We’re going position-by-position from now until the All Star Break looking at the surprises and busts and foreshadowing the rest of the season.

Furcal: Fourth best player in fantasy baseball on a per-game basis

Today, let’s tackle SHORTSTOPS.

Performing up to draft-day value: Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes, Derek Jeter

Best production for draft investment: Elvis Andrus, Rafael Furcal, Alex Gonzalez, Erick Aybar, and Juan Uribe.

Coming up well short of draft-day investment: Jimmy Rollins, Alexei Ramirez, Stephen Drew, Jason Bartlett, Asdrubal Cabrera, Alcides Escobar, Yunel Escobar, Miguel Tejada, Everth Cabrera

Coming up just short of draft-day investment: Troy Tulowitzki, Marco Scutaro, Ryan Theriot

This has not been a great year for shortstop, thanks in large part due to injuries to top superstars like Jimmy Rollins, Troy Tulowitzki, and Asdrubal Cabrera and general shortcomings from many of the others.

As a result, talent has been scarce indeed.

Hanley Ramirez has been the top SS in fantasy baseball, unsurprisingly, and the tenth best player at any position. That might not sound impressive for the player who was drafted second overall in fantasy drafts. Still, in a year where production at the position has been so meager, no Hanley owner should complain.

Elvis Andrus has been the year’s best SS value so far. Drafted in the 10th round, Elvis Andrus is the #3 SS at the position and the 40th best player overall to date. Right behind him is Rafael Furcal at #4 at SS and #44 overall. Perhaps what’s most impressive about Furcal’s production to date is that he missed most of May due to injury. On a per-game basis, only four batters in baseball (Miguel Cabrera, Coco Crisp, Josh Hamilton, and Carl Crawford) have been more valuable.

After Furcal, we see a huge nose-dive in value. Toronto’s Alex Gonzalez , Los Angeles’ Erick Aybar, and San Francisco’s Juan Uribe are not even in the top 150 among all players but each has been a top 10 player at his position.

It’s not a high bar.

The average stat-line of a top 15 SS this year (from Hanley to Stephen Drew) is roughly 5 HR, 44 runs, 30 RBIs, 9 SB, and a .280 average. With the exception of Gonzalez and Uribe, this crew has been powerless and only good for some runs, steals, and a bit of average.

Looking forward, some of the top players such as Andrus, Gonzalez, and Uribe have already cooled and might struggle to maintain their spots atop the SS rankings. Meanwhile, Rollins is back and looking good, and Alexei Ramirez has started to show signs of life. Those in dire need of a shortstop might want to check their waiver wire for Asdrubal Cabrera, who should be returning sometime soon after the All Star Break, or trade for Rafael Furcal or Erick Aybar. There aren’t any great shortstop prospects on the horizon of an impact call-up.