41.7 Checking the Locks: Center Field

[crobillard]

This is a series where I will evaluate the options in each position leading into Spring Training. This is the seventh of eleven parts. I will be taking a look into the center field position in this post.

Sure fire locks: Wilson Villanuela, Niccolo Machiavelli
Trying to get in the door: Jerry Bell

Machiavelli is most likely the starter, but since he is injured Villanuela is taking his spot on opening day. It's difficult not to give Villanuela more games, but Machiavelli's elite defense in center is what provides him with the designation. Machiavelli is almost 26 years old. Last year was his first season in Edmonton and I think it's fair to say that it probably could have gone better. He batted .246/.330/.313. A .313 slugging percentage.....................yeah. He does hit five triples in his 476 at bats, but clearly he is poor offensively. On defense he had a +5.4 ZR and only two errors, but he's been much better in the past with double digit ZR. There seemed to be an issue with assists last season too. In 2039 with Madison he had 27 assists, a year later he had 9. He had fewer games, but not that much fewer. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out this season. It was good enough to secure Machiavelli a contract extension at the last possible moment before free agents signed in the offseason. He will be receiving a 37 mil deal over six years.

The slightly better offensive option is Villanuela. If Machiavelli wasn't resigned, Villanuela surely would have been the successor. He's rated 7/7/3/4/9, but he hits RHPs better at 8/8/4/5/9. Like Machiavelli he's much better defensively, but Villanuela struggles to find the range in center that Machiavelli has. Machiavelli has an 11 rating in center and Villanuela is stuck at 8. He has a very strong arm though that's evident in his 11 rating in right and 12 rating in left. He's rated with a 12 arm. Beast. Last season he batted 363 times and resulted in a .295/.348/.421 batting line, 24 XBHs, and six homeruns. He was 26 for 36 in stolen base attempts too which he surely wants to improve on this season. His 1.4 WAR was much better than Machiavelli's 0.5 WAR in 141 games. There is definitely an argument that Villanuela should start over Machivelli in center, but with William Wood getting non-tendered this offseason Edmonton will need the range in the outfield.

We might see Bell squeeze his way onto the roster. He's a defensive specialist with a 10 rating in center. He could use more time in AAA developing in the corner outfield spots, but Bell is ready. He's rated 4/6/4/6/4 so he'll never wow you at the plate, but his defense might make up for his poor bat just to gain him a roster spot.