When I filled out my online All-Star ballot for the first of 25 times this season the other day, checking the box next to the Phillies Chase Utley as NL second baseman seemed like a no-brainer. A quick review of the numbers that Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla is producing, however, suggests it shouldn’t have been such a quick decision. Let’s compare their year-to-date stats, shall we? Heading into this weekend’s big NL East showdown between the Marlins and Phillies, here is how the two stack up:
Utley
Batting Average: .310
Home Runs: 17
RBI: 46
Runs: 42
Slugging Percentage: .638
OPS: 1.032
Uggla
Batting Average: .307
Home Runs: 16
RBI: 38
Runs: 41
Slugging Percentage: .667
OPS: 1.053
As you can see, it’s a virtual dead heat, with Utley holding just the slightest of edges. I looked behind their numbers using the data from my job with Inside Edge scouting services, and made some more in-depth comparisons between the two. My findings are the lead story on the baseball page over at ESPN.com this morning. They are in the Inside Edge “Three Things to Watch” section for today, which is part of the ESPN Insider package. Normally, this is a subscription service, but today they are giving everyone a free sneak peek behind the curtain so I would encourage you to take a look, and if you like what you see, sign up for an Insider account while you are there. Just click on either of the screen shots I have provided here for a link to the Uggla-Utley analysis.
Filed under: Fantasy Baseball | Tagged: All-Star game, Baseball, Chase Utley, Dan Uggla, ESPN Insider, Fantasy Baseball, Inside Edge scouting services, sports
