The interesting thing about Johnson is that both Lee and Felix prefer to throw to him. There is some kind of dynamic working there that the rest of us don't quite see, I think.
Figgins has been a pedantic 2B, UZR-wise anyway, this year. He has shown much better...in briefer flashes in the past. I'm not surrendering that he isn't a 2B guy.
I missed Saunders tater last night...but saw a couple of other AB's, the jury is still (way) out on him, I think. People once spoke of 25 homer type power from him. I'm not seeing it, personally.
I still think you assume that Ackley is a 1b, LF, 2b guy. Let him find his position...largely based on who else you have, Pete Rose style. When you have a guy that can hit and play several positions let him find a position based on what you need.
Re: Rose
Rose came up a 2B because the Reds were fairly established at other IF positions. For example in Rose's3rd season, his breakthrough season, they had a .307 avg. at 1B and 32 homers at 3rd.
In '66 they added Tony Perez, so 3B and 1B were going to be well manned for a while. In '67 the Reds had Perez now , full time,at 3B and a slick fielding and not bad-hitting Tommy Helms at 2nd. Rose moves to the OF and plays Rf then LF until '75 as the If is pretty well manned (To say the least...Joe Morgan coming on board in '71. Morgan, I think, is the best 2B of the last several generations...perhaps ever).
In '75 Rose goes to 3B because the Reds now have two young corner OF's named George Foster and Ken Griffey. ('75 team had Bench, Morgan, Rose, Perez, Foster, and Griffey...sheeeeesh. Only 108 wins!)
In '79, now with the Phillies, Rose goes to 1Bbecause some hack named Mike Schmidt (the best 3B guy ever) plays third for them. (Hadn't really thought about it before...but Rose played with Bench, Morgan and Schmidt..and an argument can be made that they were the best ever at their respective positions...a very strong argument)
You get the point. Rose was used were most needed. He was versatile in the field.He walked a bunch, sprayed the ball, had a base hit or two, a bunch of them gappers.
Ackleylooks to have something like that upside.
Let's find out soon.
Enough Pete Rose, I know....but it seems to be a not to weird comparison.
moe
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