It is one thing to include Lopez in a package that brings in Gonzalez or gets rid of Silva, but flipping him just to chase a 20% increase in OBP at 2B seems a little silly.
I remember the last time the M's traded an average-solid MI entering his prime. It didn't work out too well - for the M's, that is.
Lopez has a career .846 OPS from 5th spot (in 308 AB) compared to a .721 OPS when batting 3rd (in 566 AB).
Bat Lopez 5th behind Bay and Branyan where there may be less pressure to work the count (.891 OPS in 0-0 counts, 361 AB) or to go the other way during the hit and run. Or maybe he comes to the plate with the bases loaded more often (.973 OPS in 55 AB with ONE BB).
The problem with the M's has not been Lopez, it has been not having MOTO hitters. Lopez could be the Tejada to Bay/Branyan's Chavez/Giambi.
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