46.12 Checking the Locks: Left Field

[crobillard]

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

Sure fire locks: Jose Salas, Girolamo L'Archibudelli
Near lock: Lorenzo Leon

Last year's acquisition from Las Vegas, L'Archibudelli was very successful in the Jackrabbits uniform. He played 120 games for the Jackrabbits with a .359/.406/.496 batting line. He had 43 doubles, two triples, seven homeruns, he was 32 for 38 in stolen bases for a 3.2 WAR. The downside of course is his defense. He mostly played DH for Las Vegas, but he's forced into left for Edmonton since Jose Salas is the other option for left field. He had a -4.6 ZR in left, but his .980 fielding percentage is probably better than I expected. He becomes a free agent at the end of the season and if he performs anything like how he did last season than it will be pretty difficult not to extend him.

The Jackrabbits have a lot of free agent decisions to make this season and I'll be breaking down the free agent situation in a Checking the Locks Special Edition later.

Jose Salas is pretty solidly in the DH role with the addition of L'Arch. He had a .292/.391/.449 batting line last season with 37 doubles, seven triples, 16 homeruns, 92 walks and he was 25 for 32 in stolen bases for a 3.1 WAR. He is also a free agent after this season and it doesn't seem likely that the front office will be able to keep both of these guys and at least at this point their demands are very similar.

Even more committed to the DH role is Leon. He was bounced to the majors and back down to AAA multiple times last season. Leon was a 13 for 81 in at bats last season and 11 of his hits consisted of six doubles and five homeruns. I'm not sure if we should expect that kind of slugging percentage from him, but his 7/9/8/5/7 ratings against RHPers is pretty solid coming off the bench and that's the reason the team would choose to have him on the roster over some others. He's out of minor league options years though, so he will have to pass through waivers if the team wants to send him to AAA.