The regular season is closing in, and fantasy baseball is right there with it. Let's take a look at the Rangers roster and rank the top five in the fantasy world.
No. 2: Adrian Beltre, 3B
2013 stats: .315 batting average, .371 on-base percentage, .509 slugging percentage, 199 hits, 30 home runs, 92 RBIs, 161 games
Pros: There's a lot to say here. Beltre is batting cleanup and is now hitting behind two of the best on-base guys in baseball in Shin-Soo Choo and Prince Fielder, with Elvis Andrus sandwiched between them. He's going to be hitting with guys on base a ton, which makes him much more difficult to pitch to and also increases the likelihood he'll see strikes. He's a near-lock to drive in 100 runs this year and should make it four straight years with at least 30 home runs. He's a fantasy monster.
Cons: Last year, Beltre missed just two games despite playing through injury for much of the season. He did the same thing in 2012. In fact, he hasn't been on the disabled list since 2011, though that's hard to remember since it seems like he's always battling a nagging hamstring injury. This spring, it was his quadriceps that flared up. He might not miss significant time, but the chances of him being healthy all year are basically nil.
Verdict: As far as third basemen are concerned, Beltre is right at the top of the heap in a thin fantasy position across the league. He's worth a pick in the first two rounds depending on where your pick falls in your draft.
