MLB All-Star Countdown: AL Second Basemen

The battle for the American League’s second baseman has been the hardest for me to decide and the All-Star voting should be no different. All five of these players could easily be put into a different position in the top five and there is not sure fire way of telling who should be the starter for the AL.

5. Anikori Iwamura, Tampa Bay Rays
Placido Polanco gave Anikori Iwamura a run for the fifth spot on this list. The two have very similar stats. Offensively, Polanco only has 17 strikeouts compared to Iwamura’s 46. However Iwamura has more hits and runs than Polanco and more importantly than that, Iwamura is the only player on this list who has yet to commit an error.

4. Brian Roberts, Baltimore Orioles
It’s been a tale of two seasons for Brian Roberts. On one hand, you’ve got the Roberts who has 30 runs, five triples 30 walks and 16 stolen bases. On the other hand, he has 40 strikeouts and a mediocre .265 batting average. This isn’t an All-Star season for Roberts, although he has excelled in some aspects of the game.

3. Jose Lopez, Seattle Mariners
In his third season as a regular starter for Seattle, Jose Lopez is having a great year. The 24-year old has an astounding 70 hits while recording 100 total bases, 29 runs batted in and posting a .299 batting average. Lopez should be a premier second basemen in upcoming seasons.

2. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
While Dustin Pedroia’s .276 average doesn’t scream All-Star, the third-year Red Sox second baseman has been exceptional in other areas. He has 34 runs, four home runs, 28 runs batted in and 69 hits. Pedroia should be a front runner in this year’s All-Star voting.

1.Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
Ian Kinsler is the ultimate offensive machine when compared with the rest of the players on this list. Kinsler has a .309 average, 50 runs on 75 hits, 16 stolen bases, 15 doubles, seven home runs. Kinsler’s glove is the biggest cause for concern. He has not put up All-Star numbers on defense, committing an ugly 10 errors this season.

American league
C         A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox
1B        Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
2B        Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
3B       
SS       
OF      
OF      
OF      
P

National League
C         Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
1B        Lance Berkman, Houston Astros
2B        Next Up (Tentatively scheduled for Sunday May 8)
3B       
SS       
OF      
OF      
OF      
P