The Curious Case Of Prince Fielder
Did something miraculous happen over the last few months to Prince Fielder that I missed?
Over the last few weeks, there seems to be a strong sentiment growing for Prince Fielder and his value as a fantasy baseball first baseman in 2009.
He followed up his MVP-caliber 2007 campaign with a .276 average, 34 homeruns, 102 RBI, 86 runs scored and 3 steals in 2008. Last year, we had him ranked the no. 3 first baseman behind Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard heading into the season. Currently, we have him ranked no. 9 for 2009.
We understand that Fielder hits in a great lineup with guys like Ryan Braun and Corey Hart. However, only once in the last 3 seasons has Fielder put up over 100 runs scored and 100 RBI. By comparison, 7 of the 8 first baseman we have ranked ahead of him have had at least one 100/100 season in each of the last three years AND at least two 90/100 seasons. Derrek Lee is the only exception, and he will likely see a drop in our next rankings update.
Fantasy baseball owners will definitely want power and run production from their first baseman. If you’re looking for a guarantee on your investment, however, there are probably 7 first baseman better equipped to produce a season approaching 35 homeruns, 100 RBI, and 100 runs than Prince Fielder.
