My Top Fantasy Baseball Picks Following Week 1 of 2009

The 2009 Major League Baseball season is well under way and my top ranking fantasy player is off to a rough start.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Roy Oswalt is 0-2 with an uncharacteristic high Earned Run Average of 6.23.

He gave up 3 earned runs to the Cubs in the season opener and then got popped by Albert Pujols and the Cardinals for six earned runs on Saturday.

Going into the season, Oswalt was averaging 38 fantasy points per week on my list.

The losses drops his average to 33.25 fantasy points per week, which is still good enough to remain first on my top-10 list.

His next start is scheduled for Friday against the Reds.

One of those players that benefited from Oswalt's struggles this week was Alfonso Soriano of the Cubs. Soriano came into 2009 ranking sixth on my overall list, averaging 25.64 fantasy points per week.

He scored 41 fantasy points this past week bringing his average up to 26.17 fantasy points per week. He remains in sixth place on my overall list.

Last year Rafael Furcal was a top ranking fantasy player on the injured list.

This year he is off to a good start, hitting four singles, a double, and scoring five runs in the first week of the season. So far Furcal is averaging 18 fantasy points per week.

Braves catcher Brian McCann is also off to a good fantasy year.

Not counting Sunday's season opener, (for some reason the contest i choose to participate in does not count those stats) McCann had two singles, three doubles, a homer and five RBIs. He finished the week with 25 fantasy points.

As for my overall best fantasy players of the past 14 years, Oswalt remains in first place averaging 33.25 fantasy points in four selections.

Yankee injured superstar third baseman Alex Rodriguez is in second place averaging 29.45 fantasy points per week in 57 selections.

New Red Sox pitcher John Smoltz, who like A Rod is not playing, ranks third on my overall list averaging 27.66 fantasy points in 67 selections.

Albert Pujols is in fourth place averaging 27.65 fantasy points in 79 selections.

In fifth place is Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, averaging 26.83 fantasy points in six selections.

Alfonso Soriano is in sixth place averaging 26.17 fantasy points in 29 selections.

Cubbie Carlos Zambrano is in seventh place. I have played him 26 times and he is averaging of 25.64 points.

Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte is in eighth place on my overall list averaging 25.16 fantasy points per week in 37 selections. Like A Rod and Smoltz, Pettitte is not yet active in 2009.

Glendon Rusch is now in ninth place on my list. In two selections, he is averaging 25 fantasy points. Like Pettitte, he has not become active in 2009.

Miguel Cabrera is shuffled into 10th place averaging 24.92 fantasy points in 45 selections.

My top players by position are: 1B, Albert Pujols, Cardinals; 2B, Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox; 3B Alex Rodriguez, Yankees; SS Rafael Furcal; C Brian McCann, Braves; OF Alfonso Soriano, Cubs: and Gary Sheffield, Mets; and Carlos Lee, Astros, are my three highest ranking outfielders from the past 14 years.

My top three ranking starting pitchers are Oswalt, Smoltz, and Zambrano.

Mariano Riveria is my leading relief pitcher.

Tidbits from the baseball world include: Gary Sheffield hopes to hit career home run number 500 in a Mets uniform.

Second Baseman Willie Harris of the Washington Nationals is out after straining his left oblique Sunday against his former team the Atlanta Braves.

Adam Eaton is entering the starting rotation for the Baltimore Orioles.