Second base is often one of the most difficult positions to recruit. While this year is one of the deepest I’ve seen in a long time, there are still plenty of potential landmines there. As far as draft strategy goes, I’d probably love one of the second tier guys, guys Kinsler, Carpenter, Hill. If you miss those guys, just do an automatic draft from then on because you don’t want to play that season. So you know, good luck with that … without further ado, here are the second base rankings.
1. Robinson Cano
You might hear people talking about how the move to Seattle will affect your production, but as we showed on the podcast, Safeco is not as bad of a park as one might think. Yes, if you believe in lineup protection, there is that, but I, for one, don’t think their production changes much at all. Having said that I would not select him, he will go in the first round and I think there are other options that are more valuable.
2. Jason Kipnis
Kipnis has turned into a fantasy monster. He’s got all the power, speed, average, on base, a good smile … Did I say it out loud? It’s no secret that I love this guy, but there is a trend that has started to develop that is a bit concerning. It tends to peak in the first half; in 2012 he had a line of 277/10/49 in the first half and fell to 233/3/27 in the second half. 2013 wasn’t that bad, but it’s definitely something to watch out for.
3. Dustin Pedroia
The Laser Show had a small dip in power in 2013, but otherwise had a solid year. There is reason to believe that something was up because he had a noticeable drop in flyball percentage. He’s still young enough at 29 to figure it out, but it’s definitely something to watch out for.
4. Ian Kinsler
Kinsler could have a great year. Hitting in front of Miggy will only help and, as he recently pointed out, he’s aiming to steal more bases this year. All of this makes it an intriguing option this year.
5. Matt Carpenter
Carpenter burst onto the scene in 2013 and provided fantasy owners with a surprising season. It won’t blow you away in any category other than racing, but it will in all others. That goes for your stats and on the field; the boy played everywhere. With Freese out, he will take over in third place and depending on his league, he may end up being eligible at 1B, 2B and OF as well.
6. Aaron Hill
You may look at Hill’s numbers from last year and be disheartened, but if you consider that he only played half a season, he actually had a decent year. He was on his way to putting Aaron Hill-like numbers everywhere, aside from the robberies last year. I think ranking him sixth is a bit conservative, and he will probably end up dropping in the draft, so there could be decent value here.
7. Daniel Murphy
I challenge you to recite Murphy’s numbers from last year. For most people, I bet this isn’t easy because it went relatively under the radar. In fact, he finished as the 4th best second baseman in 2013 by accumulating 286 AVG, 13 HR, 23 SB, 92 R, 78 RBI on the season. Murphy is starting to hit his prime, but I daresay he may never be as good as he was in 2013. It is not unlikely that he will offer another similar season, but I would not expect any improvement other than average.
8. Chase Utley
It’s not what it used to be, but even with lost time last season, it ended with a decent season. If it could somehow stay healthy it would probably rank in the top 5, but considering it’s made from glass you should only expect good production while healthy. Definitely compose a backup.
9. José Altuve
The little man had another great season. You know what you will get from Altuve, a good average, a lot of steals and a few home runs. If he ever ends up on a good team, he could become an above-average option. That could come as early as this year, as Altuve’s value is high. The rebuilding Astros will be motivated to move him around and turn him into prospects.
10. Brandon Phillips
I’ll be honest, I have something against Phillips. People tend to overvalue it and it always ends up going higher than it should. He’s starting to move up at the age of 33, which has exhausted his speed, with just 5 steals in 2013. He’s going to hit in the middle of that order, which will continue to be a good place for his power.
11. Jed Lowrie
A nice guy to own because he’s solid throughout and plays SS and 2B. Expect more of the same from him in 2014.
12. Ben Zobrist
Zobrist is also starting to move up in age, which may or may not have contributed to his fall from power in 2013. However, there is some hope here, his FC / FB ratio was below his career average by a margin. considerable. This would suggest that he had a bit of bad luck last year and we should expect an increase in home runs in 2014. People may have gotten mad at Zobrist, so expect him to drop in the draft.
13. Jedd Gyorko
The man with the name everyone pronounces differently, Jed … Umm … Gee-yor-ko? Gu-yor-ko? Let’s make it easier and call him Jedd with two ds. In fact, the rookie ended up with a decent season. The power is real, which he showed by putting 23 jacks in 2013. I hope he improves from last season, which would make him a decent candidate for the 2014 breakout.
14. Martin Prado
15. Howie Kendrick
Howie has been a popular choice for a standout candidate in every season he has played. I think it’s time to realize that he is what he is: a guy who will ride the exemption cable because he’s just not good enough to stay on a list.
16. Jurickson Profar
Almost everyone has heard of this guy because he was the number one prospect in 2013. What people don’t know is that much of that projection is tied up in his glove. I’m not saying he can’t hit, but Profar’s best offensive seasons are probably ahead of him. Look for a good and not a great year in 2014.
17. Alexander Guerrero
It’s kind of tough to rank this guy because he’s never played a game in the big boys. Having said that, scouts say he has the size and bat speed to be a good player. If things work out, and that’s a big yes, the ceiling for him could be a maximum of 20 home runs in an average 200-second season. It’s not a guarantee that it will get the team out of spring training, so this will be something to keep an eye out for.
18. Brian Dozier
Do yourself a favor and look at his stats last season, he actually ended up with a good year. He’s shown now, at some point or another, that he can hit for power, average, and even steal some bases from you. If you put it all together, you will have a great year.
19. Omar Infante
20. Kolten Wong
The guy who will always be known for being eliminated for the last out in a World Series game. If I was him, I’d probably quit now, but I heard he’s getting hit at second base this year. It has the ability to produce everywhere, a guy to keep an eye on for sure.
21. Anthony Rendon
Still waiting for a leak here, it will probably never come.
22. Scooter Gennett
Scooter Gennett? Seriously? Are you going to stick with it? What kind of nickname do you give a guy named Scooter? Shove off? Alright, well, Scoot is actually an intriguing name this year for multiple reasons. Whether you play deep leagues or just the National League, Scoot is a guy to grab. While it won’t blow you away in any category, it does have the skill set to help you across the board.
23. Neil Walker
24. Nick Franklin
If you knew Franklin has a starting job, you’d be willing to promote him. With full playing time, I would expect him to jump to at least 15. He has shown in the minors and parts of last season that he is ready. If / when they trade it, I’ll write it down.
25. Kelly Johnson
It’s scientifically proven that Kelly Johnson hates me. He checks my fantasy gear every day and when I add it I PRETEND to be a bad player. I can’t promise I won’t own it this year, I can only resist.
26. Gordon Beckham
27. Dustin Ackley
I, for one, am not asking for a breakout for Ackley, I just don’t think I have it in him. He’s a bum – stay away.
28. Emilio Bonifacio
Cheap source of steals, if you are playing you will steal bases.
29. Rickie Weeks
Will it be the biggest low buy or one of the worst?
30. Dan Uggla
What the Braves haven’t noticed is that Uggla is just a slow pitch softball player who hit the field one day. Unless they use a bigger ball this season, I would steer clear of Uggla.
31. Marco Scutaro