Comments on: Who’s on 3rd? (I Don’t Know.)

By: Nick Kapur

Nick Kapur — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:40:27 +0000

The Dodgers resigned Nomar to a two-year deal last winter to play first base, completely blocking their best hitting prospect James Loney, but Nomar OPS’d about .625 for four months, and meanwhile Wilson Betemit was battling it out with the Mendoza line, so finally the Dodgers shifted Nomar to third, shipped Betemit to the Yanks for Proctor, and handed Loney the job at first where he proceeded to bat about .335 and OPS over .900.

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By: Paul Moro

Paul Moro — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:19:41 +0000

Well, no, not really. At least not well. He split time at 3rd and 1st last year, I think. And I think before he got hurt and shut it down in September, he was still playing third.

But I have no idea if Torre is thinking the same thing.

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By: Sarah Green

Sarah Green — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:20:37 +0000

Can Nomar even play third at this point? I feel like he might dive for a liner and smash into a hundred little shards of Nominess.

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By: Paul Moro

Paul Moro — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:56:26 +0000

One thing to keep an eye on in the 3rd base market is what the Dodgers do. They have Nomar on the books for 2008. They may make a play for A-Rod. But what about prospect Andy LaRoche? Will Torre use him? If not, he might be available.

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By: Sarah Green

Sarah Green — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:18:42 +0000

Joe, indeed, how many different ways is there to say, “Couldn’t hit the pavement if he tripped”?

@Jojo, indeed, Josh Fields is the 3B everyone wishes they had right now (well, except the Mets and the Marlins). Cheap, young, and he hits for power (if not quite for average).

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By: joe

joe — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:31:50 +0000

Re: Abe Nunez – his nickname over on Beerleaguer blog was ‘No-hit’ [Nunez]. Light-hitting would be putting it.. lightly.

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By: Jojo Fireball

Jojo Fireball — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:33:48 +0000

Just a note, Josh Phelps is not Joe Crede’s replacement in Chicago, it’s Josh Fields… And Fields has proven a very solid and worthy replacement both offensively and defensively both…

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By: Sarah Green

Sarah Green — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:27:47 +0000

Yeah, I didn’t go into the possible trades. I think it’s clear that anyone with a 3B to spare should be dangling him out there for a trade after A-Rod and Lowell sign. Because this crop of free agents isn’t exactly giving anyone goosebumps. Well, not the good kind, anyway.

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By: Coley Ward

Coley Ward — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:21:08 +0000

From Newsday:

Other potential targets for the Yankees could be the Rangers’ Hank Blalock, the Mariners’ Adrian Beltre, the White Sox’s Joe Crede (who is coming off back surgery) and the Reds’ Edwin Encarnacion.

Blalock, who will turn 27 next month, missed most of 2007 because of surgery to remove a rib (thoracic outlet syndrome). He batted .293 with 33 RBIs in 58 games. He has one year and $5.95 million left on his contract, plus a team option for 2009.

Crede, 29, had a terrible season, batting .216 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 47 games, but he hit 30 homers and knocked in 94 runs in 2006.

Beltre, 28, has two years left on his five-year, $64-million contract. He hit .276 with 26 homers and 99 RBIs this year.

Encarnacion, 24, hit .289 with 76 RBIs and is arbitration-eligible.

I think Crede will be trade bait, since Josh Phelps has emerged as a capable replacement, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Sox, Yankees, Phillies or another team trades for him.

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