Getting ready for fantasy baseball-Second Baseman

Aside from catchers, second baseman look like they’ll be the weakest position in fantasy baseball this year. Other than Chase Utley, there are few guys that have enough history of major league success to be considered safe picks. Only Utley, Brandon Phillips, Brian Roberts and B.J. Upton ranked in the top 100 of ESPN’s player rater last year, and Upton is listed as the Devil Rays starting center fielder this year. That means if you want an elite second baseman, you’ll have to get them in the first couple of rounds.

No doubt starters-

Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies

Utley’s 2007 numbers (.332, 22, 103) are a little skewed because of a hand injury that caused him to miss an entire month. Utley was an MVP candidate before the injury, and because of the scarcity at 2B he will likely be chosen in the first half of the first round of your draft.

Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds

Phillips has been completely reinvented since coming to the Reds in 2006, and he enters this season as the clear number two ranked second baseman. He’s actually younger than Utley (26 to 29) and provided a nice mix of power and speed last year (30 HRs, 32 SBs). Phillips will likely go in the second round of your draft, just hope he doesn’t revert to his Indians years.

Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

Maybe Cano isn’t a .342 hitter (his 2006 average), but there’s so much to like about this 25-year-old. He is a consistent .300 hitter with some pop (19 HRs in 2007) and he’s part of one of the top two or three lineups in the majors. He should go before the sixth round, as high as the third.

Brian Roberts, Baltimore Orioles (for now)

Roberts has constantly been involved in trade rumors this off-season, and it doesn’t seem likely he will open the year with the Orioles. Regardless of where he plays, Roberts is an elite second baseman who steals bases (50 in 2007) and puts up nice offensive numbers (.290, 12, 103 runs). He’s a third or fourth-round pick.

Jeff Kent, Los Angeles Dodgers

He’s old as dirt, but as consistent as it also (I imagine dirt to be very consistent). Injuries and age are concerns, but Kent hits for average and power. He’s also one of the few second baseman hitting in the middle of the lineup and his age will make him slip to around the tenth round.

Second-tier starters-

Dan Uggla, Florida Marlins

Uggla’s got big time power (58 HRs in two years), but I have a feeling his 2007 average (.245) is closer to his true ability than his 2008 average (.282). Regardless, he’ll probably be the fourth or fifth second baseman taken in your draft.

Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers

If Weeks can just match his stats from the last half of 2007 (.251, 11 HRs, 16 SBs) he’ll be a nice option for you at second base this year. You have to be worried that the 25-year-old will never learn to hit for average, but this will be his fourth year in the majors so no one can use inexperience as an excuse.

Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers

Kinsler is a nice player, but his 2007 season was inconsistent. His splits were odd (.241, 14, 35 pre-All Star, .288, 6, 26 post) and suggest he will struggle hitting for power and average at the same time. He does provide steals (23 in ‘07) and he’s reasonably young (25), so I don’t think he lasts past the seventh or eighth round.

Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh Pirates

Sanchez has shown he’s a .300 hitter and as long as the Pirates continue to bat him in the middle of the lineup, he’ll be a reasonable run producer as well. Still, his limitations (power, speed) are noticeable, making him a mid-round pick.

Placido Polanco, Detroit Tigers

Great name. Polanco will help in average but nothing else. If you need still need second baseman in the twelfth round, then he’s your guy.

Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays

Another mid-20s second baseman, Hill had a breakout year last season (.291, 17, 78). His average is legit, but the power came from nowhere so I’m skeptical that 20 HRs is his norm.

Orlando Hudson, Arizona Diamondbacks

Hudson is almost the same player as Polanco, just substitute a couple of singles with walks. You won’t love him, but you know what you’re getting (.270-.290, 10, 60).

Kaz Matsui, Houston Astros

Last year was great, but it had career-year written all over it. I don’t doubt he’ll be able to hit .280 or .290, but I don’t think he’ll ever steal 32 bases again. Don’t reach, he’s a late-round guy.

Mark Ellis, Oakland Athletics

Ellis is a little old (30) to be having career years (.276, 19, 76 in ‘07), but at worst he’s worthy of fantasy consideration. At best, he’s a solid fantasy second baseman, making him a late-round pick.

Mark DeRosa,  Chicago Cubs

DeRosa probably won’t open the year as the Cubs starting second baseman, but he will play. If you’ve got a thing for utility players, DeRosa is the ultimate utility player and will give you a decent average and some power.

Luis Castillo, New York Mets

I’m not confident that Castillo can stay healthy for an entire year, ruining his fantasy value in my eyes. When healthy, he will steal bases and score runs, but that’s it. 

Ray Durham, San Francisco Giants

Last year was more than disappointing (.218, 11, 71), but I can’t imagine Durham is suddenly that bad. He’s a waiver-wire guy in ‘08, but you know the upside (.293, 26, 93 in ‘06).

Prospects-

Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

I’m convinced Kendrick would have broken out last year, but a fractured finger limited his time. He still hit .322, 5, 39 and looked like a future batting champ. He’s definitely be gone before round 10, likely much earlier as his only downside is a lack of power and a lack of MLB at-bats (605).

Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox

Pedroia is still a prospect in my mind because even after a great rookie season, we don’t know what the norm is for him. If it’s .317, 8, 50, then he’s a decent ninth or tenth round pick. Unfortunately, power and speed do not seem to be part of his game.

Kelly Johnson, Atlanta Braves

Like Pedroia and Kendrick, Johnson isn’t a true prospect. But he hasn’t played enough for us to know if we can expect .276, 16, 68 every year. It’s worth a mid-to-late round pick to find out if he is, though.

Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians

If Cabrera’s steals (25 in the minors in ‘07) translate to major league steals, he’ll be an okay fantasy guy in ‘08. Otherwise, he’ll be a young .280 hitter with no power.

Jose Lopez, Seattle Mariners

It’s hard to judge a 24-year-old, but it looks like Lopez’s rookie year (.282, 10, 79) is his ceiling. Last year’s numbers certainly don’t inspire confidence (.252, 11, 62).