AL Only Fantasy Baseball Rankings 2009 Pitchers
MLB Fantasy Projections, Fantasy Sleepers and Fantasy Tips
Mar 19, 2009
This article focuses on 5x5 rotisserie leagues and refers to projections made on ESPN’s website because that is the most accessible and popular fantasy baseball format and site.
2009 AL-Only Fantasy Baseball Tips: Draft Starting Pitchers
The AL lacks fantasy depth in starting pitchers and homeruns. By drafting starting pitching early and often, one will corner the market in four of the five pitching categories. Furthermore, pitching will become very valuable as the season progresses causing other players to give a lot in return for a decent pitcher that someone who used this strategy on draft day will be in a position to deal later in the season.
2009 AL-Only Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top Starting Pitchers
Much hyped New York Yankees free agent signee CC Sabathia is the best fantasy starting pitcher option in the AL for 2009; however, do not expect him to put up the kind of numbers he did for the Brewers in 2008. Sabathia’s ERA will be in the 3.50 range due to the AL having a DH and the AL East having good offensive teams. Sabathia is still a lock to produce over 200 strikeouts and pitch over 200 innings, which makes his low WHIP (between 1.11 and 1.17 since 2006) carry that much more weight towards a team’s overall WHIP score.
Minnesota Twins lefty Francisco Liriano might be undervalued in some drafts because 2009 will be his first full season after Tommy John Surgery. Make no doubts about it; however, Liriano will rack up K’s and be a fantasy ace this season. He is the only AL pitcher other than Sabathia who ESPN projects to produce over 200 strikeouts; plus, ESPN also projects him to end the season with a better ERA than Sabathia.
2009 AL-Only Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: Starting Pitchers
Okay, he is not really a sleeper, but a pitcher to target is Red Sox hurler Josh Beckett who should have a big year in Boston. Beckett got injured in 2008 and underperformed. In 2009, expect his ERA to return to the 3s. He will also put up the WHIP of a lion tamer (ESPN projects 1.17) and the tremendous Boston bullpen will make sure he earns most of the wins for games in which leaves with the lead.
Liriano’s teammates Scott Baker and Kevin Slowley will produce good fantasy numbers in 2009. ESPN projects both of their WHIPs to be under 1.25 and their win totals to be in the teens. Baker will strike out more, but Slowley is having a fantastic Spring Training as of March 19.
Also in the AL Central, the Royals’ young stud Zack Greinke, is one of the 10 best fantasy pitchers in the AL and may get overlooked because he pitches in Kansas City.
2009 AL-Only Fantasy Baseball Tips: Do Not Draft…
Many people are very high on Tampa Bay Rays rookie David Price. Price is definitely a fantasy ace in the making, but not until 2010. Keep in mind what happened to Reds rookie Edinson Voquez last season: his ERA jumped over two runs in the second half and his strikeouts dropped by 40. Price will be overvalued on draft day so do not be the foolish one who drafts him high and then complains when he is in and out of the rotation and/or has a disappointing second half of 2009.
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