Leading up to the start of the 2039 season, "Position Battles" examines multiple players vying to make the Boise Spuds starting line-up or the active roster as a reserve. Part two of four looks at the competition to fill the left-handed platoon in left field.Due to a lack of offensive standouts throughout the Spuds roster -- aside from phenom Dennis French and slugger Yunosuke Terada -- Boise's new general manager Joe Lederer is expected to employ lefty/righty platoons as needed, a strategy he's quite fond of. Chilean left fielder Pedro Holguín is a lifetime .305 hitter, coming off a .291/.384/.383 season. Despite any semblance of power (1 career home run in 1770 at-bats), Holguín's ability to rap singles around the ballpark, collect the occasional walk and play an average defense in the corner outfield will pencil him in as the starting left fielder come 2039. However Holguín's inefficiencies are exposed against left-handed pitchers, despite being a switch-hitter. Due to his extreme splits (career .701 OPS vs LHP, .808 vs RHP), it's no wonder Lederer has hinted to using an additional player to spell Holguín against lefties. On the roster are two interesting options, Jesús Enríquez and Pedro Díaz.
LAST YEAR BY THE NUMBERS
Both players spent time in Boise this past season, with Enríquez shuttling back-and-forth from Triple-A Salt Lake City and Boise and Díaz serving as a part-time reserve. Enríquez had the better season of the two, hitting .282/.322/.529 in 85 at-bats, plus a stellar .279/.370/.586 down in AAA, while Díaz posted a modest .274/.339/.425 in 47 games of action. When he wasn't pinch-hitting, Díaz showed acceptable defense while Enríquez mostly played in center in both Salt Lake City and Boise, flashing enough skill to easily transition to left field in 2039. EDGE: ENRÍQUEZ
THE BASICS
Despite being the older of the two, Enríquez's contract situation and status is more attractive, with one additional year under team control and one remaining option, should he need to be sent down to AAA. Díaz, out of options, would either have to make the Boise roster out of spring training or, if the Spuds want to keep him in the organization, be subject to passing thru waivers before being able to join Salt Lake City. EDGE: ENRÍQUEZOFFENSE
While Holguín is a switch-hitter who is at his best hitting from the left side, Enríquez is strictly a left-handed hitter with traditional splits. Despite it being their worst options, Holguín is probably a better hitter than Enríquez from the weaker side, however Enríquez may offer other attributes that we'll discuss later that makes him worthy of Holguín's platoon partner. Interestingly enough, Díaz is a right-handed hitter but shows no platoon splits. Here is a breakdown of all three players' skills against southpaw pitchers:
Enríquez is arguably the more balanced hitter, whereas Holguín and Díaz each have plus-skills but more weaknesses. It's fair to keep in mind that Boise plays their home games in a park that favors average and power but drastically cuts down on doubles and triples, so Díaz's power stands out even more. EDGE: DÍAZ
BASERUNNING/BUNTING
What Enríquez lacks in hitting, he makes up for it with his ability to bunt and elite base running. Boise doesn't plan on utilizing the bunt often, but it is something manager Barrett Callahan may keep in his back pocket whenever Enríquez is at-bat. Lederer and Callahan both embrace sabermetric schools of thought and Enríquez's outstanding ability to take leads and the extra base is sure to be noticed by the general manager and manager, be it as the platoon starter in left or as a pinch runner late in games. Díaz offers no offensive options outside of hitting. EDGE: ENRÍQUEZDEFENSE
Defensive is considered an important part of the game to Lederer and Callahan, however Spuds' corner outfielders won't need to be elite given that superstar Dennis French is patrolling the uniquely deep centerfield in Boise. Enríquez and Díaz has similar plus-arm strength but their defensive similarities end there. While Enríquez has incredible range and can chase down most balls hit his way, he tends to be careless at times, making the errant throw or dropping a fly ball. Díaz, never known for his range, is as sure-handed as they come, which raises the question: Is it better to make the play on more hit balls but make more errors or not get to enough balls but rarely have a miscue? That's something that will need to be answered over the course of the next four months. It should be noted that if Enríquez doesn't earn the platoon starting job in left field, he is capable of playing all three outfield positions, plus can even spell starters at 1B and 2B. EDGE: PUSHVERDICT
Signs point to Enríquez holding the smallest of advantages over Díaz considering his base running, speed and defense. Díaz is the superior offensive player overall, and more so when comparing each other's splits. The most likely scenario is a platoon of Holguín and Enríquez with Díaz possibly making the team as a reserve outfielder. However there truly may not be a starting job to win, but instead a balancing act between the trio depending on who the Spuds are facing on the mound, what visiting ballpark the team finds themselves in, and whether defense or offense is required that day. It's not an ideal situation for Lederer to find the answer for, but it will be one worth watching for come spring as Boise looks to improve on its 74-88 record from 2038.