Top 10 2B for 2008

[pat189]

What numbers do you think Upton will put up? IMO there is no way he bats above .290, I'm saying .270ish and around 30/30 numbers. He could easily steal 40 if he is healthy and they let him run wild.

[Scooter1027]

What numbers do you think Upton will put up? IMO there is no way he bats above .290, I'm saying .270ish and around 30/30 numbers. He could easily steal 40 if he is healthy and they let him run wild.

I like Upton quite a bit. He's in this group of 4 2nd basemen (my 2-5 ranked guys) who I think will be excellent power/speed combo players at 2B. I see the four of them like this:

BJ Upton .290/28/95, 100 R, 30 SB

I don't forsee Upton's average dropping a whole lot. What do you base that on? He saw a pretty impressive 4.1 pitches/plate appearance last year (2nd among 2nd basemen, only Roberts was better at 4.2), and had 65 walks en route to a .386 OBP. This shows very solid plate patience from a guy who 22 years old. He struck out a lot, and I'll give you that his BABIP was high (.393) and is likely due to regress, but it was his selectivity that allowed him to hit for high average. I would not be surprised to see it again.

Brandon Phillips .278/27/85, 95 R, 30 SB

Rickie Weeks .275/25/65, 120 R, 35 SB

Ian Kinsler .285/23/70, 105 R, 27 SB (another guy with great plate patience, plus he doesn't K)

Those are 4 second basemen I would love to have this year if I don't end up with Utley.

[Ender]

It would not surprise me to see Weeks as the #2 2B in fantasy baseball this season. It also would not surprise me to see him not make the top 10 in value.

He is going to be one of those guys who goes in the 5th round in one draft and the 15th in the next. You have to decide for yourself if his wrist is finally fully healthy. I'd certainly take him over guys like Polanco and Kent because of his upside, but I couldn't see taking him over guys like Phillips and Upton who have proven themselves more and don't have the health risk. My guess is he'd be around #7 or #8 in my list.

A year after Weeks wrist was fixed (the recovery time they gave after the surgery) here are the numbers he put up in the last 39 games of the season.

137 AB's, 40 R, 11 HR, 17 RBI, 13 SB, 0 CS,
.292 avg, .449 OBP, .591 SLG, 1.040 OPS.

I have to disagree with the people who are listing him 10th or not listing him. The upside on Weeks is just too huge now that his wrist is healthy to not take him over guys like Kelly Johnson.

[wkelly91]

1 Chase Utley
2 B.J. Upton
3 Brandon Phillips
4 Robinson Cano
5 Dan Uggla
6 Brian Roberts
7 Kelly Johnson
8 Ian Kinsler
9 Howie Kendrick
10 Dustin Pedroia

[sgnilloccaz]

1. Chase Utley
2. Brandon Phillips
3. BJ Upton
4. Robinson Cano
5. Brian Roberts
6. Chone Figgins
7. Ian Kinsler
8. Kelly Johnson
9. Dan Uggla
10. Rickie Weeks

Agreed!