Posted May 1, 200915 yr I hope those who read this take this question seriously... Does anyone else think we should keep Amezaga as our everday SS and move Hanley to a different position? Obviously you don't want to take Hanley's bat out of the lineup but having Mezzy-type Defense at shortstop, so far, has proven to be a huge factor in keeping the opposition off the scoreboard.
May 1, 200915 yr No. I don't disagree it wouldn't be the best defensive alignment, but Hanley needs to grow defensively at SS. Even a temporary move to 3B could set him back. We're not always going to have a slap hitting 2B as our 3B. It's about the longterm with him, and we can deal with Bonifacio, Helms, and other jokers in the short term as we let Hanley develop.
May 1, 200915 yr Author No. I don't disagree it wouldn't be the best defensive alignment, but Hanley needs to grow defensively at SS. Even a temporary move to 3B could set him back. We're not always going to have a slap hitting 2B as our 3B. It's about the longterm with him, and we can deal with Bonifacio, Helms, and other jokers in the short term as we let Hanley develop. I'm just saying that with the solid pitching staff we have, if we can field the best defense possible, we will vastly cut down on the runs that we allow. Much more often than not its a great defensive team that goes far into the playoffs and wins it all.... I'm sure Hanly can play LF or RF.
May 1, 200915 yr If it gets to the point where Maybin needs to be sent down then I wouldn't mind Fredo at SS, Cody in CF and Hanley in either LF or RF with Hermida in the other.
May 1, 200915 yr If it gets to the point where Maybin needs to be sent down then I wouldn't mind Fredo at SS, Cody in CF and Hanley in either LF or RF with Hermida in the other. If they are going to change Hanley to another position, that is an offseason issue.
May 1, 200915 yr Author Mezzy just saved another run.... not saying Hanley is a horrible fielder but there is no doubt Mezzy is the far better defender
May 1, 200915 yr If it gets to the point where Maybin needs to be sent down then I wouldn't mind Fredo at SS, Cody in CF and Hanley in either LF or RF with Hermida in the other. If they are going to change Hanley to another position, that is an offseason issue. A change in position is preferably an offseson issue but not necessarily as far as this FO is concerned. Think of Miguel in '03. And Hanley is a far better athlete than Miguel ever was.
May 1, 200915 yr No. I don't disagree it wouldn't be the best defensive alignment, but Hanley needs to grow defensively at SS. Even a temporary move to 3B could set him back. We're not always going to have a slap hitting 2B as our 3B. It's about the longterm with him, and we can deal with Bonifacio, Helms, and other jokers in the short term as we let Hanley develop. I'm just saying that with the solid pitching staff we have, if we can field the best defense possible, we will vastly cut down on the runs that we allow. Much more often than not its a great defensive team that goes far into the playoffs and wins it all.... I'm sure Hanly can play LF or RF. This doesn't really make sense. If anything, our pitchers get a lot of strikeouts, so a good defense is maybe slightly less helpful than it would be on a team where the pitchers give up a lot of balls in play. The thing about Mez is, who are you going to take out of the starting line-up to let him play every day? I don't foresee anyone who I'd trade for him, as good as his defense is. But he's certainly a great back-up who can play so many positions well that it makes your head spin. Hopefully he'll be worthy of a decent prospect in a trade when this year is up.
May 1, 200915 yr You just can't compare Amezaga to Hanley, yet it is easy to respect the question based on the fact that Amezaga's defense WINS games just as much as a clutch hit or hr does. In the outfield he is just good enough to do the job, but as an infielder, he is so natural, so instinctive that it is fun watching him. He is not thinking, just reacting. On the double play last night on the liner to Cantu, who then just turned and threw to AA, it did not seem like much but AA was right there at the crack of the bat in position for just what happened. I couldn't help but think that if Hanley was out there, would he have reacted, would he have been late to the bag or would he just have watched from the shortstop position and the inning would continue. Sure we don't know, but the thought does come up.
May 1, 200915 yr Hanley couldn't make one of those plays Amezaga has made lately. If only he could hit....
May 2, 200915 yr Interesting question, but until Hanley physically outgrows the position, I think we should play him there. And hope his defense doesn't deteriate. Double A is a great defender, but I don't think he is an everyday starter.
May 2, 200915 yr I love fredo bu ti dont think he could be an everyday player. He gets run down because he plays so hard. Also id loved to see Hanleys face when they told him they're gonna move him mid season for fredo. Im sure that go over real well.
May 2, 200915 yr Sadly, Amezaga is and always will be just a bench player that can play all positions. I love him like I love Cody on this team, but he's filling in right now. Later in his career Hanley will switch positions because he sucks major balls at SS, but currently he needs to play SS.
May 2, 200915 yr Mike Berardino blogs about this very subject! Have you read the comments? Sorry, they were too funny...couldn't ignore.
May 2, 200915 yr During the offseason I said a few times that if they wanted to fit Bonifacio in the lineup and max effectiveness defensively that they should move Hanley to 3B and plug in Bonifacio at SS. I wouldn't say Amezaga just because he won't give you the production of an everyday player, and he's just too good at filling in every other spot when needed. Hanley is the superstar though, so I get that they don't want to mess with him too much, like having him learn another position. And as someone else said, if they were going to do this, the offseason and or Spring Training would have been the time, not May 2nd.
May 2, 200915 yr I wouldn't say Amezaga just because he won't give you the production of an everyday player And Bonifacio will?
May 2, 200915 yr Hanley doesn't suck at SS. Hanley is not a liability at SS. Hanley is average. Defensively I agree. Don't be surprised if you see hanley in the future playing OF- not saying amezaga will be SS.
May 2, 200915 yr 1. Move Hanley to left field (Alfonso Soriano is one of the highest paid players in baseball & made the IF to OF move, so can Hanley) 2. Trade Hermida for bullpen help Amezaga at short + Hanley in left = much improved defense (vs. Hermida in left and Hanley at short)
May 2, 200915 yr 1. Move Hanley to left field (Alfonso Soriano is one of the highest paid players in baseball & made the IF to OF move, so can Hanley) 2. Trade Hermida for bullpen help Amezaga at short + Hanley in left = much improved defense (vs. Hermida in left and Hanley at short) NO
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