The Life and Times of Second Base in Fantasy Baseball

We are gathered here today to mourn the loss...of the depth of the fantasy baseball position of Second Baseman.

Second Base has been on the decline for some time now. Those of us who didn't take a top tier player last season felt the pain, but we never wanted to show it. The position had its share of talent, but as we know, the majority of great fielders occupy Shortstop and Third Base, and the best hitters often occupy First Base. Nonetheless, Second Base had its share of good players. Robinson Cano and Dustin Pedroia come to mind, and they'll continue to do their thing, injury-resistance willing.

Second Base has never been a position to call attention to itself, but the players sometimes caused people to overdraft. This year, we're sure to see Jason Kipnis and Jose Altuve stir things up when they're drafted earlier than they should. Talented, yes, but they could go in the 6^th, 5^th, and sometimes even the 4^th round. There's certainly been plenty to be joyous about in finding new talent like this during the season, or finding an Aaron Hill or Kelly Johnson in the second half of last season to bail you out of the doldrums.

By the same token though, Second Base has had its share of heartbreak and disappointment. Rickie Weeks certainly comes to mind, and let's not forget the ugly play of Mr. Dan Uggla. I mean, really, how brutal were those last year?

Desperation doesn't come easily to some of us, but those of us who really don't want to risk a 2013 version of Hill or Johnson simply “bailing us out” will need to snap to it and get our 2B quickly, and leave the speculation to the people who didn't gameplan.

If you can't get Cano, get ready to grab Pedroia or Kinsler with one of your next couple picks. Phillips, Kipnis,  Altuve, and Zobrist should all be there in the next round or two, but with what I think you can get at other positions, you may be best served getting your Top 5 2B quickly (whoever happens to be in your Top 5). I don't want to risk leaving the draft without a Top 7 (at worst) and maybe a flier on someone else later.

Is there hope for depth at Second Base? Maybe. You should check your league settings first, but even so, you have hope. With the move to Toronto, it's looking like Emilio Bonafacio is going to qualify at 2B before too long. Maybe you wanna snag him in the middle rounds and just plug-and-play for the first couple weeks. Maybe Josh Rutledge plays well enough to hold down 2B while Tulo makes his big return. He's worth a later pick, but be ready for the Batting Average to fluctuate. Perhaps Jurickson Profar gets regular playing time through a Kinsler injury or an Andrus trade.

Maybe you'll be stronger someday Second Base. For right now, we merely weep for you.

Written by David Bobke