Free-Agent Second Basemen

Now for the scouting reports on Free-Agent Second Basemen.

I believe this year's crop of second basemen is pretty good.

Again, free-agents are ranked ranked by whom I believe is the best available based on age, recent performance, career numbers, translated numbers, and injuries.

***This is an article in a series of articles reviewing 2004 free agents. Any questions you may have can most likely be answered in the first article of the series: "Free-Agent Catchers"***

1. Mark Bellhorn(30): Signed with Red Sox 2004 Statistics- .264/.373/.444, 17 HR, 177/88 K/BB, 39.1 VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .258/.373/.446, .285 EqA////Career batting line of .242/.354/.412--////Translated career batting line of .242/.356/.420, .272 EqA////Career K/BB of exactly 2/1--////Last 4 seasons spent in Boston (slight hitter's park), Colorado (severe hitter's park), and Chicago Cubs (slight pitcher's park)////Only has played two full seaons, and in those two seasons (2002, and 2004) his EqA's were .300 and .285////2004 represent career highs in AVG, K's, and BB's for Bellhorn////

2. Jeff Kent(37): Signed with Dodgers, 2 years (estimated $17 million) 2004 Statistics - .289/.348/.531, 27 HR, 96/49 K/BB, 52.1 VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .283/.347/.524, .288 EqA////Career batting line of .289/.352/.505--////Translated career batting line of .292/.356/.517, .290 EqA////Career K/BB of 2.12/1--////Last 4 seasons spent in Houston(moderate hitter's park), and SF(severe pitcher's park)////2004 represented worst showing in AVG, OBP, and EqA for Kent since 1997////

3. Miguel Cairo(31): Signed with Mets, 1 yr/$900,000 2004 Statistics- .292/.346/.417, 6 HR, 49/18 K/BB, 22.4 VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .301/.358//.434, .276 EqA////Career batting line of .273/.322/.370--////Translated career batting line of .273/.323/.395, .250 EqA////Career K/BB of 1.92/1--////Last 4 seasons spent in New York Yankees (slight pitcher's park), and St. Louis(moderate pitcher's park)////Cairo is the only second basemen whose EqA trend in the last three year is going upwards (02'-.240, 03'-241, 04'-.288)////No longer a SB threat like he was in 1998 - 2000 (98'-19, 99'-22, 00'-28), but did steal 11 bases for New York this year////2004 represented best year in Cairo's career according to EqA////

4. Placido Polanco(29): Accepted Arbitration with Phillies, 2004 Statistics - .298/.345/.441, 17 HR, 39/27 K/BB, 30.0 VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .296/.342/.439, .268 EqA////Career batting line of .296/.339/.410--////Translated career batting line of .296/.338/.412, .261 EqA////Great career K/BB of 1.41/1--////Last 4 seasons spent in Philadelphia (moderate pitchers park in 01', 02', 03 ', and a slight hitter's park in 2004)////Huge surge in HR last 2 years (15 in 03', 19 in 04;), every other season in the Major Leagues, Polanco hit no more than 6 HR////Has shown an ability to steal bases (14 SB in 2003)////

5. Todd Walker(32): Signed with Cubs, 1 year ($2.5 million) 2004 Statistics- .274/.352/.468, 15 HR, 52/43 K/BB, 27.0 VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .269/.350/.458, .274 EqA////Career batting line of .289/.347/.437--////Translated career batting line of .282/.393/.429, .266 EqA////Very Good Career K/BB of 1.47/1--////Spent last 4 seasons in four different cities: Boston (slight hitter's park), Colorado (severe hitter's park), Cincinatti (Neutral park), and Chicago Cubs (slight pitcher's park)////2004 represent Walker's second best season of career according to EqA (2000, Colorado = .276 EqA)////Has hit 12-15 HR every year since 2001////

6. Tony Womack(35): Signed with Yankees, 2 years ($4 million) 2004 Statistics- .307/.349/.385, 5 HR, 60/36 K/BB, 33.3 VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .309/.353/.386, .266 EqA////Career batting line of .274/.319/.362--////Translated career batting line of .267/.311/.352, .244 EqA////Career K/BB of 2.06/1--////Spent last four seaons in 4 cities: St. Louis (moderate pitcher's park), Chicago Cubs (slight pitcher's park), Arizona (severe hitter's park), and Colorado (severe hitter's park)////Can steal bases--every year when healthy, Womack has stolen between 26-72 bases////2004 represented Womack's career best season according to EqA in season with 100+ AB////

7. Carlos Baerga(36): --only 85 AB's in 2004-- 2003 Statistics- .343/.396/.464, 4 HR, 20/18 K/BB, 18.8 VORP////2003 Translated Statistics- .332/.350/.458, .289 EqA////Career batting line of .292/.332/.425--////Translated career batting line of .300/.345/.459, .273 EqA////Career K/BB of 1.98/1--////Didn't play much last year due to injury////2004 EqA = .215--////Has been a backup since return to baseball in 2002////Spent last three seasons in Arizona (severe pitcher's park) and Boston (slight hitter's park)////

8. Eric Young(38): Signed with Milwaukee, 1 year ($1 million) 2004 Statistics- .288/.377/.381, 1 HR, 28/43 K/BB, 12.8 VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .277/.373/.375, .266 EqA////Career batting line of .285/.361/.392--////Translated career batting line of .272/.350/.379, .262 EqA////Career K/BB of .689/1 (I haven't done the research, but that ratio has to be one of the best ever)--////Last 4 seasons spent in Texas (severe hitter's park), SF (severe pitcher's park), and Milwaukee (neutral park)////When healthy, Young has stolen between 28-74 bases every year////Career SB/CS of 450/160-(2.81/1)////

9. Roberto Alomar(37): Signed by Devil Rays, 1 year/$600,000 2004 Statistics- .263/.321/.392, 4 HR, 31/14 K/BB, 3.0 VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .254/.311/.382, 211 EqA//// Career batting line of .300/.371/.443--////Translated career batting line of .308/.382/.472, .295 EqA////Spent last season in both Chicago (Whitesox), and Arizona////Spectacular career K/BB of 1.10/1--////Spent last 4 season in 4 different cities: NY Mets (severe pitcher's park), Chicago (slight hitter's park), Arizona (severe hitter's park), and Cleveland (neutral park)////No longer a SB threat////

10. Mark Grudzielanek(35): Signed with Cardinals, 1 year/$1 million 2004 Statistics - .307/.347/.432, 6 HR, 32/15 K/BB, 16.0 VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .301/.341/.426, .264 EqA////Career batting line of .287/.330/.389--////Translated career batting line of .288/.330/.394, .254 EqA////Not a very good career K/BB of 2.67/1--////Injured for part of 2004////Last four seasons spent in Los Angeles(severe pitcher's park) and Chicago Cubs(slight pitcher's park)////Battled Todd Walker for playing time last year in Chicago////2004 represented second best season in career in SLG% for Grudzielanek (.436 in Los Angeles in 1999)////

11. Enrique Wilson(31): Signed minor league contract with Orioles 2004 Statistics - .213/.254/.325, 6 HR, 20/15 K/BB, (-7.9) VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .217/.266/.332, .209 EqA////Career batting line of .246/.288/.352--////Translated career batting line of .243/.290/.351, .223 EqA////Career K/BB of 1.95/1--////Last four seasons spent in New York Yankees (slight pitcher's park) and Pittsburgh (neutral park)////

12. Juan Castro(33): Signed with Minnesota (2 years-$2.05 million) 2004 Statistics- .244/.277/.378, 5 HR, 51/14 K/BB, (-1.2) VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .247/.280/.380, .228 EqA////Career batting line of .226/.269/.331--////Translated career batting line of .226/.269/.332, .210 EqA////Terrible career K/BB of 2.99/1--////Spent last four seaons in Cincinatti (neutral park)////Castro has never broken .300 in OBP in his entire career////

13. Pokey Reese(32): Signed with Mariners, 1 year/$1.2 million 2004 Statistics - .221/.271/.303, 3 HR, 60/17 K/BB, (-6.9) VORP////2004 Translated Statistics- .211/.265/.297, .205 EqA////Career batting line of .248/.307/.352--////Translated career batting line of .241/.299/.342, .235 EqA////Not-so-good career K/BB of 2.35/1--////Spent last four injury-ridden seasons in Boston (slight hitter's park), Pittsburgh (neutral park), and San Diego (severe pitcher's park)////Every full healthy season (400+ AB), except 2002, Reese has hit 9 or more HR, and stolen 25 or more bases////

Next up, free-agent shortstops.

Thank you for reading.

Frank Bundy III

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to email me at frnkbndy@yahoo.com