Looks like Infante will man 2nd and Dominguez/Helms/Bonifacio will handle the hot corner. If Dominguez is not ready, why not just put Bonifacio at CF and Coghlan at 3rd? I guess they want to give Coghlan as much prep in center as possible. Still, not the biggest fan of this. Thoughts?

 

Marlins confident Coghlan can man center

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com | 12/03/10 2:55 PM EST

 

MIAMI -- On short notice, Chris Coghlan proved in 2009 that he could adapt to left field. He went on to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award that season.

 

The Marlins are confident that Coghlan can now make a similar adjustment to center field.

 

After trading Cameron Maybin to the Padres a few weeks ago, Florida informed Coghlan that he would be switched to center field.

 

The decision to play the 25-year-old in center came several months after the Marlins had asked him to move from the outfield to third base. The fact that Coghlan has never played a game at the professional level in center field raises questions about whether the club is setting itself up for another move.

 

President of baseball operations Admin Beinfest said on Friday that isn't the case.

 

"We like Chris Coghlan. We like him in this lineup," Beinfest said. "The way he adapted to left field -- he developed into a pretty good left fielder in a short period of time. We feel he can do that in center field. As long as the knee is healthy, and there is no reason to believe it is not going to be, he has good instincts on the baseball field. We think he's going to be a good center fielder."

 

Coghlan is recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. His recovery is on track, and he is expected to be at full strength when Spring Training opens.

 

The Marlins have already had an active offseason, which is one reason why they aren't expected to make a big splash at the Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., beginning Monday.

 

"I know there is going to be some speculation about center field," Beinfest said. "But when we made the move for Cameron, we had already had that internal discussion. We thought Chris could handle center field."

 

A natural infielder, Coghlan had been bracing to move to third base since Jorge Cantu was traded to the Rangers in July. But Coghlan suffered his meniscus tear and missed the rest of the season.

 

Beinfest didn't rule out the possibility of Coghlan someday returning to the infield, but the organization clearly wants his focus to be strictly on center.

 

"We don't want to play pinball with Chris," Beinfest said. "He's an important part of this team. I don't think anybody wants to be bounced around. I explained that to him when I spoke to him. I said, 'You're not going to get a call from me every couple of months with a new idea.'

 

"That's part of the attraction of Chris as a player, though. He has versatility. We know he can play second, we know he can play third. We know he can play left field. We have a very good feeling that he can play center field. Those are all good attributes."

 

The knee injury limited Coghlan to 91 games this past season, and he batted .268. In left field, he had a .994 fielding percentage and seven assists.

 

With Coghlan projected in center field, the Marlins are giving prospect Matt Dominguez every chance to win the third-base job. Defensively, Dominguez draws comparisons to Mike Lowell with the way he handles the position.

 

How he adapts to big league pitching is the question. At Jacksonville, Dominguez batted .252 with 14 homers and 81 RBIs.

 

If Dominguez isn't considered ready, the Marlins may consider going with Wes Helms or Emilio Bonifacio at third base. Another possibility, Beinfest said, is Omar Infante, who right now is projected at second base.

 

There could be a scenario where Bonifacio plays second base and Infante plays third.

 

"Matt Dominguez will come in and complete," Beinfest said. "Wes Helms can play over there. If it works out that [infante] is at third, and Bonifacio is at second, and that's our best club at the start of the year, so be it.

 

"We have some people who can move around and help us defensively improve the club."]

:mad

Cogs gots this!!!

Yeah, if Dominguez isn't ready, they'd insane to not put Bonifacio in CF, and then Coghlan/Infante at 2B/3B. But it looks like that's their plan. I don't see it, but Cogs is a pretty athletically guy. Still kinda seems like one of those decision that we'd watch a diff GM make and then lulz@him

I guess that their thinking is that they hope that Coghlan can become average out there. Even slightly below average would be fine because his bat is good. As of right now, this team has no CF depth in the organization, so it'd be nice if Coghlan can become that. I don't think he'll do well, but he does have some athleticism (as he's proven with his transition to the OF...although I still think CF is much more difficult than LF, and he wasn't all that great in LF, anyway), and has a good arm.

 

Really though, after Coghlan the next closest thing to a CF'er in the organization is Yelich, and he'll probably be a 1B because of his below average arm.

Anyone but Wes Helms as the starting third baseman. For every game Wes Helms start, I shall smite a kitten.

For every game Wes Helms start, I shall smite a kitten.

 

:lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the CF issue, why not just stick Cousins out there? He can already play CF and has a good arm. Plus then we can keep Boni as super-sub where he's probably most valuable.

 

Seems a lot more reasonable than sticking Coghlan out there as a project.

For every game Wes Helms start, I shall smite a kitten.

 

:lol

 

 

 

On the CF issue, why not just stick Cousins out there? He can already play CF and has a good arm. Plus then we can keep Boni as super-sub where he's probably most valuable.

I'm hopeful that Cousins will show he can hit at the ML level and make the team. I'd like to see him starting in the OF somewhere, preferrably CF, but it looks like Beinfest is determined to give Coghlan a crack at it to start with.

Cousins is the obvious solution, so it's probably a good bet that they have something else in mind, even though they are paying lip-service to Cogs.

 

Whatever it is, assuming that there is some other idea, if it doesn't work out we'll probably never know what it was. Next week will probably tell the tale.

I don't think Cogs will be too bad out there. It might take him a few games to adjust, but I really don't think he'll be godawful.

I think Cogs will take to CF like a fish will take to water he has all the physical skills and he works hard he should be fine out there...Sometimes you just gotta beleve ...Hey Maybin played well be he had some lapses same as CC will have but he will get better at it quickly

I think Cogs will take to CF like a fish will take to water he has all the physical skills and he works hard he should be fine out there...Sometimes you just gotta beleve ...Hey Maybin played well be he had some lapses same as CC will have but he will get better at it quickly

 

 

 

 

 

CC isn't anywhere near as fast/athletic as Maybin, who can make up ground even when he makes certain initial mistakes. Hopefully he (Coghlan) learns to run routes like Cody Ross out there.

 

Really...if Dominguez doesn't win a job and Bonifacio has to play the infield, why not just have Bonifacio play CF (seems to be his best defensive position)? Or have Cousins play CF (good defender...better hitter than Bonifacio, so it'd help the offense more in that sense, too)?

 

I guess it's gotta be something we don't know.

I keep forgetting Maybin was a good/above average defender for us because of 5/29/10 where I was yelling at him for an hour straight...

I have a feeling I'm going to be whining about this all offseason. Why take on a project like this when you don't have to? What if it takes him the bulk of the season to get comfortable out there?

 

Put Cousins in CF and Cogs at 2nd and Infante at 3B. They want defensive improvement? There it is. Better at 3B, better in CF. Probably the same at 2B.

 

Coghlan in center next to Morrison just seems like a disaster waiting to happen. I hope the guy proves me wrong, but again why take on a project like this? Cousins can already play the position! How novel!

 

He had a decent year at the plate in AAA, he's ready.

 

 

By 2012 Infante will probably be moving on, so then Dominguez slides in at 3B.

 

What does Cogs in CF instead of 2B accomplish? Who are we saving a spot for? Boni??

 

This is stupid, and I hope there's just something else in the works that we're not privy to yet. Only thing that would make it better is if Dominguez winds up winning a spot to start at 3B. Then I guess Cogs in CF is the only spot left, unless Infante can play out there.

I am pretty sure the Marlins are leaving 3rd base for Dominguez be it ST or August Dominguez will be at 3rd base... That way The Marlins Lineup will include Stanton, CC, Morrison, Sanchez, and Dominguez for the next 6-7 years to come

3B is for Dominguez and the FO does not believe that Coghlan is a major league second baseman.

 

So, as long as both Morrison and Sanchez are on the team, CF is Coghlan's only chance to be a long term Marlin.

3B is for Dominguez and the FO does not believe that Coghlan is a major league second baseman.

 

So, as long as both Morrison and Sanchez are on the team, CF is Coghlan's only chance to be a long term Marlin.

 

Well said!

For every game Wes Helms start, I shall smite a kitten.

 

:lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the CF issue, why not just stick Cousins out there? He can already play CF and has a good arm. Plus then we can keep Boni as super-sub where he's probably most valuable.

 

Seems a lot more reasonable than sticking Coghlan out there as a project.

 

Bottom line, we are in this situation cuz of Cog's excellent bat. He clearly is a better hitter than Cousins, so first priority is getting Coghlan's bat in the lineup. And while its a tough problem for us defensively... it seems like a "good situation" as far as our offense goes.

Bottom line, we are in this situation cuz of Cog's excellent bat. He clearly is a better hitter than Cousins, so first priority is getting Coghlan's bat in the lineup. And while its a tough problem for us defensively... it seems like a "good situation" as far as our offense goes.

 

I want him in the lineup. I don't want him in CF.

If Amezaga could play CF why not CC?

If Amezaga could play CF why not CC?

 

Because your hated Amezaga was good out there and is faster.

If Amezaga could play CF why not CC?

 

Because your hated Amezaga was good out there and is faster.

 

Thats true LOL

For every game Wes Helms start, I shall smite a kitten.

 

:lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the CF issue, why not just stick Cousins out there? He can already play CF and has a good arm. Plus then we can keep Boni as super-sub where he's probably most valuable.

 

Seems a lot more reasonable than sticking Coghlan out there as a project.

 

Bottom line, we are in this situation cuz of Cog's excellent bat. He clearly is a better hitter than Cousins, so first priority is getting Coghlan's bat in the lineup. And while its a tough problem for us defensively... it seems like a "good situation" as far as our offense goes.

 

How do we know that he is a better hitter than Cousins? He might be, but we really haven't seen enough of either to be sure of that.

If Coghlan's future with the team is in the outfield (which it appears to be), could Ozzie be our guy at 2B? Infante is fine for a year. Let Ozzie spend 2011 in AAA at 2B. Then roll into the new stadium with a Dominguez/Ramirez/Martinez/Sanchez infield. Could this be the plan? I like him way more than Boni and Infante.

I don't think they'll put CC out there if Dominguez doesn't win the job. Any substitute we'd have for Dominguez is more of an OF than an IF anyways. I think they're just banking on Matty D to be ready by next season.