Now, we continue with the second half of the rankings for second basemen. We are ranking the second basemen in five and six category leagues over the course of three and five year averages for those categories. You will see the player’s rank under each format and composite numbers for those categories. We will provide our own rankings roughly based on the rankings in the five and six category formats.

Brett Lawrie—Chicago White Sox (.252, 13.3 HR, 42.0 Runs, 44.7 RBI, 4.0 SB, 24.7 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 23

3 Year 6 Category- 24

5 Year 5 Category- 23

5 Year 6 Category- 22

It seems fitting that the same organization that employed Gordon Beckham for so long would have Lawrie. Lawrie was brilliant in his rookie campaign, but just hasn’t been able to put it together since then. The further and further we get away from that season the less and less likely that appears to be. Rank: 24th

D.J. LeMahieu—Colorado Rockies (.305, 7.3 HR, 82.7 Runs, 56.3 RBI, 14.7 SB, 49.7 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 6

3 Year 6 Category- 7

5 Year 5 Category- 10

5 Year 6 Category- 10

It may be hard to believe that LeMahieu is the defending batting champion in the National League. The three year rankings are probably much more appropriate in that world. LeMahieu gives you everything except for power and even there he is probably closer to mediocre. Much like Logan Forsythe, his last two seasons have been far better than the ones previous to that. Rank: 9^th

Daniel Murphy—Washington Nationals (.306, 16.0 HR, 74.3 Runs, 78.0 RBI, 6.7 SB, 35.0 BB) 

3 Year 5 Category- 5

3 Year 6 Category- 5

5 Year 5 Category- 4

5 Year 6 Category- 6

Murphy went nuts last October and hasn’t looked back since. He was a finalist for the MVP award this past season, but you have to wonder if that really is the real Daniel Murphy. I think the three year averages for his numbers are probably closer to reality. That squarely puts him in the top ten, but he shouldn’t be in the same neighborhood as the top four. Rank: 6th

Rougned Odor—Texas Rangers (.264, 19.3 HR, 60.7 Runs, 65.7 RBI, 8.0 SB, 19.7 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 13

3 Year 6 Category- 16

5 Year 5 Category- 15

5 Year 6 Category- 16

A large part of ranking players is putting aside the averages and forecasting the future. Odor has taken a significant step forward in each of the past two seasons. There really is nowhere else for him to go, but even if he levels out where he was last season he is still a fantasy regular. The lack of plate discipline is the only thing separating him from stardom. Rank: 12^th

Joe Panik—San Francisco Giants (.285, 6.3 HR, 52.3 Runs, 39.0 RBI, 2.7 SB, 34.7 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 24

3 Year 6 Category- 23

5 Year 5 Category- 22

5 Year 6 Category- 20

Panik is a Scooter Gennett without the upside. In fantasy terms, he and Brett Lawrie will easily be replaced by the guys knocking on the door. He does keep his average to an acceptable level, so he is a good bench piece for deeper benches or NL only leagues, but otherwise there isn’t a whole lot there. Rank: 23^rd

Dustin Pedroia—Boston Red Sox (.296, 11.6 HR, 79.0 Runs, 63.4 RBI, 10.4 SB, 54.2 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 9

3 Year 6 Category- 9

5 Year 5 Category- 9

5 Year 6 Category- 8

It looked like Pedroia was headed for the downhill slide until this past season. When he entered September he appeared poised to win the batting title. He finished strong, but he couldn’t make up enough ground to catch Jose Altuve. It should be enough to have him reenter the discussion with the other top second basemen. Rank: 8^th

Brandon Phillips—Cincinnati Reds (.284, 10.3 HR, 62.3 Runs, 61.7 RBI, 13.0 SB, 22.7 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 12

3 Year 6 Category- 14

5 Year 5 Category-  7

5 Year 6 Category-  9

The trends are clear. He is moving in the wrong direction as he gets older and primarily that is because the lack of plate discipline. As your reflexes slow down you have sacrifice something and for Phillips it appears to have been power. Plus, the Reds are in a clear rebuilding mode, so the run producing opportunities. Rank: 18^th

Jonathan Schoop—Baltimore Orioles (.252, 18.7 HR, 54.7 Runs, 55.3 RBI, 1.7 SB, 14.3 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 21

3 Year 6 Category- 21

5 Year 5 Category- 20

5 Year 6 Category- 21

Schoop appears to be a clone of several other guys on the board. He has a lot of raw power and has produced some good seasons, but he has the same flaw as guys like Odor. He just doesn’t draw enough walks to be a consistent offensive force. Hopefully he can take that next step and become a complete hitter, but I wouldn’t count on it. Rank: 21

Jean Segura—Arizona Dbacks (.279, 10.8 HR, 73.5 Runs, 48.5 RBI, 30.5 SB, 26.3 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 14

3 Year 6 Category- 12

5 Year 5 Category- 11

5 Year 6 Category- 12 

Segura has had two brilliant seasons and a couple of very mediocre ones. Which Segura is going to show up next season? He is the perfect guy to take a flier on late in the draft to see if lightening can strike twice in a row. Couple that with another similar gamble and hope one of them works out. Rank: 17^th

Chase Utley—Free Agent (.255, 12.4 HR, 62.2 Runs, 56.5 RBI, 7.0 SB, 42.6 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 19

3 Year 6 Category- 19

5 Year 5 Category- 18

5 Year 6 Category- 18 

Utley is a Hall of Famer in my book. In his prime he combined power, patience, and Gold Glove defense to be one of the more valuable players in the National League. Now, he’s searching for a job. He hopefully has one more season left in him to go out the way he wants to. The odds are better that it will be Los Angeles again, but we will have to see. Rank: 19^th

Neil Walker—New York Mets (.274, 20.7 HR, 66.7 Runs, 67.3 RBI, 3.0 SB, 43.7 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 11

3 Year 6 Category- 10

5 Year 5 Category- 16

5 Year 6 Category- 11

Walker accepted the Mets qualifying offer, so he will return to second base and the middle of the Mets lineup. As has been said many times about Walker, he always seems on the verge of breaking out and something always seems to get in the way. In the case of 2016, it was nagging injuries. Sooner or later you accept what’s there. Rank: 10^th 

Ben Zobrist—Chicago Cubs (.273, 13.7 HR, 84.3 Runs, 61.3 RBI, 6.3 SB, 77.7 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 8

3 Year 6 Category- 8

5 Year 5 Category- 8

5 Year 6 Category- 7

I’ve had a man crush on Zobrist for years now. He is particularly good in six category leagues with all of those walks. However, he plays up because he can play everywhere and he can contribute in every category. The fact that Cubs scored more runs than any other team in baseball is icing on the cake. Rank: 7th