42.11 Checking the Locks: Right Field

[crobillard]

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

Sure fire locks: Myeung-hwan Kim, Pedro Huerta
Trying to get in the door: Ben Holmes, Jim Loudenslager

All the competing individual interests for each player come together in right field. Pedro Huerta is the defacto starter after an amazing rookie campaign which would have saw him win a Newcomer of the Year award if it were a normal year. After the offensive boom in 2041 and the coronavirus blasting into every day life, normal is clearly out the window and so are the balls Huerta hit last season...outside your window right now. Huerta appeared in 161 games with a .330/.372/.617 batting line with 67 doubles, seven triples, 34 homeruns for a 4.6 WAR. The only reason it was that low is because he struggled in right field with a .969 fielding percentage and a -6.5 ZR. He had 18 assists though, but no one gives a shit about that. Huerta is outstanding though and I think he'll continue to rake this season.

Kim really came in clutch for me last season. He's my only outfielder who can play all three positions in the outfield. His home is in right field, but since I viewed him more as a backup due to the talent I have starting in the outfield, he ends up being more of a hole filler out there. With that said, in his 217 at bats last season, he didn't disappoint at all batting .336/.380/.484 with 21 doubles, four triple and a four bagger. He also stole 23 bases on 31 attempts for a 1.1 WAR. Nearly all of his starts came when Wilson Villanuela got hurt, so Kim was plugged into center field. He was learning it a bit, but ended the season with 44 starts in center with a .991 fielding percentage and a -3.2 ZR. He was slotted into right field for 89 games though, mostly as a defensive replacement and he held his own with a +0.8 ZR and a .981 fielding percentage subbing in for Huerta.

Holmes and Loudenslager are our emergency options. Loudenslager is more of a defensive guy, but not as good as Jerry Bell. Holmes is the better hitter of the two, but he's not all that good at anything. They've both been okay in the minors thus warrant the call up. It's not likely either will make the team, but it's good to get a look at them.