Figgins-Lopez Switch Official
So says Geoff Baker, who got it from Wakamatsu this morning.
Various casual reports coming in from those at spring training have not been enthusiastic about Lopez at third, though it seems that he is fine with the switch and is going to be taking additional groundballs at the hot corner before and after games to get him up to speed. Bear in mind that he only played about a third as many games there as he did at second while in the minor leagues.
To get to the standard comments about this we’ve all rehashed before, part of the reasoning behind this is that Figgins has a better first step and gets to balls easier while Lopez has an arm that’s more of an asset at third than second. We’re going to have to expect a few blunders here and there early in the season as guys adjust, and put to bed any thoughts of charging, bare-handed, off-balance throws to first, but the end effect is that the defense could be stronger up the middle than it was last season, while taking a hit at one of the corners.
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19 Responses to “Figgins-Lopez Switch Official”
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If the defensive stats are to be believed (e.g. UZR has Figgins as a +15 R/150 over the last 2 years, and Lopez as basically average at 2B) I seriously doubt this will improve the Mariners defense.
The odds of 2 guys becoming on average +7.5 defenders at positions they basically haven’t played in MLB, or haven’t played in 5 years, would seem to be vanishingly small.
Maybe this makes the team better in 2011, maybe, but I doubt it helps for 2010.
Besides range, Lopez also had a problem of zoning out in the middle of plays, leading to errors, especially on double plays. Will that be helped or hurt by playing “the hot corner,” where you don’t have to concentrate for as long?
As compared to what? To having them play the other way?
If so, then it improves the defense at second and makes it worse at third. That seems like a reasonable tradeoff to make to me.
Lopez won’t make us forget Beltre. But Figgins wouldn’t either — which is no knock on Figgins, since Beltre is one of the best defensive 3Bs in baseball (which I expect the east coast media will suddenly “discover” this year.)
Taken in isolation, no. But as I’ve mentioned before, the SS helps the 3B much more than the 2B. Given that Jack Wilson is a superior defender (when healthy and playing), he can be used to compensate for some of Lopez’ range deficiencies, which he couldn’t do to the same degree if Lopez was still playing 2B. If we accept that Figgins is equally proficient at either position (and recalling that Tango’s WAR positional adjustments are the same for both 2B and 3B), putting Lopez at 3B where he can be aided by Wilson should result in a better infield overall.
That comes with some caveats, of course, which I also mention in that linked comment.
I may have missed it (insert link here within block quote), but has anyone fully analyzed the impact moving our biggest free agent to a position where we also just moved our #1 prospect to?
Just a thought.
Screw 2010, I’m more worried about what impact all this makes on 2011 and beyond.
Screw 2010, I’m more worried about what impact all this makes on 2011 and beyond.
Let’s worry about 2010 first, shall we?
Everyone trying to put Dustin Ackley in a MLB uniform (and trying to shape the 2010 roster as a result) reminds me of everyone having orgasms over Piñeiro, Nageotte and Ryan Anderson in the future Mariners rotation. Let’s see how things go in minor league ball, THEN worry about ZOMG TOO MANY SECOND BASEMEN.
ZOMG? Caps lock?
I agree totally, but still, slightly curious, eh?
Assuming Ackley can make it to the majors by 2011, then we’re shifting Figgins back to 3rd.
I understand the whole “go for it now and later” thing (and I love it), but still, #1 free agent and #1 draft pick both MOVED to 2B in the same offseason?
Kinda weird? at all?
That may very well have been how they sold it to Figgins: “We’re trying to get better for this year, but you’ll be back at third as soon as Ackley is ready.”
Lopez’s days as a Mariner are quite obviously numbered, so I’m sortof surprised that HE agreed to it, though.
Completely agree. How is Lopey okay with this? As has been discussed here, he’s sooooo much less valuable as a 3B than a 2B, so why would he agree to the switch?
To placate Felix (not really, $78/5=done)? To make a better clubhouse (on a team that OBVIOUSLY doesn’t want you)?
Then why?
If it’s truly for “the good of the team….” then I just became a big Lopey (for 2010) fan.
Yes. I think the defense would be better for 2010 with Figgins at 3B (where he has been excellent) and Lopez at 2B (where he has been average). They should be ~+10-15 combined. I think they struggle to be avg. combined, with the switch, so it may cost the M’s a win or more.
The Ackley situation makes it even more curious. Given his injury history, I doubt Ackley has the arm for 3B. So, you’re setting up another position switch in 2011 or 12.
Well, it’s not impossible that the team said to him, “Jose, you’re not a part of the future here. We tried to move you but the market for second basemen is nonexistent right now. We think we might be able to find a match if you can play third, though. Are you willing to try it?”
It’s hard to say if they’ve been that frank with him, but it would make things make more sense.
There is a lot, lot more to this than just swapping some numbers around.
If this works, it’s a plus for the Mariners’ 2010 defense, not a step backwards. Read the original post, and then joser’s follow-up comment.
I’ve read them, I don’t buy it. Figgins at 3B and Lopez at 2B would almost certainly be a strong positive to the defense. With the switch, this seems unlikely to me. It’s not easy to switch position with one month to prepare.
Well, if you want to try to counter cogent analysis with the intellectual equivalent of “NUH UH”, then I suppose we’re done here.
First off, it was Piñeiro, Meche, Anderson in that group, Nageotte was with the Travis Blackley, Rett Johnson, Rafael Soriano wave that came a few years later.
Second, and I know you know this, but pitcher attrition rates are very different from those of hitters, particularly ~prep pitchers versus a college hitter.
pitcher attrition rates are very different from those of hitters, particularly ~prep pitchers versus a college hitter.
Yes, but I still submit worrying about the 2011 roster before Ackley has anything approaching a pro season because ZOMG TOO MANY PLAYERS AT A POSITION is just putting a cart before the horse. Let’s see how 2010 pans out. Given that Zduriencik has turned over a HUGE portion of the roster in the space of 18 months, I think we can wait a bit to worry about 2B.
Re: Lopez agreeing to play third… He might simply be a team player. He might believe the ability to play two positions enhances his value and his coming FA payday. He might enjoy the challenge and/or the change of scenery. He might like playing third. He might want out of town and realizes 3B is his ticket. There are many reasons he would gladly go along with the plan.
I’d submit as a better example our earlier case of “Too Many Shortstops!” in the form of Jones, Tui, Asdrubal Cabrera, and that guy whom we got Danny Cortes and Derrick Saito from the Royals for, but I wouldn’t say that’s much better because it’s not [edit for crucial not] unusual for shortstops to move off position.
I’d also say, it doesn’t seem likely based on them being the number one FA signing and the number one draft pick, but your point about the need to exercise patience is certainly valid. I think I’d say Ackley is about a year out.
Can you imagine how many bunt attempts we’re going to get this year? We’ll probably be leading the league in bunt attempts for at least the first half of the year. Lopey’s going to get a LOT of practice.
Jose didn’t seem very keen on the switch when he first heard about it but I don’t think Wak really gave him much of a choice. Since then there’s been some peer pressure to give in “for the better of the team” and Lopez at this point has submitted and is now just trying to salvage his future.
As a sidenote, he also seems to be taking a lot more pitches so far in the spring. He’s still swinging at high pitches but he’s been letting most of the other bad ones go. I haven’t looked at any stats but the games I’ve seen, he’s been pretty patient.