Fantasy Baseball Insiders

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings.

Kansas City Royals’ closer Joakim Soria has become one of the most reliable relievers over the last three seasons. Since 2008, he ranks in the top five among full-time closers (min. 150 innings) in many important statistical categories:

• Saves: 115 (fifth)
• ERA: 1.84 (second)
• WHIP: 1.01 (third)
• BB/9: 2.47 (fifth)

Soria also ranks 12th in strikeout rate (9.97) based on the same criteria.

Last year, Soria set career-highs in saves (43), strikeout rate (9.73) and walk rate (2.19). He also posted the fifth-lowest ERA (1.78) among full-time closers.

Soria’s xFIP (2.99) suggests a regression may be due in 2011, but advanced stats are much tougher to judge on relievers than they are on starters. Perhaps his ERA will slip into the low twos, but there’s no reason to believe he won’t produce as a top-five closer.

Image courtesy of: Minda Haas

Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ 2011 Big Board:

• Top 50 Fantasy Baseball Projections
• Nos. 51-60: Jimenez, Verlander, Carpenter or Sabathia?
• Nos. 61-70: Weaver, Haren or Latos?
• Nos. 71-80: Young, McGehee or Ramirez?
• Nos. 81-90: Upton, Young or Werth?
• No. 91: Brian Wilson
• No. 92: Carlos Marmol
• No. 93: Pedro Alvarez
• No. 94: Ben Zobrist
• No. 95: Nick Markakis
• No. 96: Colby Rasums
• No. 97: Curtis Granderson
• No. 98: Mike Stanton
• No. 99: Max Scherzer

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