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Between the two middle infield positions, I tend to draft a 2nd baseman early and punt shortstop.  This happens for a few reasons.  1) 2nd base has more talent.  That’s right, I draft the deeper position earlier.  Same reason I punt catchers and try to get a 1st baseman early.  If a position is deep, a lot of your leaguemates are going to have one of the top guys.  You don’t want to be one of the 3 or 4 teams without a top guy.  2) There’s less difference between a middle-tiered shortstop and a bottom-tiered one.  (Same could be said of catchers.  We have a theme!  Or is it a genre?  No, it’s a theme!) 3) Shortstops tend to give value with the steal.  You can find cheap steals later.  Most of the 2nd basemen on this list are going after the top 150 in your 2012 fantasy drafts.  This is a supplement to the top 20 2nd basemen of 2012 fantasy baseball. These are 2nd basemen that I’ll be setting the ol’ crosshairs on at my 2012 fantasy drafts after the top options are gone.  Click on the player’s name where applicable to read more and see their 2012 projections.  Anyway, here’s some 2nd basemen to target for 2012 fantasy baseball:

Jason Kipnis – I’ll round some numbers off for you like they were matzoh balls.  15 homers and 15 steals.  That’s his ceiling.  If Kipnis reaches them then mazel tov!  Is he worth a flyer, fo’ diggity.  Just keep in mind Kipnis doesn’t have huge power or speed or schmaltz.

Danny Espinosa – Yeah, I don’t know why he’s a sleeper.  Oh, I know why!  Cause he’s being drafted around 150 overall.  A guy that is going to be 25 years old who just went 21/17 is that bad?  I realize that he hit .236, but you need to not worry about that.  This is a guy that went 18/29 in High-A, 18/20 in Double-A and 21/17 in the majors.  Yeah, he’s worth more than a 150th pick at 2nd base.  Get your shizz together!

Jose Altuve – I worry that every Astros is gonna be a beyotchabatukis, but I think Altuve has some giddy in his step.  Really, the sleepers that I worry most about are the ones that won’t reach 20 for steals or homers.  Guys that can steal 20+ bags or hit 20+ homers can at least be counted on for those stats and the rest is cheese and gravy.  Disco fries!

Jemile Weeks – I compared him favorably in the top 20 2nd basemen post to Luis Castillo.  I stand by that.  Assuming you can stand by something amorphous like a comparison.

Aaron Hill – Wow, he’s crazy low in drafts.  Like, low low.  Like in the 300’s overall low.  Like your knees are double-jointed and you’re limboing low.  Like you’re secretly sleeping with your friend’s sister and telling your friend about her as if she’s someone else and your friend is unknowingly giving you ideas of what to do with his own sister in bed low.  Like– Okay, you get the picture.

Gordon Beckham – Yeah, I’m super thrilled he’s being drafted so low that I might end up with him on a team.  Maybe I can do the draft where I pick Beckham while I’m at the dentist to make it a really pleasurable experience.

Kelly Johnson – I have no idea what’s going on with the drafting of 2nd basemen.  Hill and Johnson should not be in the 300’s.  Johnson went 21/16 just LAST YEAR (caps for emphasis, not for aesthetics.)  I realize he hit .222, but he’s a career .260 hitter and he just hit .284 in 2010.  He’s really worse than Kipnis?  Rhetorical!

Johnny Giavotella – Right now, he’s the Royal plugged into the two hole, which sounds like the tagline for a movie about Richard the Lionheart that’s portrayed by Richard Simmons.  In 46 games last year, Giamortadella had 5 steals in 46 games but was caught twice.  As we know from last year, the Royals stealing percentage is about as successful as Madoff’s and they continue to be all klepto-like.  If Giamortadella wants, he could steal 30 bases and get caught 20 times and the Royals will shrug.  Also, in Triple-A, Giavotella hit 9 homers so he’s got some small pop in his little Guido body.  I’ll give him the 2012 projections of 85/8/45/.285/22.  Not bad, paisan.