Team-Building Amusement Exercise - Part 3

I don't have any sort of lead-in planned for this section. I have five bench players, and between them, I think I have a fair mix of speed, power, and defensive versatility. OK, the defensive versatility is concentrated in one player in particular, but it's still there.

1) Yadier Molina (Backup Catcher), 2004 - 51 games, 151 plate appearances (PAs), 6 2Bs, 2 HRs, 15 RBIs, .267 AVG/.329 OBP/.356 SLG/.684 OPS.

Other stats: OPS+ of 78, -4 Batting Runs Above Average (BRAA), 3, Fielding Runs Above Average (FRAA), WARP3 of 0.9

Yadi was pretty much going to be either the starter or the backup, and based on the year's I felt I could choose him from for starting, I was better off with my other option. This was a pretty typical offensive year for Yadi, in that he had and OK average, walked a little, struck out rarely, and didn't show much power. His defense wasn't where it is now (he had 11 wild pitches and 4 passed balls, for example), but he did well at controlling the other team's running game (threw out 8 of 17 base stealers), and he should work reasonably well as the backup.

2) Eduardo Perez (Backup 1st Baseman/Corner Outfielder), 2000 - 35 games, 102 PAs, 4 2Bs, 3 HRs, 10 RBIs, 1 SB, .297/.350/.440/.790.

Other stats: OPS + 97, 1 BRAA, 3 FRAA, WARP3 0.5.

Perez would have been more useful if I'd taken his '02 or '03 versions, but that's the way things go ('02 would have been possible, but then I'd have to find someone in the 2000 bullpen to replace Veres, and I wasn't seeing many appealing options). I narrowed it to Perez, Craig Paquette, or Shawon Dunston. Dunston and Paquette have greater defensive possibilities, at least in LaRussa's eyes. Really, though they were both below average at every position they played. And most critically, theyw ere inferior to Perez at first base, and that's what is really critical, as his primary utility (besides as a bat with moderate power off the bench) is to give my first basemen that one day off a month he needs. Might has well have the person be a good first baseman for when that happens, and Perez wasn't terrible in limited opportunities in the corner outfield slots, either.

3) Jose Oquendo (Swiss Army Knife), 1988 - 148 games, 518 PAs, 10 2Bs, 1 3B, 7 HRs, 46 RBIs, 4 SBs, .277/.350/.350/.700.

Other stats: OPS + 102, 5 BRAA, 2 FRAA, WARP3 of 2.9.

As surprising as it may seem, Oquendo did rack up over 500 plate appearances, but was not the starter at any position, though he had taken 2nd base from Luis Alicea by season's end. But 1988 was the year he truly earned the nickname "Secret Weapon", as he played at least 1 inning at every position on the field, even pitching 4 innings (where he allowed 2 runs and walked 6, but still, points for effort). He logged over 500 innings at 2nd, over 370 at 3rd, and another 101 at SS, so he effectively covers all the infield positions Perez can't. Plus, his 7 home runs represent half of his career total. And yes, he still only had a .350 slugging, but power was never Oquendo's game. Drawing walks, that he was good at, and he earned 52 of them in '88, which makes up for the less-than-impressive power. One thing Oquendo doesn't have is speed. He was caught stealing 6 times in 1988, so I couldn't use him in the running game as much as I might like, but it's a small flaw that I can live with.

4) Ryan Ludwick (Backup Outfielder), 2007 - 120 games, 339 PAs, 22 2Bs, 14 HRs, 52 RBIs, 4 SBs, .267/.339/.479/.818.

Other stats: OPS + 110, 6 BRAA, -3 FRAA, WARP3 1.6.

It probably would have been more useful to take his 2008 season as my starting rightfielder, but I had other plans for that season, and I'm reasonably pleased with the RF I chose. HArd to believe though, as poorly as Edmonds played, and with Duncan and Encarnacion both being hurt at times during the season that Ludwick couldn't manage to get enough innings to be a starter. He logged 324 innings in LF, 252 in RF, and 22 in CF. Statistically, he seems to have been better in center than right, so I'd be more willing to use him there than TLR was, but really, he'd get playing time in all 3 spots. He doesn't walk a whole lot (26 BB to 72 K), but his power means his skills should mesh well with ther other backup outfielder.

5) Brian Barton (Backup Outfielder), 2008 - 82 games, 179 PAs, 9 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 2 HRs, 13 RBIs, 3 SBs, .268/.354/.392/.746.

Other stats: OPS + 97, 2 BRAA, 0 FRAA, 0.8 WARP3.

This is one of those choices that probably has no logical justification. I just like the Crabman. His defensive numbers don't look that great, but I'm betting they'd improve with the opportunity, as I can't imagine it helped his confidence that LaRussa yanked him out of every freaking game for a defensive replacement (and fuck you for that, LaRussa). He has more plate discipline than Ludwick, and more speed, so he offers a different response to situations than Ludwick does. And you can beleive he'll be getting more chances to use his speed than he had.

OK, so three-fourths of the way finished. Next time, whenever that is, I wrap it up with the starters.