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MLB 2017: Top ten second basemen

By Joshua Sadlock

Jul 5, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) on deck agains the Seattle Mariners in the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park. Astros won 5 to 2. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 5, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) on deck agains the Seattle Mariners in the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park. Astros won 5 to 2. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy (20) throws to first base during the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals in game three of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy (20) throws to first base during the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals in game three of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals

Hardly anyone that covers or watches the game of baseball saw Daniel Murphy’s 2016 season coming. Sure, he exploded in the 2015 postseason, but sustaining that type of production over a full season looked like the longest of long shots. What Murphy did last year served to completely change the way we have to think about him as a ballplayer going forward, and his $37.5-million contract could go down as one of the biggest free-agent steals in recent history.

For the first seven years of his MLB career with the New York Mets, Murphy slashed a very solid .288/.331/.424 with 62 home runs. He made an All-Star team in 2014, and made a reputation as one of the hardest players to strikeout. Last year, he batted .347/.390/.595 and led the NL in doubles, slugging, and OPS while striking out only 57 times the entire year. Murphy was able to keep up the power he found down the stretch in 2015 while maintaining his ability as one of the best contact hitters in baseball.

Murphy’s defense is a liability at second base, but that hardly matters at this point. He has been a negative in terms of dWAR for the past five years, but with an OPS approaching 1.000, that can be overlooked. Murphy should continue seeing the bulk of his starts at second base for the Nationals, but will make the occasional start at first base.

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