Opening Day is only six days away and most fantasy baseball drafts will be finished by Sunday night. The second base position has, for some time now, been the thinnest position in fantasy baseball. There are obviously the guys like Robinson Cano and Dustin Pedroia who perform at a very high level from the second base position. After that, there are a few more guys you could feel comfortable drafting. But after about the 10th second baseman taken, the pickings become very slim. That’s where I come in to help.
Aaron Hill and Chase Utley are very similar fantasy options. They both bat in the high .280s/low .290s. That is if they can stay healthy. Both of these guys have been bitten by the injury bug over the past few seasons. In 2012 Utley played in only 83 games, while Hill played in only 87 games last season.
Utley managed to play in 133 games last year, combining for a batting average of .284. He also hit 18 home runs and drove in 69 men. These were his highest home run and RBI totals since the 2009 season. When healthy, Utley can provide your team with steady numbers. You are no longer going to get 30 home runs and 100 RBIs from this guy, but he can keep you in a matchup.
Hill on the other hand had a great 2012 season that included a .300 batting average with 26 homers and 85 rib eyes. His 2013 was not so generous as he struggled with a hand injury for most of the season. Hill is three years younger than Utley at the ripe age of 32 years old, which could lead you to believe that his injuries won’t continue to nag.
Both of these guys are being taken anywhere from the ninth round up to the 13th round. The numbers between the two are very similar, the only question is who is the better option to have on your team. If Hill stays healthy, you would have to assume that he would put up better numbers that Utley. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, you never know when an injury could pop up. That is what is also so scary about drafting Utley. Since 2010, Utley has had injury problems and last season was the first time since 2009 that he played in over 130 games.
Overall, this is really a toss up and a judgement call on your part. If you had to choose one, the man that stands out to me is Hill. He is on a younger team, with a better offense that can produce a lot of runs in their offense-friendly ballpark. Utley is getting up there in age and his offense is suspect to say the least. Take your chances on Hill or pass on both of them all together.