PTI: Third Base for 1H-2012 (7)

Q Mojician:  Wouldn't you rather have a 100-RBI import who doesn't cost $140,000,000 and weigh 285 lbs?

PTI Jemanji:  If you believe that Prince Fielder weighs a biscuit less than 325, then I suggest a tighter voir dire process there, my friend.

This is neither here nor there, ... but wouldn't you like to see the debate if Babe Ruth came onto the FA market after the 1925 season?  :- )  Age 31, coming off a 98-game injury season and a mere 137 OPS+ ... and listed at 215 lbs.  Heh.

.

Q Paracorto:  Wouldn't it be a higher priority to solve C and CF?

PTI Jemanji:  Ah, now you got me there.  I'm partial to the center of the diamond.

Paracorto didn't specify his target, a CF who is "above average with both glove and bat" ...  last time the M's thought they had that, they gave him $5.5 and $7.0 for 2012-13...

I was surprised to see that there actually are 9 center fielders who scored "above average with both glove and bat" in 2011 ... Ellsbury, Bourjos, Victorino and Josh Hamilton might be slightly challenging to acquire, but B.J. Upton, Chris Young, Cameron Maybin and Andrew McCutcheon might be targets? I dunno.  Spec could answer that...

....

If you're comfortable with Cameron Maybin in CF, are you with Trayvon Robinson?  

G-Money has reminded, time and again, that Trayvon doesn't need to rake.  Not in year one.  There are plenty of lightfooted CF's who are out there because they can run - at that position, your glove really can carry your bat.

The mainframe interrupts the Interruptor with this question.  Anybody want to bet it?  As to who will hit better -- Trayvon Robinson in 2012, or Franklin Gutierrez in 2008 and 2010?  

We're not talking about last year's train wreck.  We're talking about Guti's career line:  250/300/380.  Think Trayvon could do that?

Well, maybe not.  I'm partial to another AAA year for Trayvon, too.  But as a stoploss, Trayvon can go get the fly balls, and can learn at the plate...

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Q Dr. D.  What does this have to do with 3B?
 
PTI Jemanji:  The thigh bone's connected to the leg bone's connected to the ankle bone ... especially this winter, man.

Comments

1
Lonnie of MC's picture

Whoever mans CF in 2012 and 2013 are just placeholders for Mike McGee.  I'm serious!  Watch this kid demolish the Cal League in 2012 and get promoted to AA Jackson by mid-season!
Lonnie

2

You have this guy in like the top 100 in baseball?  
Such that even Trayvon, Daniel Carroll (62 SB's, 88 BB's), Jabari Blash etc are total nonfactors?  
Bleacher Report had Trayvon the #40 prospect in baseball, Baseball Instinct and Bullpen Banter had him in the top 100 ... the two BaseballHQ authors had him #79 and #45 in baseball prior to 2011 -- and then Trayvon had his power breakout. 
Trayvon's a dead man compated to McGee?  :- )

3
jellison's picture

One must admire the flexibility that is built into the system for next year.  Carp as LF/DH - or 1B, if Smoak fails; Wells/Robinson/Guitierez/Saunders for one or more of CF/LF; and Seager as 3B, or utility backup for SS/2B/3B.  Perhaps flexibility should be a consideration in the FA hunt as well.  I was thinking that Cuddyer could be a solid addition, especially with his ability to play any of LF/3B/DH.  Cuddyer would be the insurance policy should we otherwise fall short in player development.  In a perfect world, we would add a catcher who is an offensive threat, but they seem cost prohibitive.
I miss Doug Fister, but I don't regret the trade with Detroit.  His development in Seattle was a joy to follow, and I was quite pleased to see him take the win in game 5 against the Yankees.  The value of Doug Fister to a competing organization was simply higher than to the Mariners.  Getting 3 MLB-ready players + a prospect in return will only make the Mariners better when it counts.  How well Fister performs going forward for Detroit is, of course, relevant to our analysis of the trade, and whether the M's sold when Fister's trade value was high, or not high enough.  In fairness to the M's, we should wait a year or two before making that call.
 

4
tjm's picture

You notice how many bat-first guys there are generally on the eight teams that made the playoffs? And some of them aren't particular good batters. I'm looking at you, Willie Bloomquist. Is there any reason to think Frankin and/or Seager couldn't play short as well as Willie? Or certainly better than the guy who's team beat him, Betancourt?
I think Franklin sticks at short and I think Liddi is worth a year's test at 3B. His glove was way better than I even hoped. Which means what for Seager? I'm with Sandy on him - I think the guy will be a well-above average MLB hitter. If it's me, I put Seager at 2b, move Ackley to CF, trade Guti and whatever other pieces it takes to get Ethier. He's worth the money. I don't see the health issues going forward. I've seen him a lot and he's a legit star at the plate and well better than average in OF. He plays LF next year, then depending on what happens with Ichiro, could move to RF if re-signed or let him walk if Wells/Robinson develop. Carp/Smoak split 1B/DH. Which means we need a catcher.

5

Reminds of Johann Cruyff's "total soccer" in which all 10 players could rotate back and forth to any position at any time...
Cuddyer is quite a player, coming off a very strong age-32 season... at 33, he is year to year and hard to project ... hard to say if he's available short term; somebody might give him 3 years and ace yer out...

6

Who were not only unafraid to put Nomah and Jeter at SS, but to bet into the bat-first pot with bats at other middle positions, such as Bernie in CF, Posada at C, Everett in CF for the Sox, etc...
Once in a while you find a light-hitting team that wins it all, but looks more to me like the exception that proves the rule... very few teams ever with with FIELDING...
.........
Point very well taken, that if Franklin can stick at SS, great...

7

BTW,
The bat first argument is precisely why next year Seager sticks at SS.
And more BTW, if Cuddyer were available for a 1 year deal, he would be a nice addition.  But in 5 of the last 6 years he's OPS+-ed between 107 and 124.  The one year he didn't do that he was fighting injuries.  He's not signing for a single year.
moe
 
 

8

When he was 34, coming off a couple of strong offensive seasons at a (tougher) infield position.
Cuddyer is probably a notch above where Scutaro was going into 2010.  Cuddyer hits a bit more, but Scutaro was signed to play SS.
His agent will certainly argue bigger comps for him, but the 2010-Scutaro-plus comp would be my own starting point, as far as his value to the Mariners...

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