Fantasy Baseball Rankings and Your Toronto Blue Jays.

Well, it looks like the baseball fantasy rankings are out so I decided that I would fill you in on where the Blue Jays rank at each position and who has been ranked number one.

Now I took these rankings from the people over at Thunder Matt’s Saloon, a site which my friend Mike and I found one day looking for just random shit to find on the ol’ interweb. It’s a very funny baseball and pop culture site based out of Chicago. I’d recommend giving it a read whenever you have a chance.

Without further ado, your player rankings for the 2010 MLB season!

Catcher:

1. Joe Mauer - MIN

24. Rod Barajas - Free Agent

25. John Buck - TOR

Ok, so number 25 isn’t the best ranking for the man to whom this site has been devoted to, however one thing stood out for me.

27. Ivan Rodriguez – WAS

Yeah, that’s right. John (the Mormon Masher) Buck is officially two spots higher (read: better) than easily the best player at that position in the past 30 years! Who cares if Rodriguez is a shell of his former self and probably more of a waste of the millions the Nationals are spending on him? Higher ranking than a first ballot Hall of Famer has to be worth something, right? (Right?)

1^st Base:

1. Albert Pujols - StL.

Alrighty, it appears that Lyle Overbay isn’t in the top 30 in his category. Um, that’s ok. I mean it’s not like 1^st Base is a real big fantasy position anyway. Oh sorry one minute, someone is telling me something.

Oh, apparently 1^st Base is a big fantasy position. Well it’s not like some teams have multiple players in the top 30 at that position. Excuse me again, I’m being told something.

Ok, so Boston has two in the top 15 (Kevin Youklis and Victor Martinez), but it’s not like that can hurt the Jays, right?

Well, is anyone available at still at that position?

30. Carlos Delgado - Free Agent

Oh my. Let’s move on.

2^nd Base:

1. Chase Utley - PHI

5. Aaron Hill - TOR

There you go! A top 5 player at his position, that’s exciting. Just out of curiosity, who else is ahead of him?

2. Ian Kinsler - TEX

3. Dustin Pedroia - BOS

4. Robinson Cano - NYY

Well, only two of those players are in the AL East. Take that Brian Roberts (BAL - 6^th) and Ben Zobrist (TB - 8^th)!

3^rd Base:

1. Alex Rodriguez - NYY

21. Edwin Encarnacion - TOR

Alright, that’s honestly a surprise for me. Number 21 isn’t too shabby at all for him. Well done. I wonder how the rest of the AL East is looking.

Ok, Evan Longoria is ranked third, no surprise there. He’s really great.

Ha! Garrett Atkins is 24^th. Advantage Blue Jays. Oh what’s that? Atkins is actually playing first this year because Tejada is coming back to Baltimore to play third. Hmm, ok.

Well what about Boston?

Three players in the top 30 at one position you say, interesting.

Shortstop:

1. Hanley Ramirez – FLA

Ok, so Alex Gonzalez isn’t ranked but he is listed as “On the edge of the radar” and that has to be worth something right? Well it’s not like the Jays downgraded to save money or anything? Right?

Marco Scutaro is ranked 14^th? Oh c’mon!

Let’s just move on.

Outfield:

So the outfield is given the top 60 treatment and all three outfield positions are combined. Well, this should give the Jays more opportunity to get their players in there, ‘cause 60 is more than 30. Let’s just see how this goes.

1. Ryan Bruan - MIL

Well, that’s hard to argue. He is a fantasy baseball machine. But I’m sure the Jays have to have some people ranked.

14. Adam Lind – TOR

49. Vernon Wells – TOR

Two players ranked in the top 60. That’s not too shabby at all. Well it’s not like other teams in the AL, like say Texas, have 3 or 4 outfielders...

Pardon?

Oh, I should shut up now? Ok.

Starting Pitching:

Alright, 80 spots for starting pitching. That’s a lot of room for the Jays. So, who’s ranked number one? Just say it isn’t Roy Halladay.

1. Tim Lincecum – SF

Ha! I knew it. I knew the Jays didn’t lose the best pitcher in ba....

2. Roy Halladay – PHI

Oh just shut up. Well then where does the top Jay starting pitcher rank? What do you mean none of them are ranked? What about Ricky Romero? Ok, well “On the edge of the radar” isn’t too bad right? It can’t be expected to have every team represented on this list; it’s not like the Yankees and the Red Sox entire pitch...

What do you mean they both have at least 4 pitchers ranked?

Relief Pitching:

Since the Jays have nobody representing them in the top 80 starting pitchers they’ve gotta have a strong bullpen, right?

1. Jonathan Broxton – LA

Pfft, that’s fine. It’s not like anyone expected the Jays to have the top pitcher in their bullpen. They didn’t even have the top pitcher in their bullpen in 1992 or 1993.

Where are the Jays ranked?

29. Jason Frasor – TOR

34. Kevin Gregg – TOR

39. Scott Downs – TOR

You know what? This isn’t that bad at all. Really, it isn’t. Well, as long as you don't mind that two of those pitchers are ranked because the starters either can't go deep into games or that the game has long been decided.

So that’s where your Jays stand this fantasy season. The Jays have strong fantasy players at second and in the bullpen. Of course, fantasy baseball is only one thing. I’m sure the Jays will play better baseball than their rankings suggest they will, right? (Right?)