38.7 Checking the Locks: First Base

[crobillard]

This is a series where I will evaluate the options in each position leading into Spring Training. This is the second of twelve parts, including a prediction and end of Spring Training analysis. I will be taking a looking into the first base position in this post.

Sure fire locks: Dusty Rhodes, Fernando Cruz
Near lock: Christophe Claudel
Trying to get in the door: António Valentín, Luis Rocha

Rhodes and Cruz are two of my best hitters. Rhodes has a high batting average and crossed the plate nearly 100 times last season. Cruz is the newcomer from Brooklyn that I am paying many, many shiny pennies for. Installing him into the lineup that score 826 runs last season will hopefully help drive that number to well over 900. The dream is to have Steven Collins III and Rhodes batting in front of Cruz with William Wood behind him. Talk about a deadly top four.

Claudel is probably closer to a sure fire lock. Edmonton just has a lot of first base talent and I don't have room for everyone. Claudel was picked up on the waiver wire at the beginning of last season and ended up in a starting role thanks to Declan Crauen's injury and Claudel's solid defense which regulated Rhodes to DH. He hit well in 472 at bats hitting 21 homeruns, driving home 74 runners and drawing 79 walks. He ended the campaign with an .806 OPS.

The only way Claudel might not make the team is if he has a terrible spring and Valentin or Rocha absolutely crush the ball. Valentin especially is my kind of player and possibly Rhodes' future replacement. At 29 years old, Valentin is fighting the perception that he's not strong enough offensively for a role, but he has some experience in the majors with Long Beach and Brooklyn. He has a .308 batting average in 2710 at bats in the majors...so why has he only had two at bats in the majors since 2035? That might have something to do with me stashing him in my minor leagues for a season. His last nearly complete season is with Brooklyn in 2033 when he was 25 years old. He had 556 at bats, batted .347 with eight homeruns and 45 extra base hits. He was a monster on the basepaths as well with 89 stolen bases. He had a 2.6 WAR total and never approached a positive WAR again. He still hit around .300 the next two seasons with Brooklyn, but combined had only 637 at bats in 2034 and 2035. Then, I stashed him in the minors for a season and he crushed the ball in AAA trying to make a name for himself and prove that he should be eligible for the majors again. For AAA Winnipeg he hit .352/.387/.506 with 55 extra base hits and six homeruns. The problem is likely that he's terrible in the field and it's difficult to find a spot at DH for a guy like him because the homerun ball is such a highly sought after commodity especially at the DH spot. He was about to become a free agent after this offseason and I signed him to a new contract, so I may come up with a role for him. He has a few really great skills that I would love to utilize.

Rocha is probably a little further away from consideration, but he's 24 years old and a left bat like Valentin. He walks a lot more than Valentin too. If he can get on base a whole bunch, I'll totally consider finding him a roster spot.