Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings & Projections

2010 Second Base Preseason Preview

 

Chase Utley

The second base position isn't as weak as it once was, especially with the rise of Aaron Hill and Ben Zobrist, but Utley is a clear step above the rest and is the only sure-thing top-ten fantasy baseball draft pick at second base.

1. Chase Utley - Phillies - 2010 Preview:

Aaron Hill had the better season overall, but Chase Utley has the proven record to keep him as the number one ranked second basemen in fantasy baseball again. Utley is in his prime and he is playing on a very good offense which should guarantee him about 100 RBI's and 100 runs. He was stalled a bit by injury in 2009, but Utley still managed to hit 31 home runs and steal 23 bases. That is almost enough to make him number one, but the fact that for the past five seasons Utley has been good for about 30 home runs, 100 RBI's, 110 runs, 15 stolen bases and a .295 average seals it. Those numbers make him the easy pick for the preseason number one second basemen and a likely top-five overall player.

2009 Statistics: .282 - 31 HR's - 93 RBI's - 112 Runs

2010 Projection: .293 - 32 HR's - 101 RBI's - 113 Runs

 

2. Ian Kinsler - Rangers - 2010 Preview:

He stole 31 bases and hit 31 home runs. Really that is about enough said. 30-30 players are a premium in any league, especially 5X5 Roto leagues. Kinsler does come with his share of risk though, namely his health. He is similar to former Fantasy All-Star Chipper Jones who was guaranteed to hit the DL once or twice a year and miss various games in between. Kinsler has averaged under 130 games per season since his rookie debut in 2006. Though he had a career high 144 games played in 2009, you should plan on having a solid back up if you invest a high draft pick in Kinsler. Another risk is Kinsler's batting average which has been all over the place, peaking at .319 in 2008 and falling to a career low of .254 last year. Expect somewhere in between, but in the end Kinlser's value is his 30-30 potential and his surrounding lineup in Texas that should get him around 90 RBI's and 100 runs.

2009 Statistics: .254 - 31 HR's - 86 RBI's - 101 Runs

2010 Projection: .271 - 28 HR's - 85 RBI's - 107 Runs

 

3. Dustin Pedroia - Red Sox - 2010 Preview:

The 2008 American League MVP followed up with a similar 2009 performance with the exception of his batting average which fell 30 points to .296. Pedoria gives you a little of everything, but nothing amazing. He will get you about 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases while batting .300, which is solid for a second basemen, but really isn't much better than lower drafted players like Brian Roberts, Alexei Ramirez or Ben Zobrist. Pedoria's value is in the team he plays for and the players who surround him. With Ellsbury batting in front of him and Victor Martinez, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz batting after him, he is guaranteed to see pitches and have plenty of run and RBI opportunities. With Kinsler there is potential for big stats, after that the second basemen crop is solid, but unspectacular. This is why Utley has so much value and it is simply not worth going too high for a player like Pedoria when the rest of the bunch are really right there with him and can do better in any given season.

2009 Statistics: .296 - 15 HR's - 72 RBI's - 115 Runs

2010 Projection: .306 - 15 HR's - 78 RBI's - 116 Runs

 

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4. Brandon Phillips - Reds - 2010 Preview:

After four years of starting we can see what Phillips can do. He is not an elite player and likely will never be one, but he still is a very valuable 5X5 Roto player. He has averaged about 22 home runs, 26 stolen bases and a .275 batting average over his four seasons as a full-time starter. He peaked in 2007 when he hit 30 home runs, stole 32 bases and batted .288. If you get that Phillips you get the number two second basemen, maybe number one, and a top-twenty overall player and playing in Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park makes those numbers possible in any season. But with a .265 lifetime batting average he is not likely going to get you better than a .275 batting average. His run totals (about 82 per season) are surprisingly low, but with a lifetime .312 on-base-percentage, maybe that is not so surprising.

2009 Statistics: .276 - 20 HR's - 98 RBI's - 78 Runs

2010 Projection: .274 - 22 HR's - 95 RBI's - 83 Runs

 

5. Robinson Canó - Yankees - 2010 Preview:

He finally did what fantasy owners wanted him to do, play very well in the first half. He batted .303 with 13 home runs before the All-Star break. He still did better in the second half batting .336, and thus Cano finally became a top fantasy second basemen. He is another player who is more valuable because of the players around him. The Yankees have arguably the best offense in baseball and fantasy managers should be ecstatic to land any player in the Yankee infield. Cano finished with a .320 batting average, 25 home runs, 48 doubles, 103 runs and 85 RBI's which is good enough to rank as high as number two for second basemens, but it just depends on your needs.

2009 Statistics: .320 - 25 HR's - 85 RBI's - 103 Runs

2010 Projection: .308 - 20 HR's - 80 RBI's - 100 Runs

 

6. Aaron Hill - Blue Jays - 2010 Preview:

He is a difficult player to rank after his huge 2009 season when he smashed 36 home runs and knocked in 109 RBI's which are astronomical numbers for a second basemen. It's not that he is a complete fluke, he did bat .291 with 17 home runs in 2007, but his 36 home runs are definitely off the chart for Hill. His power should still be there in 2010, but reaching 30 will be a difficult task. Even though his stats project a little better than some of the above ranked, he holds risk with only one great season under his belt.

2009 Statistics: .286 - 36 HR's - 109 RBI's - 103 Runs

2010 Projection: .290 - 28 HR's - 93 RBI's - 94 Runs