Fantasy Baseball: Rest of Season Second Base Rankings

We’re two full months into the season and quite a bit has changed. This week, we’re taking a trip around the diamond and ranking each position for rest of season fantasy value. As always 5×5 rotisserie scoring is assumed.

The second base position has held up rather well depth-wise, but a few of the top-tier options have certainly been underwhelming. Jason Kipnis spent some time on the DL and was off to a rather slow start prior to the injury. While it seems ludicrous to say someone who is batting .333 through 54 games disappointing, but the expected decline in the power cats have Robinson Cano sitting outside the top-5 at the moment in terms of year to date value. Dee Gordon and Brian Dozier have, of course, ascended into the top tier while Chase Utley and Ian Kinsler show they still have a bit left in the tank, so plenty of quality options remain.

Rising

Dee Gordon: Currently a top-10 overall player, Gordon is making the most of his increased opportunities on base. The biggest reason we’re buying? Even as he’s ht just .188 over the past 3 weeks, Gordon has swiped 13 bags including five multi-steal efforts.

Chase Utley: With his knee issues keeping quiet in the background, Utley has returned to a serious run-producer, driving in 27 runs and scoring 31 times in 52 games.

Ian Kinsler: Change of scenery is playing well with Kinsler and his 120-run pace while hitting ahead of Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez with 15-home-run/20 -steal  potential is making owners smile.

Brian Dozier: Do you really care if Dozier hits .240… while scoring 110 runs, driving in 80 RBI, blasting 25 homer and swiping 20 bags? Because I do not.

Falling

Bradon Phillips: We knew that his RBI pace from 2013 was a bit inflated, but a dip in walk rate (3.5% in 2014 down from 5.9% last year) and an increase in strikeouts (20.7 K% up from 14.7 K%) has exacerbated his decline. Phillips has offered a mediocre .269/.293/.397 slash so far this season with just 19 runs scored and 22 RBI. His days as a top-10 option have come to an end.

Ben Zobrist: Zobrist continues to be a solid OBP play, but the speed has dried up over the past couple of seasons. He’s batted just .247/.332/.345 around an injury this year in what has been a poor Rays’ lineup.

Dustin Pedroia: Pedroia has kept up a decent batting average, so his decline has been a soft ones for fantasy owners clinging to his previous production. Injury or not, his power is down and Pedroia is slugging just .392 over the past calendar year. You can still get elite return on his name value, it’s time to cash out.

2014 Rest of Season Second Base Rankings