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Fantasy Baseball 2013 AL Only Rankings: Shortstop

We continue to roll on with our positional rankings today looking at the Shortstops from the AL. A once proud position boasting depth and fantasy stat fillers is in between what they were 10 years ago to what they were 25 years ago. The complete stat fillers just aren't there to be had, so best league specific draft advice I can give you is wait and wait and wait. Hide in the weeds and then strike like a 3 legged jackal when the time is just about right. Which for me would be after I have 5-6 other bats in my lineup and 2 SP. So take a look at how I see the AL shortstops for the upcoming fantasy year.

By smokeymcpots
Bob Levey

  1. Ben Zobrist - If I am drafting Zobrist this is where he stays for me, not at the other 2 positions that he is eligible for. Stats across the board would make me draft him ahead of Reyes, except he doesn't give you the elite steals capability.
  2. Jose Reyes - Steals and staying healthy. I wish I could say more than that but from a fantasy perspective that's all that matters. I don't see him playing more then 130 games still will give you 30 steals though.
  3. Elvis Andrus - Next year he will and should be number 1, Zobrist loses his eligibility and Reyes has burned more people then that yellow thing at the center of the universe. Tons of runs and 25 plus steals, while not killing your BA.
  4. Asdrubal Cabrera - Good 2011, disappointing 2012 based on expectations and draft selection. I see a median of the two. Mid teen homers and 18 plus steals.
  5. Jed Lowrie - I like this guy from a fantasy perspective, from a medicinal perspective he is an HMO's worse nightmare. Tools are there for a continuing breakout from last year. 20 HR's is the high water mark.
  6. Derek Jeter - Its weird seeing a HOF #6 at anything. Now if I can just get one of those swanky gift baskets he gives out to make the walk of shame less embarrassing. Could miss alot of time early on from ankle injury. Would cuff with Eduardo Nunez.
  7. Erick Aybar - I am higher on I-Bar then most because I think this is his breakout year. Period, you have been told. Will you listen?
  8. J.J. Hardy - Chicks dig the long ball, most HR's in AL amongst SS qualifiers last 2 years. So your drafting for 4 bases at a time and filling it to cover up his flaws.
  9. Jurickson Profar - I don't expect a full season of at bats from him as there really aren't everyday at bats to be had. Talent is phenomenal, he just won't be a fantasy monster that we are thinking he will be... just yet.
  10. Alexei Ramirez - The model of barely usable mixed league SS. You could do a lot wose then a 12/12 season from a MI spot.
  11. Alcides Escobar - Cheap steals give me and Winona goose pimples. You want a guy to target after you miss out on Elvis and Erick, you have him.
  12. Jhonny Peralta - Is the generic version of your favorite store's J.J. Hardy cereal. 15 Hr's and some runs due to line-up help. Age makes me a little nervous as he is due to fall of he wagon sooner or later.
  13. Stephen Drew - Boston is not the desert for baseball coverage. I don't see why he got 9 mil in the off-season as he is mediocre with injury concerns. It's your funeral to rely on him.
  14. Eduardo Nunez - Yea I have him ahead of some starters....so. When he plays he hits, when he is on base he steals. Jeter is gimpy and will prolly only logs 130 games at SS, Nunez gets the rest and some time at DH to boot.
  15. Yunel Escobar - If he played the game running the bases better then running his mouth he would be a decent fantasy asset, as it sits he is a meddling middle infielder.
  16. Horoyuki Nakajima - Of the Newark Nakajima's. Japanese import that looks similar to me as the Twins signing from 2 years ago, Nishioka. Could be decent for steals and a few dingers.
  17. Maicer Izturis - The early favorite for 2B in Toronto, doesn't do much for stats but some sleeper appeal based on Reyes injury history and the line-up.
  18. Mike Aviles - Is a super utility guy right now but could eek out enough AB's to be useful as a flyer in deeper AL only leagues.
  19. Pedro Florimon / Brian Dozier / Jamey Carroll - It gets really ugly towards the end here. I can see all three getting 250 plus AB's and none making waves to be owned unless in a 18 Team AL only league. Yea you do the math there.
  20. Pedro Ciriaco - If the Drew experiment fails, which it most likely will, I see Ciriaco jumping in ahead of Iglesias. Here I thought nothing was above the church, for soothe.
  21. Brendan Ryan - If great glove work and a pretty nice penchant for mustaches counted for any kind of fantasy stat he would be up the ladder higher.