Red Sox vs the AL East: second basemen
Sep 12, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ryan Goins (17) throws out Tampa Bay Rays first baseman James Loney (not pictured) in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
5. Ryan Goins, Blue Jays
The Blue Jays have made great strides toward contention in recent seasons, but second base remains a clear weak spot on their roster. The 26-year old Goins took over the job last season but didn’t turn any heads in his first full season, slashing a miserable .188/.209/.271, showing no semblance of power and hardly ever reaching base in 67 games. One year later, though, the Blue Jays still don’t have a better option (which is shocking considering that Goins posted -0.6 WAR last season) and likely will be forced to use Goins as a starting second baseman once again. Perhaps Goins will show some improvement in his second go-around, but more likely he’ll be out of a job by midseason.
Sep 10, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe (10) watches an RBI single against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
4. Logan Forsythe, Rays
Like the Blue Jays with Goins, the Rays will be forced to use Forsythe as their starting second baseman given their dearth of other options. Unlike Goins, however, Forsythe is at least a legitimate major leaguer, just probably not a starter on a contending team. He slashed only .223/.287/.329 last season, knocking out 6 home runs in 110 games. However, to be fair to Forsythe, his strength is his utility and he would be more suited to a bench, utlity-man role. Unfortunately for the Rays, they don’t have that option (though prospect Nick Franklin could take over the role at some point during the season) and will be forced to turn to a below-average player at the keystone.
Oct 5, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop (6) makes a throw against the Detroit Tigers during game three of the 2014 ALDS baseball playoff game at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
3. Jonathan Schoop, Orioles
A former top prospect for the Orioles, Schoop is coming off his first full season in Baltimore, spent as the team’s primary second baseman. But while Schoop did show slashes of brilliance, his season was a disappointment on the whole as he slashed .209/.244/.354 with 16 home runs in 137 games. Still, Schoop will be just 23 years old for the upcoming season and it’s easy to imagine him improving this season. The best way for Schoop to accomplish this would be to cut down on his strikeouts (25.4% last season) and greatly improve his walk rate (2.7%), letting him do work with his plus power. It might take Schoop a few years to come into his own, but with his youth, the Orioles should be able to wait.
Aug 26, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Stephen Drew (33) at bat against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
2. Stephen Drew, Yankees
Drew has spent his entire career as a shortstop, but he will slide over to second base for the 2015 season after signing a 1 year/$5M deal to remain in New York. And though Drew’s 2014 was horrendous, as he hit only .162/.237/.299 in 85 games, that can be partially attributed to his late start to the season, as the Red Sox did not sign him until mid-May. With a full spring training, Drew, who is only 31 years old, should be able to return to full strength and hit somewhere closer to his career slash line of .256/.322/.425 than last season, making him a potentially solid second baseman for the Yankees.
Aug 22, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) dives for the ball during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
1. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
While the other players on this list do offer some degree of upside, however, Pedroia has a significantly higher floor and significantly higher ceiling than any other second baseman in the AL East. Even coming off a down year, in which Pedroia fought through a wrist injury to slash only .278/.337/.376 with just 7 home runs in 135 games for the Red Sox, Pedroia is clearly the marquee second baseman in this division. His excellent defense, combined with the hope that last season was a fluke and Pedroia can have a rebound year in 2015, make Pedroia not just one of the best second basemen in baseball, but also arguably the most valuable player on the Red Sox. There’s always the chance that Pedroia will continue to decline next season, but provided that he stays healthy, he should return to form and, even if he doesn’t, will almost certainly be the best second baseman in this division.