The Keeper Corner #69-55

This is a review of my 2015 preseason rankings for a 6x6 league.  We are now fully immersed in the studs who were the cornerstones of your franchise this year.  Now, these rankings are strictly based on the values I created for these players, based off their projections.  Something I must say is that at this point the rankings are more tiered than strict ranks.  For example, I would never take a closer this high, even if my values project them to be worth it.  All of these guys were capable of elite production, but some production is harder to replace than others, and I took that into consideration while drafting.  Without further ado, we continue with the rankings, and there will be a full spreadsheet of ranks will be posted underneath the players reviewed today.

#69 Kris Bryant, 3B, CHC

$18.40, 68 R, 27 HR, 71 RBI, 7 SB, .263 AVG, .881 OPS

Bryant was awesome, and I hope he continues his ascent.  He showed up and crushed 26 homers, and beat out his R, RBI, SB, and batting average projections.  His .378 babip is high, but when you are hitting balls as hard as Bryant, more hits can slip through the cracks than the average bat.  Next year if he dropped his K rate below 30% we could be looking at an MVP contender.  Draft with confidence.

#68 Kole Calhoun, OF, LAA

$18.44, 91 R, 20 HR, 72 RBI, 9 SB, .272 AVG, .783 OPS

This is the Trout effect fully on display.  I'm not a fan of Calhoun, but he did hit 26 home runs, and  had his average drop to .256 along with his strike out rate jumping over 4 percentage points up.  Its odd that his career year for homers led to his lowest slugging percentage ever and probably his worst offensive year.  Next season I think he'll be back to batting in front of Mike Trout, and will I'd assume he'll be scoring a slew of runs again, while you hope for everything else to happen to raise his value.  Its hard to draft a guy this high when you know he's dependent on someone else.

#67 Ryan Zimmerman, 3B/OF, WSH

$18.60, 76 R, 20 HR, 83 RBI, 4 SB, .277 AVG, .807 OPS

Zimmerman only played 95 games after suffering foot and oblique injuries last year.  He wasn't a very good hitter when he was on the field, but I'm not sure what percentage of the time he was actually playing healthy.  With Zimmerman you are constantly dealing with his nagging injuries, and now that he's a 1B, he's far less enticing to own than in years past.  He'll take a significant hit in my rankings this year.

#66 Pablo Sandoval, 3B, BOS

$18.80, 80 R, 16 HR, 84 RBI, 0 SB, .291 AVG, .800 OPS

Is calling someone fat and terrible good fantasy analysis?  He had knee and foot injuries last year, something that being overweight aggravates.  His walk and strikeout rates both got worse last year, his batted ball profile saw his line drives drop and infield fly balls jump up, as well as having fewer hard hit balls.  Pablo was also swinging more than any year prior in his career, hopefully this isn't a sign of him getting older, as he'll only be 30 next season, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a study that proved that terrible bodies age much faster than the average player.  I'm not a big Sandoval supporter going into 2016 unless he can get into much better shape.

#65 Chris Carter, DH, HOU

$18.93, 75 R, 36 HR, 90 RBI, 4 SB, .236 AVG, .812 OPS

Carter was terrible, failing to hit .200 last year.  His tire fire of a season perfectly illustrates his floor, while 2014 was closer to his ceiling.  He missed time with an ankle injury, but still hit 24 home runs in 129 games.  He's going to be a lot cheaper next season, and may give you an opportunity to buy low.  Not much changed between his 2014 and 2015.  Obviously this is a player who isn't worth the #65 pick, but I can see him being a top 100 player despite his obvious contact flaws.

#64 Greg Holland, RP, KC

$18.94, 99K, 4W, 47 SV, 2.057 ERA, 1.014 WHIP, 3.96 K/BB

Holland had a down year and later it was discovered that he was pitching with a torn UCL.  He has had Tommy John, and will miss all of 2016.  If you are in a full rebuild, this could be a great buy low.

#63 Starling Marte, OF, PIT

$18.99, 87 R, 14 HR, 55 RBI, 35 SB, .279 AVG, .778 OPS

Marte had a better year than expected, and fell one homer short of a 20HR/30SB season.  Marte will be playing his age 27 season next year, and if he puts a few more balls in the air, he could take the next step and have a star caliber fantasy season.

#62 Mark Melancon, RP, PIT

$18.99, 71 K, 4 W, 43 SV, 2.057 ERA, .929 WHIP, 6.455 K/BB

Does saving 51 games make him the closer of the year?  His strikeout rate dipped a little, but he was otherwise excellent.  I'm a fan of his, and expect another great year in 2016.

#61 Nolan Arenado, 3B, COL

$19.83, 74 R, 19 HR, 75 RBI, 3 SB, .292 AVG, .804 OPS

Arenado hit more homers than my full projection on the road last year.  He's a top 10 player going into 2016 after allowing his above average power and contact ability to play, and enhanced his skills in Colorado.  Fun fact about Arenado, he hit so many homers that his babip was actually below his batting average in 2015.

#60 Mookie Betts, OF, BOS

$19.86, 85 R, 11 HR, 56 RBI, 28 SB, .291 AVG, .808 OPS

Mookie hit more homers and stole few bases than projected, but he performed roughly as expected.  Mookie is a very talented hitter, who is an excellent keeper going forward.  He's got a great contact bat, and rarely swings and misses.  Invest with confidence next season, his diverse skill set will pay off.

#59 Craig Kimbrel, RP, ATL

$20.25, 107K, 4 W, 44 SV, 2.057 ERA, .943 WHIP, 4.28 K/BB

Kimbrel was awesome last year, and the uncharacteristic homers given up is only a blip on the map to me.  I expect those to go back down to normal, and for him to be an elite reliever in Boston next season.  I wouldn't draft him in the top 100, but he's a very valuable piece.

#58 Cole Hamels, SP, PHI

$20.59, 208 K, 15 W, 0 SV, 3.152 ERA, 1.147 WHIP, 3.525 K/BB

Hamels actually had a down year, but still provided plenty of value to his owners.  The wins were lacking while he was in Philadelphia, but everything else was within his projections.  Next year I'd expect another year with an ERA in the low 3s. a WHIP around 1.2, and him piling up innings and strikeouts as expected.  There isn't much to delve into with a consistently strong pitcher.

#57 Koji Uehara, RP, BOS

$20.84, 80 K, 4 W, 38 SV, 2.215 ERA, .846 WHIP, 11.429 K/BB

This ranking is purely based off of K/BB expectation, something he didn't come close to fruition.  He has officially lost his closer job in Boston, so he falls close to 200 spots for me next year.

#56 Evan Longoria, 3B, TB

$21.03, 84 R, 26 HR, 88 RBI, 3 SB, .269 AVG, .788 OPS

Longoria posted another solid season, and for the third consecutive season played over 162 games.  Longoria's batted ball profile was almost identical in 2015 as it was to his 2014 numbers.  Next year he'll be 30 and I expect him to supply his owners more of the same production he gave the past two years.

#55 Jon Lester, SP, CHC

$21.04, 208K, 14 W, 3.344 ERA, 1.174 WHIP, 4.078

Lester posted a great year supplying strikeouts, limiting walks, and inducing a lot of ground outs for his owners.  That's the trifecta for fantasy owners, and he rewarded those who invested in him.  Lester is an ace in fantasy next year, and you should buy him with confidence next season.

Below are the ranks up to todays players, and if you have any questions about them, comment below or send me a question on twitter @jackcecil1.

Rank	Name	Position	Value
55	Jon Lester	P	21.04
56	Evan Longoria	3B	21.03
57	Koji Uehara	P	20.84
58	Cole Hamels	P	20.59
59	Craig Kimbrel	P	20.25
60	Mookie Betts	OF	19.86
61	Nolan Arenado	3B	19.83
62	Mark Melancon	P	18.99
63	Starling Marte	OF	18.96
64	Greg Holland	P	18.94
65	Chris Carter	DH	18.93
66	Pablo Sandoval	3B	18.8
67	Ryan Zimmerman	3B, OF	18.6
68	Kole Calhoun	OF	18.44
69	Kris Bryant	3B	18.4
70	Chris Davis	1B, 3B	18.35
71	Adam Wainwright	P	18.23
72	Evan Gattis	C	18.18
73	Nelson Cruz	OF, DH	17.94
74	Ian Kinsler	2B	17.88
75	Kyle Seager	3B	17.82
76	Jose Reyes	SS	17.33
77	Adam LaRoche	1B	17.25
78	Jeff Samardzija	P	17.07
79	Hyun-Jin Ryu	P	16.98
80	Justin Morneau	1B	16.92
81	James Shields	P	16.64
82	David Robertson	P	15.88
83	Todd Frazier	3B, 1B	15.81
84	Jayson Werth	OF	15.69
85	Carlos Carrasco	P	15.68
86	Devin Mesoraco	C	15.5
87	J.D. Martinez	OF	15.47
88	Phil Hughes	P	15.37
89	Melky Cabrera	OF	15.23
90	Matt Harvey	P	15.06
91	Kenley Jansen	P	15
92	Starlin Castro	SS	14.96
93	Glen Perkins	P	14.91
94	Hunter Pence	OF	14.85
95	Jorge Soler	OF	14.76
96	Pedro Alvarez	3B	14.65
97	Dellin Betances	P	14.63
98	Julio Teheran	P	14.5
99	Brandon Moss	1B, OF	14.36
100	Mark Trumbo	1B, OF	14.23
101	Matt Carpenter	3B	14.19
102	Manny Machado	3B	14.17
103	Jason Heyward	OF	14.07
104	Hisashi Iwakuma	P	13.98
105	Huston Street	P	13.64
106	Rusney Castillo	OF	13.51
107	Jacob deGrom	P	13.46
108	Dustin Pedroia	2B	13.22
109	Neil Walker	2B	13.08
110	Alex Cobb	P	13.03
111	Andrew Miller	P	12.97
112	Christian Yelich	OF	12.96
113	Sean Doolittle	P	12.95
114	Jonathan Papelbon	P	12.64
115	Jay Bruce	OF	12.6
116	Alex Gordon	OF	12.48
117	Marcell Ozuna	OF	12.23
118	Brian Dozier	2B	11.99
119	Homer Bailey	P	11.98
120	Lucas Duda	1B	11.93
121	Yadier Molina	C	11.84
122	Leonys Martin	OF	11.84
123	Matt Adams	1B	11.78
124	Cody Allen	P	11.7
125	Steve Cishek	P	11.5
126	Joaquin Benoit	P	11.45
127	Alex Wood	P	11.28
128	Jason Kipnis	2B	11.16
129	Brandon McCarthy	P	11.08
130	Trevor Rosenthal	P	10.92
131	Adam Lind	1B, DH	10.91
132	Kolten Wong	2B	10.81
133	Ben Zobrist	2B, SS, OF	10.79
134	Gerrit Cole	P	10.75
135	Chase Utley	2B	10.72
136	David Wright	3B	10.63
137	Charlie Blackmon	OF	10.55
138	Aramis Ramirez	3B	10.51
139	Anibal Sanchez	P	10.49
140	Ken Giles	P	10.26
141	Martin Prado	3B, 2B	10.14
142	Drew Smyly	P	10.14
143	Steve Pearce	1B, OF	10.05
144	Fernando Rodney	P	10
145	Jake Arrieta	P	9.99
146	Yan Gomes	C	9.8
147	Drew Storen	P	9.75
148	Gio Gonzalez	P	9.73
149	Daniel Murphy	2B	9.46
150	Michael Cuddyer	OF	9.39
151	Doug Fister	P	9.37
152	Michael Wacha	P	9.12
153	Joe Mauer	1B	9.04
154	Brett Gardner	OF	9.04
155	Hector Rondon	P	8.87
157	Scooter Gennett	2B	8.62
156	Alexei Ramirez	SS	8.62
158	Tyson Ross	P	8.6
159	Billy Butler	DH, 1B	8.54
160	Mat Latos	P	8.48
161	Howie Kendrick	2B	8.43
162	Eric Hosmer	1B	8.41
163	Garrett Richards	P	8.09
164	Brandon Belt	1B	8.07
165	Josh Harrison	OF, 3B	8.06
166	Jake McGee	P	8
167	Andrew Cashner	P	7.9
168	A.J. Pollock	OF	7.88
169	John Lackey	P	7.86
170	Marlon Byrd	OF	7.7
171	Jedd Gyorko	2B	7.55
172	Francisco Rodriguez	P	7.47
173	Yusmeiro Petit	P	7.45
174	Alex Rios	OF	7.39
175	Oswaldo Arcia	OF	7.32
176	Khris Davis	OF	7.19
177	Salvador Perez	C	7.15
178	Mike Fiers	P	7.06
179	Billy Hamilton	OF	6.84
180	Brian McCann	C	6.76
181	Addison Reed	P	6.6
183	Bartolo Colon	P	6.41
182	Lance Lynn	P	6.41
184	Scott Kazmir	P	6.37
185	Shin-Soo Choo	OF, DH	6.21
186	Carl Crawford	OF	6.04
187	Chase Headley	3B	5.98
188	Jose Quintana	P	5.95
189	Tony Watson	P	5.82
190	Justin Verlander	P	5.69
191	Brad Boxberger	P	5.64
192	Dan Haren	P	5.59
193	Aaron Hill	2B	5.44
194	Rick Porcello	P	5.35
195	Luke Gregerson	P	5.29
196	Michael Pineda	P	5.29
197	Rougned Odor	2B	5.2
198	Michael Saunders	OF	5.2
199	Lonnie Chisenhall	3B	5.19
200	Mike Leake	P	5.18
201	Ian Kennedy	P	5.12
202	Jonathon Niese	P	5.1
203	Wade Davis	P	5.07
204	Yasmany Tomas	OF	5.06
205	Wilin Rosario	C	5.05
206	Jhonny Peralta	SS	5
207	Torii Hunter	OF	4.71
208	Mike Napoli	1B	4.71
209	Matt Shoemaker	P	4.69
210	Jimmy Rollins	SS	4.66
211	Zach Britton	P	4.63
212	Russell Martin	C	4.44
213	Josh Reddick	OF	4.38
214	Collin McHugh	P	4.37
215	Jered Weaver	P	4.35
216	Brandon Finnegan	P	4.27
217	Jake Peavy	P	4.25
218	Matt Cain	P	4.25
219	Sergio Romo	P	4.25
220	Gregory Polanco	OF	4.2
221	Matt Wieters	C	4.12
222	CC Sabathia	P	4.11
223	Carlos Beltran	OF, DH	3.9
224	Erick Aybar	SS	3.89
225	Jake Odorizzi	P	3.79
227	Joe Nathan	P	3.74
226	Sonny Gray	P	3.74
228	Bobby Parnell	P	3.71
229	Dallas Keuchel	P	3.68
230	Danny Salazar	P	3.66
232	Curtis Granderson	OF	3.65
231	Joc Pederson	OF	3.65
233	Kyle Lohse	P	3.55
234	Rafael Soriano	P	3.54
235	Jose Fernandez	P	3.43
236	Wei-Yin Chen	P	3.31
237	Drew Hutchison	P	3.27
238	Derek Holland	P	3.25
239	Darren O'Day	P	3.14
240	Trevor Plouffe	3B	3.1
241	Chris Tillman	P	3.1
242	John Jaso	C, DH	3.07
243	Nick Markakis	OF	2.86
244	Elvis Andrus	SS	2.77
245	Kevin Gausman	P	2.75
246	Tyler Clippard	P	2.7
247	Jason Hammel	P	2.68
248	Matt Garza	P	2.62
249	Coco Crisp	OF	2.52
250	Dillon Gee	P	2.49
251	Neftali Feliz	P	2.43
252	Chris Archer	P	2.31
253	Josh Collmenter	P	2.24
254	Ben Revere	OF	2.18
255	Pat Neshek	P	2.16
256	David Peralta	OF	2.14
257	Denard Span	OF	1.82
258	Santiago Casilla	P	1.76
259	Nick Castellanos	3B	1.71
260	Adam Eaton	OF	1.64
261	Wilson Ramos	C	1.6
262	Wil Myers	OF	1.6
263	Jenrry Mejia	P	1.5
264	Kyle Hendricks	P	1.45
265	Steven Souza	OF	1.42
266	Vance Worley	P	1.32
267	Dalton Pompey	OF	1.17
268	Joakim Soria	P	1.15
269	Nathan Eovaldi	P	1.1
270	Andrew Heaney	P	1.04
271	Joe Smith	P	0.81
272	Lorenzo Cain	OF	0.68
273	Marco Estrada	P	0.46
274	Francisco Liriano	P	0.39
275	Dee Gordon	2B	0.3
276	Desmond Jennings	OF	0.2
277	Ervin Santana	P	0.08
278	Kevin Quackenbush	P	0.06
279	Mark Teixeira	1B	0
280	Mike Minor	P	0
281	Michael Morse	1B, OF	-0.01
282	James Loney	1B	-0.07
284	Kennys Vargas	DH	-0.08
283	Justin Smoak	1B	-0.08
285	Rajai Davis	OF	-0.14
286	Angel Pagan	OF	-0.19
287	Junichi Tazawa	P	-0.23
288	Henderson Alvarez	P	-0.41
289	R.A. Dickey	P	-0.44
290	Clay Buchholz	P	-0.46
291	Brandon Phillips	2B	-0.51
292	Asdrubal Cabrera	SS, 2B	-0.55
293	Danny Santana	SS, OF	-0.76
294	Shelby Miller	P	-0.79
295	LaTroy Hawkins	P	-0.87
296	Jed Lowrie	SS	-1.02
297	Wade Miley	P	-1.05
298	T.J. House	P	-1.09
299	Danny Farquhar	P	-1.12
300	Brett Cecil	P	-1.15