Over the past two seasons, Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies established himself as the Best Pick among Fantasy Second Baseman in baseball. In addition to the stats below, Chase had 203 Hits, 40 Doubles, 15 Stolen Bases and a .527 Slugging Percentage last year.
2006 Statistics: .309 - 32 HR - 102 RBI - 131 Runs.
2007 Projection: .316 - 33 HR - 114 RBI - 122 Runs.
Cano came back in the second half of the 2006 season after a severe hamstring pull, and hit .365 with 11 Home Runs with 51 RBI in a mere 211 at bats. He even made a legitimate run at the batting title. If Cano remains high up in the Yankee order, expect him to surpass his total numbers from 2006.
2006 Statistics: .342 - 15 HR - 78 RBI - 62 Runs.
2007 Projection: .326 - 24 HR - 95 RBI - 121 Runs.
The top rookie Fantasy Second Baseman Pick for 2006 was Dan Uggla. The freshman sensation, who finished third in rookie of the year voting, hit for average and power, and gave the Fish a little speed as well. Expect more of the same from this 27 year-old.
2006 Statistics: .282 - 27 HR - 90 RBI - 105 Runs.
2007 Projection: .296 - 28 HR - 92 RBI - 96 Runs.
This guy is a budding star. He was set back by injuries in 2006, and that limited his production. But he did steal bases and score runs, posting impressive numbers in each category in just 359 At-Bats. Weeks is just 24 years old. He is a great pick, and can be a steal in an auction.
2006 Statistics: .279 - 8 HR - 34 RBI- 73 Runs – 17 SB.
2007 Projection: .291 - 18 HR - 72 RBI - 105 Runs - 40 SB.
Yes, he is 35 years old, but Durham had his best season in 2006. Expect him to continue at least one more year of that production, which makes him a good bet for a high pick.
2006 Statistics: .293 - 26 HR - 93 RBI - 79 Runs.
2007 Projection: .295 - 22 HR - 88 RBI - 90 Runs.
Roberts is still a very good Fantasy Second Baseman pick. Roberts’ two season averages tell the whole story of why he is a high pick: .300 Batting Average, 14 HR's, 64 RBI's, 91 Runs, 32 Stolen Bases. Trying to pick up the sagging Baltimore Orioles will motivate him to play his best in 2007. Roberts should gain further motivation from the two-year, $14.3 million contract that he signed with Baltimore this winter.
2006 Statistics: .286 - 10 HR - 55 RBI - 85 Runs.
2007 Projection: .288 - 16 HR - 72 RBI - 94 Runs - 24 SB.
Phillips came out of the chute on fire in 2006. He slowed down during the second half but still put up impressive stats: .276, 17 HR, 75 RBI, and 25 SB.
2007 Projection: .280 - 18 HR - 70 RBI - 80 Runs - 30 SB
This young man’s a stock on the rise. He had a very good rookie season hitting in the Padres’ weak lineup. This year, the 24 year old will see a lot more tasty pitches hitting in the stronger Cleveland lineup. Look for him to improve noticeably from his .282 average, 13 HR, 58 RBI and 72 Runs. He will also steal even more than the 24 bases he swiped in 2006.
2007 Projections: .288 - 18 HR - 76 RBI - 90 Runs - 35 SB
This man is a big risk but he could be an even bigger reward. In 2005, Cantu hit 28 HR and 117 RBI. He is also just 25 years old. But last year, Cantu missed 55 games to injuries, and his production fell off dramatically. Next year, he could be in the Top Three, or he could fall off the Top Fantasy Baseball Second Basemen list altogether. This is a defining season for Cantu. Not just for fantasy purposes, either.
2006 Statistics: .249 - 14 HR - 62 RBI - 40 Runs.
2007 Projection: .258 - 22 HR - 82 RBI - 76 Runs.
This veteran can still play, as he proves year in and year out.
2006 Statistics: .292 - 14 HR - 68 RBI - 61 Runs.
2007 Projection: .286 - 20 HR - 75 RBI - 65 Runs.
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Check out other 2007 Fantasy Baseball Articles by James L. Ray.