas Rangers can beat a team using more variety than a Swiss Army knife.

The following slides will present analysis into the various ways the Texas Rangers can finally realize their first World Series championship.

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The San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers will begin the 2010 World Series tonight.  This Series has a much different feel to it for many baseball fans.  Neither of these teams was expected to make it this far.  In fact, many were banking on a 2009 World Series rematch between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies.  Yet, this pairing shows how baseball has evolved, especially in this month of October. 

The Texas Rangers’ deadly lineup and a horse in Cliff Lee gives them the obvious edge on paper. Though, these attributes alone cannot guarantee a World Series victory.  Other starters will need to step in and help Lee as well.  Even the bullpen will be important for Texas, especially if these games are close.  To date, their bullpen has been awful this post-season.

The San Francisco Giants slayed a “giant” to get to the World Series.  They defeated the defending two-time NL Champion Phillies.  They put their own dynamic on the series and made quick work of Philadelphia.  Their pitching has been solid all season long and now must be at their best. 

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Almost seven months, 2,430 regular season games, an entire postseason completed and it all almost ended exactly where we were a year ago. Almost.

With this past weekend’s games resulting in the conclusion of both the ALCS and NLCS series, baseball fans worldwide were almost faced with a Yankees versus Phillies rematch for the World Series. It also would have marked the third straight season the Phils reached baseball’s most coveted destination. We almost watched as the Yankees competed for their 27th World Series title. Almost.

We almost ended the season following those ever so familiar faces of postseason heroes, who have made a living crushing the competition when the season mattered the most. The likes of Derek Jeter, Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Alex Rodriguez…the list goes on and on. Almost.

Instead this year baseball fans will be tuning in to a series so new, for once, they really do not know what to expect. Sure the ratings certainly won’t be as high. How could they be? The Yankees and Phillies are located in two of America’s largest sports markets with fanbases of unmeasurable quantities.

Sure it would have been exciting to see CC Sabathia take on a Phillies lineup chock-full of talent, again. Sure it would be exciting to see if Cole Hamels and the rest of the Phillies All-Star rotation could hold off the Yankees erasing last season’s shortcomings. Sure it would be exciting to see if A-Rod, Jeter, Posada and company could do it again.

However, what is more exciting is the unknown this year’s Series most certainly presents.

With the stage set and the world of baseball tuned in, we turn the focus not to the ever so recognizable faces of the New York and Philadelphia ball clubs, but to the faces of baseballs new generation.

With a sport already widely considered “boring” or “too slow” it surely does not help when the same faces pop up every fall. In a sports world where the call for youth and personality has never been stronger, isn’t it time baseball got with the program?

Look at hockey with the emergence of Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos in recent years. Basketball? Try Kevin Durant, Tyreke Evans and even LeBron James. Even football with the likes of Chris Johnson, DeSean Jackson and company has seen a shift to focusing on the players of the “new school.”

Finally we have not only a series featuring a Giants club who has not reached a World Series since 2002, where they infamously choked away a 5-0 lead in Game 6 eventually leading to a championship for the Angels, but a series featuring a Ranger’s club who has previously never won a single playoff series.

That, ladies and gentleman, is excitement.

Along with the change of teams and scenery comes that calling for the new “era” of baseball. Replace CC Sabathia and Cole Hamels with two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and the Rangers young ace C.J. Wilson. Derek Jeter for Elvis Andrus, A-Rod for Pablo “Kung-Fu Panda” Sandoval, Posada for Buster Posey. What are you left with? A Series full of under-25 players starving for their first taste of postseason glory.

One thing is for sure, for the first time in a while, nothing is for sure. Baseball finally got the facelift that has been needed for years. A changing of the guard that not only shook up this season, but will have implications on many seasons to come.

Don’t let the ratings fool you, this World Series will be the best one played in recent memory. And to think we almost had a repeat season. Almost.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As the Texas Rangers embark upon their inaugural trip to the World Series, many have become familiar with household names like Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, Vladimir Guerrero, Michael Young, and who can forget Cliff Lee. It was truly a team effort, and while the aforementioned “stars” of the team played a pivotal role in slaying the mighty Yankees, one needs to look deeper to understand how the Rangers pulled off what many have termed an upset.

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