Several teams are gambling on successful position changes for core players, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. While it’s not uncommon for a team to sign a player like Jason Heyward and shift him to a new position for a couple seasons, these transitions don’t always go swimmingly. Sherman examines some of the biggest names to watch this season, and we’ll touch upon a few of them here.
- The Mets were wary about committing to Yoenis Cespedes in part because of his shaky history in center field. As Sherman writes, Cespedes’ top defensive attribute is his arm. However, in center, range tends to be more valuable than arm strength.
- Last season, the Padres attempted to shift Wil Myers from an outfield corner to center. His experience could serve as a chilling example for Mets fans. When he wasn’t battling injury, Myers graded out as an atrocious center fielder. This season, San Diego plans to shift Myers to first base. It’s yet another position at which he has limited experience. Interestingly, Myers has moved all over the field in his professional career – he started out as a catching prospect, and he also has experience at third base.
- Another failed outfielder moving to first base, Hanley Ramirez, will be critical to the Red Sox success this season. Ramirez was a disaster in left field, but there is hope he can be more focused and healthier in an infield role. David Ortiz occupies the designated hitter role. He’s expected to retire after the season, meaning Ramirez could be shifted to a bat-only role after 2016.
- The Yankees are taking a gamble of their own on Starlin Castro. The former Cubs shortstop hit much better after a shift to second base, but his defense still graded out as below average. Unlike Cespedes, Myers, or Ramirez, Castro looked merely below average rather than nightmarish. The Yankees hope that more experience at the position and smoother actions can lead to defensive improvement in 2016.
- In an attempt to manage their corner infield and designated hitter surplus, the Twins are going to try prospect slugger Miguel Sano in the outfield. Sano, a third baseman by trade, doesn’t have professional experience in the outfield. However, his shift will allow the club to start Sano, Joe Mauer, Byung-ho Park, and Trevor Plouffe. In my opinion, the Twins might have been smarter to move Plouffe into the outfield. He has experience as a utility man and an established bat. Sano will now need to learn a new position while adjusting to major league pitching.
In an absolute worst case scenario Granderson can play CF with Cespedes in LF and Conforto in RF. Or Conforto could be sent down (if he struggles) with Legares in CF and Cespedes in LF. Either way it’s basically a 1 year deal so not nearly as much risk as the other deals mentioned.
Hmm…not really sure if Granderson can play center anymore. He can’t really throw at all and his range isn’t good. Because, you know, he got old. Why not just put Lagares in every time the Mets get a lead in the late innings – do the old Earl Weaver thing.
Meyers is moving to 1st so they may actually keep Jabari Blash?
Good call on Sano. Whenever possible, avoid making young potential superstars switch positions in the majors. If you want them to switch, it’s best done in the minors. Or just move Plouffe. He’s a major leaguer and you don’t have to worry about messing up his head if he doesn’t do well. Kids breaking into the majors have enough to learn without having to pick up a new position too. Betts did it, but I wouldn’t be so quick to do it to someone else.
Best approach for Minnesota is to trade Miguel Sano for a proven great hitting solid defensive outfielder. I believe the the Twins could move Sano to the Braves for Ender Inciarte and a mid level pitching prospect like Ryan Weber, Zachery Bird or Daniel Winkler.
No way. Sano is way too good to barter around for defensive convenience. This is 100% because we have too many 1B/3B/DH types and they think Sano even for his size is athletic enough to learn the OF (he was a SS initially). No one should perceive this as an outfield depth problem for the Twins — to repeat, the Twins do NOT have a lack of outfield depth! That is why Hicks got traded for Murphy. Moving Sano to the OF is already going to be problematic as it will be difficult to keep Arcia on the roster and he’s out of options. Rosario and Buxton will probably be starting at the beginning of the year. Santana can play out there. Kepler will be in AAA for the time being but he’s worked his way up the depth charts. There’s Walker down there as well, he has work to do before he’ll be a factor in the majors but he’s working his way into the picture. Eduardos Nunez and Escobar can fill in out there on a backup basis as well.
It makes ZERO sense to trade a hitter of Sano’s talent for an outfielder.
What the heck are you talking about???? There’s no way on earth the Twins are trading Sano! He has some of the biggest power in the game. Only Kris Bryant and Joey Gallo were rated to have better power than him in all of the minor leagues. Sano is a freaking stud and moving him would a horrendous decision. And that package you suggested is not even HALF of what Sano is worth. I’m guessing you’re either a Braves fan or just saying that crap to get attention or to mess around or you’re all of that.
I don’t think the trade-him-for-Inciarte crowd gets exactly how good he is.
There is no “Sano for Incarte crowd”. It’s just trademeister repeatedly floating the proposal in hopes it gains traction.
It hasn’t, and it won’t – for all the obvious reasons others have cited. Such a proposition should clearly be disregarded as trolling.
Sano is too good of a bat to trade for someone like Inciarte…. Also you said they should trade him for a great hitting solid defensively outfielder…that’s not Inciarte
Only if the Twins can throw in Berrios and Buxton for a PTBNL.
Cespedes was absolutely NOT nightmarish in CF. you are overreacting to one nightmarish PLAY.
I think it actually refers to his defensive metrics. Yeah the guy has a great arm that makes him look like a stud, but even when he played LF he was knocked at times for running bad routes to the ball. The best example is that throw from the LF wall when he was playing for Oakland against the Angels when he threw someone out at home (Kendrick I think?). While it was a great throw he made, that throw would’ve never happened if he ran the correct route and cut the ball off at the correct spot.
Running bad routes is a little more allowable in the corners because the ball will either be slowed by the side wall or stopped by the CF. CFs are expected to cover a lot of ground and make up for the miscues of the other OFs. If the guy can’t run correct routes in the corners, bad routes will hurt the team more in CF.
I actually think Granderson will fare better in center field than Cespedes, and I’m not sure why no one’s saying so. He’s experienced there and his skill set — good range, bad arm — play better there while Cespedes’ — good arm, bad range — play better in right.
I actually think Granderson will fare better in center than Cespedes and I’m not sure why no one’s saying so. He has experience there and his skill set — good range, bad arm — field better in center than Cespedes’ (good arm, bad range), which is better for right field. I’d flip the two.
Have to disagree on the Sano take. Although he is 260lbs he is actually a better athlete than Plouffe and has a better arm. The Twins tried Plouffle in the OF briefly with poor results. Plus Plouffe has turned himself into a better than average 3B. Twins would be hurting themselves defensively at two positions by putting Sano at third and Plouffe in OF. Finally, this is only a short term move. Sano will be a corner infielder within a year or two once they let Plouffe go.
There are probably more outfielders with hamstring injuries than third basemen. Since Sano fought with his hamstring last year, protect him a little and play him at third base. Stick the rally killer Plouffe in the outfield as he can’t run anyway and he will be healthy and so will Sano…