If you're a GM and have your choice of second baseman over the next five years, who are you taking? Vote and then give reasons why! If you vote other, please tell us who you think it should be. Poll will be up for five days or until it's clear who the winner is. We will do all positions, including Starter, Setup Man, Closer, and Designated Hitter. <u>Previous Selections:</u> Catcher: Joe Mauer (Minnesota) First Base: Albert Pujols (St. Louis)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (#1_Yinka_Dare_Fan @ Apr 15 2008, 02:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It IS Chase Utley. I'd rank it: Chase Cano Pedrioa Uggla</div> I voted for Utley as well. Thought I think he'll be the best for a majority of the next 5, but not all of the 5. -Petey
I was thinking about these threads. There's probably going to be a few players in the minors, who'll be better than any of these players (not necessarily at 2nd)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (#1_Yinka_Dare_Fan @ Apr 15 2008, 04:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I was thinking about these threads. There's probably going to be a few players in the minors, who'll be better than any of these players (not necessarily at 2nd)</div> That's the exact reason I did five years and not ten. I didn't want this to be a discussion on if Evan Longoria would really be the next great thing. Just who is the best, and leave room for improvement. How much do you want to sacrifice having any old boring average player doing next to nothing while waiting for the best player in a short five year span?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Black Mamba @ Apr 15 2008, 06:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Why the hell isn't Howie Kendrick on there, but Pedroia is? Utley, easily.</div> Both Kendrick and Pedroia don't have homerun power like Utley or Cano. Kendrick is in his third year with the club and has yet to play 100 games. When he came up, he was backing up Adam Kennedy. Pedroia played in almost 140 games last year (139), won the rookie of the year, and was a sparkplug for the Champs in the World Series. He also played the last two months of the season w/ a cracked bone in his hand. Kendrick hits near the bottom of a good lineup, Pedroia hits at the top of a great lineup. Pedroia has the better career fielding percentage at second. Kendrick is a nice player, but I would take Pedroia over him.
Utley is great, but I think Aaron Hill is a big dark horse. I think he can develop in to a very good second baseman. He has some very good defense and is getting better with his hitting.
Hill and Kendrick are both good players, as are guys like Ian Kinsler and Brian Roberts. None of them are anywhere close to Chase Utley in my book. Robinson Cano is the closest of everyone else.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Master Shake @ Apr 15 2008, 08:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Utley is great, but I think Aaron Hill is a big dark horse. I think he can develop in to a very good second baseman. He has some very good defense and is getting better with his hitting.</div> Hill is no where near the overall package Utley is.
I go with Chase Utley and Robby Cano coming in 2nd. I personally think Cano is going to be better than him here in a couple years, he just needs to learn consistency. Right now, he's hitting the ball terribly, and he did the same thing last year. He started off terrible but ended up on fire. Why can't he start the season playing well and keep it going? He's got it in him. The kid has future batting title written all over him, he just needs to be more patient.
I don't think Cano will ever be the player Utley will be. Thank god they're in different leagues. I thinking Robbie is too nonchalant, but that might play in his favor.
I agree with Moo2K4. Cano seems like the future batting champ if any second baseman does. All the Yankees (except A-Rod) have had slow starts both this year and last year.
Utley is the best offensive second baseman today, no question. I think that Mark Ellis is generally recognized as the best defensive second baseman today, replacing Orlando Hudson, who used to be #1. Aaron Hill and Brandon Phillips are also very good defensive players. Utley is too old for me in this poll. He'll be 30 after the season ends, which means that you'd have him when he's 33 and 34, and I'm not convinced that he won't experience a decline by then. I'll go with Brandon Phillips, who is the complete power-speed-defense package, and plus he's a nice guy: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_leagu...i?urn=mlb,73849 But you're missing the boat by not including Rickie Weeks, who I will predict will be on next year's poll. He's just not quite as good as Phillips, though, and not much younger, either.
The thing is, I'm not sure if Phillips will have the protection he needs. Cano, on the other hand, will have the Yankee Payroll on his side.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (#1_Yinka_Dare_Fan @ Apr 15 2008, 08:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't think Cano will ever be the player Utley will be. Thank god they're in different leagues. I thinking Robbie is too nonchalant, but that might play in his favor.</div> I actually think Cano is more than capable of surpassing Utley. He's already got a great swing, he's hitting for more and more power each year, and his defense is improving. Not to mention he's what, 5 years younger than Utley? I can very much see him surpassing Utley here in the next couple years, especially since he'll be hitting his prime here in the next few years and Utley will be on the downside of his career.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (#1_Yinka_Dare_Fan @ Apr 15 2008, 09:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The thing is, I'm not sure if Phillips will have the protection he needs. Cano, on the other hand, will have the Yankee Payroll on his side.</div> the question is NOT "who will have the better offensive stats."
