2064.06 Nine Notes 2063 Internal Review: Second Base

[Trebro]

Bo, as per your request, I am reviewing the entire 2063 team in depth. I am not sure how much this will help, but here we go. So we'll start with an internal review of the various positions. So we'll start with an internal review of the various positions. I'll note that I'm going to be listing people where they played the most for the Nine. Now for what's on second...

Grade Guide:
A = Totally comfortable with what I have
B = Pretty comfortable with what I have
C = I'm okay with what I have
D = I really need to upgrade
F = I cannot go into next season like this

2063 Second Basemen for the Nine:

Juan Silva, 26 (traded to Boise) - .266 ave, 6 HR, .725 OPS, wRC+ 102, 1.4 WAR
Dennis Rollins, 24 (6th rd pick 2055) - .273 ave, 3 HR, .759 OPS, wRC+ 109, .6 WAR
John Maggard, 30 (waiver claim) - .224 ave, 2 HR, .637 OPS, wRC+ 73, 0 WAR

Overall Position Grade in 2063: B

Silva was a very solid player for me, but he was showing some signs of decline and as "I" told Valerie when "she" wrote the story about that deal, I was very concerned that he was an asset losing value and about to need paid in the neighborhood of 6 to 8 million a year. Too often, I've held a guy and gotten burned (Cory McGuire, anyone?) so when Boise mentioned they needed a second baseman and was willing to part with a top relief pitcher plus other parts, I opted to pull the trigger.

Silva went on to be more like the old, All-Star Silva playing for the Spuds (he netted 1.9 WAR for them, which was more than he was on pace to do for me all year) but there's no way to know if that holds. Plus this is a rare position of strength for me (more on that in a moment), so getting a young, top notch reliever plus two actual prospects worked out. I really do with Silva well, he's one of my favorite players. Giving him up in a trade is progress for me in a different way.

Rollins playing well last September and doing solid work at Indianapolis meant I could do this trade now, not later. He has a similar makeup to Silva per his ratings, but if anything, he's better at second. That 16.1 ZR in 79 games is eye-popping. There's a chance he develops into a similar player who will be a useful trade chip. In the meantime, I'm very comfortable giving him second base for 140 games or so assuming he doesn't regress in a larger sample size.

Maggard was so that I could move Arkakara Sammeta to AAA for more seasoning. He was just there to fill in and ensure no one got too tired. As such, he did the job okay, but he's not someone I want filling the role of sixth infielder long term. He won't be back.

What's on Tap?

No one immediately, but coming down the pike is Alberto Hernandez, who will be making his AA debut in 2064, with an eye to either moving him up to AAA if he does well and the rest of the team doesn't or having him grow with others at Santa Cruz and try for another division win. Hernandez is finally filling out his ratings but I'd like to see the contact improve before he gets the call. How Rollins plays will also dictate this.

Then there's Sancho Garcia, who is just killing it as an infielder. I have him primarily at shortstop right now, but if Hartman excels and isn't traded, he could easily move to second. Plus some other guys at Short A and Rookie who look promising. I've been working hard to build a better bench up the middle and it's definitely paying off right now, at least on paper.

What's the Plan?

Rollins will hold down second in 2064, and possibly also 2065, depending on how Hernandez develops. He could force his way into being kept around and the young guy getting dealt for an area of need, like SP or catcher. Or he could be used as I did Silva, to bolster my minors.

Current Verdict: I'll miss Silva, but trading him was the right call. I think. We should be okay at second unless Rollins seriously regresses, but there's no signs of that. Like first, this position is pretty stable. I will make sure not to overwork Rollins, which I think may have been an issue for Silva.

Bo's Notes: Don't rush Hernandez or Garcia. Rollins needs to be given most of the year for his shot. But do ensure you have someone like Gui to spell him and don't rely on Sammeta to do that. Keep these younger players fresh!

[BaseClogger]

Rollins looks like a good enough to hold down the spot for league minimum 1.5-2.5 WAR guy.