A look at RotoTimes Player Rater Dollar Values

Most fantasy leagues don’t separate outfield positions but if you play in a league that requires a separate center field and corner outfielders or one at each position, you’re aware of this year’s position shocker.

In what has to be one of the biggest surprises of 2008, the fantasy position other than catcher that is not represented in the top 20 among fantasy performers so far is right field.

Yes, the position that was home to Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Henry Aaron, Frank Robinson, Reggie Jackson, Roberto Clemente and Al Kaline has fallen on hard times this year.

So, who has been the top performing right fielder in fantasy this season?  Drumroll please … according to the Player Rater at RotoTimes.com the top right fielder is Ryan Ludwick.

Setting the parameters for a mixed league, 5X5, 12-team environment, Ludwick is the 21^st-best hitter so far in 2008, checking in with a dollar value of $27.93 through June 1^st.  And the next one is Xavier Nady.

Now, I mean no disrespect towards Ludwick, who is having an outstanding season and has posted a .314/.393/.667 line but he’s not the first name that jumps to mind when you think of dominating right fielders

Contrast the performance in right field to that of our center field crop, which is usually thought of as containing the weakest offensive performers.  There are five CFers who have been more valuable than Ludwick, including three of the top seven offensive players in Josh Hamilton, Jacoby Ellsbury and Nate McLouth.

At the other end of the spectrum, six RFers who’ve amassed 100 or more at-bats this season have posted a negative dollar value, including Austin Kearns, who has posted a negative $13.11 in 150 at-bats.

I’m sure some of this can be chalked up to small sample size and by the end of the year the right fielders will be more prominent than their counterparts in center.  But it is an interesting trend and something to chart going forward.