Top 10 Fantasy Second Basemen
Chase Utley and Robinson Cano Lead MLB Baseball Second Sackers
Second base is not the best position from which to draft fantasy players. This year, however, the spot has quite a few players you will be happy to have on your team.
1. Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies (2007 Statistics: .332 BA, 22 HR, 103 RBI, 104 R, 9 SB). Utley was the frontrunner for the National League MVP award until he missed the month of August with a broken hand. Even though he lost thirty games to that injury, Utley still put up the best all-around numbers among second basemen. One of the reasons that he's so good is that he hits in a lineup that includes the last two National League MVPs. Jimmy Rollins is always on base and thus gives Utley plenty of chances to drive in runs. He will also score a lot runs hitting in front of RBI beast Ryan Howard.
2. Robinson Cano, New York Yankees (.306 BA, 19 HR, 97 RBI, 93 R, 4 SB). If Cano could hit all season long the way he slugs after the All-Star break, he would give Utley a run for the top spot. But even with his tendency toward sub-par play in the early months, Cano is still a fantasy stud for a second baseman. He's got a smooth swing and still-developing power, and he hits in the best lineup in baseball. This year, he will probably move more towards the meat of the lineup, which will give him more RBI and run-scoring opportunities than any second baseman except perhaps Utley.
3. Brandon Phillips (.288 BA, 30 HR, 94 RBI, 107 R, 32 SB). Sure, one could argue that last season probably was Brandon Phillips' career year, and only a fool would expect a repeat. That's probably true. But even if Phillips hits only 80% as well as he did in 2007, he will still be the third best fantasy second baseman. He is helped by a tiny ballpark, surrounded by good sluggers, and he’s got great speed. Phillips doesn’t walk enough, and he strikes out a little too much, but for power and speed numbers like these, there sometimes has to be a trade-off. Expect another year of strong production from this second sacker.
4. Brian Roberts, Baltimore Orioles (.290 BA, 12 HR, 57 RBI, 103 R, 50 SB). Roberts would be higher if he didn't play on such a crappy team. He's still good enough to give your fantasy team a nice batting average, a lot of runs, and 30 to 50 stolen bases, though, and that makes him worthy of the eighth spot. If he is traded to the Cubs before Opening Day, pick him ahead of Kinsler and Pedroia.
5. Dan Uggla, Florida Marlins (.245 BA, 31 HR, 88 RBI, 113 R, 2 SB). Uggla's a good power hitter who's hit a bunch of homers and scored a lot of runs in the past two years. But without Miguel Cabrera in the Marlins lineup, expect him to see fewer good pitches, get on base less often, and score fewer runs. He also doesn't steal bases and he hit just .245 last year. Nevertheless, his power and RBI ability make him the fourth best fantasy draft bet for your team's second baseman.
6. Placido Polanco, Detroit Tigers (.341 BA, 9 HR, 67 RBI, 105 Runs, 7 SB). Polanco will hit better than .300, and he will score 120 runs this year with Sheffield, Ordonez, and Cabrera waiting to pick him up. Others might produce better, but Polanco is the best bet at this draft spot because he's consistent and he's on a good team.
7. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox (.317 BA, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 86 R, 7 SB). Dustin Pedroia has been put on this earth to make New York Yankees fans miserable. The scrappy little second baseman does everything right: he's a great fielder, he hits in the clutch, he's cool under pressure, and this year, he will be a solid fantasy second baseman. Pedroia will hit for average and will show a little more power than he did in his rookie campaign. He'll certainly produce, maybe even better than Polanco.
8. Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers (.263 BA, 20 HR, 61 RBI, 96 R, 23 SB). Last year, Kinsler had a monster April, then he slowed down quite abruptly. In May and June, his hitting ground to a halt, and an injury kept him out almost all of July. But the kid rebounded in August and September, which should give fantasy drafters some confidence in Kinsler. Placing Kinsler seventh is not necessarily done in praise of his abilities as much as it's a testament to the weakness of the position.
9. Jeff Kent, Los Angeles Dodgers (.302 BA, 20 HR, 79 RBI, 78 R, 1 SB). Sure, Kent will be forty years old this year, and he is no longer a threat to drive in 100 runs or hit 30 homers. But he's still productive, and he will be playing in a better offense than he did in 2007. Look for Kent to have a nice year in what could be his final MLB season.
10. Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers. (.235 BA, 16 HR, 36 RBI, 87 R, 25 SB). Weeks came on like a bat out of hell in August and September after suffering through a miserable, injury-plagued season. If he can stay healthy this season, he could be worthy of an even higher draft spot than tenth.
Those are Your Top 10 Fantasy Second Basemen.
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