As every media outlet in the country relives past trade-deadline deals and speculates about current trade-deadline opportunities, one idea popped out to me that no one seems to be exploring.
Everyone agrees that the Rays did well when they flipped Aubrey Huff’s rotting carcass for Mitch Talbot and Ben Zobrist at the deadline in 2006. Everyone also agrees that shortstop is one of the two biggest holes in the 2011 Rays’ lineup. So, why isn’t anyone asking why the Rays aren’t filling their 2011 shortstop hole with the bright young shortstop they acquired at the deadline in 2006?
Zobrist was the Rays shorstop for 117 games over parts of three seasons after being acquired from Houston. When it became clear that he was an offensive liability, the Rays sent him back to the minor leagues to reform his offensive approach. The rest, as they say in the movies, is history.
When Zobrist finally returned to the big leagues in 2008, the shortstop job was permanently filled by slick-fielding Jason Bartlett so, in order to get into the lineup, Zobrist had to transform into a utility player. He has done that ably becoming an above-average second-basemen and right-fielder.
But the rationale for Zobrist’s utility — a solid shortstop and a needed platoon at two other positions — has eroded. Neither Bartlett nor his replacement are in the clubhouse. Moreover, Matt Joyce looks like he’s ready for everyday duty in rightfield, with a few minor exceptions. So, in the immortal words of Mona Lisa Vito, “I aks you” why don’t we just move Zobrist back to short?
My memory tells me that Zobrist was a good defensive shortstop. I looked at his fielding numbers on Fangraphs and Baseball Reference. I still don’t totally understand advanced fielding metrics but, best I can tell, he saved about 4 runs more than the league average over the course of 1200 innings. So that is good.
Zobrist the shortstop has other positive benefits for the Rays’ lineup. First, it guarantees a lot more at bats for Matt Joyce. That is good. Second, it guarantees a lot fewer at bats for Elliot Johnson. That is also good. Third, it moves Sean Rodriguez into Zobrist’s utility role because he is a competent outfielder and a good second basemen.
All those things sound good. So why aren’t we considering this.
that makes too much sense.
Whoa, take it easy with all these “good ideas”. Now I have to watch more NFL pre-season and MLB trade deadline banter to offset the goodness you just created with this blog.
No wait, I just saw a political update on the debt ceiling talks and there is again no common sense in the world. All is well in the dark side.
Sorry, I’ve been staring at spreadsheets all day and I’m losing my mind.
Perhaps Zobrist could also fix the debt-ceiling issue. Then he’d be a true Super U guy.
That would make too much sense. I mean, Adam Russell was designated for assignment because he had an ERA of 3.03. And J.P. Howell pitches nearly every game with an ERA of over 9.
The loyalty to JP Howell is becoming a little troubling. Looking at his mechanics, it seems to me he is either the strikeout pitcher he was pre-surgery whose mechanics will lead to more surgery, or the BP pitcher he is post-surgery whose mechanics are safe.
Well, long-term the question isnt necessary: Hak-Ju Lee is the #3 SS prospect in all of the minors, and pretty much a lock to be in the top-50 in ALL prospect handbooks, quite probably top-30. While Lee will take a little while to arrive, it’s not as if the replacements at 2B (Rodriguez, mostly) really are any better than Elliot Johnson or Reid Brignac. Also, Zobrist’s biggest weakness (tools-wise) is his arm, so 2B naturally makes much more sense than SS. Plus, he’s past the age where the average SS peaks (nope, no joke…), so for him to play the 2012 season (2011 doesnt matter anymore, 2013 is Hak-Ju Lee time) at SS is something that is not out of the question, but again: is Sean Rodriguez REALLY a guy you wanna see get more ABs than he already does? And isnt it obvious Zobrist will be better at the keystone on D?
Also, Matt Joyce already gets ALL the available ABs against RHP, so moving Zobrist to RF is necessary as long as Guyer is not on the big-league team yet, as Joyce cant hit lefties.
There may have been a knock on Zobrist’s arm when he broke in but I think his play in rightfield has answered those questions. If he can make the throws there, and he does, he can make the throws at short.
Also, Joyce has shown significant improvement against lefties. I am not sure a blanket “he can’t” still applies.