RotoWire Roundtable: Latest 350 (Part 2)

Welcome to the second edition of the RotoWire Roundtable. This month, we added a new ranker - welcome Kevin Payne! Since our February update, there have been significant injury updates, closer battles and even a suspension reversal. The goal of the March update is to help you refine your draft day strategy. Below you will see our rankers' consolidated top-350 players.

These rankings were assembled for 12-team, 5x5 mixed leagues that start two catchers per team (thus there is a positional scarcity component added for catchers). We used five rankers: Jeff Erickson, Derek VanRiper, Michael Rusignola, Bernie Pleskoff and Kevin Payne. The rankings were provided completely blinded - none of the rankers saw any of the other rankings before the publication of this article. For more background on how to use these rankings, see the introduction to last month's update.

Upgrades since February

First, we'll go through a couple of players who have been upgraded since our February update.

- Ryan Braun (OF) - March Rank: 3; February Rank: 46.
- Jhoulys Chacin (SP) - March Rank: 196; February Rank: 314.
- Javy Guerra (CL) - March Rank: 274; February Rank: 348.
- Lucas Duda (OF) - March Rank: 197; February Rank: 261.
- Luke Hochevar (SP) - March Rank: 273; February Rank: 333.
- Justin Smoak (1B) - March Rank: 261; February Rank: 327.
- Jason Kubel (OF) - March Rank: 177; February Rank: 228.
- Jordan Zimmermann (SP) - March Rank: 133; February Rank: 168.
- Brandon Belt (1B) - March Rank: 215; February Rank: 265.
- Yu Darvish (SP) - March Rank: 83; February Rank: 109.

Those who drafted Ryan Braun in the fourth round a month ago are happy their optimism was rewarded. Ever since Braun won his appeal, he has been going in the top-5, peaking out in some cases as high as number one (we put him in the 3-6 range). Our rankers appear to have had a change of heart on Jhoulys Chacin since February:  Chacin's high strikeout and groundball rates should play well in Coors as he continues to mature. Javy Guerra will open the season as the Dodgers' closer (hence the uptick in his rankings) but he remains a risky play. Look for more growth from Lucas Duda. The starting right field job will be his come Opening Day, and he should find himself hitting near Ike Davis in the heart of the Mets' lineup. Former top pick Luke Hochevar had good second-half numbers in 2011, and is in a good park to take advantage of any possible breakout.

Justin Smoak was on a 30 HR, 100 RBI pace through 65 games last season before injuries and illness caught up to him. First base really thins out quickly and Smoak has the pedigree to impress if it all clicks. Jason Kubel will be playing in an outstanding hitter's park, and the increase in playing time he is expecting to see will only elevate his value. Jordan Zimmermann should see the strikeout rate inch up this year, and with the addition of Gio Gonzalez, he should have more favorable matchups pitching against most other teams' #3. Given how desperate the Giants were to score runs last year, Brandon Belt wasn't given a fair shake in 2011. He'll get more opportunities to play this season, and that should translate into bankable numbers. Yu Darvish brings the best arsenal of any pitcher we've seen come over from Asia and there's reason to think that he'll rack up a ton of strikeouts and wins, with the added advantage of hitters having little information about him in his first year. The Rangers know pitching and they know Japan (see: Lewis, Colby).

Downgrades since February

Here are the players who have seen their ranking fall since February.

- Chris Perez (CL) - March Rank: 264; February Rank: 217.
- Matt Capps (CL) - March Rank: 324; February Rank: 272.
- Tim Hudson (SP) - March Rank: 168; February Rank: 132.
- Stephen Drew (SS) - March Rank: 221; February Rank: 178.
- Roy Oswalt (SP) - March Rank: NR; February Rank: 224.
- Nick Markakis (OF) - March Rank: 135; February Rank: 107.
- Torii Hunter (OF) - March Rank: 188; February Rank: 156.

Chris Perez has not pitched yet this spring and his back issues could linger on into the season. Matt Capps's high ERA and low strikeout rate continue to hurt him in the rankings when compared to other, more steady closers. Tim Hudson has just started throwing off the mound, his first work since coming off back surgery. While he has an unofficial return date of May 1, there's a lot that needs to happen between now and then for that to become a reality. Speaking of injuries, the news over the past few weeks for Stephen Drew hasn't been very optimistic, and now there are reports that he won't be ready for Opening Day. It's hard to imagine that once Drew returns he'll play every game and with that concern comes a bigger drop in his value. Roy Oswalt still may sign at some point this season but he isn't going to sign now. His agent is comparing Oswalt's situation to Pedro Martinez's in 2009, where Pedro only pitched 45 innings. A lot of Nick Markakis's value lies in his reliability - both in terms of repeatable batting average and in durability. Both of those factors are in question this year. He might be back by Opening Day, but he's at risk to miss more time during the first month of the season. Torii Hunter is in the final year of a five-year contract, and with cheaper, younger and talented players waiting in the wings, he may be squeezed out of some playing time. He is not a reliable source of stolen bases any longer, having been caught more times than he's been successful on the basepaths in each of the last two seasons.

And on with...

The List (Pt. 2 - 176-350); (Part 1 - 1-176)

Rank	Name	Position	Jeff	DVR	Michael	Bernie	Kevin	Median	Feb Rank
176	Alexi Ogando	SP	321	345	157	177	181	181.0	167
177	Jason Kubel	OF	269	161	244	143	182	182.0	228
178	Scott Baker	SP	154	265	183	175	195	183.0	195
179	Brian Wilson	CL	157	183	169	305	192	183.0	160
180	David Freese	3B	184	156	210	129	219	184.0	204
181	Mike Moustakas	3B	188	171	224	173	216	188.0	164
182	Kelly Johnson	2B	182	154	203	188	258	188.0	174
183	Max Scherzer	SP	131	149	207	192	189	189.0	162
184	Wilson Ramos	C	204	181	190	241	188	190.0	208
185	Austin Jackson	OF	191	207	139	311	141	191.0	163
186	Hiroki Kuroda	SP	163	215	179	191	NR	191.0	171
187	Joe Nathan	CL	158	168	192	295	231	192.0	191
188	Torii Hunter	OF	178	192	118	200	NR	192.0	156
189	Jeremy Hellickson	SP	193	142	198	198	155	193.0	177
190	Jordan Walden	CL	170	201	215	183	193	193.0	197
191	Emilio Bonifacio	OF	194	210	227	142	146	194.0	192
192	Jhonny Peralta	SS	201	191	238	153	194	194.0	184
193	Dustin Ackley	2B	195	172	232	146	210	195.0	215
194	Sergio Santos	CL	169	205	195	184	213	195.0	183
195	Ryan Roberts	2B	196	159	219	266	186	196.0	198
196	Jhoulys Chacin	SP	187	196	218	NR	172	196.0	314
197	Lucas Duda	OF	198	175	158	271	220	198.0	261
198	Dexter Fowler	OF	215	160	191	239	200	200.0	229
199	Jesus Montero	DH	206	202	299	102	157	202.0	188
200	Andrew Bailey	CL	186	198	202	208	227	202.0	187
201	Mark Trumbo	1B	202	243	231	101	203	203.0	216
202	Trevor Cahill	SP	153	150	208	207	205	205.0	172
203	Heath Bell	CL	185	206	236	300	199	206.0	194
204	Bud Norris	SP	174	163	256	286	209	209.0	231
205	Clay Buchholz	SP	243	176	258	210	208	210.0	205
206	Carlos Marmol	CL	165	223	211	218	169	211.0	203
207	Ian Desmond	SS	211	295	252	157	196	211.0	223
208	John Danks	SP	203	179	239	212	225	212.0	201
209	Michael Brantley	OF	212	233	164	282	178	212.0	213
210	R.A. Dickey	SP	255	247	201	197	212	212.0	190
211	Jason Bay	OF	213	218	178	228	191	213.0	207
212	Chad Billingsley	SP	217	213	329	211	197	213.0	209
213	Vance Worley	SP	239	164	214	206	214	214.0	180
214	Aaron Hill	2B	214	228	243	187	190	214.0	214
215	Brandon Belt	1B	216	115	216	345	187	216.0	265
216	Alex Rios	OF	227	217	176	346	176	217.0	211
217	Edwin Jackson	SP	207	178	326	245	217	217.0	219
218	Nolan Reimold	OF	219	219	171	337	183	219.0	210
219	Melky Cabrera	OF	190	220	114	232	232	220.0	199
220	Ted Lilly	SP	218	211	220	NR	222	220.0	226
221	Stephen Drew	SS	221	216	300	151	308	221.0	178
222	Marco Scutaro	SS	222	241	170	152	241	222.0	200
223	Grant Balfour	CL	224	224	181	326	290	224.0	196
224	Miguel Olivo	C	225	NR	200	257	221	225.0	225
225	Edwin Encarnacion	3B	238	189	246	221	226	226.0	206
226	James Loney	1B	228	318	188	220	230	228.0	221
227	Salvador Perez	C	258	300	229	172	229	229.0	220
228	Yoenis Cespedes	OF	179	229	142	NR	257	229.0	218
229	Kyle Farnsworth	CL	200	237	230	216	233	230.0	222
230	Jair Jurrjens	SP	233	232	257	178	235	233.0	234
231	John Buck	C	226	249	193	258	234	234.0	232
232	Russell Martin	C	247	234	277	219	202	234.0	233
233	Justin Morneau	1B	285	188	309	237	206	237.0	236
234	Carlos Quentin	OF	240	250	281	205	223	240.0	230
235	Frank Francisco	CL	234	240	241	328	218	240.0	249
236	Gavin Floyd	SP	208	231	263	242	263	242.0	237
237	Mark Buehrle	SP	209	315	301	243	201	243.0	270
238	Jeff Francoeur	OF	180	244	127	253	NR	244.0	202
239	Matt Thornton	CL	244	238	221	327	256	244.0	240
240	Kurt Suzuki	C	236	269	226	314	246	246.0	255
241	Jonathan Lucroy	C	246	245	237	342	260	246.0	256
242	Jonny Venters	STP	277	340	212	209	247	247.0	243
243	Geovany Soto	C	248	208	255	323	237	248.0	238
244	Kendrys Morales	1B	286	286	209	Abst	211	248.5	266
245	Chase Headley	3B	249	297	253	190	240	249.0	250
246	Ryan Dempster	SP	231	195	NR	292	249	249.0	257
247	Jed Lowrie	SS	268	242	250	347	184	250.0	262
248	Jose Tabata	OF	281	266	235	229	251	251.0	259
249	Dayan Viciedo	OF	271	252	213	251	278	252.0	248
250	Ricky Nolasco	SP	232	194	NR	291	252	252.0	258
251	Jim Johnson	CL	223	254	225	350	259	254.0	235
252	Alfonso Soriano	OF	325	275	248	235	254	254.0	251
253	Ben Revere	OF	299	227	311	256	239	256.0	268
254	J.D. Martinez	OF	259	258	162	255	266	258.0	254
255	Adam Dunn	1B	307	186	259	334	166	259.0	307
256	Chipper Jones	3B	319	209	297	230	261	261.0	242
257	Lorenzo Cain	OF	262	302	156	NR	171	262.0	253
258	Mike Trout	OF	263	226	308	240	264	263.0	246
259	Tim Stauffer	SP	264	261	261	320	NR	264.0	260
260	Shaun Marcum	SP	265	260	271	287	242	265.0	244
261	Justin Smoak	1B	NR	155	NR	265	250	265.0	327
262	Yunel Escobar	SS	272	222	266	156	276	266.0	241
263	Alcides Escobar	SS	289	267	330	223	207	267.0	267
264	Chris Perez	CL	189	331	199	NR	267	267.0	217
265	Daniel Bard	SP	251	293	289	247	269	269.0	245
266	Chris Iannetta	C	257	270	293	NR	224	270.0	269
267	Tyler Clippard	STP	279	NR	189	249	272	272.0	264
268	Rafael Furcal	SS	261	279	273	172	277	273.0	252
269	Neftali Feliz	SP	230	306	302	179	273	273.0	239
270	Eric Thames	OF	336	271	274	126	330	274.0	279
271	Mitch Moreland	1B	NR	236	344	238	274	274.0	274
272	John Mayberry	OF	349	274	275	NR	243	275.0	301
273	Luke Hochevar	SP	220	276	334	NR	244	276.0	333
274	Javy Guerra	CL	276	NR	NR	215	236	276.0	348
275	Justin Masterson	SP	210	277	316	284	198	277.0	273
276	Joel Peralta	STP	278	NR	267	217	315	278.0	247
277	Jerry Sands	OF	260	259	278	NR	292	278.0	286
278	Denard Span	OF	300	303	270	280	271	280.0	281
279	Scott Rolen	3B	NR	248	349	182	280	280.0	290
280	Zack Cozart	SS	250	349	280	NR	270	280.0	334
281	Bryan LaHair	OF	267	NR	180	NR	281	281.0	328
282	Mike Carp	1B	287	283	245	340	275	283.0	285
283	Mat Gamel	1B	284	305	283	273	287	284.0	294
284	Adam LaRoche	1B	NR	285	347	222	283	285.0	306
285	Ryan Doumit	C	288	NR	304	171	279	288.0	283
286	A.J. Pierzynski	C	270	NR	262	NR	288	288.0	288
287	Johan Santana	SP	312	290	337	261	204	290.0	291
288	David Robertson	STP	280	341	217	290	311	290.0	277
289	Vinnie Pestano	STP	291	323	282	301	262	291.0	330
290	Travis Snider	OF	NR	287	291	NR	289	291.0	343
291	Daniel Murphy	2B	338	204	295	322	265	295.0	289
292	Jonathon Niese	SP	242	193	350	NR	295	295.0	312
293	Addison Reed	STP	254	316	296	296	305	296.0	297
294	Lonnie Chisenhall	3B	229	296	249	NR	321	296.0	287
295	Ryan Vogelsong	SP	296	NR	314	199	291	296.0	275
296	Mike Minor	SP	253	212	NR	NR	296	296.0	320
297	Francisco Rodriguez	STP	297	NR	284	NR	293	297.0	341
298	Mike Adams	STP	298	342	205	233	300	298.0	263
299	Erik Bedard	SP	293	294	310	NR	298	298.0	299
300	Danny Valencia	3B	305	268	265	308	299	299.0	276
301	Carlos Ruiz	C	301	299	294	275	317	299.0	282
302	Allen Craig	OF	322	329	206	202	301	301.0	271
303	Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C	283	301	312	NR	285	301.0	311
304	Brett Myers	CL	302	239	NR	NR	248	302.0	NR
305	Homer Bailey	SP	274	288	NR	NR	302	302.0	346
306	Chris Heisey	OF	337	273	303	NR	268	303.0	318
307	Bobby Abreu	OF	308	328	223	274	304	304.0	280
308	Johnny Giavotella	2B	340	282	340	279	306	306.0	304
309	Luke Scott	OF	333	346	307	272	286	307.0	302
310	Joaquin Benoit	STP	NR	NR	242	250	309	309.0	317
311	Brent Morel	3B	290	330	288	339	310	310.0	332
312	Jonathan Sanchez	SP	275	311	NR	NR	282	311.0	298
313	Mike Aviles	2B	NR	281	333	147	312	312.0	295
314	Marlon Byrd	OF	282	320	196	NR	313	313.0	293
315	Bryce Harper	OF	313	225	NR	NR	294	313.0	347
316	Sergio Romo	STP	320	317	234	297	314	314.0	313
317	Francisco Liriano	SP	315	264	NR	321	297	315.0	331
318	Cliff Pennington	SS	303	NR	315	309	NR	315.0	296
319	Phil Hughes	SP	316	292	324	NR	303	316.0	325
320	Wilson Betemit	3B	NR	319	233	310	318	318.0	303
321	Greg Holland	STP	318	NR	268	302	NR	318.0	350
322	Garrett Jones	1B	330	NR	305	299	319	319.0	310
323	Devin Mesoraco	C	304	272	NR	348	320	320.0	321
324	Matt Capps	CL	245	253	321	331	322	321.0	272
325	Josh Reddick	OF	324	322	254	268	NR	322.0	292
326	Ivan Nova	SP	266	NR	341	132	323	323.0	326
327	Andres Torres	OF	323	347	306	312	327	323.0	309
328	David Murphy	OF	NR	NR	279	283	324	324.0	337
329	Omar Infante	2B	335	326	272	155	325	325.0	284
330	Jake Peavy	SP	346	263	NR	294	326	326.0	315
331	Ramon Hernandez	C	328	332	323	236	NR	328.0	319
332	Josh Tomlin	SP	310	NR	328	262	338	328.0	305
333	Nick Hundley	C	327	NR	335	259	328	328.0	324
334	Ty Wigginton	3B	331	NR	320	318	331	331.0	316
335	Aubrey Huff	1B	332	NR	285	298	337	332.0	308
336	David DeJesus	OF	NR	NR	290	252	332	332.0	336
337	Chris Parmelee	1B	NR	325	NR	332	329	332.0	322
338	Sean Rodriguez	2B	334	256	NR	NR	255	334.0	329
339	James McDonald	SP	241	313	NR	NR	334	334.0	340
340	Alejandro de Aza	OF	342	NR	251	336	245	336.0	338
341	Cody Ross	OF	NR	289	336	NR	341	341.0	335
342	Edinson Volquez	SP	NR	314	NR	341	336	341.0	NR
343	Matt Harrison	SP	NR	310	NR	289	344	344.0	345
344	Todd Helton	1B	NR	298	NR	227	345	345.0	342
345	Josh Collmenter	SP	347	NR	276	NR	307	347.0	323
346	Henderson Alvarez	SP	295	NR	331	NR	347	347.0	NR
347	Alfredo Aceves	SP	294	348	240	NR	NR	348.0	339
348	Alex Presley	OF	350	NR	287	NR	348	350.0	NR
349	Jesus Guzman	1B	NR	NR	338	168	NR	391.5	NR
350	Jose Altuve	2B	NR	NR	NR	170	343	391.5	NR

NR = Not Ranked
Abst = Abstained from Ranking

Players with the same median were ranked secondarily by their average ranking. Players who were not ranked were assigned a ranking of 391.5 (the midpoint between 351 and 432, the total number of ranked players) for the purpose of computing the median and average.