In GAP my team is curently 81-57 and cannot seem to get into first place (3 games out). A few seasons ago I drafted http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=2872853 .I think he is ready to hit in the bigs, but he cannot play ss at the ML level. My curent 3B could possibly play ss, http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=1885344 but my fielding would take a big hit I think. My curent ss is http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=1815409 . I just wanted to see what people think I should do about the prospect ss, if I should call him up and play him at third or keep him down and play him at ss in AAA.
7/14/2010 1:00 PM (edited)
I'm sorry to say it, but Small will never even come close to being a big league SS. He's already in his third full pro season, and his fielding numbers have barely improved over the course of the year. For a ML SS, ideally you want all 4 of those fielding attributes to be at least 80 for him to be useful, and he's not 80 in any of them. He may surpass 80 in arm strength, but overall I would never stick him at SS or CF. 2B is a maybe if his range develops a bit more, but I think he's most useful at 3B, where he will be Gold Glove caliber with his above-average range and arm.

Johnson is obviously not going to win any batting titles but my philosophy is that hitting should be considered gravy at SS and fielding is most important. Unfortunately he's not quite a true stud at SS, but his range, glove, and arm accuracy make him a solid defender and his elite arm strength probably pushes him into territory where he would be in the upper echelon of fielding SS's in an average league. I would try to look for another option to give you a better combo of hitting and fielding, but at the moment I'd probably stick with Johnson as he's the only guy who won't actively hurt you at SS.

One glaring thing I see with your team is that you're apparantly starting Lyle Walters at 2B, which is an enormous mistake. He doesn't reach ANY fielding recs for a 2B, and 2B is the second most important position on the field. It might be hard to stomach, but Walters is a LF at best and has no business playing any infield position other than 1B. If you want to boost your winning percentage, moving him to another position and replacing him at 2B is a good way to start. Here's what I would do: banish Walters to LF or 1B (or trade/bench him if you don't want to replace your current guys at those positions). Leave Johnson at SS and move McCallum to 2B. Then bring up Small and slot him in at 3B. All of a sudden you've got a very good infield on your hands.
7/14/2010 1:11 PM
SS is the most important defensive position on the field. I would think that playing Small or McCallum at SS is going to hurt you far more than their extra offense, compared to Johnson, will help.  It looks like your best upgrade to the team would be to put Small at 3B, move McCallum to 2B, move Lyle Waters' horrible glove from 2B to LF, and bench your worst hitting regular not playing a defensive position, LF Cameron Linden.
Whether you do it this season or next depends on how much you care about fighting for the division and a bye this season versus delaying Small to arb/FA. Additionally, since Small seems to be barely improving his defense this season, his 3rd pro season in which he has his last season of dramatic improvements, he looks to be a 3B for his career.

EDIT:  Looks like my exact analysis was posted while I was working on mine.
7/14/2010 1:25 PM (edited)
So bench linden and put walters at first and call up small and throw him at third? I have a lot of solid hitters i think that i can switch around. Or should i platoon linden and walters?
7/14/2010 1:30 PM
I would play Mohler at 1B and Walters in LF. Linden has only been marginally better vs. LHP than Walters, but is weaker defensively so I would bench him.
This would give you a much better defensive lineup than what you are currently using, and with the addition of Small, should also improve the offense.
7/14/2010 1:44 PM
Posted by overeasy on 7/14/2010 1:25:00 PM (view original):
SS is the most important defensive position on the field. I would think that playing Small or McCallum at SS is going to hurt you far more than their extra offense, compared to Johnson, will help.  It looks like your best upgrade to the team would be to put Small at 3B, move McCallum to 2B, move Lyle Waters' horrible glove from 2B to LF, and bench your worst hitting regular not playing a defensive position, LF Cameron Linden.
Whether you do it this season or next depends on how much you care about fighting for the division and a bye this season versus delaying Small to arb/FA. Additionally, since Small seems to be barely improving his defense this season, his 3rd pro season in which he has his last season of dramatic improvements, he looks to be a 3B for his career.

EDIT:  Looks like my exact analysis was posted while I was working on mine.
Sorry about that. Great minds think alike I guess
7/14/2010 2:25 PM
Domingo Johnson has a career OPS of .586. Over 600 at bats, that's about 51 runs created. If Small can OBP .340 and SLG .440 (which is very realistic) over 600 at bats, that's about 90 runs created. The question is whether you think Small's glove will cost your 40 runs over the course of the season.
7/14/2010 3:40 PM
Posted by jtrinsey on 7/14/2010 3:40:00 PM (view original):
Domingo Johnson has a career OPS of .586. Over 600 at bats, that's about 51 runs created. If Small can OBP .340 and SLG .440 (which is very realistic) over 600 at bats, that's about 90 runs created. The question is whether you think Small's glove will cost your 40 runs over the course of the season.
Not out of the question. Check out Jeff Granger's numbers at SS with very similar fielding ratings. 24 errors and 3 minus plays in only 70 games played there (only 55 started) in season 11. 121 errors and 25 minus plays in 2658.2 career innings-- assuming he played a full 162 game season and every game was 9 innings (for argument's sake), that's more than 66 errors and nearly 14 minus plays over the course of a full season (and that doesn't include just regular instances of balls getting by him, and the plus plays he will fail to make). So all things considered, the runs allowed can really add up very quickly when you're dealing with a poor-fielding SS.
7/14/2010 4:19 PM
http://www.whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=2675034

Here, in my opinion, is where you trade some O for D.

Prorating to about 30+ plays per year (which are hits taken away, thus runs potentially prevented)
RF in top 5 in league.
Fld. % in top 10 in league (for SS).

So, he's getting to more balls, making outs when he gets to them, and is hitting well enough to get about a .700 OPS.

Johnson, IMO, is not taking away enough to offset the hits/power he is not generating.
7/14/2010 4:20 PM
Move the AAA guy up.  He plays third.  Move your 3rd base guy to SS.  He'll be adequate considering his bat (although he sure has underprodeced with the bat the lat two years considring his numbers).  You're current SS is not helping you really.  His Gove is nice but his OPS numbers are so bad becasue he has no power.  Keep him for a late inning defensive replacement.
7/15/2010 11:09 AM
None of this advice is any good.  Clearly the best course of action would be to keep that guy down oin the farm.  It's likely a good idea to send Walters and McCallum down to AAA as well for more seasoning, as there is simply no way that you will be able to catch that mighty 1st place team with the dashing and handsome owner.
7/18/2010 3:34 AM
Posted by cjlancaster on 7/18/2010 3:34:00 AM (view original):
None of this advice is any good.  Clearly the best course of action would be to keep that guy down oin the farm.  It's likely a good idea to send Walters and McCallum down to AAA as well for more seasoning, as there is simply no way that you will be able to catch that mighty 1st place team with the dashing and handsome owner.
Best advice right here, sorry everyone. Have to go with what my rival says lol
7/19/2010 10:34 AM

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