/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25524195/119607089.0.jpg)
As we continue our trip around the diamond, we're looking at how deep the keystone is today (minimum qualified PAs). From 2011-2013 there have been 11, 14, and 13 second-baggers who have performed at or above league average in wOBA and wRC+ and accrued a qualified amount of PAs. As with my study of catchers (where you can read more about the methodology behind this study) second base is not trending either up or down according to how many above-average, offensively productive players are available. However, unlike my 1b overview, second base is not particularly strong for deep leagues (16+ teams) but it's not the shallowest position on the diamond either (teaser for my next post). So far, I'd advise the following:
Catcher - There is some depth (around 12-14 available over the past three seasons)
First Base - Wait to draft (around 20 qualified every season)
Predicting the future is a bit difficult, but there has been an injection of talent at second base recently. Jedd Gyorko, Jason Kipnis, Jurickson Profar, the 2013 Mariners contingent (Nick Franklin, Brad Miller), Daniel Murphy, and Brian Dozier all could be fairly productive players in 2014 if they get enough PAs. At the same time, you can probably expect Marco Scutaro, Brandon Phillips, and Dan Uggla to continue to trend downward (although these are just my subjective opinions).
After the stats, I will offer some observations as before.
2011 Stats
Name | Team | G | PA | HR | R | RBI | SB | BB% | K% | ISO | BABIP | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dustin Pedroia | Red Sox | 159 | 731 | 21 | 102 | 91 | 26 | 11.80% | 11.60% | 0.167 | 0.325 | 0.307 | 0.387 | 0.474 | 0.375 | 133 |
2 | Robinson Cano | Yankees | 159 | 681 | 28 | 104 | 118 | 8 | 5.60% | 14.10% | 0.231 | 0.316 | 0.302 | 0.349 | 0.533 | 0.374 | 134 |
3 | Ian Kinsler | Rangers | 155 | 723 | 32 | 121 | 77 | 30 | 12.30% | 9.80% | 0.223 | 0.243 | 0.255 | 0.355 | 0.477 | 0.364 | 123 |
4 | Ben Zobrist | Rays | 156 | 674 | 20 | 99 | 91 | 19 | 11.40% | 19.00% | 0.201 | 0.31 | 0.269 | 0.353 | 0.469 | 0.359 | 130 |
5 | Rickie Weeks | Brewers | 118 | 515 | 20 | 77 | 49 | 9 | 9.70% | 20.80% | 0.199 | 0.31 | 0.269 | 0.35 | 0.468 | 0.357 | 124 |
6 | Brandon Phillips | Reds | 150 | 675 | 18 | 94 | 82 | 14 | 6.50% | 12.60% | 0.157 | 0.322 | 0.3 | 0.353 | 0.457 | 0.353 | 122 |
7 | Howie Kendrick | Angels | 140 | 583 | 18 | 86 | 63 | 14 | 5.70% | 20.40% | 0.179 | 0.338 | 0.285 | 0.338 | 0.464 | 0.349 | 123 |
8 | Dan Uggla | Braves | 161 | 672 | 36 | 88 | 82 | 1 | 9.20% | 23.20% | 0.22 | 0.253 | 0.233 | 0.311 | 0.453 | 0.334 | 111 |
9 | Neil Walker | Pirates | 159 | 662 | 12 | 76 | 83 | 9 | 8.20% | 16.90% | 0.134 | 0.315 | 0.273 | 0.334 | 0.408 | 0.324 | 106 |
10 | Danny Espinosa | Nationals | 158 | 658 | 21 | 72 | 66 | 17 | 8.70% | 25.20% | 0.178 | 0.292 | 0.236 | 0.323 | 0.414 | 0.324 | 103 |
11 | Jamey Carroll | Dodgers | 146 | 510 | 52 | 17 | 10 | 9.20% | 11.40% | 0.058 | 0.332 | 0.29 | 0.359 | 0.347 | 0.317 | 103 |
2012 Stats
Name | Team | G | PA | HR | R | RBI | SB | BB% | K% | ISO | BABIP | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Robinson Cano | Yankees | 161 | 697 | 33 | 105 | 94 | 3 | 8.80% | 13.80% | 0.238 | 0.326 | 0.313 | 0.379 | 0.55 | 0.394 | 149 |
2 | Aaron Hill | Diamondbacks | 156 | 668 | 26 | 93 | 85 | 14 | 7.80% | 12.90% | 0.22 | 0.317 | 0.302 | 0.36 | 0.522 | 0.375 | 132 |
3 | Ben Zobrist | Rays | 157 | 668 | 20 | 88 | 74 | 14 | 14.50% | 15.40% | 0.202 | 0.296 | 0.27 | 0.377 | 0.471 | 0.365 | 137 |
4 | Dustin Pedroia | Red Sox | 141 | 623 | 15 | 81 | 65 | 20 | 7.70% | 9.60% | 0.16 | 0.3 | 0.29 | 0.347 | 0.449 | 0.344 | 114 |
5 | Neil Walker | Pirates | 129 | 530 | 14 | 62 | 69 | 7 | 8.90% | 19.60% | 0.146 | 0.326 | 0.28 | 0.342 | 0.426 | 0.334 | 111 |
6 | Marco Scutaro | - - - | 156 | 683 | 7 | 87 | 74 | 9 | 5.90% | 7.20% | 0.098 | 0.319 | 0.306 | 0.348 | 0.405 | 0.329 | 99 |
7 | Ian Kinsler | Rangers | 157 | 731 | 19 | 105 | 72 | 21 | 8.20% | 12.30% | 0.166 | 0.27 | 0.256 | 0.326 | 0.423 | 0.327 | 100 |
8 | Dan Uggla | Braves | 154 | 630 | 19 | 86 | 78 | 4 | 14.90% | 26.70% | 0.164 | 0.283 | 0.22 | 0.348 | 0.384 | 0.325 | 104 |
9 | Jose Altuve | Astros | 147 | 630 | 7 | 80 | 37 | 33 | 6.30% | 11.70% | 0.109 | 0.321 | 0.29 | 0.34 | 0.399 | 0.325 | 103 |
10 | Brandon Phillips | Reds | 147 | 623 | 18 | 86 | 77 | 15 | 4.50% | 12.70% | 0.148 | 0.298 | 0.281 | 0.321 | 0.429 | 0.325 | 101 |
11 | Rickie Weeks | Brewers | 157 | 677 | 21 | 85 | 63 | 16 | 10.90% | 25.00% | 0.17 | 0.285 | 0.23 | 0.328 | 0.4 | 0.321 | 99 |
12 | Daniel Murphy | Mets | 156 | 612 | 6 | 62 | 65 | 10 | 5.90% | 13.40% | 0.112 | 0.329 | 0.291 | 0.332 | 0.403 | 0.318 | 102 |
13 | Howie Kendrick | Angels | 147 | 594 | 8 | 57 | 67 | 14 | 4.90% | 19.40% | 0.113 | 0.347 | 0.287 | 0.325 | 0.4 | 0.316 | 102 |
14 | Jason Kipnis | Indians | 152 | 672 | 14 | 86 | 76 | 31 | 10.00% | 16.20% | 0.122 | 0.291 | 0.257 | 0.335 | 0.379 | 0.315 | 101 |
2013 Stats
Name | Team | G | PA | HR | R | RBI | SB | BB% | K% | ISO | BABIP | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Robinson Cano | Yankees | 160 | 681 | 27 | 81 | 107 | 7 | 9.50% | 12.50% | 0.202 | 0.327 | 0.314 | 0.383 | 0.516 | 0.384 | 142 |
2 | Matt Carpenter | Cardinals | 157 | 717 | 11 | 126 | 78 | 3 | 10.00% | 13.70% | 0.163 | 0.359 | 0.318 | 0.392 | 0.481 | 0.381 | 147 |
3 | Jason Kipnis | Indians | 149 | 658 | 17 | 86 | 84 | 30 | 11.60% | 21.70% | 0.168 | 0.345 | 0.284 | 0.366 | 0.452 | 0.357 | 130 |
4 | Chase Utley | Phillies | 131 | 531 | 18 | 73 | 69 | 8 | 8.50% | 14.90% | 0.191 | 0.305 | 0.284 | 0.348 | 0.475 | 0.356 | 126 |
5 | Dustin Pedroia | Red Sox | 160 | 724 | 9 | 91 | 84 | 17 | 10.10% | 10.40% | 0.114 | 0.326 | 0.301 | 0.372 | 0.415 | 0.347 | 115 |
6 | Howie Kendrick | Angels | 122 | 513 | 13 | 55 | 54 | 6 | 4.50% | 17.30% | 0.142 | 0.34 | 0.297 | 0.335 | 0.439 | 0.336 | 116 |
7 | Ben Zobrist | Rays | 157 | 698 | 12 | 77 | 71 | 11 | 10.30% | 13.00% | 0.127 | 0.303 | 0.275 | 0.354 | 0.402 | 0.334 | 115 |
8 | Ian Kinsler | Rangers | 136 | 614 | 13 | 85 | 72 | 15 | 8.30% | 9.60% | 0.136 | 0.288 | 0.277 | 0.344 | 0.413 | 0.334 | 105 |
9 | Neil Walker | Pirates | 133 | 551 | 16 | 62 | 53 | 1 | 9.10% | 15.40% | 0.167 | 0.274 | 0.251 | 0.339 | 0.418 | 0.333 | 114 |
10 | Marco Scutaro | Giants | 127 | 547 | 2 | 57 | 31 | 2 | 8.20% | 6.20% | 0.072 | 0.314 | 0.297 | 0.357 | 0.369 | 0.325 | 111 |
11 | Jedd Gyorko | Padres | 125 | 525 | 23 | 62 | 63 | 1 | 6.30% | 23.40% | 0.195 | 0.287 | 0.249 | 0.301 | 0.444 | 0.325 | 110 |
12 | Daniel Murphy | Mets | 161 | 697 | 13 | 92 | 78 | 23 | 4.60% | 13.60% | 0.129 | 0.315 | 0.286 | 0.319 | 0.415 | 0.32 | 106 |
13 | Brian Dozier | Twins | 147 | 623 | 18 | 72 | 66 | 14 | 8.20% | 19.30% | 0.17 | 0.278 | 0.244 | 0.312 | 0.414 | 0.319 | 101 |
Observations:
1. Surprisingly, for such a taxing defensive position, second base has the most players that have qualified each season from 2011-13. Six players have made the list-in no particular order-Robinson Cano, Ian Kinsler, Ben Zobrist, Neil Walker, Howie Kendrick, and Dustin Pedroia.
2. Much has been made about Robinson Cano's move to SEA and how it affects the 2b rankings, but for our purposes not much has changed for Cano. He'll still be durable and productive no matter where he plays.
3. I'm not sure there's any silver lining for Brandon Phillips' owners. It's clear that there are issues between management and Phillips in CIN, and his performance on the field continues to decline (he barely missed my list in 2013). If you can sell on name recognition alone I'd do it...fast.
4. Poor Matt Carpenter. He came in at #2 this year in the rankings (and helped me win a fantasy championship). As quick as he came he will go again, losing second base eligibility as he's shifted over to the hot corner in 2014.
Target:
Anthony Rendon. He would have made the list but for lack of PAs. I'm not saying this year will be THE year he completely busts out, but it's coming. I'm super, duper high on this kid for reasons that might make people blush, and I'm hopeful he'll stay at second base long enough to get him on my fantasy squad. His minor BB-rate is 16.1%. Did you hear that? 16.1%. You need to read why that is important. He's going to continue developing power, will be a nice OBP add, and has a great offense to hit around for counting stats. Get him now while you still have time-4 cat stud at the keystone.
Avoid:
Jedd Gyorko. Matt Mattingly and I had some interesting debates about this guy during his 3Up/3Down series on 2b. In order to be consistent I'm going to stay pessimistic about this kid, not because I think he's a bad player, but because 1. I think the hype will not justify his ADP this year, and 2. I don't believe in his power. If he has no power, he is quite ordinary. You can read more about what I think of Gyorko and I may be in the minority on this one, but consider yourselves warned.
What do you think? Opine below and take the poll if it pleases you. Follow me on Twitter @agape4argentina.