By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer
1. Chase Utley – There isn’t a bigger discrepancy at any other position than Utley and the rest of the second base class. He should be one of the first six players selected in your draft.
2. Brian Roberts – He should be fully healthy this year after spending most of last season still recovering from an ugly dislocated elbow injury. Roberts approached 40 steals even while dealing with a groin ailment that required a DL stint. He’s somewhat undervalued at this point.
3. Chone Figgins – Only available at second in some leagues, his value increases in such formats since the position is so much thinner than third base. It’s too bad Figgins is slated to hit ninth. He comes with some risk.
4. Robinson Cano – A strained hamstring curtailed his counting stats last year, which were quite impressive when prorated. Still, it’s best you don’t count on another .342 average with such a poor walk rate. He’s still a fine target, however.
5. Jeff Kent – Kent is someone I’ve avoided the last couple of years thinking an injury would eventually strike the aging slugger. Now, he seems to be an afterthought in many fantasy leagues. He worked insanely hard during the offseason, is determined to make the Hall of Fame and will bat cleanup – another run at a 100-RBI season should be expected.
6. Julio Lugo – It’s hard to predict Lugo’s power/speed numbers, which often fluctuate, but it’s not hard to argue his improved situation now in Boston. Forget his stint in LA, where he was miscast in a utility role. As the Red Sox’ lead off man, Lugo should be plenty valuable this season. Boston will let him run more than the public seems to think, as Coco Crisp was given the green light last year.
7. Howie Kendrick – As long as the hype machine doesn’t turn into overkill, Kendrick is an excellent target this year. He has the ability to deserve the three-hole in the Angels’ lineup, and if it happens sooner rather than later, Kendrick could easily finish as a top-3 second basemen. A .315-.330 average isn’t out of the question.
8. Rickie Weeks – If not for injury concerns, Weeks would be even higher on this list. A Gary Sheffield clone in the batter’s box, Weeks has 25/25 potential. The fact his wrist is still sore after an offseason of rest is disconcerting, however.
9. Dan Uggla – This is about as low as you’ll find Uggla on most lists, but I urge you to bid cautiously here. He’s going to produce as the Marlins’ No. 2 hitter, but I expect a slight regression in nearly every category this year. Cliché alert – Uggla is my number one candidate for a “sophomore slump.”
10. Tadahito Iguchi – You know what you’re getting with Iguchi. Waiting while other “high upside” guys fly off the board and nabbing Iguchi a few rounds later could prove to really pay off.
11. Chris Burke – Speaking of high upside guys, Burke is one of my favorite sleepers this year. Finally a full-time player, Burke should approach 100 runs batting atop Houston’s lineup. He also figures to make a run at 20 homers and 20 steals. Ignore last year’s numbers, as he rarely got regular playing time. Go get him.
12. Ryan Freel – Check eligibility. Freel obviously comes with some risk, and he’s likely to spend some time on the DL, but he also appears likely to enter as a regular finally. Health is the only thing stopping him from reaching 50 steals.
13. Ian Kinsler – Don’t forget about Kinsler, who posted a .932 OPS during the first half last year. He’s in the right lineup and ballpark to produce starter-worthy numbers. If he moves up in the lineup during spring training, feel free to reach for him.
14. Brandon Phillips – Once a big time prospect, Phillips finally developed into an everyday player at age 26 last year. While he has 20/20 potential, there are safer options out there. His batting average may very well fall in the .250-.260 range.
15. Josh Barfield – Maybe second base isn’t quite as shallow as we think. A move from Petco Park to the tribe really boosts Barfield’s value.
16. Jorge Cantu – “Post-hype sleeper” alert. Cantu’s season was essentially ruined by a foot injury last year, and don’t forget he’s still only 24 years old. He won’t be an asset in BA or SBs, but a run at 100 RBI is possible.
17. Ray Durham – A 36-year-old coming off a career-season screams stay far away, but as long as Durham isn’t too overvalued in your league, he’s not a terrible mid-to-late round pick. If you only pay for 480-500 at-bats, he’s actually a solid acquisition. Remember, he’s slated to hit fifth, directly behind Barry Bonds.
18. Marcus Giles – Giles has been a disappointment over the last couple of seasons, but he’s still a solid enough option to fill out your MI. A move to Petco will no doubt suppress his power numbers but maybe he’ll do more running as a result.
19. Freddy Sanchez – Ranking the NL batting champ 19th among second basemen could probably be construed as low, but Sanchez is a negative in HRs and SBs and a decrease in BA is not only likely but also certain. He’ll probably eclipse .300 again, but in a weak lineup, his run/RBI totals won’t jump out at you either. Let someone else overpay.
20. Orlando Hudson – Never really living up to his potential, O-Dog quietly put together his best season yet last year, amassing a career-best .809 OPS. He got better as the year went on, and Chase Field is an excellent hitting environment. He has 15/15 upside, with the ability to approach 90-100 runs hitting at the top of Arizona’s lineup.
21. Placido Polanco
22. Aaron Hill
23. Jose Lopez
24. Luis Castillo
25. Jose Vidro
26. Ty Wigginton
27. Mark Ellis
28. Adam Kennedy
29. Kaz Matsui
30. Dustin Pedroia
31. Craig Biggio
32. Mark DeRosa
33. Mark Grudzielanek
34. Jose Castillo
35. Jose Valentin
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