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If you haven’t checked out the RotoBaller 2013 Second Base Rankings with ADP Comparison, you need to. Second base provides the epitome of all “tier breakdowns” as you can see on the website. The separation between tiers is rather drastic and the rankings are a must-use tool for your draft preparation!
1. Robinson Cano – Robinson is without question in a tier of his own. He set a career high in hits, R and HR in 2013, while batting .313 in arguably his best season in the majors. Cano will be batting third which will provide a lot of RBI potential. Most importantly he is a second baseman, and Cano led all 2B in hits, R, RBI, HR, RBI, BA and OBP. He won’t steal you bases but you can make up for that at another position.
2. Dustin Pedroia – In most lists, Pedroia is a top-tier second baseman. Assuming he plays a full season, he's probably good for over 100 R, 20+ SB, .300+ BA and 15-20 HR-- as good as it gets at second base, but health and the presence of Cano make him a tier two second baseman. He will be batting third, protected by David Ortiz and with Jacoby Ellsbury and Shane Victorino setting the table. He will likely see great pitches, providing a substantial boost to his run-production.
3. Aaron Hill – Hill put together a stud fantasy season in 2012. If he does keep it up in 2013, he will be a top-notch 2B batting in the same spot as Pedroia, third. Batting third will
offer Hill opportunities for RBI, and while he doesn’t have quite the same supporting cast as
Pedroia, it’s enough.
4. Ian Kinsler – The Rangers lost Josh Hamilton which is a huge hit to the lineup; however, they still have pop and Kinsler is still leading off. This could be good for 2B, who the Rangers will rely on to do more with his legs (i.e., steal more, stretch a single into a double), which plays right in to the hands of fantasy owners. His injury concerns seem to behind him as he's managed back-to-back healthy seasons.
5. Brandon Phillips – For the third consecutive year, in 2012 Brandon Phillips notched 18 HR, however his R and RBI have fluctuated over the past several seasons. The replacement of
Drew Stubbs with Shin-Soo Choo is going to be huge for this Reds lineup. Phillips was asked to
carry the load when Votto went down last season. Phillips is now batting second with Choo in
front and Votto, Ludwick and Bruce following. It’s easily one of the best offenses in the NL.
6. Ben Zobrist – Zobrist has been overlooked, opwing to his peak-and-valley type seasons. He emerged on the fantasy scene with his 27-HR 2009 season. He followed that up with a clunker, 10 HR 2010. Zobrist has shown that he can be a 20 HR, 80 RBI 2B with SS,
MI and OF eligibility, to boot. He is a versatile player, which is always a plus for fantasy managers.
7. Jose Altuve – Jose Altuve is a potential sleeper pick this season as he begins the next tier of 2B. He quietly stole 33 bases and scored 80 R in his first season as the full-time
starter. Altuve is leading off for one of the worst offenses in baseball, though, which means that as long as he can get on base, expect a ton of steals. Just a thought: if you have MI in your league, pair
Altuve with Cano for a combine 180 R, 40 HR, 160 RBI, 40 SB and a .300 BA-- not too shabby.
8. Jason Kipnis – Kipnis had a phenomenal first half in 2012, during which he compiled the majority of his season's stats, including 11 of his 14 HR and 20 of his 31 SB. If he can produce
those numbers over a full season, Kipnis has the potential to pay dividends. It doesn’t hurt that the Indians overhauled on offensive talent this offseason.
9. Martin Prado – If Aaron Hill, reported above, is going to get you RBI, he will be knocking in Prado. Prado is going to be the Diamondbacks everyday 3B, in addition to his 2B, SS, OF, MI and CI eligibility which makes him a versatile and attractive fantasy option.
10. Chase Utley – Is it safe to say that Chase Utley’s 30 HR, 100+ RBI days are behind him? Utley may not hit 30 HR, but 100 RBI is certainly feasible. With Jimmy Rollins and Michael Young hitting in front of him, and depending on how many games he plays, he will have every opportunity to knock in a ton of runs. Keep in mind that in just half a season in 2012, Utley notched 45 RBI.
11. Rickie Weeks – Weeks is as frustrating as they come. It’s hard to project how his 2013 season will pan out, but if he can lift that BA, he has the potential to be a sleeper as the #11
2B. Weeks had a very solid second half in 2012, after a very sluggish start. In 2012, he was released in one league I'm in, and I was able to slip him into my MI spot for most of the second half-- I didn’t at all mind his July, August and September during which he raised his BA from below .200, and hit 14 HR.
12. Howie Kendrick – He was my sleeper pick in 2012, and while I was satisfied with his season, I was hoping for more. Hitting sixth in the majors' most lethal lineup, he will have opportunities for many RBI, though I wouldn’t necessarily expect his R to increase much (I'm projecting him somewhere in the 50-60 range). Kendrick hit 18 HR in 2011, and if he can produce a similar season in 2013, expect the RBI to roll in. Notably, you'll only be able to slot Kendrick in at 2B, as he has lost the OF and 1B eligibility he had going into 2012.
Be sure to check out the other RotoBaller rankings and player profiles for more exclusive content and analysis!
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