The Five Greatest Second Base Seasons in Diamondbacks History

A tightly bunched group with some sentimental favorites

This is the third in a series chronicling the best seasons by a Diamondback at each position around the diamond. In the franchise's short 25 year history they've had some great player seasons. In order to avoid certain players appearing multiple times however, this will be limited to one mention per player at a position.  Objective statistical measures are relied upon of course,  but this is not a straight WAR ranking. Subjective factors, intangibles, team success and even "clutch" are all considered as equally if not more important than a few decimal points difference in WAR.

Here then are the five greatest second base seasons in Diamondbacks History

Number 5:   Orlando Hudson 2007

Baseball Reference

Orlando Hudson came over to the Diamondbacks for the 2006 season from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Troy Glaus.  This was one of Josh Byrnes more successful trades.  Hudsons contact, slashing approach at the plate played well in chase field, leading to a lot of extra base hits.  Combined with his Gold Glove caliber defense he was a mainstay for three solid years.  2007 is the season chosen for this ranking. Statistically similar, but with a slightly higher WAR and OPS+  than 2006, Hudson was a key cog on a division winning playoff team that made it to the NLCS. 

Hudson always had an exuberant personality and was popular with teammates, coaches, and fans. Today he is a coach in the minor league system and can be seen on the back fields at the club's Salt River spring training complex in February. 

Number 4:  Craig Counsell 2005

Baseball Reference

Craig Counsell was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 15th, 2000 midway through spring training.  Five days later the Diamondbacks signed him as a free agent.  The utility infielder was a key member of the 2001 world championship team and over the years managed to get in 120 games on average each year splitting time between second base, shortstop, and third base.  But in 2005 he played second base exclusively and turned in the best defensive season by a Diamondbacks infielder in franchise history, racking up +30 defensive runs saved.  Coupled with a respectable .350 on base percentage it was Counsell's best overall season. 

His 5.5 WAR total is actually the second highest of any second Diamondbacks second baseman.  Due to just a touch less confidence in the overall accuracy of the fielding metrics, and the fact the 2005 D-backs were a 77 win team knocks him down a rung or two in this ranking.  But if you have a strong confidence in the rDRS metric,  then it would be easy to justify putting him number two on this list. 

Number 3:  Aaron Hill 2012

Baseball Reference

Aaron Hill was Kevin Towers most successful trade acquisition. Brought over  in a trade with the Blue Jays in August of 2011,  he had a scorching six week run helping  the D-backs down the stretch on their way to a division title. He was just as good in 2012, but this time for an entire season.  His  park and league adjusted 133 OPS+ is the highest by a Diamondback second baseman ever, and his 26 homers are the second most. 

Hill also won the silver slugger award that year, while registering a league average defensive season.  

Number 2: Jay Bell 1999

Baseball Reference

Two days before the expansion draft in November of 1997, the Diamondbacks made their first splash in the free agent market signing  32 year old Jay Bell to a five year, $34 million contract.  A solid 20 homer, four WAR  season in 1998, helping lend the fledging franchise some legitimacy was followed by an explosion in 1999.  Bell socked a career high 38 homers and drove in 112 runs while scoring 131. 

Batting second in the order for all but a handful of games, Bell was incredibly consistent that year, never posting a month with an OPS below .800 . He saved the best for last however, batting .347 with seven homers and a 1.115 OPS in September for a 100 win team that ran away with the NL West by 14 games.  It should be noted that 1999 was an extremely high run scoring year for MLB, so when adjusted for league context some of Bells' numbers take a bit of a hit. His WAR total of 4.9 ranks 4th best, and OPS+ second best behind Hill's 2012.  But the overall impact of his season is arguably the greatest of any second baseman in franchise history.

Number 1:  Jean Segura 2016

Baseball Reference

Jean Segura only spent one season with the Diamondbacks but what a season it was. Not only did he do everything, but he did everything great.  He led the league in hits with 203, but with 41 doubles, seven triples and 20 homers he was hardly a singles hitter.  He had 33 stolen bases, and nine defensive runs saved above average.

It all added up to 6.4 WAR and 4.4 Wins Above Average, both by far the highest tally of any second baseman in franchise history.  I said at the outset that this was not a straight WAR ranking, but the gap between Segura and Bell's WAR is not mere decimal points, it's 1.5 . When looking at the totality of his all around great season, the case is made. 

Honorable mentions go to Kelly Johnson and Junior Spivey. Johnson could easily have been number five on this list. His 4.3 WAR in 2010 was equal to Hudson's 2007. He hit .284/.370/.496, .865 OPS, with 26 homers  good for a 127 OPS+ .  Spivey made the All Star team in 2002 hitting .301 with 16 homers and 78 RBI. His 3.9 WAR leave him close but on the outside looking in for this list. 

Here is the list of D-backs franchise second baseman, (minimum 100 PA and over 60% of games at 2b)

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After reading this article who would you vote for the best single season by a #Diamondbacks second baseman ?

— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) January 3, 2023

Previous article in this series

Catcher

First base

Third Base