Only a Sith Speaks In Absolutes Dept.
As far as 1B goes, it was a stake through Dr. D's heart to hear Zduriencik say that
"Whoever we sign, he's going to be able to field his position."
Apparently this means the 'net rats / consultants (no offense meant) talked Zduriencik out of Adam Dunn's 40+16 homers and .600 normalized SLG ... because he violates the absolutes on defense.
Only a Sith speaks in absolutes. I will do what I must.
;- )
Anyway. What's Adam Dunn's asking price down to these days? NOBODY is interested in seeing this guy hit like the 1997 Ken Griffey Jr at 1B and DH? Even at 2/$24M?
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Continuing Baker's intriguing commentary on spring training:
FIRST BASE
This job is wide open for anyone who wants it. Russell Branyan and Chris Shelton would be long shots with any organization, not favorites to be the starting platoon on opening day.
That's an original point that Baker makes, a powerful one, and also not one that should worry M's fans.
Job-shares are wayyyyyy underutilized at baseball, and there is no reason that they have to occur at glove positions, nor from positions of weakness. The fact is that there are guys in baseball who can hit for 6-7 runs created a game, from one side of the plate. Branyan and Shelton, now those are the kinda Scrubs I'm talkin' about.
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If Bryan LaHair figures out how to hit for power, he could land the job.
::blinks::
Figures it out? :- ) Hey, I know a looming deadline when I see one Geoffy. I've got eight of 'em a day now...
I don't doubt that Lahair, who has an NFL Tight End's frame, will eventually post a Geronima Berroa late-bloom season or two. Lahair has been undersold his whole life. But he'll have to just explode to figure in this year.
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Mike Sweeney was one of the top first basemen in the game not too long ago, and if he somehow rediscovers his stroke, he could be the starter.
Just needs to rediscover a healthy back. But he has been out of it for three years and counting now. You forget Mikey until he grabs an airhorn and screams that he's back -- and then you give him some part-time play to baby the injuries.
Mike Morse? Have a spring like last year's and he could be the guy. None of these folks is considered an everyday player.
Forgotten man. Morse has a career 107 OPS+ in the bigs, by the way, and can play every position. The problem is that he doesn't LOOK like a utility player. He's brash, he doesn't look uber-professional with the mitt, and he doesn't get his manager's sunflower seeds on his shirt.
But I have a real inkling for Matt Morse as a new-paradigm Willie Bloomquist. Shun cliches and question authority. :- )
It's asking a lot for him to win time at 1B, though. His upside remains to become a Jose Valentin type with the bat, and even Jose Valentin himself wouldn't have been a guy to put at first.
Heck, even Jeff Clement could find himself at first base one of these days.
To the losers of this battle, the DH spoils could go. Look for whoever isn't given the first-base job to get a crack at the DH assignment.
One of these days, being like the day in mid-April that his knee swells up. Definitely.
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Am assuming, right now, that it's a Branyan-Shelton platoon, with an imported DH (like Junior) sharing time there. With Clement catching and Johjima getting 250-300 AB's around the lineup, if Abreu gets in here, that could be pretty cool.
LF Abreu
CF F-Gut
RF Ichiro
3B Beltre
SS Frenchy
2B Lopez
1B Branyan/Shelton
DH Junior (assuming it can't be Dunn, with Jr/Wlad/Chavez sharing LF instead of Abreu)
C Clement
#4 OF Wlad
Now THAT could provide backup for Felix, Bedard and Morrow.
Get 'er done,
Dr D