AL 3B $$$ Ranges

$30+ ARod, Troy Glaus, Jorge Cantu, Hank Blalock, Chone Figgins

$24+ Melvin Mora, Eric Chavez, Adrian Beltre

$17+ Shea Hillenbrand, Aaron Boone

$13+ Joe Crede, Brandon Inge

$7+ Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis, Tony Batista, Michael Cuddyer, Mark Teahan, Dallas MacPherson, Aaron Hill

<$6 Tony Graffanino, Eric Hinske, Sean Burroughs, Rob Mackowiak, Antonio Perez, Ty Wigginton, Russell Branyan, Edgardo Alfonzo

When did 3B become so deep? There are 10 players I have no doubt about that are worth at least $17 on draft day.

Because only 12 need to be drafted, this may be the best area to add value. While most Roto players fill their corner and DH slots with 1B and OF, this accounting looks like 3B may offer the best returns.

There are also many players in the $7+ range that likely reside right at the $7 mark. I can see these going for less than that with MacPherson offering the most bang for the buck as the hype in Anaheim has made him a forgotten man.

Mark Teahan may surprise also. He did well late last season (.303 with 4 of his 7 HR after September 1) and, with the Alex Gordon hype, many owners will bypass him believing he will soon be out of a job. Grab him cheap. This report at Baseball America is telling (and I quote due to subscription issues):

...If Teahen develops as the Royals believe he will, there is a decent possibility Gordon could move to the outfield.

"That is one of the things we talked about before we drafted him," farm director Shaun McGinn said. "I think the scouts did a really good job. Alex is so athletic that he can do a lot of different things. His bat is going to be his big value, but he had the athletic ability to play first base, the outfield, play third base. Alex has got the arm strength to play either left or right....

If Teahen rebounds with a solid sophomore season, he would not block Gordon’s path to the majors. The Royals believe Teahen, who was a 39th-round pick of the Athletics in 2002, could be a future Gold Glove third baseman. ...."He's [Gordon] such a good athlete and he is so strong physically," Baird said. "I don't think he gets enough credit for the athlete he is. He possesses the ability where he could play first or a corner outfield position.....

(This also makes it likely I would select Brandon Wood 1st overall.)