Fantasy Beat: The Fantasy All-Stars

The real All-Star game is coming up, which means people have spent the last week or so arguing about who does and doesn’t belong on the roster. Since this is a fantasy column though, we don’t really care who didn’t make the team. We do, however, feel the need to make up a roster of fantasy all-stars from the first half of the season to coincide with baseball’s midsummer classic.

This is a simple exercise-just for fun, we’re using the player’s ranks (according to CBS Sports) and taking the leader from each position. We’ll also list the runner-up with their rank, so you get a sense of how close things are. In the comments, we’d love to hear your thoughts on who will still be here and who will be long gone from the rankings by year’s end-that’s something we can revisit if you have an interest, when the time comes.

Olivo is far and away the most valuable catcher–he’s the lone backstop in the top 100 fantasy players. Is Coors involved? Of course. But unless your league adjusts for park, what do you care? If you’re wondering, Joe Mauer ranks third, at #227. Just three spots ahead of Brian McCann, and not that far ahead of another former Royal catcher, John Buck.

I’m not sure what’s more impressive: Miguel Cabrera’s first half, or the fact that Albert Pujols has been disappointing as the fifteenth-best player in fantasy baseball. I mean, who needs a guy with an OPS of just 992?

Cano is continuing his development, which progressed last season when he didn’t slump in the first half. I was wildly optimistic about Martin Prado, and he’s still performing over those levels, which I’m sure his owners (and the Braves) have no complaints about.

David Wright ranks right where we put him in the pre-season (and even with more steals than expected!) while Longoria also sits upon his pre-season throne.  Martin Prado and Kevin Youkilis, the third- and fourth-ranked third basemen, aren’t even third basemen. The position has been deeper in fantasy baseball than in the real game.

It’s probably a bad sign when two players who have missed a significant number of plate appearances rank in the top five at the position, but Rafael Furcal and Troy Tulowitzki both pull off the feat and make shortstop look that much more depressing. It doesn’t help that while Hanley Ramirez is #23 overall, he was more than likely paid to be in the top 2-3.

Remember that time the Blue Jays traded Alex Rios to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for nothing? Also, everyone’s favorite sleeper pick Carlos Gonzalez is the next outfielder in line, ranked #13 overall. Gonzalez is the next-best ranked player I haven’t listed in a table either, which would make him the fantasy all-star utility player.

Jon Lester (#10) rounds out the top 10, while four other starting pitchers sit in the top 20 overall (Cliff Lee, #11; Felix Hernandez, #18; CC Sabathia, #19; Jered Weaver, #20).

I think it’s safe to say Billy Wagner had something left in the tank.

There you have it–the 2010 midsummer fantasy all-stars. What do you think? Any surprises? Anyone you think will be in these same positions come October? Let us know in the comments.