The Brewster

Kurt's preview of Long Beach says:

this [LBC] isn't a team dedicated to defense (far from it) and it will hurt the development if their pitching...

About the "six million dollar center fielder" (for that is what Long Beach signed Jamie Angwin for, out of GBC Champs Tokyo), Kurt says: "

[he] was brought in from the GBC to sell tickets... err to hit lefties as a short side platoon outfielder.

Yet, after one sim, Angwin is starting as a platoon center fielder, vs. right-handed pitchers. It is true that the 58 lifetime-WAR player is very popular nationally and extremely popular locally.

But my question is: Would you start him in/at center field? To make this a "silly poll," I thought of giving only two answers: No and Other.

I am genuinely interested in what our general managers here think. I have a rather set view of minimum fielding requirements for a center fielder—for example, hell would have to freeze over before I started a guy with a three (3) position rating and a six outfield range at center. Those are Angwin's ratings at venter.

Another example: my own Jon Scaife. Time will tell how much of an offensive asset he will be, but with better ratings than Angwin (CF 6, OF Range 7), I don't think it would be wise to start him in center.

I don't care how popular he is, how many stolen bases he had last year (78), or his 4.2 WAR last year—in the GBC. (Angwin had a brilliant 5.8 ZR last year at left field for Tokyo in left field; yet a—what has to be detrimental—minus -2.7 ZR in center field, in just 12 starts (18 games).

If Angwin plays all season at center, maybe the poll should be how low do you think his ZR will go?

He should play CF every time they play the Bears.

No, I could never bring myself to start Angwin in center (even given his offensive and speed capabilities). I care about too much about my team's pitching and W-L record to do so.

BaseClogger wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 9:43 am

He should play CF every time they play the Bears.

well, yeah, OK, he can play center for the sake of my team, too; but for the sake of Long Beach?

I admire Lane's willingness to experiment but this isn't third base

I'd probably start Angwin in CF if I was tanking. But that's just me.

I wouldn't start him in CF if we were playing in a sandbox.

Trebro wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 10:47 am

I admire Lane's willingness to experiment but this isn't third base

ahahahahah

ae37jr wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 11:02 am

I'd probably start Angwin in CF if I was tanking. But that's just me.

me neither

Angwin at CF is an okay stopgap for the short-term. Perhaps the team is looking for a waivers player or trade to come through here soon. I understand a team feeling things out in April. If not, it looks like they might want to get 9 range Kaya Al-Dîn in AA ready.

Having seen him in Tokyo, I'd say he is not a good fit in CF. Let him cook in left.