Second Base
- Robinson Cano, 43.6 WAR
- Ben Zobrist, 33.2 WAR
- Dustin Pedroia, 33.1 WAR
Back in 2010, Robinson Cano was in his sixth season with the Yankees and had been in the playoffs every year but one. He would play in the Bronx for another three years and make the playoffs twice more. Then he signed with the Seattle Mariners and hasn’t sniffed the playoffs since.
More recently, Cano’s journey to 3000 hits and a possible Hall of Fame invitation was sidelined by a PED suspension. Technically, he was suspended for using a diuretic that is often used to mask PED use, but the result is the same—he’ll miss 80 games. It’s a big blow to the Mariners playoff chances.
After Cano, there’s a tight race for the next spot among second basemen since 2010. Ben Zobrist, Dustin Pedroia, and Ian Kinsler are all within one win of each other according to Fangraphs. All three are on the downside of their careers, but Zobrist is having a bit of a late-30s surge. He’s hitting .281/.374/.414 for the Cubs this year.
Pedroia just came off the DL after having a cartilage restoration procedure last October. He’s 34 years old and will likely get plenty of rest this season in an effort to stay healthy. Kinsler is 36 years old and struggling with a .195/.266/.302 batting line for the Los Angeles Angels. As bad as he’s been, he’s not the biggest albatross in that lineup <cough>Albert Pujols <cough>.
If LeBron James continues his NBA Finals streak for a couple more years, it’s likely Jose Altuve moves up to second on this list. He’s coming on strong as the Zobrist, Pedroia and Kinsler trio fades into their mid-to-late 30s.