Jacoby Ellsbury AL’s Second Best in NESN.com’s Fantasy Outfield Rankings

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Mar 24, 2010

Jacoby Ellsbury AL's Second Best in NESN.com's Fantasy Outfield Rankings Diversity reigns in the fantasy outfield, where you?ll find oodles of bashers and speedsters, but also plenty of players who excel in both categories, even in the late-rounds of your draft.

Did you miss out on Adam Lind?s 35-homer bat early on? Not to worry, Carlos Quentin could match him dinger for dinger dozens of picks later. Is your team short on steals with the pickings getting slim in the 12th round? Consider either Rajai Davis or Dexter Fowler, who might not contribute much in other categories, but will surely keep you afloat in the stolen-bases department.

With all the sleepers and late-round value picks available, the NESN rankings will help ensure that you find the right mix of outfield talent in the draft.

See our position-by-position rankings here: C
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300

Name Team 2009 Stats 2010 Projection Notes
Ryan Braun Brewers .320 AVG, 32 HR, 114 RBI, 113 R, 20 SB .316 AVG, 39 HR, 121 RBI, 115 R, 21 SB An argument could be made for picking Braun as high as second overall.
Matt Kemp Dodgers .296 AVG, 26 HR, 101 RBI, 97 R, 34 SB .301 AVG, 28 HR, 102 RBI, 99 R, 35 SB Apart from Hanley, Kemp is the best bet for 30 homers and 30 steals in 2010.
Carl Crawford Rays .305 AVG, 15 HR, 68 RBI, 96 R, 60 SB .298 AVG, 14 HR, 63 RBI, 91 R, 54 SB A lock for double-digit homers and 50 stolen bases, especially in a career year atop the Rays lineup.
Jacoby Ellsbury Red Sox .301 AVG, 8 HR, 60 RBI, 94 R, 70 SB .300 AVG, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 100 R, 73 SB Improved on-base percentage from .336 to .355 over the past two seasons, giving him more opportunities to showcase his blinding speed.
Justin Upton Diamondbacks .300 AVG, 26 HR, 86 RBI, 84 R, 20 SB .297 AVG, 31 HR, 99 RBI, 96 R, 20 SB Upton could be ready to challenge for the NL MVP award, but fantasy owners will take 30 homers, 20 swipes and a nice average as a consolation prize if he doesn't.
Matt Holliday Cardinals .313 AVG, 24 HR, 109 RBI, 94 R, 14 SB .307 AVG, 22 HR, 106 RBI, 95 R, 15 SB Neither the guy who slumped in Oakland, nor the guy who surged in St. Louis, Holliday should settle somewhere in between.
Grady Sizemore Indians .248 AVG, 18 HR, 64 RBI, 73 R, 13 SB .266 AVG, 25 HR, 76 RBI, 95 R, 28 SB If he's recovered from elbow surgery, Sizemore is an excellent bet for 25 dingers and 25 steals.
Jayson Werth Phillies .268 AVG, 36 HR, 99 RBI, 98 R, 20 SB .275 AVG, 34 HR, 92 RBI, 86 R, 18 SB Broke out last year, and will be motivated to continue that production as free agency awaits next winter.
Adam Lind Blue Jays .305 AVG, 35 HR, 114 RBI, 93 R, 1 SB .296 AVG, 37 HR, 112 RBI, 93 R, 0 SB No reason to believe that last year's power surge was a fluke.
Ichiro Suzuki Mariners .352 AVG, 11 HR, 46 RBI, 88 R, 26 SB .322 AVG, 8 HR, 47 RBI, 92 R, 31 SB There is considerable risk here, because if Ichiro's legs are truly beginning to wear down, his average and stolen-base totals will plummet.
B.J. Upton Rays .241 AVG, 11 HR, 55 RBI, 79 R, 42 SB .278 AVG, 19 HR, 74 RBI, 91 R, 44 SB Shoulder surgery dimmed his candle last season, but Upton has rare 20 homer, 40 steal upside that's worth gambling on.
Jason Bay Mets .267 AVG, 36 HR, 119 RBI, 103 R, 13 SB .269 AVG, 27 HR, 100 RBI, 98 R, 13 SB Citi Field will temper his power output, but he should still offer fine power and run producing numbers.
Andre Ethier Dodgers .272 AVG, 31 HR, 106 RBI, 92 R, 6 SB .289 AVG, 32 HR, 105 RBI, 96 R, 4 SB If Ethier finds a way to hit for both average and power, he has top-10 outfielder upside.
Shin-Soo Choo Indians .300 AVG, 20 HR, 86 RBI, 87 R, 21 SB .292 AVG, 23 HR, 88 RBI, 90 R, 22 SB The Indians benefit from his on-base percentage, which doesn't show up in normal 5×5 leagues, but you can enjoy the probable 20 homer, 20 steal output.
Curtis Granderson Yankees .249 AVG, 30 HR, 71 RBI, 91 R, 20 SB .259 AVG, 30 HR, 73 RBI, 97 R, 18 SB Move to hitter-friendly Yankees Stadium could help Granderson maintain new-found 30-homer ability.
Carlos Lee Astros .300 AVG, 26 HR, 102 RBI, 65 R, 5 SB .291 AVG, 26 HR, 100 RBI, 66 R, 4 SB May no longer be a 30 home run threat, but is still a solid fantasy outfielder. Just be happy you're not the one paying him $100 million over six seasons.
Nick Markakis Orioles .293 AVG, 18 HR, 101 RBI, 94 R, 6 SB .293 AVG, 20 HR, 98 RBI, 92 R, 8 SB Star potential is limited by his inability to hit lefties, who held him to a .262 average and just five homers in 263 at-bats last season.
Nelson Cruz Rangers .260 AVG, 33 HR, 76 RBI, 75 R, 20 SB .266 AVG, 35 HR, 94 RBI, 85 R, 16 SB Twenty-five of his 33 homers last season came with the bases empty, suggesting that his RBI totals should balloon if he maintains the pop.
Bobby Abreu Angels .293 AVG, 15 HR, 103 RBI, 96 R, 30 SB .284 AVG, 16 HR, 98 RBI, 87 R, 24 SB Entering his late 30s, so be mindful of the potential for some decline in power and speed.
Torii Hunter Angels .299 AVG, 22 HR, 90 RBI, 74 R, 18 SB .289 AVG, 23 HR, 90 RBI, 86 R, 14 SB Hit .305 with 17 home runs before the All-Star break last season, but injuries limited his output during the second half.
Adam Jones Orioles .277 AVG, 19 HR, 70 RBI, 83 R, 10 SB .278 AVG, 21 HR, 84 RBI, 88 R, 19 SB A potential 20 homer, 20 steal contributor, Jones has been compared to Torii Hunter, though he's not ready to overtake him just yet.
Shane Victorino Phillies .292 AVG, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 102 R, 25 SB .291 AVG, 11 HR, 63 RBI, 100 R, 31 SB Victorino won't hurt you in any category, but his ability to steal 30-plus bases is an asset to any fantasy team.
Hunter Pence Astros .282 AVG, 25 HR, 72 RBI, 76 R, 14 SB .269 AVG, 30 HR, 90 RBI, 84 R, 12 SB Has the pop to reach 30-plus home runs if he can work on taming his 52.8 percent ground-ball rate from last season.
Andrew McCutchen Pirates .286 AVG, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 74 R, 22 SB .280 AVG, 15 HR, 61 RBI, 82 R, 35 SB McCutchen has 20 home run, 30 steal upside in what will be his first full big league campaign.
Josh Hamilton Rangers .268 AVG, 10 HR, 54 RBI, 43 R, 8 SB .284 AVG, 23 HR, 88 RBI, 72 R, 10 SB The problem with Hamilton is that his ability to stay healthy is a tossup. In other words, his talent is worth a gamble, but don't overpay for it.
Manny Ramirez Dodgers .290 AVG, 19 HR, 63 RBI, 62 R, 0 SB .296 AVG, 26 HR, 91 RBI, 82 R, 0 SB Last year's regression was most likely the result of a 50-game steroid suspension and a slow finish, so expect a rebound even though Manny is in his late 30s.
Nate McLouth Braves .256 AVG, 20 HR, 70 RBI, 86 R, 19 SB .271 AVG, 23 HR, 80 RBI, 92 R, 22 SB Might be the last reliable 20 homer, 20 steal performer left on the board.
Carlos Quentin White Sox .236 AVG, 21 HR, 56 RBI, 47 R, 3 SB .269 AVG, 33 HR, 96 RBI, 78 R, 2 SB Chalk up last year's struggles to plantar fasciitis and a .221 BABIP, and be willing to pay for more on draft day.
Raul Ibanez Phillies .272 AVG, 34 HR, 93 RBI, 93 R, 4 SB .281 AVG, 23 HR, 98 RBI, 85 R, 2 SB Hitting in the middle of the Phillies lineup at Citizens Bank Park makes for a cushy setting, but don?t expect 30-plus home runs again.
Jay Bruce Reds .223 AVG, 22 HR, 58 RBI, 47 R, 3 SB .279 AVG, 28 HR, 92 RBI, 73 R, 6 SB Hit .353 with four homers in 34 at-bats last September, showing flashes of the potential that once ranked him among the top hitting prospects in baseball.
Johnny Damon Tigers .282 AVG, 24 HR, 82 RBI, 107 R, 12 SB .282 AVG, 13 HR, 76 RBI, 91 R, 12 SB Damon won't have the benefit of Yankee Stadium's short porch in Detroit, but his road numbers last year weren't all that bad either.
Alex Rios White Sox .247 AVG, 17 HR, 71 RBI, 63 R, 24 SB .267 AVG, 17 HR, 82 RBI, 70 R, 20 SB Must improve on last year's 16.4 percent line-drive rate for his batting average to rebound.
Denard Span Twins .311 AVG, 8 HR, 68 RBI, 97 R, 23 SB .305 AVG, 8 HR, 70 RBI, 96 R, 28 SB Victorino Lite, minus the benefit of Citizens Bank Park and the Phillies lineup support.
Carlos Beltran Mets .325 AVG, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 50 R, 11 SB .291 AVG, 16 HR, 76 RBI, 80 R, 11 SB Beltran's knee injury is a major concern, and even if he returns in May as hoped, Citi Field will eat into his production.
Carlos Gonzalez Rockies .284 AVG, 13 HR, 29 RBI, 53 R, 16 SB .286 AVG, 23 HR, 85 RBI, 90 R, 20 SB Shhh, don't tell anyone, but if you project Car-Gon's 2009 output over a full season, he's a candidate for 25 homers and 25 steals.
Juan Pierre White Sox .308 AVG, 0 HR, 31 RBI, 57 R, 30 SB .307 AVG, 0 HR, 44 RBI, 96 R, 57 SB Ozzie Guillen has already said he wants Pierre to run wild, so his stolen-base upside is off the charts. Just make sure you realize he contributes literally nothing power-wise.
Jason Kubel Twins .300 AVG, 28 HR, 103 RBI, 73 R, 1 SB .271 AVG, 27 HR, 89 RBI, 82 R, 1 SB Kubel hit 26 of his 28 homers against right-handed pitchers last season, and his OPS was nearly 400 points lower against southpaws.
Julio Borbon Rangers .312 AVG, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 30 R, 19 SB .283 AVG, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 83 R, 31 SB Has breakneck speed, but his inability to hit left-handed pitching could limit his playing time.
Nolan Reimold Orioles .279 AVG, 15 HR, 45 RBI, 49 R, 8 SB .282 AVG, 24 HR, 84 RBI, 79 R, 13 SB Reimold's minor league resume suggests that his power is real, but expect his stolen-base pace to slow a bit.
Michael Bourn Astros .285 AVG, 3 HR, 35 RBI, 97 R, 61 SB .267 AVG, 3 HR, 33 RBI, 85 R, 44 SB Bourn is a candidate to steal 50 bases again, but he'll have to maintain a .350-plus on-base percentage to make that possible.
Michael Cuddyer Twins .276 AVG, 32 HR, 94 RBI, 93 R, 6 SB .270 AVG, 26 HR, 84 RBI, 83 R, 5 SB Expecting another 30-plus homer effort might be a stretch, but Cuddyer certainly has the pop to reward you for a late-round pick.
Nyjer Morgan Nationals .307 AVG, 3 HR, 39 RBI, 74 R, 42 SB .273 AVG, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 81 R, 32 SB Morgan won't hit over .300 with 40-plus steals again, because his .408 BABIP during the second half of last year was an outlier.
Franklin Gutierrez Mariners .283 AVG, 18 HR, 70 RBI, 85 R, 16 SB .287 AVG, 21 HR, 82 RBI, 82 R, 18 SB Just imagine how much the Mariners must love Gutierrez, considering that this offensive output comes with arguably the best center-field glove in the majors.
Brad Hawpe Rockies .285 AVG, 23 HR, 86 RBI, 82 R, 1 SB .278 AVG, 21 HR, 76 RBI, 78 R, 0 SB The concern with Hawpe is that his defense is so pathetic that the Rockies may have to sit him against some lefties.
Alfonso Soriano Cubs .241 AVG, 20 HR, 55 RBI, 64 R, 9 SB .260 AVG, 24 HR, 69 RBI, 76 R, 7 SB Soriano is clearly declining across the board, so be sure that you don't overpay like the Cubs did when they signed him to an eight-year, $136 million deal.
Dexter Fowler Rockies .266 AVG, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 73 R, 27 SB .274 AVG, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 82 R, 35 SB More upside than Nyjer Morgan and Michael Bourn, but there is also considerably more risk given the potential for a sophomore slump.
Rajai Davis Athletics .305 AVG, 3 HR, 48 RBI, 65 R, 41 SB .287 AVG, 2 HR, 42 RBI, 59 R, 33 SB Which Rajai will show up, the .257 hitter before the All-Star break, or the .325 hitter who stole 30 bases after? It may be worth a late-round pick to find out.
Lastings Milledge Pirates .279 AVG, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 21 R, 7 SB .281 AVG, 17 HR, 69 RBI, 80 R, 22 SB Flash back to 2008, when Milledge hit 14 homers and stole 24 bases for the Nats. That's the upside you're paying for.
Ryan Ludwick Cardinals .265 AVG, 22 HR, 97 RBI, 63 R, 4 SB .269 AVG, 27 HR, 92 RBI, 78 R, 3 SB Regressed after phenomenal 2008 campaign, but still has plenty of pop with a shot at smacking 30-plus homers again.
Juan Rivera Angels .287 AVG, 25 HR, 88 RBI, 72 R, 0 SB .278 AVG, 24 HR, 91 RBI, 84 R, 2 SB Has a virtually guaranteed everyday role, and 25 homer, 100 RBI upside makes him a solid, late-round outfield starter.
Corey Hart Brewers .260 AVG, 12 HR, 48 RBI, 64 R, 11 SB .264 AVG, 20 HR, 75 RBI, 78 R, 20 SB It's easy to forget that Hart was considered a lock for 20 homers and 20 steals coming into last season. There's no reason he can't regain that status.
Kyle Blanks Padres .250 AVG, 10 HR, 22 RBI, 24 R, 1 SB .270 AVG, 25 HR, 90 RBI, 77 R, 2 SB Padres' top hitting prospect has the kind of offensive potential that enables them to consider trading Adrian Gonzalez.
Chris Coghlan Marlins .321 AVG, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 84 R, 8 SB .293 AVG, 10 HR, 55 RBI, 87 R, 17 SB Won't sustain .365 BABIP, so his average will tumble, but Coghlan has more stolen-base potential than he flashed last year.
Chris Young Diamondbacks .212 AVG, 15 HR, 42 RBI, 54 R, 11 SB .253 AVG, 19 HR, 75 RBI, 78 R, 23 SB Think back to 2008, when Young hit 22 homers and stole 14 bases. A .268 BABIP might've been the only thing that stopped him last season.
Vernon Wells Blue Jays .260 AVG, 15 HR, 66 RBI, 84 R, 17 SB .265 AVG, 19 HR, 74 RBI, 79 R, 16 SB Enjoy the surefire 15 homer, 15 stolen-base combo while taking pleasure in the fact that you're not paying him $126 million over seven years.
Cody Ross Marlins .270 AVG, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 73 R, 5 SB .266 AVG, 22 HR, 86 RBI, 71 R, 4 SB You wouldn't expect it from a 5-foot-9 guy, but Ross has bashed 20-plus homers in each of the past two seasons.
Conor Jackson Diamondbacks .182 AVG, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 8 R, 5 SB .293 AVG, 14 HR, 63 RBI, 80 R, 13 SB Finally healthy after long bout with valley fever, CoJack could land atop the D'backs batting order where his run and stolen-base potential would rise.
Colby Rasmus Cardinals .251 AVG, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 72 R, 3 SB .272 AVG, 21 HR, 67 RBI, 89 R, 5 SB Has the skills to bat over .300 and mash 20-plus dingers, but Rasmus hit just .160 with three homers in 106 at-bats against lefties last season.
J.D. Drew Red Sox .279 AVG, 24 HR, 68 RBI, 84 R, 2 SB .271 AVG, 20 HR, 70 RBI, 85 R, 4 SB Bet you didn't know that Drew ranked third among AL outfielders in OPS last season, behind only Lind and Bay.
Travis Snider Blue Jays .241 AVG, 9 HR, 29 RBI, 34 R, 1 SB .268 AVG, 19 HR, 66 RBI, 61 R, 2 SB Blue Jays' top prospect hit .337 with 14 homers in Triple-A ball last year and is only 22 years old.

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