By Greg Fox
Rotowhine.com Assistant Editor
January 24, 2008

Each week leading up to the 2008 major league baseball regular season, Rotowhine.com will dissect the top players in both the American and National League at each key fantasy position.

Top 15 Second Basemen - National League
Believe it or not, the National League offers a variety of good options at the second base position. You certainly don’t need us to tell you that Chase Utley is the cream of the crop following a season in which he hit .332 with 22 homers and 103 RBI and missed nearly five weeks after breaking his right hand in late July. Not only is he the clear cut choice at his position, he should be considered with one of the top five selections in your drafts overall. He is not as prolific as his teammate Ryan Howard, but as second basemen go, Utley is several notches above his closest competitors. After Utley, we implore you to look past Brandon Phillips and grab Rickie Weeks. If a healthy and more disciplined Weeks can’t get it done hitting in front of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder in Milwaukee’s tiny park, then something is seriously wrong. If you miss out on Utley, Weeks and our #3 guy Phillips, you’ll still get to choose from several intriguing options, some of whom won’t be playing the position in ‘08, but should still qualify. So if this occurs, relax, take a deep breath, and find yourself a good shortstop. There will be a solid second baseman there for the taking, such as Orlando Hudson, who will be waiting for you with open arms in the latter rounds.

1. Chase Utley, PHI
2007 5×5 Stats: .332 BA, 104 R, 22 HR, 103 RBI, 9 SB
Age: 29 (12/17/78)
How much fun must it be to: 1. play in that wiffleball stadium disguised as a major league ballpark? and 2. hit in front of Ryan Howard? Utley puts up monumental numbers for anybody, let alone a second baseman. There is no reason to expect him to slow down. In fact, this should be the best year of his stellar career.
2008 Projections: .319 BA, 118 R, 28 HR, 112 RBI, 16 SB

2. Rickie Weeks, MIL
2007 5×5 Stats: .235 BA, 87 R, 16 HR, 36 RBI, 25 SB
Age: 25 (9/13/82)
Weeks has pretty much been abysmal through the first three full years of his career. But after returning to the big club following a 10-day stint last August in the minors, something clicked. He began to take more pitches and started to work out walks at a high rate. The power soon followed. This should be the beginning of the Rickie Weeks everyone has been expecting.
2008 Projections: .271 BA, 103 R, 21 HR, 61 RBI, 36 SB

3. Brandon Phillips, CIN
2007 5×5 Stats: .288 BA, 107 R, 30 HR, 94 RBI, 32 SB
Age: 26 (6/28/81)
Sweet fancy Moses. Phillips produced a season for the ages in ‘07 as far as second basemen go. But the crack staff at Rotowhine predicts that his undisciplined approach will catch up to him at some point, so why not in ‘08? He’ll still be better than almost everyone else at the position, but temper your enthusiasm as his numbers will likely decline.
2008 Projections: .273 BA, 89 R, 26 HR, 79 RBI, 30 SB

4. Yunel Escobar, ATL
2007 5×5 Stats: .326 BA, 54 R, 5 HR, 28 RBI, 5 SB
Age: 25 (11/2/82)
There is an Everest-like drop from Phillips to Escobar, but we very much like the Braves’ new starting shortstop. Yes, he will be playing short for Atlanta, but with 21 appearances last year at second, he should qualify for the position in most leagues. What we like most about him is his ability to hit the tar out of the ball. He also runs pretty well and has endeared himself to Bobby Cox so prepare for a breakout campaign.
2008 Projections: .303 BA, 87 R, 17 HR, 64 RBI, 10 SB

5. Dan Uggla, FLA
2007 5×5 Stats: .245 BA, 113 R, 31 HR, 88 RBI, 2 SB
Age: 28 (3/11/80)
The former Rule 5 pick is a fire hydrant disguised as a man. Even without Miguel Cabrera, the Marlins have a pretty formidable lineup to which Uggla will be a big part. Though not much of a stolen base threat, he has averaged 29 homers and 89 RBI in his first two full seasons. Needs to get his average at least to the .270 mark.
2008 Projections: .266 BA, 88 R, 25 HR, 76 RBI, 5 SB

6. Kelly Johnson, ATL
2007 5×5 Stats: .276 BA, 91 R, 16 HR, 68 RBI, 9 SB
Age: 26 (2/22/82)
Despite a late season slump, Johnson proved that he belongs as a regular at the major league level. He possesses a keen batting eye to go along with a surprising power stroke. If he can prove that he has the ability to hit left handers, Bobby Cox will be forced to use him on an everyday basis. Expect a nice increase in the batting average, runs, home run and RBI departments.
2008 Projections: .288 BA, 96 R, 20 HR, 71 RBI, 7 SB

7. Freddy Sanchez, PIT
2007 5×5 Stats: .304, 77 R, 11 HR, 81 RBI, 0 SB
Age: 30 (12/21/7)
Sanchez is as pure a hitter as they come and a terrific defensive player who will bat either second or third in the Pirates’ lineup. Doesn’t hit for much power and has been a disappointment on the basepaths, but he can be counted on to provide an outstanding batting average with solid runs and RBI totals.
2008 Projections: .311 BA, 82 R, 10 HR, 79 RBI, 2 SB

8. Orlando Hudson, ARZ
2007 5×5 Stats: .294 BA, 69 R, 10 HR, 63 RBI, 10 SB
Age: 30 (12/12/77)
Hudson was on his way to the best totals of his career when his season was derailed by a torn ligament in his left thumb. He should return to his customary second spot in the Diamondbacks’ order, where he should again provide double digit homers and steals with solid peripheral numbers. If his thumb looks opposable in spring training, jump all over him in the late rounds of your drafts.
2008 Projections: .289 BA, 90 R, 11 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB

9. Kaz Matsui, HOU
2007 5×5 Stats: .288 BA, 84 R, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 32 SB
Age: 32 (10/23/75)
Since his stunt double appeared following his departure from the Mets in 2006, Matsui has done a nice job of resurrecting what seemed to be a major league career fraught with disaster. He’s done a steady job defensively and should be a shoe-in for another 30-plus steal season, believe it or not a rarity at this position. Now an Astro, expect him to bat either first or second in the order and record solid batting average and runs totals.
2008 Projections: .283 BA, 86 R, 7 HR, 48 RBI, 31 SB

10. Jeff Kent, LAD
2007 5×5 Stats: .302 BA, 78 R, 20 HR, 79 RBI, 1 SB
Age: 40 (3/7/68)
Though no longer at the top of the food chain, the 40-year old Kent still has plenty of life left in his bat. We just don’t think he has any more 500 at-bat seasons left in him. Still, he’ll be hitting in the heart of a tough Dodger order and last year proved that the all-time second base home run king isn’t close to being done.
2008 Projections: .278 BA, 77 R, 22 HR, 76 RBI, 2 SB

11. Tad Iguchi, SD
2007 5×5 Stats: .267 BA, 67 R, 9 HR, 43 RBI, 14 SB
Age: 33 (12/4/74)
Signed in the offseason with the Padres, thus choosing to play half of his home games in Yellowstone National Park. He may not be the smartest guy in the world, but Iguchi is a talented offensive player who will likely bat second for his new team. A solid batting average and double figures in home runs and steals in not out of the question.
2008 Projections: .277 BA, 83 R, 10 HR, 61 RBI, 15 SB

12. Ryan Theriot, CHI
2007 5×5 Stats: .266 BA, 80 R, 3 HR, 45 RBI, 28 SB
Age: 28 (12/7/79)
In the mold of Kaz Matsui, Theriot will be one of the few NL second basemen who is capable of stealing 30 bases. The biggest question with Theriot involves where he will bat in the Cubs order. If he bats first or second, he could be one of the steals of your draft. If he drops to the eight hole, he’ll be a wasted pick.
2008 Projections: .272 BA, 79 R, 5 HR, 47 RBI, 32 SB

13. Luis Castillo, NYM
2007 5×5 Stats: .301 BA, 91 R, 1 HR, 38 RBI, 19 SB
Age: 32 (9/12/75)
With his slap-happy approach at the plate, it’s a wonder how Castillo ever gets a hit. But he’s been doing it his way for over a decade and has batted better than .290 in eight of the past nine years. Hitting in the two-hole for the Mets, Castillo should approach 100 runs and 20 steals. Hopefully, the nagging leg injuries that have slowed him on the basepaths in recent years are behind him.
2008 Projections: .288 BA, 94 R, 1 HR, 40 RBI, 22 SB

14. Ray Durham, SF
2007 5×5 Stats: .218 BA, 56 R, 11 HR, 71 RBI, 10 SB
Age: 36 (11/30/71)
Following an incredible 2006 campaign, Durham was absolutely horrendous from start to finish last year. With Kevin Frandsen breathing down his neck, Durham needs to get off to a good start in ‘08. A solid hitter year-in and year-out, we’ll consider last year an aberration. The Giants need Durham to be at his best for their offense to become respectable again.
2008 Projections: .264 BA, 65 R, 14 HR, 68 RBI, 6 SB

15. Marcus Giles, COL
2007 5×5 Stats: .229 BA, 52 R, 4 HR, 39 RBI, 10 SB
Age: 29 (5/18/78)
Giles may have been an even bigger disappointment than Ray Durham last year, but Petco Park can do that to a person. Now in baseball’s version of Xanadu, Giles has a chance to get his once promising career back on track. Check the spring training position battles closely in Colorado. Giles has a leg up going in, but Jeff Baker or Jayson Nix could supplant him the moment he begins to falter.
2008 Projections: .263 BA, 54 R, 9 HR, 49 RBI, 11 SB

Coming Monday (Jan. 28): Jeff Andriesse breaks down the Top 15 American League shortstops.