The shortstop position was never been considered a big time fantasy position until the days of Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra. Since those players made a splash at the position, the importance of a solid shortstop in fantasy lineups is at an all-time high. Which shortstops have gotten off the best start by ripping apart opposing pitchers this season?
1. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
Whether you hate the Yankees or love them, you have to respect Jeter and what he has done throughout his career. Understanding how talented the future Hall of Famer is, I knew I was lucky enough to select him in the 11th round of one of my drafts this season. He has rewarded me by becoming one of the biggest steals of the year. Through April, he had an average of .389 with four home runs, 13 RBIs, 16 runs and an OPS of 1.012.
2. Mike Aviles, Boston Red Sox
Some would say that Aviles was lucky to win the starting job during Spring Training, but he proved his worth during the month of April. While his defense was often questioned, his offense has been on point. At the end of the month, he was hitting .291 with five home runs, 17 RBIs, 18 runs scored. He has used the Green Monster to his advantage this season, connecting with six doubles.
3. Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs
What sets Castro apart from the other star shortstops like Troy Tulowitzki, Hanley Ramirez and Rafael Furcal has been the consistency in which he steals bases. In his third season, Castro continues to improve and finished the month by hitting .333 with 14 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He has been thrown out just three times and has scored 11 runs for the last place Cubs.
Honorable Mention:
Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers
Andrus finished the month with only a .264 average, but has seen that total rise nearly 40 points in the final 10 games of the month. He should continue to raise his average in May and will likely make this list next month.
For easier access to Fantasy Projections for the 2012 season, go here.
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Hobson Lopes has been playing fantasy baseball for more than 10 years and can be followed on Twitter @HobsonLopes.
