AL Central Position Rankings - Second Base

[Seth Stohs]

The voting for preseason AL Central catcher and first basemen will continue for another day, but let's get the discussion going on "Which AL Central Second Baseman will be the best in 2012?" Vote now and comment your rankings.

 

The Second Basemen (2011 stats)

 

Minnesota Twins - Alexi Casilla - .260/.322/.368 (.691) with 21-2B, 3-3B, 2-HR, 21 RBI

Chicago White Sox - Gordon Beckham - .230/.296/.337 (.633) with 23-2B, 0-3B, 10-HR, 44 RBI

Cleveland Indians - Jason Kipnis MLB - .272/.333/.507 (.841) with 9-2B, 1-3B, 7-HR, 19 RBI

Jason Kipnis MILB - .280/.362/.484 (.846) with 16-2B, 9-3B, 12-HR, 55 RBI

Detroit Tigers - Brandon Inge - .197/.265/.283 (.548) with 10-2B, 2-3B, 3-HR, 23 RBI

Kansas City Royals - Johnny Giavotella - .247/.273/.376 (.649) with 9-2B, 4-3B, 2-HR, 21 RBI

Johnny Giavotella - .338/.390/.481 (.871) with 34-2B, 2-3B, 9-HR, 72 RBI

 

SUMMARY

 

Alexi Casilla was so bad in April of 2011 that his numbers don't show that he was pretty solid after May. Of course, he also missed the last two months of the 2011 season because of a hamstring injury. He is still just 27 years old.

 

Gordon Beckham was so bad in 2011 that his sophomore slump didn't look bad at all. He did play in a career-high 150 games as Ozzie Guillen continued to stand by him. He will be 25 years old throughout the season.

 

35-year-old Brandon Inge was so bad in 2011 that he was designated for assignment and no one claimed him or his contract. He accepted going to AAA and when he came back, he accepted a bench role. In 2012, he will be given an opportunity to play 2B since Miguel Cabrera moving to 3B.

 

The .846 OPS that Kipnis put up in AAA-Columbus was the lowest he had at any minor league stop since Cleveland made him their 2nd round pick in 2009. He debuted with the Indians and showed a lot of power. He will turn 25 right before the season begins.

 

Giavotella was the Royals 2nd round pick in 2008. He struggled in the lower levels, but has lit up AA in 2010 and AAA in 2011. He debuted with the Royals late last year and played 46 games. Following the season, he had hip surgery. He is already playing in Royals spring training.

 

There is the information, now it is time to vote. Who will be the best second baseman in the AL Central in 2012?

 

My choice?

 

[Neinstein]

Kipnis

Beckham

Casilla

Giavotella

Inge

[Fanatic Jack]

Casilla has never even played 100 games in a season. The Twins need him to stay healthy and get off to a fast start.

[dave_dw]

Outside of maybe the NL West, this has got to be the worst division for 2B in the MLB.

[whydidnt]

Boy, what a bunch of ick. I picked Kipnis, but you basically have a group of 5 unproven players at 2B. Beckham seems to have the talent, but hasn't figured things out, so he could always surprise. If I was building a team this is the order I'd put them in, though it's not too unlikely Casilla has a better year than Giavotella --- Kipnis, Beckham, Giavotella, Casilla, Inge. Am I the only one that wonders why the Twins continue to try and force Casilla into a starters role? It seems obvious he would be a great utility/bu middle IF as every time he's given the starters job he throws up all over himself.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

I agree with "why didnt"--what a bunch of ick. I went with Beckham just cause I think he has biggest upside. If I was GM and this was my choice--I would go to the waiver wire and pick somebody else. I cant understand why the Twins keep giving Casilla a shot, and let him keep failing...move Carroll to 2B and play Nishi at SS.

[Mike Sixel]

The Twins keep trying to force Casilla into a starter's role, because they have no other options. None.

[whydidnt]

I think this points to what a HUGE mistake the Twins made dealing Hardy last year. He signed a reasonable contract, is a good fielder and is at least competent hitting. How much better would we all feel going into the season with Hardy at Short and Carroll at 2nd?

[Thrylos]

Casilla

Kipnis

Giavotella

Beckham

Inge

[Jim Crikket]

I think this points to what a HUGE mistake the Twins made dealing Hardy last year. He signed a reasonable contract, is a good fielder and is at least competent hitting. How much better would we all feel going into the season with Hardy at Short and Carroll at 2nd?

You're assuming the Twins would have signed Carroll even if they still had Hardy, which I think is highly unlikely. They signed Carroll specifically because they didn't have a SS they had any confidence in.

[mysonlikes7]

Jason Kipnis

Alexi Casilla

Johnny Giavotella

Gordon Beckham

Brandon Inge

[StormJH1]

I think Kipnis is legit. He already showed the power in his first partial season in the bigs. If the guy hits .260 with 20 HR's at second base, could you imagine the Twins EVER having a guy who did that?

 

And for those who think Casilla is better than Beckham (or Kipnis), what exactly are you basing that on? We know what Alexi Casilla's ceiling is. We'd kill to have even the 2008 Casilla back on this team. Beckham was only 24 last year and already has more ability to produce runs than does Casilla. He only made 8 errors at second over close to a full season also. I'd take either of those guys in a heartbeat.

[whydidnt]

You're assuming the Twins would have signed Carroll even if they still had Hardy, which I think is highly unlikely. They signed Carroll specifically because they didn't have a SS they had any confidence in.

The point isn't that they signed Carroll. It's that they let a quality SS go, in favor of Cassilla. Cassilla does not belong in ML teams starting lineup, at least now. Especially one that has playoff designs. It was a horrible decision to give away Hardy and they would be in a much better place today if they hadn't made that hasty decision.

[Thrylos]

I think Kipnis is legit. He already showed the power in his first partial season in the bigs. If the guy hits .260 with 20 HR's at second base, could you imagine the Twins EVER having a guy who did that?.

Eddie Rosario could be that guy in 2014 or 2015, but in 2008 Luke Hughes hit .309 with 18 HRs between AA and AAA and last season Mike Hollimon hit .231 with 18 HRs between AA and AAA. If one of those gets 600 PAs at second base one of these days, they might as well do it.

[jwestbrock]

Kipnis, Giavotella, Beckham, Casilla, Inge. I look at it as "would I trade this person looking at both this year and long term?" I would trade Inge for anybody in a heartbeat and I assume the Tigers would as well. I would not trade Kipnis for anyone short of Cano, Pedroia, Kinsler or Weeks, and possibly Ackley. Giavotella gets the second spot based more on his future than necessarily his present, but I think he can conceivably and probably will be the second best second baseman in the AL Central this year anyway. Beckham and Casilla are basically a tossup, I would probably trade Casilla to get Beckham because Beckham will at least likely stay on the field.

 

Two other points, in Fangraphs Position Power Rankings, no AL Central second base squad ranked higher than 19 (Cleveland), that probably says all we need to know anyway, and they have Raburn, not Inge listed, as Detroit's starter, though I'm not sure that would change my rankings much. It might have dropped Casilla to the last spot but that is it.