What are Fantasy Baseball Rankings used for?

The baseball season is rapidly upon us and fantasy baseball rankings are becoming of the utmost importance. You might, however, be asking what those rankings are. When you are trying to get ready for the draft, the fantasy baseball rankings could be the most important tool you use.

Like in fantasy football, there are many players on successful teams that also achieve individual success. This is one way to determine if a player you have your eye on is equal to his fantasy baseball rankings. Players like the St. Louis Cardinals first basemen Albert Pujols, a player likely to be the first pick overall in many fantasy baseball drafts, was on the World Series championship team. New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is also a player who puts up solid fantasy baseball stats, which increases his fantasy baseball rankings.

Both of the players mentioned above, have historically proven that year in and year out, you can count on their fantasy baseball rankings to come very close to what they are projected to do; barring a serious injury or suspension that would cause either player to miss many games.

As the fantasy baseball season draws closer, there are positional averages available that fantasy owners can use for the upcoming season to help determine if the top players on their fantasy baseball rankings are on par with last year's averages (by position):

• Catcher = .294 avg, 14 home runs, 62 RBIs, 54 runs, 2 stolen bases
• First base = .293 avg, 28 HRs, 92 RBIs, 81 runs, 2 SBs
• Second base = .287, 15, 67, 78, 13
• Third base = .292, 25, 96, 93, 10
• Shortstop = .299, 16, 75, 98, 24
• Outfield = .285, 21, 77, 81, 14
• Starting pitcher = 13 wins, 3.96 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 145 Ks
• Relief pitchers = 26 saves, 3.13 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 68 Ks

Starting pitcher's saves were not factored, as they usually don't get them unless it's a rare occasion. Relief pitcher's wins were not factored because you can't count on your closers to get you wins.

Like any other fantasy sport, the fantasy baseball projections can change depending on any number of situations. Fantasy Baseball Starters.com will help ensure that you know what's going on with your team all year long. Our fantasy baseball software, or "Analyzer tools", help you with their hitting and pitching lineups on a weekly basis.