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)

The Other Beckham in Sports

When people hear the name Beckham they tend to think of David. Well, either him or his wife Victoria and those shot puts she calls boobs. Don't get me wrong, she's a lovely woman, but for what she undoubtedly paid for her surgery they could stand to be a bit less... obvious. Okay, I got side-tracked. Let's move on.

Over the past month a new Beckham has appeared on the sports scene; Chicago White Sox Third Basemen Gordon Beckham.

Gordon's arrival in the big leagues started off very slowly. In his first 8 games Beckham started off with a whisper. His last 16 games have gone down with a bang.

In his first 8 games Beckhams line looked like this: .071, 0 R, 0 HR, 0 RBI. Jeez, Gordo, thanks for coming out.

Over the last 16 games though, Beckhams line has been pretty impressive: .431, 12 R, 2 HR 14 RBI. Now that's more like it. He even stole a base this week.

Beckham is still pretty new to professional baseball. He was the White Sox first round pick in 08. In his 45 games before being called up, Beckham was hitting .326 with 4 HR and 25 RBI at Double and Triple A ball. This guy is a very solid baseball player, but do expect him to be streaky. Young players tend to struggle to remain consistent.

Another nice thing about Beckham from a fantasy perspective is that he is eligible at both Third Base and Shortstop.

Don't count on massive numbers from here out, but this is a talented player who, when he's hot, can definitely help you.

Gordon Beckham is available in 96% of ESPN and 88% of Yahoo leagues.

Victoria Beckham on the other hand remains unavailable. That is unless you're salary happens to have more zeros than David's.

PCB Scout

Questions? Comments? Random nonsense? Email me: PCBScout(at)gmail.com