2056.02: Rummaging Bears - Catchers/Infielders

[BaseClogger]

3/18/2056

As they rummage a campsite some Bears find picnic baskets while others are shooed away.

Sure-Fire Locks
C Joe Zwicker, 1B Francisco Martínez, 2B Marcello Custello, SS Pepe Espinosa

Three of the players acquired during my recent free agent spending spree plus organization mainstay Custello will start at catcher and make up 3/4 of my infield. This is a veteran group and none are guaranteed to be under contract beyond 2057.

Near Locks
1B Naoaki Kurioka, SS Kevin Corbett , 3B Ron Ritchie, 3B Murray Healey

After his performance in 2055, Kurioka deserves a roster spot to platoon with Don Moore at DH and give Martinez the ocassional day of rest... I no longer need Corbett to start at shorstop after a promising trial run last season, but he'll still get plenty of playing time backing up Espinosa and platooning with Custello... Ritchie and Healey make a quietly productive platoon pairing but I'm running out of roster spots so there is an outside shot one gets waived--they're both slightly overpaid.

Trying to Break-In
C Shi-min Xi, C Juan Romano, 2B Carl McIndoe, SS Isaac Emmott, 3B Bruce Hillier

Shi-min Xi and Juan Romano battle for the backup catcher spot. Xi has experience as a bat-first platoon guy in that role in San Fernando, but his defense was disappointing and his Eye still hasn't developed. Romano is liable to get the bat knocked out of his hands but I think he plays a little better defense and he hit .325 in AAA... McIndoe deserves a roster spot after his 2055 September call-up but roster crunch. If he was a better defender I would have tried harder to clear a path... I irresponsibly gave Emmott $2M in arbitration but I think he ends up on the waiver wire... Hillier was claimed off waivers since he had options but he'll need multiple injuries to make the BBA roster.

Breaking in the Back Door
C Ziaul-Haq bin Dhul Fiqar, SS José Villa

ZHbDF is viewed as the heir to Zwicker but could use more time in AAA to develop his power stroke... We don't have many infield prospects in the high minors, but Villa was acquired last trade deadline and gives us a young guy up-the-middle. His infield range has flirted with bumping to 9, which really starts to make him interesting.