Believe it or not, but the 2012 MLB season gets started in a little more than a week when Oakland and Seattle start a two-game series in Tokoyo.

Granted, the "official" Opening Day isn't until April 5, but regardless of your preference, there's no time better than the present for an updated Fantasy Baseball Big Board.

And this time around, it's an even bigger Big Board as Athlon Sports has combined nine fantasy baseball big boards from around the web and added 50 more spots to its consensus fantasy baseball Big Board, which now numbers 200, to help you get ready for this upcomnig season (with special thanks to FantasyRundown.com).



Not suprisingly, as spring training has gone on, different players' rankings across the board have gone up and down as teams' rosters are beginning to take shape on and off the fields in both Arizona and Florida.

As far as the updated Big Board, those changes start at the top. Reigning National League MVP Ryan Braun had his pending 50-game suspension for violation of the league's drug policy overturned on Feb. 24.

Now that it's clear Braun will be eligible to play, if healthy, a full 162-game schedule, it's no surprise that he has soared up the Big Board. Coming in at No. 71 on the consenus Big Board on Feb. 10, Braun is ranked No. 1 overall according to RotoSummit.com, making him one of four players, along with Miguel Cabrera, Matt Kemp and Albert Pujols, who received a first-place vote among the nine different sources used to compile Athlon's Big Board.

Taking all nine sources into account, Cabrera takes the No. 1 position on the updated Big Board, edging out Pujols for that distinction. Kemp, who finished second to Braun in the NL MVP voting last year, comes in third, followed by Braun.

Some of the other big risers among the consensus Top 200 include Joel Hanrahan (No. 125, up from No. 144), Andre Ethier (No. 130, up from No. 150), Martin Prado (No. 140, up from No. 157), Melky Cabrera (No. 143, up from No. 165), Rafael Betancourt (No. 153, up from No. 182), Gaby Sanchez (No. 158, up from No. 183), David Freese (No. 166, up from 198) and Carlos Lee (No. 172, up from No. 200),

On the other hand, several players' Big Board rankings dropped with some of the biggest fallers including the likes of Carl Crawford (No. 84, down from No. 67), Corey Hart (No. 104, down from No. 93), Nick Markakis (No. 117, down from 104), Ryan Howard (no. 160, down from No. 118), Ike Davis (No. 161, down from 137), Justin Morneau (No. 165, down from No. 153), Tim Hudson (No. 168, down from No. 133), and Ervin Santana (No. 184, down from No. 152).

And while not necessarily reflected in these Big Board rankings, two other injury situations that bear watching are David Wright, who has been limited by a torn abdominal muscle in his left side, and Chase Utley, who is dealing with issues in both of his knees. Wright has said he will be ready by Opening Day, while Utley's availability for the Phillies' opener on April 5 is questionable at best.

Several players also are making their debut on Athlon's consensus Big Board, including Coco Crisp, Angel Pagan, Delmon Young, Brandon Morrow, Brandon McCarthy and Huston Street, to name few.

Fantasy Baseball is coming... and the 25th Anniversary Edition of Athlon Sports' Baseball Preview Magainze is already here. Click here to order yours today!

LR â Last Ranked, where player was ranked on Athlon Sports' consensus Big Board that was published on Feb. 20, 2012

NR â Not Ranked, means player did not appear on Athlon Sports' consensus Big Board that was published on Feb. 20, 2012

AS â Athlon Sports (updated 3/19/12)

CBS â CBSSportsline.com (as of 3/16/12)

ESPN â (updated 3/13/12)

FOX â FOXSports.com (updated 3/7/12)

MLB â MLB.com (as of 3/15/12)

RC â RotoChamp.com (updated 3/18/12)

RS â RotoSummit.com (updated 2/27/12)

USA â USAToday.com (updated 2/13/12)

Y! â Yahoo! Sports (updated 2/24/12)*

*Yahoo! ranked only 120 players on their list, while Athlon's Big Board contains 200. The aggregated scores of the other eight big boards were used to extrapolate Yahoo!âs rankings to 200 players.

Athlon Sports Fantasy Rankings**: Big Board | C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP

**Positional rankings will be updated beginning later this week

Â LR Player Team Pos AS CBS ESPN FOX MLB RC RS USA Y! 1 3 Miguel Cabera DET 1B 2 1 1 4 4 1 4 3 1 2 1 Albert Pujols LAA 1B 1 3 2 3 2 3 3 4 3 3 2 Matt Kemp LAD OF 6 4 3 1 1 4 2 1 2 4 71 Ryan Braun MIL OF 5 5 4 8 5 2 1 2 6 5 4 Jose Bautista TOR 3B/OF 11 2 5 6 3 6 5 5 5 6 5 Troy Tulowitzki COL SS 4 9 6 5 6 15 8 6 4 7 8 Robinson Cano NYY 2B 3 16 7 10 10 13 7 8 8 8 6 Jacoby Ellsbury BOS OF 19 8 8 2 8 9 6 12 12 9 7 Joey Votto CIN 1B 16 12 10 12 9 5 9 10 7 10 9 Adrian Gonzalez BOS 1B 7 13 14 7 11 11 13 9 9 11 10 Justin Upton ARI OF 14 18 9 14 7 21 10 11 10 12 14 Carlos Gonzalez COL OF 12 19 16 18 15 12 11 16 11 13 12 Roy Halladay PHI SP 10 6 12 19 23 10 12 22 18 14 11 Clayton Kershaw LAD SP 9 7 20 13 19 8 22 21 15 15 15 Dustin Pedroia BOS 2B 13 14 15 11 21 16 14 19 17 16 13 Justin Verlander DET SP 8 10 17 17 22 17 21 17 16 17 16 Prince Fielder DET 1B 17 26 18 15 12 7 18 18 14 18 17 Evan Longoria TB 3B 33 20 11 16 17 19 16 7 13 19 20 Hanley Ramirez MIA SS 27 29 13 9 16 34 15 13 21 20 19 Cliff Lee PHI SP 20 11 22 21 27 14 24 26 24 21 18 Curtis Granderson NYY OF 38 15 23 22 13 23 17 20 22 22 22 Ian Kinsler TEX 2B 28 30 19 26 14 35 20 15 20 23 21 Mark Teixeira NYY 1B 22 33 24 23 24 18 27 31 23 24 24 Jose Reyes MIA SS 18 32 21 31 18 61 19 14 19 25 23 Felix Hernandez SEA SP 24 21 28 28 28 31 32 35 30 26 25 Andrew McCutchen PIT OF 40 38 26 20 26 29 28 30 27 27 26 Jered Weaver LAA SP 15 25 31 38 33 25 39 45 35 28 30 Adrian Beltre TEX 3B 31 37 27 34 29 53 23 29 26 29 28 Tim Lincecum SF SP 25 27 32 32 30 51 42 32 28 30 32 Josh Hamilton TEX OF 26 46 40 35 36 49 25 27 34 31 31 CC Sabathia NYY SP 67 22 43 25 38 28 31 33 31 32 34 Giancarlo Stanton MIA OF 83 68 25 33 25 22 30 25 25 33 27 Cole Hamels PHI SP 23 24 39 40 31 46 36 66 32 34 29 David Wright NYM 3B 73 23 29 24 20 91 26 23 29 35 36 Ryan Zimmerman WAS 3B 29 42 34 42 32 60 47 24 33 36 33 Carlos Santana CLE C/1B 52 17 52 30 35 32 46 40 41 37 39 Matt Holliday STL OF 42 57 30 36 65 45 33 28 36 38 38 Mike Napoli TOR C/1B 57 43 47 27 39 30 41 36 53 39 48 Pablo Sandoval SF 3B 34 54 33 44 68 27 38 69 39 40 40 Hunter Pence HOU OF 45 77 37 66 56 24 29 34 44 41 37 Dan Haren LAA SP 47 31 41 61 41 65 34 46 49 42 35 David Price TB SP 21 34 53 48 47 56 54 53 50 43 41 Zack Greinke MIL SP 66 28 48 57 46 55 50 44 40 44 44 Brian McCann ATL C 48 41 69 46 43 47 44 39 83 45 43 Starlin Castro CHC SS 44 79 57 63 42 59 37 43 38 46 42 Paul Konerko CHW 1B 70 97 36 37 40 38 35 65 47 47 47 Jay Bruce CIN OF 63 90 38 62 34 40 55 38 51 48 56 Brett Lawrie TOR 3B 71 55 46 67 44 33 63 71 45 49 45 Craig Kimbrel ATL RP 30 39 62 75 52 57 65 63 56 50 52 Ben Zobrist TB 2B/OF 93 72 51 41 45 64 43 51 52 51 46 Matt Cain SF SP 37 70 61 73 48 36 59 77 54 52 49 Eric Hosmer KC 1B 41 106 45 39 74 43 40 60 68 53 59 Brandon Phillips CIN 2B 39 101 54 49 49 71 52 47 55 54 54 Nelson Cruz TEX OF 94 76 44 56 37 95 48 37 37 55 57 Dan Uggla ATL 2B 100 103 42 52 64 50 45 55 48 56 50 Jon Lester BOS SP 49 50 56 55 61 98 78 62 58 57 51 Elvis Andrus TEX SS 64 108 60 60 63 92 49 41 42 58 55 Stephen Strasburg WAS SP 35 58 75 84 81 20 68 108 57 59 53 Michael Young TEX 1B/2B/3B 74 56 95 43 101 26 57 75 61 60 60 Yovani Gallardo MIL SP 54 40 65 85 58 90 92 48 59 61 65 Michael Bourn HOU OF 80 74 35 72 87 84 51 42 67 62 61 Alex Rodriguez NYY 3B 98 66 67 50 53 83 72 58 46 63 68 Shin-Soo Choo CLE OF 51 75 77 80 85 58 64 49 63 64 58 Desmond Jennings TB OF 99 85 104 68 50 54 61 50 43 65 69 Alex Gordon KC OF 82 87 50 81 60 73 66 59 66 66 77 Shane Victorino PHI OF 102 69 55 65 79 78 58 56 65 67 73 Buster Posey SF C 62 52 127 51 75 44 87 61 75 68 62 James Sheilds TB SP 76 36 64 78 72 103 62 72 81 69 72 Kevin Youkilis BOS 1B/3B 58 45 98 59 77 105 76 68 60 70 79 Michael Morse WAS 1B/OF 103 83 71 53 82 42 70 83 62 71 66 Asdrubal Cabrera CLE SS 97 86 63 47 54 97 56 92 64 72 75 Madison Bumgarner SF SP 46 49 79 94 67 72 88 87 80 73 70 C.J. Wilson LAA SP 101 61 68 70 51 69 75 80 88 74 74 Aramis Ramirez MIL 3B 89 107 58 64 86 62 73 57 74 75 64 Rickie Weeks MIL 2B 95 95 83 45 55 96 67 54 84 76 80 Jonathan Papelbon PHI RP 32 112 87 74 71 82 79 73 77 77 76 Joe Mauer MIN C/1B 43 48 131 58 66 77 85 93 95 78 63 Ian Kennedy ARI SP 90 35 72 86 76 70 69 122 79 79 78 Mariano Rivera NYY RP 56 110 73 88 57 85 82 84 76 80 84 B.J. Upton TB OF 106 99 80 82 73 87 60 64 69 81 81 Jimmy Rollins PHI SS 104 102 49 54 69 146 53 76 73 82 86 Matt Wieters BAL C 60 65 84 69 88 106 93 74 90 83 87 Lance Berkman STL 1B/OF 105 78 59 77 96 52 77 99 86 84 67 Carl Crawford BOS OF 79 67 70 29 59 - 71 52 103 85 88 John Axford MIL RP 36 92 93 108 70 127 96 82 78 86 94 David Ortiz BOS DH 72 91 66 100 122 41 114 70 121 87 92 Adam Jones BAL OF 86 117 78 102 110 63 83 88 89 88 91 Mat Latos CIN SP 111 47 94 103 62 104 84 119 100 89 83 Chase Utley PHI 2B 68 100 76 71 98 - 74 67 71 90 90 Howard Kendrick LAA 1B/2B/OF 85 119 118 79 84 88 91 101 72 91 89 Drew Storen WAS RP 50 93 89 96 78 141 107 110 82 92 82 Tommy Hanson ATL SP 77 62 116 131 80 68 86 142 97 93 95 Josh Johnson MIA SP 53 59 128 124 91 66 108 132 101 94 96 Daniel Hudson ARI SP 109 63 85 109 89 116 99 94 102 95 85 Michael Pineda NYY SP 91 60 96 116 105 74 101 116 116 96 97 Miguel Montero ARI C 69 53 117 125 113 86 103 89 122 97 103 Matt Garza CHI SP 114 71 101 119 93 107 109 86 104 98 98 Billy Butler KC 1B 55 111 102 129 153 37 121 85 123 99 101 Brett Gardner NYY OF 110 109 90 105 104 124 89 78 107 100 110 Adam Wainwright STL SP 78 64 97 143 126 89 100 134 99 101 99 Ricky Romero TOR SP 65 82 81 90 118 134 113 127 124 102 106 Chris Young ARI OF 117 88 107 110 116 93 81 98 125 103 102 Drew Stubbs CIN OF 113 129 112 87 95 136 102 79 92 104 93 Corey Hart MIL OF 107 89 100 97 176 114 80 96 93 105 108 Ichiro Suzuki SEA OF 116 84 88 120 121 129 90 106 106 106 115 Jayson Werth WAS OF 121 140 82 98 94 113 104 100 114 107 100 Josh Beckett BOS SP 75 51 108 121 107 145 119 128 126 108 119 Alex Avila DET C 122 44 121 99 120 130 126 91 127 109 107 Freddie Freeman ATL 1B 81 147 120 76 143 81 127 97 115 110 112 Matt Moore TB RP 115 104 74 221 140 79 95 130 91 111 105 Yu Darvish TEX SP 108 80 124 186 148 76 105 129 87 112 120 Michael Cuddyer COL 1B/2B/OF 96 152 92 123 156 139 98 121 70 113 114 Jason Heyward ATL OF 119 153 109 92 106 182 111 102 85 114 109 Brian Wilson SF RP 84 133 106 122 92 189 106 118 112 115 113 Mark Reynolds BAL 1B/3B 120 98 156 107 111 101 123 124 128 116 121 Derek Jeter NYY SS 125 118 113 101 97 - 94 105 118 117 104 Nick Markakis BAL OF 88 128 145 111 139 48 112 176 130 118 123 Alexei Ramirez CHW SS 127 138 86 89 123 131 116 145 129 119 117 Brandon Beachy ATL SP 123 81 123 137 132 80 137 165 110 120 116 Jose Valverde DET RP 61 154 125 117 90 171 124 120 131 121 111 Heath Bell MIA RP 92 94 148 151 83 165 117 139 108 122 127 Ryan Madson CIN RP 129 120 99 182 108 132 118 107 113 123 129 Dustin Ackley SEA 2B 112 144 171 93 135 152 132 103 117 124 122 Chris Carpenter STL SP 132 136 103 114 100 - 97 159 133 125 144 Joel Hanrahan PIT RP 135 134 119 170 103 155 128 104 136 126 124 Gio Gonzalez WAS SP 118 73 132 115 160 - 125 161 109 127 139 Erick Aybar LAA SS 153 127 129 95 112 - 131 111 135 128 126 Jesus Montero SEA DH 126 124 188 206 142 39 110 135 132 129 130 Cameron Maybin SD OF 143 139 143 138 99 160 155 81 140 130 150 Andre Ethier LAD OF 137 130 140 127 174 100 166 109 120 131 132 Carlos Beltran STL OF 128 196 115 135 - 111 120 95 105 132 128 J.J. Putz ARI RP 149 113 142 145 102 120 130 168 138 133 141 J.J. Hardy BAL SS 140 168 111 91 129 191 170 90 134 134 135 Cory Luebke SD SP/RP 144 135 130 174 134 67 136 177 137 135 125 Emilio Bonifacio MIA SS/3B/OF 124 114 213 83 - 109 142 172 119 136 131 Jordan Zimmerman WAS SP 131 115 110 184 138 - 122 125 139 137 134 Anibal Sanchez MIA SP 134 96 137 173 137 125 133 191 141 138 147 Dee Gordon LAD SS 138 145 133 157 169 138 139 162 96 139 140 Andrew Bailey BOS RP 130 143 158 - 109 119 179 112 143 140 157 Martin Prado ATL 3B/OF 152 122 168 128 150 115 162 157 150 141 149 Nick Swisher NYY 1B/OF 163 170 150 146 115 137 158 114 153 142 143 Paul Goldschmidt ARI 1B 136 - 182 150 117 126 192 113 98 143 165 Melky Cabrera SF OF 164 141 149 149 151 102 138 173 157 144 138 Johnny Cueto CIN SP 87 162 151 134 180 163 152 149 152 145 136 Adam Lind TOR 1B 158 - 135 142 133 110 115 195 142 146 148 Neil Walker PIT 2B 141 157 167 104 - 117 154 144 147 147 158 Ubaldo Jimanez CLE SP 151 121 105 141 158 - 140 174 144 148 142 Logan Morrison MIA OF 146 - 153 118 - 75 171 133 145 149 156 Jeff Francoeur KC OF 189 151 180 136 124 133 144 146 164 150 145 Shaun Marcum MIL SP 147 186 122 - 114 142 129 179 148 151 163 Jhonny Peralta DET SS 142 169 126 106 193 200 159 138 149 152 146 Jason Kipnis CLE 2B 139 - 174 148 167 135 134 141 156 153 182 Rafael Betancourt COL RP 150 159 114 - 172 118 141 - 146 154 154 Torii Hunter LAA OF 172 - 146 159 198 94 149 131 154 155 160 Sergio Santos TOR RP 176 155 - 178 131 123 151 137 159 156 172 Jeremy Hellickson TB SP 160 164 91 165 164 - 161 156 158 157 151 Joakim Soria KC RP 196 142 152 169 119 187 135 160 162 158 183 Gaby Sanchez MIA 1B 156 182 162 133 200 154 175 115 161 159 164 Ryan Roberts ARI 2B/3B 162 123 165 112 192 162 189 180 155 160 118 Ryan Howard PHI 1B 159 126 196 171 187 - 160 150 94 161 137 Ike Davis NYM 1B 157 149 208 172 152 - 168 140 111 162 168 Danny Espinosa WAS 2B 182 185 189 113 166 140 165 155 160 163 NR Coco Crisp OAK OF - 146 138 167 199 112 153 169 170 164 166 Doug Fister DET SP 174 175 144 196 163 108 148 - 163 165 153 Justin Morneau MIN 1B 59 191 - 176 181 - - 126 151 166 198 David Freese STL 3B 145 192 194 160 145 169 - 117 167 167 186 Jemile Weeks OAK 2B 165 131 - 180 - 156 145 147 177 168 133 Tim Hudson ATL SP 133 189 139 132 - 179 174 - 166 169 181 Jaime Garcia STL SP 199 163 154 139 179 144 180 183 180 170 188 Jason Motte STL RP 178 172 136 197 136 175 156 194 178 171 170 Jordan Walden LAA RP - 171 163 163 125 183 143 - 173 172 200 Carlos Lee HOU 1B/OF 161 - - 147 - 150 183 123 175 173 173 Max Scherzer DET SP 190 188 134 185 130 - 178 171 169 174 180 Mike Moustakas KC 3B 186 181 190 130 - 149 - 148 172 175 174 Carlos Marmol CHC RP 198 - 183 - 127 148 146 182 174 176 189 Austin Jackson DET OF 177 148 - 179 144 - - 136 182 177 179 Joe Nathan TEX RP - 156 - 195 128 181 164 170 184 178 193 Kelly Johnson TOR 2B - 161 175 164 141 199 157 - 188 179 169 Yadier Molina STL C - 132 186 140 - 193 191 164 179 180 159 Neftali Feliz TEX RP - 187 141 - - 121 181 - 168 181 NR Ted Lilly LAD SP 191 - 164 - 159 151 147 - 192 182 190 Kendrys Morales LAA 1B 154 - - - 168 122 - - 176 183 191 Hiroki Kuroda NYY SP 193 174 147 - - 170 150 196 193 184 152 Ervin Santana LAA SP 148 - 161 156 - - 176 187 197 185 NR Angel Pagan SF OF 187 167 178 187 154 - 163 193 - 186 NR Delmon Young DET OF 155 195 - 162 177 177 169 - 200 187 NR Brandon Morrow TOR SP - 176 170 154 161 - 198 175 - 188 162 Daniel Bard BOS RP 185 - 185 - - 99 - - 165 189 184 Wandy Rodriguez HOU SP - 137 166 199 194 185 184 189 186 190 NR Stephen Drew ARI SS - - 160 152 - - 197 151 - 191 187 Matt Joyce TB OF - 150 - 192 - 164 194 163 199 192 175 Carlos Quentin SD OF 194 - - 126 - - - 166 183 193 197 Justin Masterson CLE SP - 158 159 153 - - 200 - - 194 NR Brandon McCarthy OAK SP 170 200 179 188 - 147 - - 189 195 NR Josh Willingham MIN OF - - 184 - 183 167 190 158 - 196 171 J.P. Arencibia TOR C - 125 - - 178 - - 199 181 197 NR Huston Street COL RP - - 176 - 157 186 167 - - 198 204 Chris Sale CHW SP 183 - 177 - - 143 199 - 187 199 211 Yunel Escobar TOR SS 192 183 200 161 - - - 153 - 200 161 Russell Martin NYY C - 116 - - - - - - 171

Next 25: Kyle Farnsworth (TB, RP), Brandon League (SEA, RP), Edwin Encarnacion (TOR, 3B), Peter Bourjos (LAA, OF), Jhoulys Chacin (COL, SP), Colby Lewis (TEX, SP), Lucas Duda (NYM, 1B/OF), Scott Baker (MIN, SP), Mark Trumbo (LAA, 1B/OF), Brandon Belt (SF, 1B/OF), Vance Worley (PHI, SP), Clay Buchholz (BOS, SP), Wilson Ramos (WAS, C), Marco Scutaro (COL, SS), Seth Smith (OAK, OF), Colby Rasmus (TOR, OF), Alex Rios (CHW, OF), Carlos Pena (TB, 1B), Matt Thornton (CHW, RP), Chase Headley (SD, 3B), Kenley Jansen (LAD, RP), Yoenis Cespedes (OAK, OF), Yonder Alonso (SD, OF), Derek Holland (TEX, SP), Geovany Soto (CHC, C)

â by Mark Ross, Updated on March 20, 2012

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2012 Fantasy Baseball: Third Base Rankings

2012 Fantasy Baseball: Outfield Rankings

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