Jeter or Furcal...WHIR

[Johnny Tuttle]

I just noticed that someone would bump Hardy up to the second tier, and I have no problems with that. My only point is that after the top 5-7 SS, the position is very much a crap shoot or a pick 'em, and some wouldn't have Peralta, Hardy, or even Tulo exempt from the large third tier.

I have my first single year-league draft tomorrow, and if I don't leave the 1st or 2nd round with Hanley, Reyes, or Rollins, I might gamble on Drew in the 5th, but otherwise, I might take the 10th SS off the board or later. In my keeper, Orlando Cabrera is a FA now. Sure, Furcal might trounce him, but I'll be saving round upon round.

On the Jeter v. Furcal angle: I just don't consider Furcal that safe, I guess. A wonky back could put him out again, and he is himself over 30. Jeter's skills have declined, but check the splits before and after he got beaned on the hand last year. Granted, with age, he's more injury prone and slower to recover, but if he somehow stays healthy, he'll clear 800 as an OPS. That's a lot of BA, R, and even RBI from a lead off guy with that lineup. Furcal might trounce Jeter this year, but I'm not paying for the right to count on it first-hand.