Secret Second

Second Base has been a weak position for a few years now. Yes, there are some good players, but the difference from tier 1 to tier 2 seems pretty big. Generally you draft a second baseman in the first couple of rounds or the last couple of rounds. But wait, there is a guy who can perform like a high end pick that can be had in middle rounds.

His name is Gordan Beckham, second base, Chicago White Sox. Wait, in my league he is listed as a third baseman, not second. Correct. At this moment, he is only eligible at 3B, but his position for the White Sox this year will be 2B. So within a week or two, he will be 2B eligible. This little fact is why you can get him on the cheap. This is why he is a 'Secret Second'.

You see, as a third baseman, he is average. He would not be a top pick, but would make someones fantasy team in most formats. But average 3B numbers translate to pretty good 2B numbers.

Wait, there's more! He's only 23 and has upside. In 2009, he played in 103 games as a rookie. He put up a .270 AVG, 14 HR, 63 RBIs, and 7 SBs. He can increase all of those this year. That would move him up the third base rankings, but will rocket him up the second base rankings!

In my AL only league, I picked him up in during the middle rounds. I already had two third basemans, but with his 2B eligibility coming soon, he will boost that position.

If you haven't had your draft (ummm, better do it soon) then target him for your 2B position in the middle rounds and watch the good stats roll in. If your draft is over, consider getting him in a trade. You might be able to pull off a good deal, as he is only 3B eligible right now. The moment he grabs 2B eligibility, his price should go up.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

What's In a Name: Placido Polanco

Placido Polanco is another one of those guys that if you take away the name and just look at his stats, you would draft him higher. Last year, he had better numbers at the 2B position then Dan Uggla, Kelly Johnson, Robinson Cano, Alexei Ramirez, and many more. Since his numbers are good, that leads me to assume that there is something in the name itself that is having him be over looked round after round. Now Placido translates to 'calm' in English, Polanco is a proper name, no translation. So we're looking at Calm Polanco. Calm? Does the idea of a calm player turn people off? Must be. With guys like 'The Riot' (Ryan Theriot), and Ryan Braun (no clever nick-name needed with a name like Braun) Calm Polanco must not sound like a guy who deserves to make your roster. So Calm Polanco doesn't inspire the aggressiveness you are looking for on your team. But lets look at it in a different way. I take you a classic movie that serves as a guide to all men - 'Top Gun'. How do you pick up women in a bar? - Sing 'You Lost That Lovin Feelin'. Best place to ride a motorcycle? - On a military runway as an F-16 takes off next to you while doing a fist pump. Who was the winner of the Top Gun trophy? - Iceman. Iceman was not the star of the movie, he was calm, collected, and did his job the right way. On the other hand, you have a guy like Maverick. Maverick is more exciting, a risk taker, but he didn't win. But I'm sure that if there was a fantasy Fighter Pilot game Maverick would go several rounds higher then Iceman. I guess there is a lot in a name. My recommendation is to pick up Iceman Polanco. Despite his non-inspiring name, he's in the conversation for top 10 2B. He may be available (as in he was not even drafted in your league at all) or you can pick him up in a trade for just about anyone you have. Yes, you can get a top 10 2B for next to nothing. There may be a lot in a name, but when it comes to fantasy baseball (or fantasy fighter pilots), there is a lot more in the stats. - Scout Monkey (scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Two Managers to Watch

Here are two guys that I can guarantee aren’t on anyone’s draft board that might be able to help you this season: Tony LaRussa and Trey Hillman. Yes, two managers. Neither of whom will be pulling a Pete Rose and calling their own number to pinch hit, but both are trying to add some deep league value to a shallow position. It almost seems like LaRussa and Hillman were sitting in a fantasy draft room at the end of the 15th round looking at their teams and thinking that they wish they had a better middle infield. The next day in camp they had an old school little league meeting with their real teams and asked everyone to raise their hand if they could play 2nd base. In St. Louis, LaRussa was not happy with the any of the Major League ready 2nd basemen in camp this spring so he decided to give Skip Schumaker a shot at the job. Schumaker is an outfielder by trade, and has not seen the infield since playing 3rd base for six games in AA in 2004. The last time he saw regular time in the dirt was at shortstop his freshman year at Loyola Marymount. He also pitched an inning in relief that year and was listed as a possible closer candidate when he transferred to UC Santa Barbara is the next year, hopefully LaRussa wont see that and throw his name in the muddled closer mix in St. Louis. As an outfielder, Schumaker is not an exciting fantasy commodity. His ’08 line of .302 / 8 HR / 46 RBI / 87 R / 8 SB makes him a decent fourth outfielder. As second basemen, anyone with a chance for double-digit homers and steals, while hitting .300 and scoring 85 plus runs is worth a look. Over in Kansas City, Hillman is dealing with a similar situation. Mark Teahen became a man with a locker full of gloves, but no position. Teahen spent time last year in rightfield, leftfield, centerfield, 3rd base and 1st base. With the offseason addition of Coco Crisp the outfield is full. Crisp will start in center, David DeJesus in left, and Jose Guillen in right. When Mike Jacobs came over from Florida, Teahen was no longer needed to play 1st base. 3rd base will be manned by rising star Alex Gordon. What about the DH you ask? That spot is reserved for Billy Butler and Jacobs. Both of whom are hacks in the field but can swing the stick. At first, the common thought that Teahen would be traded, but no deals were struck. This spring, Teahen has been working out at 2nd base, where he has never seen any Major or Minor League time. The two 2nd basemen Teahen is battling in the Royals camp are utility-men Alberto Callaspo and Willie Bloomquist, neither who can provide the offensive punch that Teahen can. Teahen had an ’08 line of .255 / 15 HR / 59 RBI / 66 R / 4 SB. Again, not a great line for a corner infielder or outfielder, but as a 2nd baseman, it is serviceable. Teahen is hitting like a man possessed this spring, punishing the ball, hitting .500 with 5HRs. It is conceivable that Teahen’s line will look similar last year, but with a higher average. He hit .285 and .290 in ’07 and ’06. Schumaker and Teahen will by no means be top tier, or even second tier two-baggers, but they could be top 15 guys at a traditionally weak position. They should be owned in AL/NL only leagues and are definitely worth a look in a 12 team and up mixed leagues that have an MI spot. Keep in mind that neither of these players have 2nd base eligibility to start the season, so check your league eligibility requirements before investing a pick or a claim on either of these guys. Hoffy’s Ballpark Figures: Mark Teahen - 475 AB / .272 AVG / 14 HR / 71 RBI / 4 SB / 75 R Skip Schumaker - 550 AB / .304 AVG / 7 HR / 56 RBI / 11 SB / 86 R

Wait A Sec

As many believe, building your fantasy team up the middle is key. If you can't snag the Chase Utley, Ian Kinsler, or Dustin Pedroia that's OK. There are plenty of guys that can do similar things. For example, Jose Lopez hit 17 HR, scored 80 R, had 89 RBI, hit for a 297. AVG, and swiped 6 bags last year. He hit the same amount of home runs as AL MVP Dustin Pedroia and drove 6 more runs than Dustin. Pedroia stole 14 more bases and scored nearly 30 more runs than Lopez but you can get Lopez 15 rounds later. Another second baseman you can get late and rely on is Kelly Johnson. Johnson contributes in every single category, is in a contract year, and is in baseball's magic age of 27. He's averaged about 88 runs, 14 HR, 69 RBI, 10 SB, and a 282. AVG the past two years. You can get him 13 rounds later than Utley, Kinsler, Pedroia. He won't necessarily help in in any category but will definitely contribute all around the board. My last second baseman to get late is Rickie Weeks. Yes, Rickie Weeks. Thing with Rickie Weeks is his AVG. It is awful to say the least. Despite his garbage average, he has a rare combination of power and speed. In 2007 he had 16 HR and 25 SB. In 2008 14 HR and 19 SB. Only Brandon Phillips, Ian Kinsler, and Dustin Pedroia surpassed him in both home runs and stolen bases last year. He has no competition at second anymore with the departure of Ray Durham and will have plenty of opportunity to prove himself. He has been going almost 20 rounds later than the top second baseman. If you go with Weeks as your starter make sure you have 2 or 3 players that hit for a high average like Joe Mauer, Chipper Jones, Albert Pujols, or Matt Holliday. Also get a veteran backup that will be your insurance plan like Placido Polanco or Orlando Hudson. If you can get Kinsler or Utley in the late first round go for it. But if you can't, hold off a while in your draft and go take a chance on someone with a high ceiling like Rickie Weeks. -Scout Berardi