Monday March 5, 2007

It feels like a second baseman type of day.
Rickie Weeks, Howie Kendrick, Ian Kinsler, and Josh Barfield. These guys will look to close the gap between Chase Utley and everyone else at second base.
Now Weeks isn’t nearly the sleeper that the rest of these guys are (and there’s a good chance someone in your draft will have a man-crush on Kendrick and take him too early) but he is lumped in with the rest because they all have a lot in common. They all possess 20/20 potential. They are within 13 months of age, and they all batted within .007 last season. Player by player projections:
Rickie Weeks- As I mentioned above, you’ll have to reach for him, but he should be worth it. The health of his wrist is a concern, but don’t worry too much about that unless word comes out of spring training saying otherwise. It is possible that his power could develop much more quickly, but I don’t expect him to hit 20 hr until 2008.
17 hr - 60 rbi - 122 runs - .285 avg. - 38 sb
Howie Kendrick- He only took 9 walks in 267 at-bats last year, so he likes to swing the bat. Fortunately for him, he is a hitting machine. He has the least amount of experience among these four two-baggers, so it is possible he will show the most growth this season.
20 hr - 71 rbi - 96 runs - .304 avg. - 21 sb
Ian Kinsler- I think Kinsler will hit the most home runs out of this group in ’07, but he may steal the fewest bases. If he finds his way into the top of that Rangers lineup, he will be in good shape. He can also be had pretty late in most drafts, compared to Kendrick and especially Weeks.
22 hr - 72 rbi - 98 runs - .296 avg. - 17 sb
Josh Barfield- He knocked 13 home runs last year playing half of his games in Petco Cavern, so look for an uptick in power this season. If he could bat second, behind Grady Sizemore, he could pick up a ton of rbi’s for a second baseman just by making any sort of contact.
17 hr - 80 rbi - 105 runs - .286 avg. - 24 sb
I know, these are pretty optimistic projections, but these guys can play. If they can stay healthy and solidify their places at the tops of their respective lineups they can do big things. Kinsler and Barfield might be the best value picks, but if you are in a keeper league you might want to just pay the price to take Weeks or Kendrick while you can.
Some other guys:
Robinson Cano- Great lineup and great production, even in an injury-shortened season for Cano.
Brian Roberts- He’ll turn 30 this season, which seems ancient compared to all of the young second basemen, but he is a solid value and a known commodity.
Dan Uggla- Don’t expect last season’s stats, but even if he slows down slightly, he is still a solid second baseman.
Julio Lugo- Older than many think (turns 32 this year) and won’t run as much in Boston, but there are a whole lot of runs to be had in the Boston lineup.
Tadahito Iguchi- Consistent. Look at last year’s stats, subtract a couple of runs and you know what you’re getting.
Brandon Phillips- Shave some off of last year’s numbers, and you still get solid late-round value at 2b.
Jeff Kent- I don’t know how much longer he’ll keep up his solid numbers, but I’m not gambling on him.
Jorge Cantu- Last season was heavily dampened by injuries. I expect something closer to his 2005, but not as good.
-Adam