MLB: The game’s most valuable second basemen
By Bill Felber
MLB’s most valuable 2B of 2019
8. Jose Altuve, Houston Astros, $6.669 million value; $9.5 million salary
Many would put Altuve at or at least near the top of the ranks of second basemen, but the 2019 data doesn’t really justify that lofty gesture.
The albatross dragging down Altuve’s overall rating is his defensive performance, which in 2019 was substandard. His .972 fielding average ranked just 29th among the 35 eligibles at second base, translating to just $963,000 in on-field value.
It’s a fair criticism of fielding average that it tends to magnify the importance of select, and often judgmental, events. Altuve’s .972 average, for example, is based on 11 errors. While that matches his career-high, it’s hardly enough to eliminate the role of chance in finalizing the number.
The problem is that Altuve’s range also comes up as problematic. He got to just 3.38 balls per nine innings, well below the 4.10 group average and dead last in the group. Based on range, Altuve justifies a mere $1 million salary.
His go-to strength, obviously, is at the plate. Altuve delivered 31 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .298 batting average, all of which would satisfy most second basemen. Altuve, however, is not most second basemen. His 149 hits and his batting average were both personal worsts since 2013. His 3.7 WAR did beat the positional average, ranking ninth best.
But even that and his slightly above average 1,026 innings played weren’t enough to erase the impact of those mediocre fielding ratings.
Every player who can hit, even those who play a defensive-oriented position, will be primarily viewed through the prism of his bat. That’s why Altuve is thought of so highly. His defense doesn’t undermine his value entirely, but it does moderate that value.