Ultimately, numbers are all that matter in fantasy baseball. We can agree with that, right? Would seem pretty obvious that it would then be easy to evaluate players, but as we all know that is not always the case. An easy example to illustrate. Which player is more valuable in fantasy baseball?

Player A: .250-25-75-75
Player B: .230-16-64-69

Obviously it is Player A, who beats Player B in all four categories. But wait, we left out a category didn't we? What if the two men looked like this if we added in steals - which one would you want then?

Player A: .250-25-75-75-3
Player B: .235-19-67-69-33

You would rather have Player B, wouldn't you?

And that's the thing in fantasy baseball - overall value should be what you're targeting at drafts, at least in the early rounds. Guys like Chris Carter and Eric Young certainly have value for what they bring to the diamond, but for all the good they offer they also kill you in certain categories (Carter hit .227 while Young hit .220 with one homer and 17 RBIs). What you want to be looking for early in drafts are players that contribute across the board. Building your lineup around across the board talent allows you to target players later that you might need to fill out a certain category or two (guys like Ryan Howard or Jordan Schafer).

Michael Brantley, Ian Desmond, Brian Dozier, Todd Frazier & Carlos Gomez went 20/20 in 2014.

The following men went 15/15 in 2014: Anthony Rendon, Mike Trout, Charlie Blackmon, Jimmy Rollins, Andrew McCutchen, Drew Stubbs, Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, Alexei Ramirez and Ian Kinsler.

How many men have gone 15/15 the last two seasons? Only four men actually: Trout, McCutchen, Gomez and Desmond. Getting those power/speed guys is harder than you might think.

That's only two categories though, power/speed. Let's broaden the search parameters a bit. 

None of the following numbers are overtly impressive, but as you will see when they are taking as a whole the folks that fall into the category of all-around performers are pretty hard to find. The following list of men all hit .270 with 15 homers, 70 RBIs, 70 runs scored and 10 steals. The list is much shorter than you likely think: Giancarlo Stanton, Hunter Pence, Brantley, Ellsbury, Ramirez, Kinsler, Rendon, Trout, Blackmon, Frazier, Gomez and McCutchen.

The simple fact is this. You can find a guy to help out in a category or two in almost any round of a draft. Finding players that can help in four or five? That should be your goal on draft day, that and planning a way to get bombed after the draft over brewskies with your homies to discuss what just happened.