Fantasy Baseball 2011: Top Ten Shortstops to Draft

In Fantasy Baseball, gone are the days when there was enough hitting talent at the position for owners to consider taking a shortstop with their first round pick. However, aside from talent, this year's crop of Fantasy Baseball shortstops is also void of depth, which means that while owners should not consider spending a first round pick on the position, they should still consider spending a high pick on one of the better shortstops available. Here then is a list of the top 10 shortstops available in 2011.

Hanley Ramirez (Marlins)
Sure, Ramirez numbers were down substantially last season. Fantasy Baseball wise, it was his worst season since his 200 rookie season. However, the numbers he did post should still make it easy for Hanley to retain his lofty Fantasy status, after all, Ramirez hit .300 with 21 homers, while scoring 92 runs and stealing 32 bases. Only 27, and poised to statistical start his most productive years, it's a good bet that Ramirez will improve on last year's numbers in 2011. Look for the top rank shortstop to hit in the .320 range with 25 homers and 30-35 steals, and draft him as early as you can.

Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies)
Tulowitzki signed a long term contract in the off season that will keep him in Colorado for years to come, which is good news for Fantasy Owners everywhere since the Rockies star shortstop loved to hit in the thin high mountain air. A capable hitter, Troy batted .315 with 27 homers and 95 RBI's last season despite missing 40 games last season. If he is able to stay healthy for a full season, look for those numbers to take a slight upward swing, and for Tulowitzki to enjoy a 30 homer, 100 RBI, season in 2011. Whatever steals (he has stole 31 bases the past two seasons) he gives you will be a bonus.

Jose Reyes (Mets)
Though he has been troubled by injuries over the last two seasons, Reyes is still a good Fantasy option, though gone are the days he would get you 60-70 steals. Reyes will still be good for 35-40 steals this season, and most likely his hitting will get him in scoring position often enough for him to score +100 runs along the way. A career .286 hitter, Jose occasionally flirts with a .300 average, something he should do again this year. In a year were Fantasy talent at the position is not deep, Reyes is a solid if not spectacular pick.

Alexei Ramirez (White Sox)
One of these days Ramirez is going to put it all together and post a career year. Quite capable of being a 20-20 player, and of hitting over .300, Alexei has yet to string together two successive halves to propel himself to the top of the shortstop class. Yet Ramirez's numbers are steady enough that even if he fails to have a career year, he will still hit over .280 with 15-20 homers and 10-15 steals. While not spectacular numbers, they are solid enough to rate him near the top of the shortstop class.

Jimmy Rollins (Phillies)
Rollins has been on the decline since he posted massive numbers in 2007. Last year the Phillies shortstop only managed to get into 88 games and hit a dismal .243. Yet because he hits in a hot Phillies lineup, and because he runs well, Rollins is always a threat for a +100 run, +40 steal season. Only 32, and with a bit of pop still left in the bat, Rollins is also a threat to hit 15-20 homers and drive in 80 runs this year, all of which makes him a high risk, high reward Fantasy option. The fact that he has finished in the top 3 in at bats (in the NL) in seven of the last ten seasons, should show that when healthy, Rollins will have plenty of chances to come through for you. Given how weak the position is this year, gambling on Rollins in the draft may be a no-brainer.

Stephen Drew (Diamondbacks)
If triples were a highly coveted Fantasy Baseball stat, then Drew would be on every Fantasy owner's wish list, since the Arizona shortstop has hit 35 triples over the past three seasons. That said, Drew has now settled into a Fantasy groove, and he can be counted on to hit between 15-20 homers and drive in +65 runs for the fourth year in a row. With Drew, a breakout season is always possible, but at this stage it's not probable.

Derek Jeter (Yankees)
The wheels finally started coming off the cart for Jeter, with the future Hall of Famer suffering through his worst season ever. Even more noticeable were the sharp decline on his numbers after the All-Star game. Still, Jeter is surrounded by a great deal of hitting talent in New York, which is the reason he still managed to score 111 runs and drive in another 67, while stealing 18 bases. While gone may be the days of 200 hits and +.300 average, Jeter should still give you a +.290 average and come close to scoring 100 runs again this year. The fact that he will still get you 15-20 steals along the way still makes Jeter a solid choice at the position.

Rafael Furcal (Dodgers)
If he wasn't so injured prone of late, Furcal would be rated a lot higher. But last season, after hitting .333 before the All-Star game, Rafael wound up missing most of August. In the end, the Dodger shortstop only managed to appear in 97 ballgames. Still, when he played he was nothing short of terrific hitting .300 and stealing 22 bases in 26 tries. If Furcal can stay healthy in 2011, he would make for a good pick up in the draft. Roll the die on him if you can, but make sure you have a decent backup to work with.

Starlin Castro (Cubs)
Castro put in an outstanding rookie season last year, hitting .300 for the Cubs and stealing 10 bases along the way. His second half numbers were even more encouraging, with the Chicago shortstop raising his average to .322 after the All-Star break. Only 20, Castro doesn't have much pop in his bat yet, but a +.300, 20 steal season is not out of the question this year.

Ian Desmond (Nationals)
Like Castro, Desmond posted decent rookie year numbers, hitting .269 with 10 homers and 69 RBI's for the Nationals, stealing 17 bases in the process. Though he strikes out a bit too much, and he plays on a weak Nationals team, Desmond has good Fantasy upside and can one day be a solid .300 hitter. For now a .270 average with 15 homers and 20 steals is what you can expect from Desmond.

The Rest:

Elvis Andrus in Texas will get you 30 steals and score some runs for you, as will Cliff Pennington in Oakland. Betancourt (Milwaukee), Peralta (Detroit), and Tejadas (San Francisco) have enough pop in their bat to post a 15 homer, 70 RBI season. Juan Uribe (Los Angeles) qualifies at shortstop and is coming off a 24 homerun, 84 RBI season.