Fantasy Baseball Sleepers, Deppers, Studs and Duds for First Base...

First base exists as one of the deepest positions in the infield, but shouldn't be taken lightly. You want an all-around great hitter here, and odds are you're not going to get much in the way of speed. The question you have to ask yourself is whether or not you want to grab the elite of the elite power hitting first basemen or go for your average run-of-the-mill guy at that corner. It's all about the value in which you draft the player.

Studs:
1. Albert Pujols - St. Louis Cardinals : Highs: Sadly, the days of Pujols qualifying at 1B/3B/OF are over. He's solely a 1B guy these days, though there are worse things to happen in life. There still no one that matches his numbers at 1B (or anywhere else in baseball, for that matter). With a great lineup around him, young age, and amazing ability, he's always a shoo-in for at least .325/35HR/130RBI/115R --- and that's if he's having a sluggish year. His average can go another 25 points higher, he can hit 10 to 15 more HR, and he's capable of having a 150RBI season easily. Lows: Buuuuut, he does have an injury risk going for himself this season. The plantar fasciitis in his left heel, a painful injury that's chronic. He had it last year and played through the injury, but he did state once in the offseason that he wasn't sure if he could do it again this season. This spring training he's still being nagged by it, yet is already crushing the ball to all fields with ease. You'll have to draft him within the first 5 picks of the first round to get him, but you have to wonder if his injury will take him out sometime this season. He's a tough guy who can hang in there, but you have to wonder how long.

2. David Ortiz - Boston Red Sox : Highs: After toiling in Minnesota for the first six seasons and barely playing for most of it (depth chart and injury), he's had two full-time seasons with the Red Sox that show his talent. No matter if he bats 3rd or 4th in the lineup, he'll still produce being in the best lineup in baseball. A .300/45HR/145RBI season isn't out of the question this season. He took the offseason off for once (what a genius idea), skipping the Dominican winter league he usually partakes in to rest his sore shoulder. For whatever it matters, he played the last 1/3 of the regular season and the playoffs with the achy shoulder, and it barely affected him. Lows: The two biggest question marks are the shoulder and the lineup position. Neither should be of great concern for Big Papi this season. If a left-handed hitter can hit the ball over the Wall in left field at Fenway, he can do scary things. Mo Vaughn once owned the Wall, and now Ortiz has mastered it. A poor season by Ortiz is unlikely unless a freakish injury takes him down. Playing DH mainly should greatly help him staying healthy.

3. Todd Helton - Colorado Rockies : Highs: If your biggest concern is average, then Helton at first is the first baseman you want. Playing the the rarified air of the Rockies has massively helped out Helton's production. Yet, when you break the numbers down, he's still producing on the road. In 2004 he batted .368 at home and .326 on the road. The power numbers show more of a difference when you talk home/road. But playing for Colorado will make any hitter look like a manic depressive. Overall, his power numbers were down last year, yet his walks increased for the 3rd straight year. Odds are the walks decrease this season, as the Rockies have lost a little punch in the lineup. Expect Helton to lead all first baseman in average, while getting back to hitting 35+ HRs and 110+ RBI. Lows: The two biggest worries are that his age is getting up there. He's only 32, but age is age. Talking about athletes is like talking about supermodels. As they age, they gain more question marks as to what once made them so "super." And the Rockies lineup isn't the strongest it's been in awhile, but having Preston Wilson back for an entire season should help if anything. But Helton's one of the few bulletproof first baseman in fantasy baseball.

4. Jim Thome - Philadelphia Phillies : Highs: The consistent long-bomber of the first basemen club. Averaging 47 HRs over the past three seasons, 47.5 HRs the past four seasons, and 45.4 HRs the past five seasons. 8 of the last 9 seasons he's gone over the 100 RBI plateau. If you want power without any worries, he's the man. Lows: He's always been shaky with regards to his average. A career .284 average, 3 of the past 4 seasons have had an average below the career average. The first thing to go for a power hitter is their average. Turning 35 years old during this season, Thome should still put up 40+ homers and have 100 RBI in the hitter's haven in Philly, but don't be surprised if his average struggles to get out of the .260 range. If it doesn't happen this season, it'll happen next season. It happens to the best of them, and it'll happen to Thome eventually, too. But if power's all you care about, you're still good to go with him.

Sleepers:
1. Travis Hafner - Cleveland Indians : Highs: The reason Cleveland said tootaloo to Thome a couple seasons ago without much worry was because they had Hafrner after Hafner played for Texas for one season in part-time duty. Turning 28 years old this June, he played his first full season last year and put up very solid numbers - 28HRs/109RBI/.311AVG. Playing in the middle of a young, powerful, solid lineup in Cleveland, he should only improve on his power numbers, and his runs from 2004 (96) should improve as well. Lows: He slumped a little in August of last season, mainly from it being his first full season, and hitting the "wall" --- sort of how Melanie Griffith has hit one as well. But, the good news for Hafner is that he can rebound from hitting a wall, while Melanie Griffith's only hope is to get more Botox. He got back on his feet a bit in September, and finished the season strong, so he looks good to go in 2005. The only worry, as is typical, is the dreaded "sophmore slump." I'm not buying into it with Hafner, just as I don't buy into it with his fellow Indian Victor Martinez. They're both in the same boat with the conditions surrounding them in Cleveland, and I think they'll flourish this season The average might dip a bit to the .280 to .290 range if anything, but I woulnd't worry too much. He'll be a nice middle round draft pick by being overlooked by most drafters.

2. Justin Morneau - Minnesota Twins : Highs: If I'm a Twins fan, I'd pinch myself in glee over how I can have a cheap-ass owner, and yet have a glut of young talent that's cheap to have and potentially off the charts. Morneau is one of those guys. In only 280 at-bats last season, he hit 19HR and had 58RBI while holding a .271 Avg. For young hitters, the last thing to come is the average, and Morneau should improve upon that. But considering that he should double his ABs this season, you're looking at a possible 30-35HRs and 110RBI season. He went on a tear in August of last season before cooling off a little in September, but the guy's only 24 this year. Lows: Pitchers will adjust to him quicker than he'll adjust to pitchers. There's going to be struggles at times for him this season, but he's too good to struggle for long. Don't get your panties in a twist if he's slow to start off the season, or if he slumps somewhere in the middle of the season. Patience, my friend. Patience.

3. Richie Sexson - Seattle Mariners : Highs: Injured in 2004, he's being forgotten by many fantasy drafters in 2005 because of it. He averaged 40HRs the previous three seasons before he became injured in 2004, and was good for over 100RBI in those seasons as well. Playing in a revamped lineup for Seattle, he should be back to his banging ways. Only injury should slow him down. Lows: Seattle's Safeco Field isn't the greatest park for a power hitter, but the bombs Sexson hits typically aren't HR jobs that just scrape over the wall. It'll be his forst season back in the American League since 2000 when he was with Cleveland. It migth take him some time to adjust to the pitchers he hasn't seen in awhile, and it might take some time for him to get his swing down after missing so much of last season. He doesn't have the greatest average in the world --- he's the poor man's Jim Thome. But he just turned 30, so his numbers should still hold up. Unless injury hits him again, expect a season of around .270/35+HRs/110RBI.

Duds:
1. Carlos Delgado - Florida Marlins : Highs: Turns 33 years old in June, and was always a shoo-in for 35 to 45 HRs and anywhere from 110 to 145RBI. Last season, he came up short of cracking 100RBI for the first time since 1997. Injury helped in that regard. A solid Marlins lineup and getting away from the Blue Jays headache should help. Lows: 3 out of the last 4, and 4 out of the last 6 seasons have had Delgado's average dip below his career averge of .282. As mentioned before, the first thing to go for a power hitter is his average. Delgado's average in 2004 was the lowest it's been since 1997. He's capable of rebounding in a big way this season, but considering the other possibilites available at first base, I'd look elsewhere to avoid any potential headaches.

2. Paul Konerko - Chicago White Sox : Highs: Im a huge fan of Konerko's playing ability, and people mocked me last season when I was high on him after his struggles in 2003. He put up career highs by a mile in HRs and RBI in 2004, hitting 41HR and 117RBI. Lows: That said, he doesn't have Magglio Ordonez or Carlos Lee in the lineup with him any longer, and by nature he should come back down to earth a little this season. He still could have a 25+HR season, and 90+ RBI, and his average will still hold around a .270 average. But when two big bats leave the lineup, what incentive do picthers have to go after Konerko now? There's some young talent there for the White Sox, but the only reason Konerko is a Dud is because he should fall back to earth a little this season --- if anything.

Other qualitry options at first base:
1. Aubrey Huff - Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Highs: 100+RBI the past two seasons, qualifies at 1B/3B/OF in many fantasy leagues (don't undervalue having a player who plays multiple positions), and holds a solid average. Lows: People are down on Huff because he had a HORRIBLE April last season, batting .191with only 3HRs and 7RBI. That first impression turned many people off on him, but they forget that Huff went on a tear for the next 5 months. In May he batted .303, and in August he had a God-like .385 average. Like a beautiful woman coming out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to her shoe, people can't shake the first impression that Huff was a bust last season, solely based upon April's stats. When you consider how he ended up with a .297/29HR/104RBI season in 2004, he was hot for 5 months of the season, and has Carl Crawford ahead of him in the lineup to drive in all season long. Draft him without worry.

2. Mark Teixeira - Texas Rangers : Highs: Young - only 25 right after opening day - and getting better all the time.38HR and 112 RBI last season, he gets overlooked by the more well-known hitters at first base. The top of the Rangers lineup is scary, and he's just one component, and he's got a pretty friendly homefield to hit in as well. Lows: Was injured early in April last season, struggled in May, was hot for the summer, and cooled off in September. He'll have a little roller-coaster effect to him, as many young hitters have. If you don't draft him, feel free to try to tarde from him from an impatient owner when Tex hits a little slump. When he bounces out of a slump, he bounces out of a slump. He's the Teri Hatcher of baseball.

3. Adam Dunn - Cincinnatti Reds : Highs: 25 Years old, can hit the ball to Utah from Cincy when he crushes one, and has all the power in his little pinky that Barry Bonds takes the "cream" anbd the "clear" for to attain. Lows: Swiiiiiing, and a miss, strike three. Let's just say Dunn enjoys the strikeout. Don't draft him if your league has a category for strikeouts. He walks a ton, and like many batters that take a lot of pitches, he also strikes out a bit as well. His On-base percentage is fantastic, but his batting average is sluggish because of his Ks. If he can cut down his Ks by a good 30 to 50 or more, his average should climb nicely. He's also being asked to steal a bit more this season, so it's not unreasonable to see him steal 20 bases as well, which is rare for a first baseman. Also qualifies in the OF in many leagues. Just a risk with regards to his ability to harness his talent. If he can improve, you're looking at a monster. If not, you're looking at a lower than desired average on your hands.

4. Derrek Lee - Chicago Cubs : Highs: A model of consistency, if not eye-bulging numbers. Always good for a few stolen bases, 30 or so HRs, 90 or so RBI, and a .270 average. Lows: Never had a 100RBI season, and will never blow you away with his overall stats. He'll probably be drafted too high for the stats he'll offer --- around the 6th or 7th round.

Others:
1. Mike Piazza - New York Mets : Best days behind him...look at what I said about Posada in the catchers section...
2. Phil Nevin - San Diego Padres : My god, can the guy ever stay healthy?
3. Sean Casey - Cincinnatti Reds : Career year last season. The rest of his career states otherwise what to expect from him.
4. Shawn Green - Arizona Diamondbacks : Ummm...yeah. Let's not draft him unless we need a backup at first, okay?