A few weeks ago, I wrote an article stating that 3B will be a scarce position in NL-only lagues in 2010. Well, it appears that 2B is the new power position in the NL. There are currently 3 second baseman with a SLG % over .500, and 12 with an OPS over .780.
Player | AB | R | H | 2B | HR | RBI | BB | KO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Utley, Chase 2B PHI | 527 | 105 | 155 | 27 | 31 | 91 | 85 | 102 | 22 | 0.294 | 0.411 | 0.533 | 0.945 |
McGehee, Casey 3B MIL | 320 | 53 | 97 | 17 | 15 | 61 | 33 | 59 | 0 | 0.303 | 0.366 | 0.503 | 0.869 |
Weeks, Rickie 2B MIL | 147 | 28 | 40 | 5 | 9 | 24 | 12 | 39 | 2 | 0.272 | 0.34 | 0.517 | 0.857 |
Uribe, Juan 2B SF | 354 | 45 | 103 | 24 | 13 | 47 | 22 | 72 | 3 | 0.291 | 0.33 | 0.492 | 0.821 |
Lopez, Felipe 2B MIL | 561 | 81 | 175 | 35 | 9 | 53 | 63 | 96 | 6 | 0.312 | 0.382 | 0.433 | 0.815 |
Uggla, Dan 2B FLA | 520 | 79 | 125 | 24 | 29 | 81 | 87 | 138 | 1 | 0.24 | 0.353 | 0.458 | 0.811 |
Prado, Martin 3B ATL | 404 | 55 | 122 | 32 | 10 | 48 | 30 | 52 | 0 | 0.302 | 0.349 | 0.455 | 0.804 |
Stewart, Ian 3B COL | 395 | 71 | 91 | 19 | 24 | 69 | 51 | 126 | 7 | 0.23 | 0.322 | 0.476 | 0.798 |
Phillips, Brandon 2B CIN | 534 | 70 | 149 | 28 | 20 | 90 | 42 | 70 | 24 | 0.279 | 0.333 | 0.459 | 0.792 |
Roberts, Ryan 3B ARI | 281 | 40 | 79 | 15 | 7 | 24 | 39 | 53 | 7 | 0.281 | 0.374 | 0.416 | 0.79 |
Baker, Jeff 2B CHC | 181 | 22 | 55 | 10 | 3 | 20 | 14 | 43 | 1 | 0.304 | 0.357 | 0.431 | 0.788 |
Lugo, Julio SS STL | 231 | 34 | 67 | 13 | 3 | 19 | 25 | 43 | 7 | 0.29 | 0.358 | 0.429 | 0.786 |
DeRosa, Mark 2B STL | 483 | 76 | 124 | 23 | 23 | 76 | 46 | 111 | 3 | 0.257 | 0.326 | 0.451 | 0.777 |
Hudson, Orlando 2B LA | 525 | 70 | 151 | 33 | 9 | 60 | 53 | 93 | 8 | 0.288 | 0.354 | 0.417 | 0.771 |
Schumaker, Skip CF STL | 499 | 82 | 153 | 33 | 4 | 34 | 47 | 66 | 2 | 0.307 | 0.366 | 0.401 | 0.766 |
Counsell, Craig 3B MIL | 379 | 54 | 107 | 21 | 4 | 35 | 38 | 50 | 3 | 0.282 | 0.354 | 0.412 | 0.765 |
Castillo, Luis 2B NYM | 450 | 76 | 140 | 12 | 1 | 36 | 67 | 54 | 17 | 0.311 | 0.399 | 0.358 | 0.756 |
Velez, Eugenio 2B SF | 231 | 31 | 63 | 12 | 5 | 28 | 15 | 43 | 8 | 0.273 | 0.321 | 0.433 | 0.754 |
Harris, Willie LF WAS | 286 | 44 | 64 | 17 | 7 | 24 | 54 | 53 | 10 | 0.224 | 0.363 | 0.385 | 0.748 |
Sanchez, Freddy 2B SF | 457 | 56 | 134 | 29 | 7 | 41 | 22 | 76 | 5 | 0.293 | 0.326 | 0.416 | 0.742 |
I have sorted this list by OPS, and in all there are 5 second baseman with 20+ homers lead by Chase Utley's 31 bombs and Dan Uggla who slugged his 30th last night. And another "hidden" source of power is the Braves Martin Prado who has 32 doubles and 10 HRs in 400+ ABs. He should get an addition 100 ABs next season for the Braves, and should turn a few of those doubles into HRs in 2010.
Another guy I have my eye on is Diamondbacks 2010 second baseman Ryan Roberts. In just under 300 ABs, he has 7 HRs and 7 SBs, to go along with a .281-.374-.416-.790 slash stats. He has an excellent eye at the plate judging by his 53/39 K/BB ratio. You will see him on sleeper lists by 2010 draft day.
A couple things to keep in mind is that the Brewers will get Rickie Weeks back at 2B in 2010, meaning 2009 breakout Casey McGehee should move over to 3B, but will still be eligible to be drafted at 2B.
Also, the Marlins Dan Uggla will more than likely be traded in the offseason, and given the Dodgers lack of pop in the infield, I could see them dealing for Uggla with Orlando Hudson a free agent at the end of the season. Everyone knows he has 30 HR power, but he also walks alot, which Joe Torre and Don Mattingly love to see in a hitter.
By the way, what happened to Felipe Lopez stealing a base every now and then? Six stolen bases???