« Lofton Signs | Main | Gagne Signed »
December 11, 2006
Reviewing the Ranger Lineup: Second Basemen
Second base has become the hitter’s graveyard. Among the nine AL positions (fielders plus DH), 2Bs had the fewest homers (by 34) and the worst walk rate. They ranked third in average but only seventh in OBP and dead last in slugging. John Hart must be aghast.
| Name | % of Team PA |
OPS |
P-OPS+ |
OBP |
P-OBP+ |
SLG |
P-SLG+ |
R |
HR |
RBI |
BB% |
SO% |
| I. Kinsler | 72% |
.802 |
117 |
.347 |
104 |
.455 |
113 |
65 |
14 |
55 |
8.7% |
13.9% |
| M. DeRosa | 16% |
1.018 |
175 |
.429 |
129 |
.589 |
146 |
20 |
3 |
15 |
7.8% |
14.6% |
| D. Jimenez | 9% |
.692 |
89 |
.339 |
102 |
.353 |
88 |
6 |
1 |
8 |
13.6% |
10.2% |
| 3 others | 3% |
.417 |
16 |
.250 |
75 |
.167 |
41 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| TEAM | .816 |
121 |
.357 |
107 |
.459 |
114 |
93 |
18 |
78 |
9.0% |
14.3% |
|
| AL Average | - |
.735 |
- |
.333 |
- |
.402 |
- |
83 |
11 |
71 |
6.7% |
12.9% |
| Team Rank in AL | - |
- |
2 |
- |
2 |
- |
2 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
9 |
Happily, the Rangers bucked that trend. Ian Kinsler had not only a fine rookie season but a fine season among all second basemen. Of the fourteen AL 2Bs with the most plate appearances, Kinsler ranked seventh in average, sixth in OBP, and third in slugging. Only Tad Iguchi and Robinson Cano had more homers. Forget about potential. Kinsler already stands with the league’s best hitters at his position.
Kinsler didn’t qualify for the batting title because a thumb injury cost him several weeks. During that time, Rogers Hornsby arose from the dead and assumed the form of Mark DeRosa. I understand that Hornsby’s estate will receive a portion of DeRosa’s $13 million contract.
AL Second Basemen
| TEAM | OPS |
OPS+ |
OBP |
OBP+ |
SLG |
SLG+ |
R |
HR |
RBI |
| NY Yankees | .813 |
123 |
.343 |
104 |
.470 |
119 |
80 |
14 |
99 |
| Texas | .816 |
121 |
.357 |
107 |
.459 |
114 |
93 |
18 |
78 |
| Chicago Sox | .772 |
109 |
.351 |
105 |
.420 |
104 |
117 |
20 |
86 |
| Cleveland | .745 |
108 |
.335 |
102 |
.410 |
106 |
80 |
12 |
72 |
| Seattle | .734 |
106 |
.330 |
101 |
.404 |
106 |
85 |
10 |
82 |
| LA Angels | .734 |
104 |
.331 |
100 |
.403 |
104 |
62 |
7 |
77 |
| Baltimore | .731 |
102 |
.339 |
102 |
.391 |
99 |
93 |
11 |
64 |
| Kansas City | .743 |
101 |
.340 |
100 |
.403 |
101 |
104 |
8 |
62 |
| Minnesota | .710 |
101 |
.353 |
109 |
.357 |
92 |
89 |
3 |
52 |
| Detroit | .698 |
94 |
.328 |
99 |
.370 |
96 |
80 |
6 |
73 |
| Boston | .698 |
93 |
.338 |
102 |
.361 |
92 |
82 |
7 |
61 |
| Oakland | .675 |
88 |
.307 |
93 |
.368 |
94 |
73 |
11 |
66 |
| Tampa Bay | .668 |
83 |
.282 |
85 |
.386 |
98 |
62 |
20 |
83 |
| Toronto | .627 |
71 |
.307 |
93 |
.320 |
79 |
65 |
5 |
41 |
Best-hitting AL second basemen: The Yankees (a great Robinson Cano dragged down by Miguel Cairo and Nick Green) nudged Texas in OPS+, but Texas had a better indexed on-base percentage. It’s my blog, so I’ll give the award to Texas.
Worst: The Blue Jays by an unhealthy margin. For probably no reason, Aaron Hill hit .339/.392/.463 at short and .268/.329/.348 at second. His assistants, mostly Russ Adams and Edgardo Alfonzo, were execrable.
Posted by Lucas at December 11, 2006 11:24 PM