As was discussed in Playoff Primer, Part One, the next installment of the three-part series will be positional rankings for playoff leagues. The method involved coming up with a per-game player expectations, then estimating the number of games each team will play based on playoff odds, with a further adjustment for players who are routinely platooned.
Positions are determined from NFBC's playoff contest eligibility.
The initial set is pre-wild card since some leagues include the wild card games in their drafts. Most leagues do not, so the rankings will be adjusted after the NL wild card concludes Tuesday Wednesday night.
Part Three will be some general observation after I have a chance to digest the final set. Look for that on Thursday morning.
UPDATED: Thursday, October 7, 1:30 AM ET
The update eliminated the Yankees and Cardinals as well as incorporating the most recent odds to win each series. To help frames the adjustments, this is the order of teams most likely to win the World Series:
- Dodgers
- Astros
- Rays
- Giants
- White Sox
- Brewers
- Braves
- Red Sox
The projected points scored are adjusted accordingly.
CATCHER
| Rank | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Will Smith | LAD |
| 2 | Yasmani Grandal | CWS |
| 3 | Buster Posey | SF |
| 4 | Mike Zunino | TB |
| 5 | Austin Barnes | LAD |
| 6 | Jason Castro | HOU |
| 7 | Francisco Mejia | TB |
| 8 | Omar Narvaez | MIL |
| 9 | William Contreras | ATL |
| 10 | Travis d'Arnaud | ATL |
| 11 | Manny Pina | MIL |
| 12 | Martin Maldonado | HOU |
| 13 | Christian Vazquez | BOS |
| 14 | Zack Collins | CWS |
| 15 | Curt Casali | SF |
| 16 |
As was discussed in Playoff Primer, Part One, the next installment of the three-part series will be positional rankings for playoff leagues. The method involved coming up with a per-game player expectations, then estimating the number of games each team will play based on playoff odds, with a further adjustment for players who are routinely platooned.
Positions are determined from NFBC's playoff contest eligibility.
The initial set is pre-wild card since some leagues include the wild card games in their drafts. Most leagues do not, so the rankings will be adjusted after the NL wild card concludes Tuesday Wednesday night.
Part Three will be some general observation after I have a chance to digest the final set. Look for that on Thursday morning.
UPDATED: Thursday, October 7, 1:30 AM ET
The update eliminated the Yankees and Cardinals as well as incorporating the most recent odds to win each series. To help frames the adjustments, this is the order of teams most likely to win the World Series:
- Dodgers
- Astros
- Rays
- Giants
- White Sox
- Brewers
- Braves
- Red Sox
The projected points scored are adjusted accordingly.
CATCHER
| Rank | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Will Smith | LAD |
| 2 | Yasmani Grandal | CWS |
| 3 | Buster Posey | SF |
| 4 | Mike Zunino | TB |
| 5 | Austin Barnes | LAD |
| 6 | Jason Castro | HOU |
| 7 | Francisco Mejia | TB |
| 8 | Omar Narvaez | MIL |
| 9 | William Contreras | ATL |
| 10 | Travis d'Arnaud | ATL |
| 11 | Manny Pina | MIL |
| 12 | Martin Maldonado | HOU |
| 13 | Christian Vazquez | BOS |
| 14 | Zack Collins | CWS |
| 15 | Curt Casali | SF |
| 16 | Kevin Plawecki | BOS |
FIRST BASE
| Rank | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuli Gurriel | HOU |
| 2 | Jose Abreu | CWS |
| 3 | Kyle Schwarber | BOS |
| 4 | Freddie Freeman | ATL |
| 5 | Kris Bryant | SF |
| 6 | Darin Ruf | SF |
| 7 | Austin Riley | ATL |
| 8 | Eduardo Escobar | MIL |
| 9 | Max Muncy | LAD |
| 10 | LaMonte Wade Jr. | SF |
| 11 | Gavin Sheets | CWS |
| 12 | Aledmys Diaz | HOU |
| 13 | Ji-Man Choi | TB |
| 14 | Yandy Diaz | TB |
| 15 | Cody Bellinger | LAD |
| 16 | Albert Pujols | LAD |
| 17 | Jordan Luplow | TB |
| 18 | Bobby Dalbec | BOS |
| 19 | Andrew Vaughn | CWS |
| 20 | Wilmer Flores | SF |
| 21 | Brandon Belt | SF |
| 22 | Matt Beaty | LAD |
| 23 | Jace Peterson | MIL |
| 24 | Billy McKinney | LAD |
| 25 | Marwin Gonzalez | HOU |
| 26 | Tommy La Stella | SF |
| 27 | Rowdy Tellez | MIL |
| 28 | Daniel Vogelbach | MIL |
| 29 | Travis Shaw | BOS |
| 30 | Keston Hiura | MIL |
| 31 | Ehire Adrianza | ATL |
SECOND BASE
| Rank | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trea Turner | LAD |
| 2 | Jose Altuve | HOU |
| 3 | Chris Taylor | LAD |
| 4 | Brandon Lowe | TB |
| 5 | Ozzie Albies | ATL |
| 6 | Kolten Wong | MIL |
| 7 | Eduardo Escobar | MIL |
| 8 | Max Muncy | LAD |
| 9 | Gavin Lux | LAD |
| 10 | Enrique Hernandez | BOS |
| 11 | Aledmys Diaz | HOU |
| 12 | Luis Urias | MIL |
| 13 | Cesar Hernandez | CWS |
| 14 | Joey Wendle | TB |
| 15 | Leury Garcia | CWS |
| 16 | Wilmer Flores | SF |
| 17 | Donovan Solano | SF |
| 18 | Christian Arroyo | BOS |
| 19 | Jace Peterson | MIL |
| 20 | Marwin Gonzalez | HOU |
| 21 | Tommy La Stella | SF |
| 22 | Keston Hiura | MIL |
| 23 | Mauricio Dubon | SF |
THIRD BASE
| Rank | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Turner | LAD |
| 2 | Chris Taylor | LAD |
| 3 | Alex Bregman | HOU |
| 4 | Rafael Devers | BOS |
| 5 | Kris Bryant | SF |
| 6 | Austin Riley | ATL |
| 7 | Evan Longoria | SF |
| 8 | Yoan Moncada | CWS |
| 9 | Eduardo Escobar | MIL |
| 10 | Max Muncy | LAD |
| 11 | Aledmys Diaz | HOU |
| 12 | Yandy Diaz | TB |
| 13 | Luis Urias | MIL |
| 14 | Joey Wendle | TB |
| 15 | Bobby Dalbec | BOS |
| 16 | Leury Garcia | CWS |
| 17 | Wilmer Flores | SF |
| 18 | Jace Peterson | MIL |
| 19 | Marwin Gonzalez | HOU |
| 20 | Travis Shaw | BOS |
| 21 | Mauricio Dubon | SF |
| 22 | Ehire Adrianza | ATL |
SHORTSTOP
| Rank | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trea Turner | LAD |
| 2 | Corey Seager | LAD |
| 3 | Chris Taylor | LAD |
| 4 | Carlos Correa | HOU |
| 5 | Brandon Crawford | SF |
| 6 | Wander Franco | TB |
| 7 | Tim Anderson | CWS |
| 8 | Xander Bogaerts | BOS |
| 9 | Willy Adames | MIL |
| 10 | Gavin Lux | LAD |
| 11 | Dansby Swanson | ATL |
| 12 | Luis Urias | MIL |
| 13 | Joey Wendle | TB |
| 14 | Leury Garcia | CWS |
| 15 | Marwin Gonzalez | HOU |
| 16 | Taylor Walls | TB |
| 17 | Mauricio Dubon | SF |
| 18 | Ehire Adrianza | ATL |
