Nov. 06--The Tribune will be doing position-by-position analyses for the 2015 White Sox. Next up is second base.
Key 2015 statistics
Carlos Sanchez: 120 games, 117 at second base; .224 batting average, 23 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 31 RBIs, 40 runs, 19 walks, 81 strikeouts, .268 on-base percentage; five errors, 83 double plays, .990 fielding percentage; minus-0.2 WAR.
Micah Johnson: 36 games, 33 at second base; .230 batting average, four doubles, 10 runs, four RBIs, nine walks, 30 strikeouts, .306 on-base percentage; three errors, 14 double plays, .978 fielding percentage; minus-0.4 WAR.
Contract status for 2016
Sanchez: Under team control.
Johnson: Under team control.
Breakdown
There was much debate in spring training over who should win the job at second base, and it turned out both Johnson and Sanchez received their shot.
Johnson was named the opening day starter, but his first foray into the majors didn't go as smoothly as planned. He hit .270 over 27 games in the first half, but defense and baserunning issues made him a liability. He was sent to Triple-A Charlotte to work on both by mid-May.
He wasn't happy with his offensive numbers either, saying he could have done better, and he didn't have much of a chance in September to show his improvements. A knee injury sidelined him late in the month, and he had surgery to clean it up at the end of the season.
Sanchez's effect on the defense was palpable when he joined the team in mid-May. He ranked among the top five qualified defensive second basemen in the majors, according to FanGraphs' metrics, and was good for six defensive runs saved.
However, Sanchez really struggled at the plate in his first two months with the Sox, but he found his confidence in July and August, when he hit .323 and .247, respectively. Sanchez had offensive success in the minors, so it may have been a matter of growing more comfortable, though his production fell off late in the year again.
Johnson's knee was found to be structurally sound, and so the Sox expect him to be back in competition by spring training. Staying healthy will be a key for the 24-year-old, as he has been plagued by injuries the last three seasons.
The Sox could always add another option at second base, but there is enough promise in Sanchez and Johnson that they could feel comfortable heading into next year with those as their two main choices. If Sanchez can find consistency at the plate, he could be a very good choice.
