Free agent rankings: Second basemen

As we continue to break down this weak free agency class by position, here is our look at the available second basemen. It's a 37-year-old now beloved in San Francisco and a bunch of utility-types who make up the class. There are some guys that could pass as serviceable starters, but overall this is a pretty lackluster group.

By Matt Snyder

Nov 1, 2012 at 11:19 am ET • 3 min read

Scutaro heads up a lackluster class of free-agent second basemen. (US Presswire)

As we continue to break down this weak free agency class by position, here is our look at the available second basemen. It's a 37-year-old now beloved in San Francisco and a bunch of utility types who make up the class. There are some guys that could pass as serviceable starters, but overall this is a pretty lackluster group.

Basically, if a team is desperate to sign a starting second baseman, chances are it will end up overpaying.

1. Marco Scutaro | 2012 teams: Rockies, Giants
2012 stats: .306/.348/.405, 7 HR, 74 RBI, 87 R, 32 2B

Scutaro is a good player coming off an impressive postseason -- and he tore it up for the Giants once traded to San Francisco -- but the fact that this 37-year-old middle infielder is atop the free agency rankings shows just how weak this class is. He'll make a quality starter for someone, but he's never even been an All-Star (and it's not that hard to qualify these days, with upwards of 80 players being named to the teams).

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2. Jeff Keppinger | 2012 team: Rays
2012 stats: .325/.367/.439, 9 HR, 40 RBI, 46 R

Though Keppinger's batting average was stellar last season, he's essentially a journeyman 32-year-old middle infielder with an average-ish career hitting line. And he's ranked second here. Did I mention this is a weak free agency class?

3. Freddy Sanchez | 2012 team: Giants
2012 stats: Did not play (injury)

Sanchez, 34, is a three-time All-Star and led the league in doubles and batting average in 2006. In 2011, he hit .289/.332/.397 in 60 games for the Giants. He's a career .297 hitter, though he hasn't been healthy for a full season since 2008.

4. Maicer Izturis | 2012 team: Angels
2012 stats: .256/.320/.315, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 35 R, 17 SB

He's a good base stealer and can feasibly play three different positions, so there's that. Izturis's career .273 average and .337 on-base percentage aren't horrible, either, so he could pass as a starter, though he's better served as a utility backup.

5. Kelly Johnson | 2012 team: Blue Jays
2012 stats: .225/.313/.365, 16 HR, 55 RBI, 61 R, 14 SB

Remember 2010, when Johnson hit .284 with 26 bombs and an .865 OPS? That seems a distant memory, as Johnson has been a major disappointment since. He's surely to find work based upon his power upside, but at age 30, it's hard to see him landing any sort of decent-sized contract.

6. Jeff Baker | 2012 teams: Cubs, Tigers, Braves
2012 stats: .248/.287/.405, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 18 R, 12 2B

He's a career .266 hitter and has appeared in game action at the following positions: First base, second base, third base, left field and right field. He's 31. I expect him to find a bench role with some club, but there's no chance he's a starter anywhere.

7. Ryan Theriot | 2012 team: Giants
2012 stats: .270/.316/.321, 0 HR, 28 RBI, 45 R, 13 SB

He's worth a signing just on the off-chance he has some kind of karmic powers, as Theriot won a World Series ring each of the past two seasons, one with the Cardinals and one with the Giants. Also, hard to believe he's 32, no? He doesn't seem that old to me, for some reason.

8. Mike Fontenot | 2012 team: Phillies
2012 stats: .289/.343/.340, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 13 R

His once-decent power has waned and his time as a big leaguer is going to be concluded here in the next few years.

9. Jose Lopez | 2012 teams: Indians and White Sox
2012 stats: .246/.270/.356, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 18 R, 14 2B

In 2009 as a 25-year-old starter for the Mariners, Lopez had 25 homers and 96 RBI. He will turn 29 this month, and he will be lucky to find a major-league job.

10. Adam Kennedy | 2012 team: Dodgers
2012 stats: .262/.345/.357, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 22 R

The best story line here, in my opinion, is if Kennedy signs with a new team because it would mark the sixth consecutive season he will have changed addresses. In that time, he's been with the Cardinals (2007-08), A's (2009), Nationals (2010), Mariners (2011) and Dodgers (2012).

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