Mark Ellis

2013

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2012

There was a time that Ellis basically defined Moneyball, as a relatively cheap second baseman who could pick it and put up a high on-base percentage. Now Ellis is a 34-year-old with diminishing skills at the plate. His power has sharply declined over the past two seasons and last year saw his on-base percentage fall all the way to .288. He looked better with Colorado (.708 OPS) than Oakland (.544 OPS), but that is to be expected given the parks in those cities. Don't expect Ellis' bat to thrive in the cavernous Chavez Ravine, but he'll enter spring training atop the Dodgers' depth chart at second base.

2011

Ellis continues to miss a good chunk of action each season, though the 124 games played in 2010 was his highest total since 2007. His decent power/speed combo has dried up, however, and he'll have marginal value in those years where he hits .270-plus (a feat he's accomplished just twice since 2006 despite a career .268 average). The A's value his defense enough where he'll play as long as he's healthy no matter how poorly he hits, which could lead to a limited run production and a poor average over a ton of at-bats as he ages.

2010

A calf injury shelved Ellis for 60 days and limited him to just 105 games on the season. He'll continue to provide decent value in traditional leagues, but those in more advanced leagues need to factor in his poor OBP (.305) and SLG (.403) before getting enamored with his decent power/speed combo. While a repeat of double-digit homers and steals is within reach, the supporting numbers are unlikely to impress.

2009

He already re-upped with the A's for two more years, electing not to test the free agent market after shoulder surgery in September. His regressing batting eye has led to wild fluctuations in his batting average over the past several seasons, though he remains a decent power/speed combo for a second baseman. He's the anti-Jack Cust though, in that the more advanced scoring your league uses the worse Ellis gets. He's expected to be healthy by the time spring training rolls around.

2008

Ellis' value varies greatly depending on your league format. His 19 HR/nine SB season is nice for those in traditional 4x4 or 5x5 leagues, but his .276/.336/.441 line drives down his value for those in more advanced leagues. His batting eye has regressed in each of the past three years, so there's some concern that his power spike might not sustain. Last season could have been his career year, so be careful.

2007

Ellis saw his average plummet 67 points from 2005's .316 mark, though his power hardly dipped at all. He came back strong from a broken thumb in June, and managed to hit a combined .290 the final two months. He's a bottom of the order hitter with Jason Kendall and Mark Kotsay around, but is a safe bet for 50 RBI, 10 HRs and 65+ runs scored.

2006

After missing the entire 2004 season, Ellis was his old self early on, featuring just one homer, 14 RBI, and a .694 OPS before the All-Star break. Afterwards, he hit .344 with 12 HR to demolish even the rosiest of expectations. He excelled as the A's leadoff man, hitting .386 and reaching base at a .453 clip in 114 AB, but he's unlikely to match his 2005 levels, in both power and average, given his track record.

2005

Ellis missed the entire season after injuring his shoulder in spring training and should be healthy by the time February rolls around. He'll compete with Keith Ginter for playing time at second base this spring, but will need to improve his 2003 numbers (.684 OPS in 553 AB) if he wants to have much value in leagues that use categories other than the traditional counting stats.

2004

Ellis was part of the A's run-scoring problems, as the plate discipline he showed as a rookie evaporated. A .313 OBP won't cut it in a Billy Beane offense. Look for a major playing time hit if Esteban German finally shows up, or if the A's retain Miguel Tejada, forcing Bobby Crosby over to second base.

2003

Probably over his head if asked to play on an everyday basis, and would make the ideal utility player. Watch the A's moves in the offseason, as Ellis could end up being everything from a 500 at-bat regular at second base to a 250 at-bat utility player off the bench.