OK...I need a utility guy, my 25th player.  I'm hoping he can be tough defensively and swift.  A bit of a bat would help, but is secondary I think.  Have decided to go with one of three in-house (AAA) guys.  Who is the guy to go with?


EdguardoPerez

I've had him the longest but have never found the time to use him in the majors.  He is the best contact guy (77) and maybe the best baserunner (81 speed/74 baserunning).  However, he's probably the least all-around defender (83-69-48-57). 

GregBarfield

Besides being the first guy in the majors who would be from from Warsaw, Poland, he has some interesting qualities.  He's probably the best hitter of the three because he has decent pop (58 power).  He is an all-around defender (80-79-91-77) who wouldn't hurt me agains lefties.  He's fast (88) but a lousy baserunner (43) which negates his speed.

RicoCalles

Calles is a great up the middle defender (86-87-62-62 and improving) who would be a GG type corner OF and would be fine, if not better, at 3B.  No SS here, however.  He's a blur on the base paths (97 speed) but only a so-so baserunner (52).  He has basically no pop, but would hit lefties for a decent enough average, for a utility guy. 

Them's the guys.  I was sure, at one point, that Calles was the guy...then it was Barfield.  Lately I've thought about starting with Perez for 20+ games and then waiving him (He has no options left and I have lots of speedy MiLB 2B) and bringing up one of the other guys. 


As I write this, I think I like Calles again. 

I'm pretty good up the middle with my regulars.

I have a three-time GG SS and an adequate bat-first BU there.  My 2B is a .785 OPS guy who hits about 20 homers a year with 53 + and only 2 - plays over 850 MLB games.  My CF is a 28 HR, .808 guy.  He's 82-83-84-82 with the glove, decent but not great.  Both guys have 88-89 Durability, so they play a lot.

My LF is a GG winner and hits. 

So I don't need a utility guy to play a bunch, but a late-inning defensive guy who can run the bases as a PR and get 20 starts a year at 2B/CF  would be nice.  The guy certainly doesn't make or break my team, but he might help.

Who do you pick? 

Rule 5. Unless  you set your base stealing low. Then Barfield.

Between those guys, I think I like Barfield.  Although the speed to baserunning ratio bothers me a little.

Posted by tufft on 6/5/2013 4:48:00 AM (view original):
Rule 5. Unless  you set your base stealing low. Then Barfield.

+1

Hey moe-

Barfield would be my choice- a dominant fielder at every position save CF/SS, and (I think) best bat of the 3 choices.  It's true that the low baserunning rating makes him a lousy basestealer, but it hardly negates his speed.  He'll still score some INF hits and avoid DPs.  

While the other 2 players have strengths, the almost non-existent power means they will be challenged to hit it out of the infield. I haven't done a detailed study on this, but I think until a batter's power reaches 30 or so, they might as well be swinging a whiffleball bat and will probably contribute very little.  I don't really prioritize home run power on my team, but I'm finding even the small ball works better avoiding plastic bats. 

zzoo,

I did go with Barfield as my 25th/Utility guy.  We've played 47 games, he's played in 23, mostly in defensive situations.  He's had 4 starts at SS.  In his 22 PA's he's hitting .318-,400-.364.  He gound his wan into 14 CF games as a defensive replacement, mostly my fault in setting my defensive priorities (forgot to put my starting CF back in after an injusry).  He's had 1 error and 1 minus play in 7 chances.  But he's worked out as I hoped, basically.  Oh, at SS he's had 11 chances with no errors, and a 3.92 Range Factor.

I did have Calles up, too, when my CF went on the 15-Day DL.  He got 6 starts, fielded flawlessly, and hit .333-.333-.458 in 24 PA's.  He worked out, too.