We’ve already covered Catchers (click here to view) and First Baseman (click here to view), so naturally Second Baseman are next on the schedule. The position is certainly deeper then it once was, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a clear separation between the tiers. Let’s take a look (keep in mind that these are going to be fluid throughout the offseason based on news, transactions and further research):
Tier 1:
1. Chase Utley – Philadelphia Phillies
2. Ian Kinsler – Texas Rangers
Tier 2:
3. Robinson Cano – New York Yankees
4. Brandon Phillips – Cincinnati Reds
5. Brian Roberts – Baltimore Orioles
Tier 3:
6. Ben Zobrist – Tampa Bay Rays
7. Aaron Hill – Toronto Blue Jays
8. Dustin Pedroia – Boston Red Sox
Tier 4:
9. Dan Uggla – Florida Marlins
10. Jose Lopez – Seattle Mariners
Tier 5:
11. Ian Stewart – Colorado Rockies
12. Howie Kendrick – Los Angeles Angels
13. Rickie Weeks – Milwaukee Brewers
14. Asdrubal Cabrera – Cleveland Indians
15. Placido Polanco – Detroit Tigers
Thoughts:
- Terrible average or not, Ian Kinsler went 30/30 last season. A ridiculously unlucky .243 BABIP certainly should not be repeated, meaning he could easily pair a .280+ average with all of those home runs and stolen bases. Even if he isn’t in the leadoff spot (Julio Borbon will likely be there), he’s going to be an asset across the board.
- Aaron Hill went from relatively obscure sleeper prior to the 2009 season to among he top 2B in baseball prior to 2010. While the power could take a step back (can he really repeat the 15.1% HR/FB), he easily should remain among the top performers at the position. Still, his ranking is tenuous at best and can go either way as the offseason and research progress.
- Brandon Phillips or Robinson Cano? That’s an interesting debate that we will be closing examining in the offseason.
- Will Dan Uggla remain on the Marlins in 2010? We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but where he ultimately ends up will certainly determine his potential value.
- Jose Lopez seems to enter 2010 the same way he did 2009, a value pick if you miss out on the top names off the board.
- Ian Stewart played 21 games at 2B, so he should be eligible there in most formats next season. He is likely going to be the Rockies starting 3B next season, with Garrett Atkins shipped out, but if that does not play out that way his value will quickly tumble.
- Howie Kendrick has been showing signs of all that potential we’ve been hearing about. As a last resort, he’s worth taking the gamble on because if he gets off to a slow start he’d be easily replaced on the waiver wire.
What are your thoughts on the early rankings? Who is too high? Who is too low? Who was omitted that shouldn’t have been?
To read the previous article, click here.
Picture courtesy of Icon Sports Media, Inc.
Pedroia is way, way too low. He belongs in the top three.
Can you explain your ranking method somewhere? It seems arbitrary.
As a Sox fan I would like to see Pedroia higher as well, but perhaps not top 3.
I’d likely put him at #5 simply because Phillips offers more power and speed. Cano is close, but he is really coming into his own as a hitter, and in that ballpark he could legitimately challenge Mauer and Ichiro for the batting title for years to come.
I’d probably bump him ahead of Roberts because I’m a Sox fan and they are really on par with each other. I’d just rather have one of my guys if there was a tie. I’d put him over Hill and Zobrist because of fluke factor, but I’m not offended by the ranking. If anything I like it because maybe I can actually get my hands on him next year.
I’d be OK with any of the Tier 3 guys over anyone in Tier 2. That’s just one big Tier 2 to me.
Joe, keep in mind that these are still very preliminary numbers as projections and research are still being worked on. I agree/disagree with Lester, because I could see Pedroia in the #6 spot, over Hill & Zobrist (for the fluke factor), but I still wouldn’t put him ahead of Roberts, though those two could end up very close. He definitely is likely to move up as projections are completely and things get sorted out.
Dave, for me the biggest difference may be the speed (outside of Cano who has the average). That’s theo nly real reason I separated them like that. Personally, I’m going to make sure I get someone from those Top 3 tiers on draft day, as there is a pretty sizable falloff after that.
Good job with the list. I’d probably put Cano and Pedroia in Tier 2.5.
I would love to get Pedroia as the 8th 2B off the board
What about Felipe Lopez and Prado? Any value in 2110?
Miles, both could have potential value, but neither are going to rate very high. I’d consider them only in the deepest of formats at this point.
I agree with you Pedroia is ranked well…..he is VERY OVERRATED for fantasy….however, Aaron Hill is shown no love and is def Tier 2: 103 R, 36 HR, 108 RBI, 6 SB, .286 AVG
Chase Utley deserves a tier of his own until Kinsler has an entire season of elite productivity; he has rough patches/slums for a month or so at a time and is still an injury concern….
Also, if Chris Coghlan keeps 2B elig; hes a guy to look out for….
I’d rather take a shot with Adam Kennedy than Polanco. He is terrible and shouldnt be on anyones team unless he gets back his .320+ AVG from years back….
Tier 4 should be lumped with 5. I see Ian Stewart as Dan uggla WITH SBs….and hits at colorado (sans crapolanco and assdribble)
If you watched Kinsler every day, you’d see that his BABIP wasn’t ridiculously low but largely a reflection of how he played. After hitting a lot of homers early, his hard, uppercut swing became even more pronounced, leading to a lot of popups and warning-track fly balls. There’s no way those balls in play could be converted to hits by better luck. His pitch selection also was poor. He would swing at strikes down in the strike zone that he couldn’t hit well, even when ahead in the count (and would pop those up too). It was hard to believe the Rangers would let him keep swinging 3-and-0, but invariably he’d swing hard at a marginal strike (and pop it up).
I am a Royals fan, and you have not disrespected, as you rated Billy Butler high and Greinke very high (although I think he could be number 1), but where is Alberto Callaspo? A .300 hitter with gap power and one of the hardest hitters to strikeout. He had a career-high 11 hr last season and was among the league leaders in 2B’s for most of the season. He can flat out hit. That being said, he is a Royal, so his productivity could be higher elsewhere…I think he could be ranked ahead of Kendrick or polanco. Callaspo was a fantasy steal for me last year in a keeper dynasty league, but his low salary also helped. I think Callaspo might be DH’ing this year with KC’s addition of Getz. I can’t imagine the offensively challenged Royals sitting a .300 hitter on the bench.
Robinson Cano should be #1, 200+ hits, 25+ Home Runs, 85+ Runs Batted In, and .300 Average or higher in 2009 and 2010. He won a Gold Glove in 2010 and is 3x Better than Zobrist, Phillips, and Kinsler. My top 3 should be 1.) Robinson Cano, 2.) Chase Utley, 3.) Dustin Pedroia.
http://rotoprofessor.com/baseball/?p=8176
There is the Rotoprofessor’s up to date 2B ranks with Cano at 1.