Second Basemen, Pt. 2

Keeping Up With the Keystone

Rotoman’s Fantasy Guide A-Z 2026, PDF for Buyers of the Book

A few people who bought the book have asked for PDF copies.

Here’s a link. Updated 2/6/2026

The file is password protected. The password is the first word in the Clarke Schmidt profile on page 121.

I’m trying to incorporate corrections into this version so you’ll see team changes and the like updated. The lists are ending up a little out of order, but I hope this helps. If you bought the PDF this edition should be a little more up to date. If you bought the book it definitely is.

NEWSMAX

Blaze Alexander, traded to the Orioles: As a right-handed bat to platoon with Jackson Holliday, this might help the Baltimore teams’s offense. But while Holliday struggled against lefties last year it feels premature to give up on him finding a way. But their analytics people probably know better than I how often young players develop out of their platoon issues.

Kade Strowd, traded to the Diamondbacks: He was an effective reliever for 26.3. innings last year in Baltimore, but he walked too many guys to maintain the low ERA he ended up with because of the holy trinity of luck measures. He’s an older arm unlikely to be given many leveraged opportunities.

Jose Urquidy, signed by the Pirates: He returned after 2024 TJ last summer and pitched effectively in Triple-A. He should get a shot at the back of the Pirates rotation. He’s never been a big strikeout guy and he will rely on his control and smarts and hope to benefit from a Pirates lineup that should have a bit more thump. He’s probably limited innings-wise.

THE STORE

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THE RETURN OF MARTIN PEREZ

George writes: Martin Perez has been stealing money from owners for the past 12 seasons, Peter. In 2014 Perez received a 4 yr/$12.5M extension with the Rangers. He signed a 1 yr/$3.5M deal with the Twins (2019), 1 yr/$6M with the Red Sox in '20, 1 yr/$5M with the Red Sox (again) in '21, 1 yr/$4M with the Rangers in '22, he accepted the Rangers $19.65 QO on '23, 1 yr/$8M with the Pirates in '24, and 1 yr/$5 with the White Sox ($3.5M salary + $1.5M buyout if $10M 2026 mutual option is declined) in 2025. My one question is what were the Rangers thinking giving Perez the QO after the 2022 season?

The Return of Martin Perez. Photo By Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA - Martin Perez, CC BY-SA 2.0

That’s an impressive recounting of Perez’s salaries, George. Here are some of his stats on Fangraphs since 2021:

One year is unlike the others. In 2022 Perez didn’t allow homers.

These three columns show his HR/FB rate, his velocity, and his ERA. He threw harder in 2021, but the ERA didn’t come down. But in 2022 he allowed few homers per fly ball, and his ERA plummeted. In subsequent years the velocity fell, but only in 2025 did the ERA come down. When the homers came down.

That’s Perez’s secret sauce.

I thought this detail might be helpful because it is so stark. And it is often equally stark with pitchers in their best or worst years.

SECOND BASEMEN, PT 2

I had a notion how to handle these Part 2 pieces and I’ve been doing it wrong. The first piece of business should be to look at the guys I have in the Top 22 who the NFBC is ranking below that level.

Then we’ll look at the guys who should be of interest, either good or bad, in AL or NL only roto leagues.

I’ll revisit Catchers and First Basemen this way soon.

NOT STARTING IN NFBC

Andres Gimenez, Blue Jays: Immediately we see how this approach helps. Gimenez is going 303rd in NFBC drafts because of injuries last year and clearly an unlucky batting average. He’s earned $19, $18, and $2 the last three years and I priced him at $15, expecting a full comeback. He’s being steeply discounted.

Colt Keith, Tigers: He’s going one pick before Gimenez despite earnings of $14 and $10 the last two years. He’s shown a lot more power facing righties, so it looks like he’s going to platoon. That matters more in the NFBC tournament than it does in an AL only roto league. The other issue is how long until the arrival of Kevin McGonigle, who could take any of the infield jobs that are not first base. The NFBCers are probably right about this one.