2B Rankings

Chase Utley. All-World 2B.

Finding ten valuable 2B is not an easy job. We had too many 1B too list, and with 2B there simply is not enough. The first 5-6 are pretty much a lock. You can argue their spot, but you can’t argue the validity of them being on the list. After that it’s kind of a crapshoot. With that disclaimer in mind, here are the top ten 2B for the remainder of the fantasy season. Feel free to let us know if you don’t like anything.

1. Chase Utley- If you don’t agree with this pick, then don’t think about booing Mr. Utley. Just leave a comment. When it comes to one of the weaker positions in fantasy baseball you want all the production you can receive. Utley doesn’t disappoint either. In 2007 and 2008, Utley made a strong case for a possible MVP award. In 2008, Utley hit 33 HR with 104 RBI and batted with a .292 AVG. So far this year Utley has played strong an up to the number one ranking even with off season hip surgery. His stats so far, 129 AB, 11 HR, 30 RBI, with a .296 AVG and a 1.029 OPS. And yes the Phillies are still the World F*cking Champions!

2. Ian Kinsler- Despite never playing in more than 120 games, Ian Kinsler makes it to #2 on our list. Kinsler is hitting .295 on the season and has hit nine less HR than last season already (11.) He’s also gone 10/11 on stolen base attempts. Kinsler is a safe bet to finish the season at 20/20, but 25/25 is certainly plausible. Kinsler’s BABIP is a wee bit lower than the norm and his LD% is also a bit down so expect a slight correction. All in all, if you drafted Ian Kinsler, enjoy his fairly consistent stats as he could very well be a solid five-category producer.

3. Robinson Cano-In 2006, when Cano hit .342 and came within a few points of winning a batting title, Yankee fans were drooling over the future prospects. Here was a 23 year old kid who had it all and played a key position. It is now 2009, and the real Robinson Cano has finally shown back up. He is hitting at a .317 clip, and has 8 HR’s in only 167 AB’s thus far. That puts him at a pace of around 30 for the season. He is still only 26, and a line of .320/28/90 is definitely within reach. I have said since 2006 that a batting title is in his future, and I’ll stand by that.

4. Brandon Phillips- It’s getting hot,hot,hot as we kick it off at number four with Brandon Phillips. Phillips has been unstoppable in the month of May. He has hit 5 of his 7 home runs in this month so far and I don’t see him stopping anytime soon. Phillips has raised his average to .275 and this in part to hitting safely in every game this month except one! Brandon Phillips is a solid contributor to the Reds lineup that also includes up and coming superstars, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce. After all is said and done, Brandon Phillips deserves this spot on the Top 10 second baseman rankings.

5. Dustin Pedroia- The undeserving (staff opinion minus Flynn) 2008 MVP makes his way into the top five of this list. It’s a tough decision between Pedroia and Roberts, but we’ll take Pedroia’s superior lineup and better average. Pedroia is walking at a higher clip than in previous seasons and striking out a little less. His BABIP is about .020 above his normal, but I don’t expect much of a regression. One could see a finishing line of 15 HR, 70-80 RBI, 110 Runs, 15 SBs and a .310 average.

6. Brian Roberts-Roberts is having a little bit of a resurgence this season. He already has 6 HR and 10 RBI’s while batting .289, just above his career average. His power surge is hopefully attributed to Adam Jones putting up great numbers batting behind him, and not the artificial help he has used in the past. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Roberts should put up 15-20 HR, score 100-110 runs and steal close to 40 bases. Anyone who can give you that production is great for fantasy purposes, and at one of the weaker positions it’s a huge plus.

7. Aaron Hill-As of todays numbers, the #1 2B in fantasy baseball is not named Utley or Kinsler, it is Aaron Hill. He is off to a phenomenal start batting .344 with 11 HR and 35 RBI. His career numbers say that he can’t keep up his current pace, and I don’t know anyone except Flynn that expects him to. He should, however, be good for 25 HR, 85 RBI and a batting average in the .290-.300 range. This guy had a breakout season in 2007 and if not for an injury last year, could be among the top 5 2B in the game.

8. Dan Uggla-Uggla is one of the bigger disappointments up to this point in the season. In fact, the only reason he makes the top 10 is because he has shown signs of life in the last week. Uggla’s BABIP is 75 points lower then his career average at this point, so it is safe to say he has been very unlucky. He should progress more towards the norm as the season moves along. If he doesn’t, it will be an ugly season for Uggla owners.

9. Orlando Hudson-Two words for why Orlando Hudson makes this list. Manny Ramirez. In any other lineup, he won’t give you more then 10 HR’s, he won’t hit higher then .310, and he won’t steal more then 10 bags. But hitting in the Dodgers lineup changes that. Manny is only out til July, and that still gives Hudson plenty of games to capitalize on the big man’s presence. Manny makes everyone in that lineup a little bit better, and Hudson is no different. I’d look for a .320 average this year, a career high in OBP and a little bit more pop then usual.

10. Asdrubal Cabrera-Cabrera has been somewhat of a surprise this season. He only makes the list because of the dismal showings of Mike Aviles and Alexei Ramirez. Asdrubal is hitting at .311 but only 1 HR. He won’t give you much pop, maybe 5-8 HR and 60-70 RBI. But he will score runs (could even end up around 100 this year),  and he should stick around the .300 mark while swiping 15 or so bases. Not exactly what you want in a fantasy league, but if you built up the rest of your offense, he is just what you need to plug into a weak position.