FANTASY BASEBALL DRAFT STRATEGY RANKINGS

2B or not 2B

By Muntradamus

BEAST DOME NATION.

The 2B position, a position that once upon a time was led by Robinson Cano who changed the game by giving you a consistent 30+ HR/100+ RBI season, something we have not seen in a few generations. Today’s 2B game is going back to the old ways as it is tale of more speed than power.

Yes you cannot go wrong with Jose Ramirez (1st Round Pick) or even Jose Altuve (2nd Round Pick), maybe even Javier Baez (3rd Round Pick).

However do not be fooled there are players who can do both, that you can get for a fraction of a value.

MAIN TARGET

JONATHAN VILLAR (ADP #105)

Villar is a MVP Candidate (Fantasy Baseball MVP) this year and he has to be the top grab in all leagues.

No Expert came close to giving Villar the amount of Love he deserved last year and he shined once he got Full-Time action in Baltimore.

JONATHAN VILLAR 2018 MUNTRADAMUS ARTICLE

Villar has always had the talent to be an everyday BEAST. 8 HR/21 SB in 54 Games in Baltimore after he was traded . Project that out 162 Game Season, you are looking at a potential 25 HR/60 SB season.

He has shown consistency to hit 285 in back-2-back seasons earlier in his career, he has already stole 60 Bases in a season before. Do not forget he was a 1st/2nd Round Pick in Fantasy Baseball leagues a couple years ago. Most crucial of all, Villar Qualifies at SS!

DRAFT JONATHAN VILLAR

MUNTRADAMUS PREDICTION

25+ HR/50+ SB/100+ Runs

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BEAST SLEEPER TARGETS

ROUGNED ODOR (ADP #146)

Rougy hit back-2-back 30+ HR seasons heading into 2018, then Odor finished with a disappointing 18. Before you get down on the guy, and stay down. He did raise his batting average from .204 to .253, so he showed some upside there. He attempted more SBs than any season before, despite going 12/24. He also hit 13 HRs in July/August combined. If Odor keeps that power rate all season, he would hit 40+ HRs. Odor got off to a terribly slow start last season, then had a child, then got injured, before heating up and saving his season.

Odor is a special talent and he can easily rebound with a 30+ HR Season. You can draft him well after every team has a 2B option and he will put up the same power numbers as Jose Ramirez. He is also still very young and improving, 24 Years Old.

MUNTRADAMUS PREDICTION

25+ HR/20+ SB/100+ RBI/100+ Runs

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DEE GORDON (ADP #93)

Giving yourself Dee Gordon at 2B who will need to run every single chance he can get will give you a HUGE Boost in SBs. With no more Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano, Dee Gordon has to be one man SB Machine. He can lead the Majors in SBs, and you can take him around your 8th Pick.

MUNTRADAMUS PREDICTION: 50+ SBs/100+ Runs

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DANIEL MURPHY (ADP #113)

Murphy finds himself in Colorado. A guy who can definitely hit .300+ with a line drive swing going to Colorado? Where do I signup. Murphy qualifies at 1B as well so if he is starting to rake, you can play him there. Maybe you even move Villar to 2B to make room for Murphy. Regardless, if Daniel Murphy and his potential batting title swing are swinging smooth, you have no choice but to play him in all leagues, especially when he is in Colorado for the week.

MUNTRADAMUS PREDICTION: 25 HR/95 RBI/.310 Batting Average

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BRIAN DOZIER (ADP #141)

Amazing how fast a star can fade in the “Expert Eyes”. Dozier was considered the #2 2B option in Fantasy Baseball after hitting 42 HRs, just a couple years ago in 2016, now he is someone you can draft after everyone’s got a 2B? Last year was a bad time for him with the Dodgers, he did not get nearly enough PT.

This season he is with Washington, and even though that is tough to adjust to new pitching as he is was so used to AL Central pitchers, he is however going to be on a better team and can instantly pick up his production as the Bryce Harper replacement.

MUNTRADAMUS PREDICTION: 25+ HR/80+ RBI/80+ Runs/10+ SB

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JONATHAN SCHOOP (ADP #181)

Probably my best game changer advice of all Fantasy Baseball last season was when I told everyone to buy low on Jonathan Schoop when things were as bad as they could be.

JONANTHAN SCHOOP TRADE ARTICLE

Since that article, Schoop went on a tear smashing 9 HRs in less than a month. After that great month, Schoop was traded away to the Brewers and his PT was not everyday. His timing was off and his season settled.

Schoop has a pure power swing and even though he goes to the big ball park of Minnesota, he will be around a nice young core which also added the big veteran Nelson Cruz. Schoop and Cruz should bring some life to that lineup and Schoop can easily find himself closer to his 2017 totals, 32 HR/105 RBIs. He also will be available well into your bench rounds of your draft.

MUNTRADAMUS PREDICTION: 25+ HR/80+ RBI

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2B STRATEGY (PART 1)

Draft Jonathan Villar, we will figure out where the best pick is, but he is the MAIN TARGET. Follow that up with a Rougned Odor very late in your bench rounds, and then you can draft Jonathan Schoop as one of your last picks.

We will see if we can fit Daniel Murphy into the strategy smoothly as well, or even Dee. Brian Dozier is an emergency pick if you miss out on Odor.

BEAST