Will he pitch or bat/field? Or write?
In 2013, Daniel Silva pitched in 22 games and started at SS in 71 games. He also wrote a best-selling novel on the side.
He is currently listed as a RP on Hawaii's roster, but that is mainly for ST 2014 purposes. At the tail end of the season, his stuff versus both rhb and lhb bumped up. So as a pitcher, he's pretty much developed, except for his control. He also needs a one-point increase on his sinker.
The 22 games on the mound is his ML high (last year he pitched in four games). Despite the low number of games, Silva was being pruned to be a pitcher, despite not pitching an inning in college.
In 2012 he appeared in 26 games at Double-A and had an ERA of 0.98. During that year, however, Hawai'i had a hole at shortstop but due to fiscal constraints did not add someone to the 40-man roster, but called up Silva (already in the 40-man) to play short. He started 63 games at the ML level and batted 23/27/36, while his fielding stats bettered those of college. The team knew it was risking stunting Silva's development as a pitcher.
This season the team returned Silva to the bullpen. He had a 9.22 ERA in ST and barely made the big league squad in the pen. He appeared in two early April games and was sent down to Triple-A since he hadn't pitched much since mid-2012. He responded with a 1.29 ERA in 8 games.
He was recalled to Hawai'i in May--but not to pitch. Back at full-time shortstop, he hit .242 from May 1st to May 20. He was then switched to the pen, where he played for solid two months (late May to the end of July). At that point, he switched to short and hit .222 in August and .231 in September. In all he got 256 at bats this season, compared to 231 last year.
So where does he fit in?
Apparently as an everyday player.
For now.
This season he got bumped to 7 in both contact and power vs rhp (to go with his 9 gap), so current batting ratings vs rhp are 7/9/7/7/6. Not too shabby for a Diamond Glove-type shortstop. He is also the only legitimate starting shortstop on the 40-man roster. It seems J Glasscock will be a utility player forever.
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Silva was drafted as a shortstop, officially, and he never pitched an inning in college. He batted .32/.40/.59 in college in five years as a shortstop. After being drafted, he was placed at Double-A, where he batted .339 and continued to play in the field (19 starts at short, 17 at second). He also pitched in 3 games.
