Fantasy Baseball Help: First Base

Our theme for the 2008 fantasy draft is simply put; "Don't waste high picks or spend tons of hard earned cash on a first baseman." First basemen in this draft come a dime-a-dozen.

Even if the top ten first basemen (as listed by Fantasy Baseball Index) are taken before you have a chance to blink, names like Todd Helton, Kevin Youkilis, Conor Jackson, James Loney, Daric Barton, and Lyle Overbay are still available.

Stay away from high priced under-producers like Carlos Delgado ($15) or Richie Sexson ($12). And be wary of flash in the pans like Dmitri Young or Mike Jacobs. Jacobs should be a 30 Home Run guy with huge fantasy upside, but his swing is way to wild and unpredictable to be a consistent contributor to your team.

And if you ever, ever think about drafting Lance Niekro, you should contact your fantasy league manager and tell him to lock your team for the rest of the season and have a love one submit you to a psych ward. Because you obviously have not idea what you are doing and are considered a danger to the human race.

Joey Votto, Cincinnati. Keep an eye on this rookie, if he wins the starting first base job from Scott Hatteberg, scoop him up. He'll most likely be available in your draft, because he plays for a media-less market and 90% of folks in your draft likely won't ever have heard of him. We realize that we downgraded Brendon Phillips because he plays for the Reds, but there's something about a young lefty with something to prove playing in a hitter's dream park that makes us want to take him later in the draft.

Ben Broussard, Texas. Ron Washington, manager of the Rangers, gave Broussard the starting job at first base, no matter what hand the pitcher is using to throw the ball. So this translates into Broussard getting more at-bats, but that doesn't mean he'll get more quality at-bats. He hits like crap against lefties, but playing in a cozy Arlington ballpark should increase his power numbers a bit.

Joe Koshansky; Rockies. He will be the sleeper pick of the year if the Rockies begin to bottom out early in the season. If they head south quickly, the Rockies would look to trade Helton's hefty contract and pick up some minor league prospects or add to their bullpen. Koshansky can rake, and we can only sit back and smile at the thought of what he would do in Coors Field. If Koshansky becomes trade bait himself, his value decreases just a little, depending on where he winds up.