Because 1B is kinda taken. He's never played third in his career, and the Angels announcers are already talking about the bunts he's gonna see playing the position and how ugly it could be.
Mark Trumbo is Alex Liddi without as much grace. He doesn't walk at all but has some serious power, so they're willing to punt the defense to put him in the field some at third. How much?
"We're not going to be afraid to put him there, but if you had a guy who was not adequate at a position, you could still play him there if the spray chart gave you a probability that there's not enough action there to cause anything," Scioscia said.
Based on crude analytics, that seems to mean Trumbo is quite likely to play third when Jered Weaver is pitching and doubtful for starts made by Jerome Williams or C.J. Wilson. Especially Wilson.
So even if he's terrible, he can still be out there when he's gonna see two hits a game or less. No big, says the Angels. We can protect him in order to get that kind of lumber in the lineup.
What kind of lumber?
Trumbo, minor league career: .275/.330/.474/.804, .4 eye. Trumbo is Liddi minus 50 Ks or so and a few walks. If Liddi struck out like Trumbo I wouldn't even question playing him at third. If it was him or Figgins as the only two 3B left on this earth for us to choose from, it's definitely Liddi. But we have options.
You know what Catricala hits, right? .322/.397/.596/.933 with a .55 eye. Through age 22. He's at a different level. More power than Liddi and Trumbo (2nd in the minors in XBH last year), 45 points of batting average, and his glove isn't gonna be WORSE at 3rd than Trumbo's.
Ya play him unless he catches every grounder with his face.
~G