=== Superman or Kryponite Dept. ===
I think Matt Mangini is kewl. I'm rootin' for him. And he's one of the Rainiers' best players right now.
Mangini is going to be able to hit in the bigs, for a 100 OPS+ anyway, if not more. The scouts take walks around the world tryin' to ease their troubled minds - about Mangini's glove, that is. Scouting reports call him strong, call him weak but still some secrets the scouts can't keep ...
If he can play third, he only has to hit 100 OPS+. But if you're talking about a stroll across the diamond to 1B, he's going to need a 115, 120 OPS to help a team win a pennant.
Is either scenario realistic? In particular, is the 100 and -5 at 3B realistic?
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=== Caveat Emptor, Babe ===
Pretty wacked to judge a guy based on nine innings, no doubts there. A report based on one cross-check is kind of like eating American cheese off of a styrofoam plate. But hey, it's a baseball chat. Sue me.
=== Bottom Line ===
Unfortunately, the concerns about Mr. Mangini's glove look pretty legit to Dr. D.
There isn't a thing wrong with a -5, -10 runs defender at third, if he can hit. If you're talking $500,000 per year for a guy who plays a position-scarcity role, and he's in shouting distance of league average, that's a player who will have a career.
Mangini's chance to be a good player depend on his getting a lot better at 3B, or coming on way ahead of his career arc with the 1B's bat. (He might.)
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=== Play One ===
Infield in, holding a runner at 3B, the hitter popped a routine little hopper up into Mangini's mitt. He tromped over, one-handed the ball, looked back and tossed over to 1B.
He was fine, but two things I didn't care for (and you know Matt is going to be busted up pretty bad over Jeff Clarke shtick): first, he stuck out his glove and took it in a THWAP like he was reaching for a throw from 1B. If you don't know what soft hands are, you better ax somebody, mate.
Second, he was heavy on his feet moving for it, in my humble estimation. Mangini has almost a Russ Branyan physique in the first place, tall and heavy for a ballplayer, and you could just about see Russ Branyan playing an easy ball to his left just like Mangini did.
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