This is not a list of players I think will put up the best fantasy numbers next season. If it was, Albert Pujols would be on it. (In fact, he might be listed twice.) Instead, this is a list of the 10 players I'd most want to build a keeper or dynasty team around headed into 2010, with not just next year in mind, but the next five years. If you own more than one of these guys, your fantasy future's looking bright ...

1. Matt Kemp -- Currently the #5 rated hitter in the Yahoo game. A five-category monster who's capable of producing a line that looks like this for years to come: .310-100-30-110-40. Owning Matt Kemp is like staring down an endless, sunny highway dotted by fantasy championship trophies all the way to the horizon.

2. Ryan Braun -- Home runs were down a smidge this year, but, overall, the numbers were what you'd expect. Which is to say they were beastly. He'll turn 26 this offseason, meaning he's about to enter the sweet spot of his career.

3. Tim Lincecum -- Continues to make National League hitters look like ADD-addled Little Leaguers. Yeah, the funky delivery is a long-term concern, but so far the strikeout artist has avoided any major health issues.

4. Hanley Ramirez -- It seems like he's been a possible first overall draft pick in redraft leagues for years and years now, but the dude's still somehow only 25 years old. Be aware that the stolen bases are trending downward. But he broke the triple-digit barrier in RBIs for the first time ever this year.

5. Prince Fielder -- Power is rivaled only by Pujols and Ryan Howard, but let's not forget he's more than four years younger than both of them. Looks like he'll hit career highs in AVG and OBP this season.

6. Evan Longoria -- Right on schedule for a Hall-of-Fame-caliber career. OPS is up around .900 this year. Walks are up significantly more than strikeouts. And he plays the always shallow third-base position! I don't trust that Mark Reynolds can keep performing at such a high level. But with Evan -- mark that shit down in pen.

7. Justin Upton -- So good that nobody talks about his brother anymore. He's a five-category stud who's on a Kemp-like trajectory. And he just turned 22! To put that in perspective, Barry Bonds was playing his second season in the Majors the year that Upton was born. (Don't you feel old now.)

8. Tommy Hanson -- The rookie phenom was promoted to the bigs with a lot of hype this season, and -- surprise! -- it turned out to be justified. He has recorded 100 Ks in 113 innings and won 10 games in 19 starts. You can anchor your fantasy rotation around him for years to come.

9. Jacoby Ellsbury -- Sixty-six stolen bases and counting. Jose Reyes' bum hammy makes Ellsbury your best one-stop shop for steals. Ride him while those legs are healthy and save yourself the trouble of scrounging or overpaying for steals.

10. Joe Mauer -- Gets the final slot on this list just in case the power is for real. Some of you might have doubts -- I know I do -- but Mauer's been so good this year that it's really not worth fretting about. Twenty-eight home runs and a a .371 batting average from the catcher's position is absolutely retarded.

Comments (6)

spike said:

	... gotta love that bob. spike`s got 4 of these in his keeper league(fielder/longoria/ellsbury/hanson). BOOYAH !
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September 25, 2009
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calibob02 said:

	... Nice list.
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September 25, 2009
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Bill@TDS said:

... Very nice list, especially since I've got three of those guys (Mauer, Prince and Longoria). Also have Utley, who's a no-brainer for at least the next two years. Who should my other two keepers be, among Jeter, Abreu, C.Lee, Werth, Ichiro, Lackey, Vazquez, Mo Rivera, Bourn and Pence? I realize the point of this blog is probably not to dole out individualized fantasy advice, but it's on topic, and I'm really struggling with this one, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

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September 30, 2009 | url
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Bob Taylor said:

... Hey, Bill. We're happy to dole out fantasy advice to anyone who trusts us enough to ask. Especially fellow Bloguinites! (But don't hold it against us when we mess up and steer you down a dark and terrible path.) I think your best options here are either Werth/Bourn, Werth/Rivera or Werth/Vazquez. Yeah, Werth will be 31 next year (as opposed to, say, Pence, who'll only be 27), but I like him because he'll still be a part of that powerful Phillies lineup AND playing for one last big, fat contract. For player #2, it depends on your league. What do the other managers traditionally value (and hold on to) the most -- steals, saves or effective starting pitching? Whatever the answer, pick the player that corresponds. I wouldn't want to dump Rivera if it's going to be difficult to draft (or bid on) a closer. Same goes with Bourn if steals are usually coveted. If you think you can drop both but fill those categories in your draft/auction, then keep Vazquez and his guaranteed 200+ strikeouts. Stop back and let us know what you decide!

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September 30, 2009
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momnha said:

	...
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December 24, 2009
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T-La said:

	... come on man, Kershaw should replace Hanson on that list and Hanley should be listed #1
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February 08, 2010
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