MLB: The game’s most valuable second basemen
By Bill Felber
MLB’s most valuable 2B of 2019
9. Hanser Alberto, Baltimore Orioles, $6.366 million value; $578,000 salary
If you don’t live in or near Baltimore, do you even know who Hanser Alberto is?
The Orioles got Alberto on a waiver claim in March after the Rangers, Yankees, Orioles, and Giants all gave up on him within a span of 14 months. He spent the bulk of his time at second but did a solid segment at third as well.
In the process, Alberto set personal highs in most every offensive category, including a .305 batting average. His previous best, .222, had come with the Rangers as a rookie in 2015. He delivered his first through 12th career home runs and produced 51 runs batted in, exceeding his previous career totals by 42.
Alberto’s 3.11 WAR ranked 10th best among second basemen and equated to $3.315 million. Sure-handed? Alberto’s .990 fielding average ranked fifth, justifying $981,000.
His 4.23 range per nine innings was 11th best, valuing out to $1.252 million. Between second and third, he played 1,102 innings, earning another $818,000.
The Orioles appear to have been impressed. Alberto split second base time with Jonathan Villar in 2019, but Villar – despite having the better numbers – was shipped to Miami for a minor leaguer this winter. That move gave Alberto what he really wanted: first dibs on the second base job full-time in 2020.