Below is a chart of every AL first baseman covered in MLB.com's 2008 Fantasy Preview, a rundown that includes established big leaguers and up-and-coming prospects.
The list features dollar values compiled by our MLB.com staff based on standard 23-man, $260, 5x5 AL-league play. We included projected stats for the 2008 season as well as a one-liner prediction that encapsulates every player's value in 10 words or fewer. This page will be updated throughout the spring to reflect the impact of inevitable transactions, injuries and changing job situations.
An indispensable part of the draft-day kit, the cheat sheet can make the difference between winning and losing your fantasy league. With quick-hitting rankings and forecasts, it'll help you keep the remaining players on the board in order as the draft wears on. The last thing you want to be doing is flipping through some magazine when it's your turn to pick.
So play fair, but don't forget your cheat sheet when you head to your draft.
| First Base |
TM |
$$ |
Avg |
R |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
Notes |
| David Ortiz* | BOS | 37 | .304 | 112 | 39 | 132 | 0 | Even injuries couldn't stop Big Papi last year. |
| Justin Morneau | MIN | 32 | .287 | 91 | 35 | 116 | 1 | Don't read too far into second-half slide. |
| Victor Martinez | CLE | 29 | .300 | 81 | 28 | 100 | 0 | Durable, consistent All-Star in prime of career. |
| Carlos Guillen | DET | 26 | .305 | 98 | 20 | 104 | 11 | Hits well enough at 1B, but better for SS. |
| Travis Hafner | CLE | 25 | .292 | 98 | 27 | 107 | 1 | No sure thing to bounce back from a disappointing '07. |
| Carlos Pena | TB | 25 | .271 | 81 | 32 | 97 | 2 | Fairy tales rarely followed by good sequels. |
| Paul Konerko | CWS | 24 | .281 | 88 | 34 | 104 | 0 | Good buy-low candidate. |
| Nick Swisher | CWS | 21 | .264 | 108 | 33 | 93 | 5 | Trade to CWS could rekindle power numbers. |
| Alex Gordon | KC | 20 | .278 | 81 | 23 | 84 | 15 | Possible value pick after underwhelming debut. |
| Jim Thome* | CWS | 18 | .261 | 75 | 29 | 86 | 0 | Can still lay down the hammer when healthy. |
| Billy Butler | KC | 15 | .296 | 76 | 18 | 92 | 1 | Budding superstar. |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia | TEX | 14 | .264 | 59 | 18 | 63 | 0 | Talented youngster could top 20 HR. |
| Frank Thomas* | TOR | 14 | .266 | 60 | 25 | 88 | 0 | Revival tour continues. |
| Ryan Garko | CLE | 14 | .275 | 70 | 23 | 83 | 0 | Blossomed into key run producer in '07 |
| Casey Kotchman | LAA | 13 | .301 | 62 | 13 | 72 | 2 | Power leaves much to be desired but has legit potential. |
| Kevin Youkilis | BOS | 12 | .292 | 94 | 15 | 76 | 3 | No fireworks here, just solid all-around production. |
| Richie Sexson | SEA | 9 | .258 | 65 | 28 | 76 | 1 | Worth another shot in AL-only play. |
| Jason Giambi | NYY | 8 | .247 | 52 | 24 | 70 | 0 | Only if you have health insurance. |
| Aubrey Huff | BAL | 8 | .274 | 55 | 19 | 63 | 3 | Usually doesn't heat up until second half. |
| Lyle Overbay | TOR | 8 | .279 | 61 | 13 | 62 | 2 | Road back won't be easy after two hand surgeries. |
| Casey Blake | CLE | 7 | .268 | 71 | 18 | 77 | 5 | Steady but unspectacular vet. |
| Daric Barton* | OAK | 6 | .275 | 80 | 15 | 65 | 2 | Time is now for rookie 1B. |
| Mike Lamb | MIN | 6 | .283 | 61 | 16 | 64 | 0 | Productive platoon player could steal everyday job. |
| Dan Johnson | OAK | 5 | .276 | 55 | 17 | 57 | 0 | Seeds are there, but time is running out in Oakland. |
| Brad Wilkerson | SEA | 4 | .248 | 60 | 23 | 65 | 6 | Injuries robbed him of peak years. |
| Ross Gload | KC | 3 | .308 | 54 | 12 | 56 | 4 | Scrappy contact hitter could surprise. |
| Jose Vidro | SEA | 3 | .302 | 65 | 6 | 49 | 0 | Contributes good AVG but little else at this stage. |
| Kevin Millar | BAL | 3 | .263 | 58 | 15 | 63 | 1 | Steady veteran has little upside. |
| Ben Broussard | TEX | 2 | .265 | 44 | 13 | 52 | 2 | Should benefit from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. |
| Matt Stairs | TOR | 2 | .270 | 43 | 11 | 41 | 1 | Won't receive same opportunities in '08. |
| Kendry Morales | LAA | 2 | .286 | 31 | 7 | 34 | 1 | At-bats hard to come by on deep roster. |
| Ryan Shealy | KC | 1 | .266 | 34 | 10 | 43 | 1 | Make-or-break season for former sleeper. |
| Marcus Thames | DET | 1 | .255 | 46 | 21 | 43 | 1 | Has power but needs more PT to realize value. |
| Frank Catalanotto | TEX | 1 | .272 | 44 | 12 | 42 | 2 | On-base skills helps case for PT. |
| Mike Sweeney* | OAK | 1 | .284 | 35 | 9 | 41 | 0 | Vet headed for bench role. |
| Eric Hinske | TB | 1 | .253 | 42 | 10 | 40 | 4 | Young enough to turn around career. |
| Wilson Betemit | NYY | 2 | .266 | 48 | 16 | 49 | 1 | Could make impact if injuries create opportunity. |
| Sean Casey | BOS | 1 | .289 | 24 | 3 | 21 | 0 | Contact hitter fading fast. |
| Greg Norton* | SEA | 1 | .246 | 24 | 3 | 24 | 0 | Undone by injuries in '07. |
| Chris Shelton | TEX | 1 | .264 | 36 | 11 | 37 | 2 | New lease on life. |
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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