Even if you draft one or two outfielders in the top 100 (which you should), you’ll still need to identify some late bargains. The top 20, 40, 60 and 80 outfielders for 2012 fantasy baseball can be found under the 2012 fantasy baseball rankings. This is by no means all the outfielders I’d draft for one of my teams. This is a list of guys that will go after the top 200 and could provide some healthy returns. Where applicable, click on the player’s name to read more about them and to see their 2012 projections. Anyway, here’s some outfielders to target for 2012 fantasy baseball:
Bryce Harper – More of a keeper pick. Not yet a stud, but should be a stud for many years to come, assuming the league doesn’t disallow every home run he hits because of too much pine tar under his eyes.
Brandon Belt – Bruce Bochy’s big head + Belt’s playing time = Suzanne Somers. Hmm, my math is probably off there. If Belt gets 500 ABs, he could be a top 50 player. I’m not even playing. Not even half playing. Or a quarter.
Colby Rasmus – Wow, I have Rasmus way earlier in my rankings than he’s being drafted. Like way way earlier. Actually, that might be way way way earlier. It’s early, let’s leave it at that. So I’m drafting Rasmus this year, now the question is will I hate his guts by May or love him?
Mike Trout – Before their Pujols’ acquisition, the Angels were less bloated, though it sounds like the opposite should be true. If you click that Trout-linkie-ma-who, it’s a whole post dedicated to Trout pre-Pujols. Yeah, things get dated like raps about al-Qaeda. If you want to know why I think you should still take a last round flyer on Trout, read the Harper post but find and replace his name with Trout.
Alex Rios – Yes, I wrote an Alex Rios sleeper post. It kinda makes me chuckle every time I think about how lame that is. It’s such a move ESPN would pull. Next up, Todd Helton… Huge sleeper! Eh, what do you want? I’m lame, deal with it or move on dot org. Before you do that though, remember a guy going after 200 overall that could give you 20/20 isn’t as terrible as you might think, even if you kinda want to abandon your team right after drafting him.
Lorenzo Cain – Finally, it’s his turn to run down the white lines. Cain… Sugar! Melky is rejected, Royals are corrected… Gordons, Crows and Butlers are thoroughly respected… The revenue gets divided… Bill James gets excited… Now Glass ain’t broke and it’s no joke… It’s hard as hell to fight it, Royals are contenders? Don’t buy it! Freeze! Rock! Raines! Cain’s drafted a little higher, baby… A little higher, baby…
Delmon Young – Maybe it’s the whole too many times I’ve been burned thing, but I trust Delmon Young about as far as I can throw him, which is nowhere near as far as he can throw a bat.
Dexter Fowler – He’s very fast, but his stolen base percentage makes me think he’s a stoned teenager. Dude, where’s 2nd base?
Jason Bourgeois – He doesn’t have a starting job right now, but he’s a must own if you need steals because he will see at bats – though Bourgeois resents the implication that ‘owning’ him means he’s part of the proletariat. You’ve been Marxed!
Tony Campana – What’s the take away from this outfielders to target post? There are lots of cheap steals. SAGNOF!
Jose Tabata – For those who keep clicking on the names and going to the top 60 outfielders post and keep wondering why I didn’t just say look at the top 60 outfielders post, I hear ya.
Yonder Alonso – For the next time you’re playing “Would you rather” here’s a good one. Would you rather Yonder get everyday playing time for the Padres or 350 ABs for the Reds? BTW, that’s assuming you’re playing “Would you rather” and there’s no girls within 100 feet.
Dayan Viciedo – Could he breakout and have a huge year? Sure, but he’d also have to have a BABIP over .350 and a HR/FB over 20%. A cliché that doesn’t exist that I just made up right now says, “Possible and probable only share a few letters.”
Alex Presley – These outfielders are in no particular order. If they were in order with the best guy first, Presley would be on top. (Or maybe last if I were to build suspense until the top guy. Anyhoo!) I kinda want Presley on all of my teams. After someone drafts Victorino, tell them you’re gonna take him too, only 10 rounds later in the form of Presley. Only tell them with your inner monologue so no one else hears you and drafts Presley first.
Nolan Reimold – Now if these were in order and Reimold had 550 ABs coming his way, then he’d be on the top of the list. I think the O’s have Endy Chavez, Wilson Betemit and Chris Davis in their potential everyday lineup because they want to be contracted. How about the Astros and Orioles combine forces? The O’stros? Anyone?
Chris Heisey – Now if Heisey was guaranteed everyday playing time, didn’t play for Dusty and Reimold was still without a starting job, Heisey would be on the top of my list (if these were in order and I started with the top guy first. This isn’t getting confusing, is it? No? Good!)
Carlos Gomez – Haven’t mentioned him anywhere this offseason. That’s just plain wrong! No, actually it’s not. He’s terrible. He sucks, at ya know, baseball. If the ex-Marlin, I-can’t-hit-so-I’ll-bunt-and-take-PEDs Alex Sanchez had a twin sister and they had a baby together, it would be Carlos Gomez. Gomez could steal 30 bases if he can get 400 ABs. Remember, Corey Hart is already hurt and Nyjer Mogan is one thorough psychological evaluation away from ending up in a mental asylum.
