FANTASY BASEBALL: SECOND BASE BREAKDOWN
Feb 27 2010, 5:02 AM
|
Position Scarcity Rank: 5
When I was a kid, every date I ever went on, I wanted to get to
second base. It was a great feat for most teenaged boys. It is a feat
that can make or break your development years. In baseball, it’s a
position that can make or break your team. You need to draft a hitter
that complements the rest of your roster. If you go for the position
early, there is a good array of talent, ranging from the power guys to
hitters who possess the coveted combo of slugging and speed. Whichever
way you prefer to go, don’t wait too long. The list of elite players at
this position is only about five deep, and in leagues that require a
middle infielder on the starting roster in addition to a second baseman,
you really have to know your sleepers. With a little preparation, you
should be happy with who you get to second base with…on your roster.
Here's TheFantasyGeek.com's
take on the first basemen:Second to None
1. Chase Utley, PHI – You’re gonna
have to run hard to chase this dude down because he goes pretty early in
these drafts. Like top five early. When healthy, you can count on Utley
for .280-30-100-15, and this season should be no different.
2. Ian Kinsler, TEX – His batting average took a bit
of a dip as his power increased last season, but Kinsler looks like the
real thing. If you’re down home and into the Kin-folk, you’ll be ready
for further power development, along with a return to a good batting
average, as he worked all winter on his hitting with the Rangers’
coaching staff.
3. Dustin Pedroia, BOS – I am a big fan of this
guy…a true Pedroia-phile. He gives you good average, hits for some
power, and is sneaky quick on the bases. He just entering his prime, so a
20-20 season is not out of the question.
4. Aaron Hill, TOR – Hill was a mountain of a man at
2B last season, making a name for himself in 2009. His unique power
numbers for a second sacker make him third- to fourth-round material for
sure. Some have Hill as low as seventh at the position, but we think
last year’s performance was legit.
5. Robinson Cano, NYY – His numbers last year had
his owners exclaiming, Robinson Can…OH! It may have been a bit
of a career year, but he shouldn’t do too much less. .300-25-90 with
100 runs is nothing to sneeze at, and if he isn’t grabbed by the end of
five rounds, he’s a bargain.
No Shame in Coming in Second
6. Ben Zobrist, TB (OF Eligible) –
B-Zob will attempt to live up to his breakout performance of ’09, and if
he does, he’ll be a good value, because there is no guarantee he will
be put at second. He already has OF eligibility and could still end up
at yet another position to be determined. His power potential and last
year’s .300 BA makes him fifth round worthy.
7. Brandon Phillips, CIN – He comes to play healthy
or hurt and is among the name Brand(on)s out there. You can always count
on at least .270-20-80 with 20+ steals when he’s feeling fit. Phillips
fills the stat sheet nicely. Justifiably a seventh-round pick.
8. Brian Roberts, BAL – He won’t
get you a lot of power, but he’s a well-rounded guy who will
reach double-digit HR to go along with a solid BA, 30-ish steals and 60+
RBI. He had a career high in RBI (79) last season, but don’t expect
that again from this seventh-rounder.
When you see his BA (around .250), you may think “UGGly,” but he’s a
lock for 30 HR and 90 RBI. Expect Uggs to be gone by the end of eight
rounds of drafting.
Give Them A Second Look
10. Ian Stewart, COL (OF Eligible) –
He actually will play third this season, uncontested, for Colorado, but
his power numbers should make him an attractive 2B option. Not much BA
to speak of, but 20 HR and 80 RBI are always nice, making Stewart
middle-of-the-draft material.
11. Jose Lopez, SEA – He broke out with big power
numbers last year. Question is whether he can keep that up in a weak
hitting lineup. .270-20-80 is in reach, and you can’t hate that in the
12th or 13th round.
12. Rickie Weeks, MIL – Give me a guarantee that he
stays healthy all season and I will grab this guy any day. If you can
get a full season and .250-20-70 with 20 SB where Weeks is falling to,
you’ll be brewin’ big success.
13. Howie Kendrick, LAA – Dealt with some mechanical
flaws in a minor league stint last season and some winter ball. Howie
looked much better in the second half and should be a quality late round
pick.
14. Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE (SS Eligible)– His numbers
aren’t overwhelming, but he hit for average, knocked in some runs and
stole some bases last year and should only get better with another year
of MLB experience under his belt. He’s also a true MI with eligibility
at both infield spots. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
15. Martin Prado, ATL – He was good
enough to win the 2B job at midseason last year and can hit .300 with
the kind of numbers you’d expect from a decent #2 hitter. Good MI
material if you can get him in the 20th round.
Second Thoughts
16. Clint Barmes, COL – Came back
from several years of injuries to provide a little pop and speed. His
average (.245) dipped way down though. Expect more hits, but maybe less
round-trippers.
17. Alberto Callaspo, KC – With Chris Getz in the
Royals’ picture, Callaspo might get some of his ABs from the outfield,
but no skin off your nose. His projected .290-10-60 line is
worthy of his ownership as a MI.
18. Placido Polanco, PHI – Probably would rank #1 in
draft of smoothest names to say. He’s going to have 3B eligibility and
he’ll be hitting in Philadelphia’s launching pad of a ballpark, so look
for 12 HR and 70 RBI to go with the usual .300 he averages.
19. Casey McGehee, MIL (3B eligible) – In
half a season, Casey made Milwaukee seem like Mudville at times when
he was at the bat. .280-20-80 is realistic and he should be available
around the 20th round. Could be a big sleeper.
20. Chris Getz, KC – If he gets 400
ABs in the Royals’ infield rotation, you can count on him for 25+
steals, though not much else.
Uh…Gimme a Second
21. Felipe Lopez, FA – If he ends up in St. Louis,
as rumored, he will be a useable option if you still need someone near
your draft’s end.
22. Scott Sizemore, DET – It’s the rookie’s job to
lose in Detroit. “The Other Sizemore” was known for hitting for average
and stealing bases in the minors, so he could be worth a flier.
23. Eric Young, COL – In deep leagues, all the
fill-in work he will do at 2B and SS should give owners a nice source of
cheap steals.
24. Mark Ellis, OAK – Must be something to
him, because despite all the injuries, Oakland has kept him around for
most of a decade. Expect .260-12-60-10 and a trip or two to the DL.
25. Orlando Hudson, MIN – If he’s the player who
played the first half of last season, he’ll be a deep sleeper. If he’s
the guy that the Dodgers virtually ignored near the end of ‘09, he’s not
worth a spot on the end of your bench.
Second Rate
26. Skip Schumaker, STL
27. Freddy Sanchez, SF
28. Kelly Johnson, ARI
29. Kazuo Matsui, HOU
30. Luis Castillo, NYM
31. Luis Valbuena, CLE
32. Akinori Iwamura, PIT
To see the
Catcher and First Baseman Breakdowns and rankings for every position, check out the
Baseball Draft Kit at TheFantasyGeek.com
Position Scarcity Rank: 5
When I was a kid, every date I ever went on, I wanted to get to second base. It was a great feat for most teenaged boys. It is a feat that can make or break your development years. In baseball, it’s a position that can make or break your team. You need to draft a hitter that complements the rest of your roster. If you go for the position early, there is a good array of talent, ranging from the power guys to hitters who possess the coveted combo of slugging and speed. Whichever way you prefer to go, don’t wait too long. The list of elite players at this position is only about five deep, and in leagues that require a middle infielder on the starting roster in addition to a second baseman, you really have to know your sleepers. With a little preparation, you should be happy with who you get to second base with…on your roster.
Here's TheFantasyGeek.com's take on the first basemen:Second to None
1. Chase Utley, PHI – You’re gonna have to run hard to chase this dude down because he goes pretty early in these drafts. Like top five early. When healthy, you can count on Utley for .280-30-100-15, and this season should be no different.
2. Ian Kinsler, TEX – His batting average took a bit of a dip as his power increased last season, but Kinsler looks like the real thing. If you’re down home and into the Kin-folk, you’ll be ready for further power development, along with a return to a good batting average, as he worked all winter on his hitting with the Rangers’ coaching staff.
3. Dustin Pedroia, BOS – I am a big fan of this guy…a true Pedroia-phile. He gives you good average, hits for some power, and is sneaky quick on the bases. He just entering his prime, so a 20-20 season is not out of the question.
4. Aaron Hill, TOR – Hill was a mountain of a man at 2B last season, making a name for himself in 2009. His unique power numbers for a second sacker make him third- to fourth-round material for sure. Some have Hill as low as seventh at the position, but we think last year’s performance was legit.
5. Robinson Cano, NYY – His numbers last year had his owners exclaiming, Robinson Can…OH! It may have been a bit of a career year, but he shouldn’t do too much less. .300-25-90 with 100 runs is nothing to sneeze at, and if he isn’t grabbed by the end of five rounds, he’s a bargain.
No Shame in Coming in Second
6. Ben Zobrist, TB (OF Eligible) – B-Zob will attempt to live up to his breakout performance of ’09, and if he does, he’ll be a good value, because there is no guarantee he will be put at second. He already has OF eligibility and could still end up at yet another position to be determined. His power potential and last year’s .300 BA makes him fifth round worthy.
7. Brandon Phillips, CIN – He comes to play healthy or hurt and is among the name Brand(on)s out there. You can always count on at least .270-20-80 with 20+ steals when he’s feeling fit. Phillips fills the stat sheet nicely. Justifiably a seventh-round pick.
8. Brian Roberts, BAL – He won’t get you a lot of power, but he’s a well-rounded guy who will reach double-digit HR to go along with a solid BA, 30-ish steals and 60+ RBI. He had a career high in RBI (79) last season, but don’t expect that again from this seventh-rounder.
When you see his BA (around .250), you may think “UGGly,” but he’s a lock for 30 HR and 90 RBI. Expect Uggs to be gone by the end of eight rounds of drafting.
Give Them A Second Look
10. Ian Stewart, COL (OF Eligible) – He actually will play third this season, uncontested, for Colorado, but his power numbers should make him an attractive 2B option. Not much BA to speak of, but 20 HR and 80 RBI are always nice, making Stewart middle-of-the-draft material.
11. Jose Lopez, SEA – He broke out with big power numbers last year. Question is whether he can keep that up in a weak hitting lineup. .270-20-80 is in reach, and you can’t hate that in the 12th or 13th round.
12. Rickie Weeks, MIL – Give me a guarantee that he stays healthy all season and I will grab this guy any day. If you can get a full season and .250-20-70 with 20 SB where Weeks is falling to, you’ll be brewin’ big success.
13. Howie Kendrick, LAA – Dealt with some mechanical flaws in a minor league stint last season and some winter ball. Howie looked much better in the second half and should be a quality late round pick.
14. Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE (SS Eligible)– His numbers aren’t overwhelming, but he hit for average, knocked in some runs and stole some bases last year and should only get better with another year of MLB experience under his belt. He’s also a true MI with eligibility at both infield spots. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
15. Martin Prado, ATL – He was good enough to win the 2B job at midseason last year and can hit .300 with the kind of numbers you’d expect from a decent #2 hitter. Good MI material if you can get him in the 20th round.
Second Thoughts
16. Clint Barmes, COL – Came back from several years of injuries to provide a little pop and speed. His average (.245) dipped way down though. Expect more hits, but maybe less round-trippers.
17. Alberto Callaspo, KC – With Chris Getz in the Royals’ picture, Callaspo might get some of his ABs from the outfield, but no skin off your nose. His projected .290-10-60 line is worthy of his ownership as a MI.
18. Placido Polanco, PHI – Probably would rank #1 in draft of smoothest names to say. He’s going to have 3B eligibility and he’ll be hitting in Philadelphia’s launching pad of a ballpark, so look for 12 HR and 70 RBI to go with the usual .300 he averages.
19. Casey McGehee, MIL (3B eligible) – In half a season, Casey made Milwaukee seem like Mudville at times when he was at the bat. .280-20-80 is realistic and he should be available around the 20th round. Could be a big sleeper.
20. Chris Getz, KC – If he gets 400 ABs in the Royals’ infield rotation, you can count on him for 25+ steals, though not much else.
Uh…Gimme a Second
21. Felipe Lopez, FA – If he ends up in St. Louis, as rumored, he will be a useable option if you still need someone near your draft’s end.
22. Scott Sizemore, DET – It’s the rookie’s job to lose in Detroit. “The Other Sizemore” was known for hitting for average and stealing bases in the minors, so he could be worth a flier.
23. Eric Young, COL – In deep leagues, all the fill-in work he will do at 2B and SS should give owners a nice source of cheap steals.
24. Mark Ellis, OAK – Must be something to him, because despite all the injuries, Oakland has kept him around for most of a decade. Expect .260-12-60-10 and a trip or two to the DL.
25. Orlando Hudson, MIN – If he’s the player who played the first half of last season, he’ll be a deep sleeper. If he’s the guy that the Dodgers virtually ignored near the end of ‘09, he’s not worth a spot on the end of your bench.
Second Rate
26. Skip Schumaker, STL
27. Freddy Sanchez, SF
28. Kelly Johnson, ARI
29. Kazuo Matsui, HOU
30. Luis Castillo, NYM
31. Luis Valbuena, CLE
32. Akinori Iwamura, PIT
To see the Catcher and First Baseman Breakdowns and rankings for every position, check out the Baseball Draft Kit at TheFantasyGeek.com
Comments
Sign in to comment with your TypePad, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Yahoo or OpenID.