=== A UT Who Can Hit? Vot Next? ===
Tatis has been a Willie Bloomquist, play-every-position type, except that Tatis can hit.
In 2008, Tatis hit 300/370/480 (!) in 300 AB's, and after a slower start last year, hit 310/350/500 again down the stretch.
He's got significant pop, an all-around game and he's been giving you about 5 runs created per 27 outs the last few years, as he's had more AB's. That's a little bit the Russ Branyan story -- gets a chance and starts rounding the bases at breakneck speed.
.
=== You and I Could Write a Bad Bro-Mance Dept. ===
The knock on Tatis is his defense. I'm sure that he looks oooo-gly out there, because all Mets fans will tell you that he's a butcher. For example, Tango's The Fans ratings give Ibanez-like skewerings to Tatis.
Maybe, but these things say that he's fine defensively:
- RATE from Baseball Prospectus (110 at 1B, 101 at 2B, 109 at 3B)
- UZR (Tatis was actually a +3.7 runs saved, all positions, in 2009)
- Tatis' speed score is fine (95)
UZR and RATE both have Tatis as a positive overall defender since 2003. So why do Mets fans guffaw when he takes the field? I dunno. Maybe they're right. Or maybe there's a Jose Lopez / Raul Ibanez misdirection going on.
.
=== The Birthday Candles ===
Where I would be worried, is with Tatis' aging -- he's going to be 35. Supposing that he were a good-hit utility man, at what age do you expect him to fall off the table?
So far, there are no signs yet.
- His EYE ratio is steady
- He shows absolutely zero platoon split to speak of - he hit righties great in 09
- He had a big second half in 2009
I'm not saying he won't hit the wall in 2010. I'm just saying he hasn't tipped his hand yet, at all.
.
=== The New Willie, Dept. ===
So you've got a Willie Bloomquist type who, instead of getting 3.0 runs per game, gets 5.0. I could live with it.
Supposing that Tatis were terrible on defense, that still leaves you with a specialized tool on the bench -- if Cliff Lee is on the mound against a righty lineup, you can put Tatis in there at second base, especially if Tatis has a good record against that particular pitcher.
If you're going with the lefty Casey Kotchman at first base, Tatis could be quite useful as a 1B against LHP's. Again, especially if the M's themselves have a lefty on the mound.
Sounds silly, but Earl made a living out of his daily roster mosaics. On any given day, any one of his 14 hitters might be his very best matchup for that game. With Tatis, your offensive options would proliferate. (Modestly.)
.
=== Zig-Zag Dept. ===
Funny thing, Tatis doesn't play short, so .... here you're talking about a bat-first guy to do what? To take Tui's spot, I guess. Odd to put so much energy into run prevention -- with the howler you just moved on Kotchman, e.g. -- and then go with this bat-first guy.
But as a UT? Fernando Tatis definitely brings some skeels to the table.
Cheers,
Dr D