Top 5 Keeper Center Fielders - Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide 2009

Center field has always been a position where legendary players have roamed. Mays, Mantle, Cobb and DiMaggio have all played the position, and today, there just may be some players who may join that elite group. At the very least, they deserve a spot on your keeper fantasy league team.

The top five keeper fantasy league center fielders are:

1. Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians

2. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers

3. B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

4. Carlos Beltran, New York Mets

5. Curtis Granderson, Detroit Tigers

#1 Keeper Center Fielders - Grady Sizemore - Fantasy Baseball 2009

Grady Sizemore of the Cleveland Indians seems to get better every year. He's only 26, but he's already a lock for 25+ home runs and 90 RBIs each year, so he's a good bet for any keeper list. He is surrounded by a hard working, scrappy lineup including Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez that gives him an opportunity to excel. The Gold Glover and Silver Slugger hit 33 home runs in 2008, his best year yet, and even tallied 38 stolen bases, having been caught only five times. He'll be a star for years to come, grab him now.

#2 Keeper Center Fielders - Josh Hamilton - Fantasy Baseball 2009

Don't think for a minute that the 2008 season was a fluke for Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers. The All-Star, Silver Slugger and Home Run Derby Hero has proven he has the tools, and with a more mature lineup around him, expect similar, if not better numbers in 2009. Josh Hamilton hit .304 with 32 homers and 130 RBIs in 2008, and while the Triple Crown may be a bit far-fetched, he will definitely give your fantasy league team some serious bang for your buck.

#3 Keeper Center Fielders - B.J. Upton - Fantasy Baseball 2009

B.J.Upton is part of an exciting young Devil Rays team that shocked the world to win the pennant last year. While his power numbers were down in 2008, he still hit .273 and totaled 145 hits. Upton was still able to steal 44 bases last season and will continue to be a terror on the basepaths in 2009. In 2007, he hit .300, so if you can lock him up for the next few years, B.J. Upton will pay big dividends as he enters his prime.

#4 Keeper Center Fielders - Carlos Beltran - Fantasy Baseball 2009

Carlos Beltran, the Gold Glove winning slugger, has been the New York Met's offensive leader, but has been hurt by a weak lineup. Twice over the last two seasons he had 90 or more walks, but if second year player Daniel Murphy and some of the other younger Mets play up to their potential, it will be harder for opposing pitchers to get around Beltran. That could actually mean BETTER numbers for the switch hitter, which could pay off for fantasy league team owners who grab him. Unlike many players, Carlos Beltran doesn't have "streaks," he is incredibly consistent over a long season.

#5 Keeper Center Fielders - Curtis Granderson - Fantasy Baseball 2009

Curtis Granderson of the Detroit Tigers seems to get better every year. The 27 year old is not only a defensive whiz in the outfield, he is the offensive spark for Detroit. With sluggers Magglio Ordonez and Miquel Cabrera hitting behind him, Granderson should get plenty of chances to see some quality pitches and score a lot of runs.

Other center fielders to watch for when drafting your fantasy league team include the Pirates Nate McLouth (the former All-American had his breakthrough year in 2008), up and coming Dodger star Matt Kemp, Mariners All Star Ichiro Suzuki, Phillies Gold Glover Shane Victorino, Blue Jays standout Vernon Wells, and Angels Gold Glover Torii Hunter.

Sources: MLB.com, www.ESPN.com