Eric Hinske has worked in the OF most of the spring, and taken flyballs most of the winter. he is expected to split time between LF, 1B, 3B, and DH, with a bulk coming in the OF.
i find this greatly amusing. the Blue Jays are basically trying to clone Russell Branyan, but without the offensive force and at a much higher cost.
when Branyan was non-tendered by the Brewers he was signed to an $800,000 contract by the D-Rays. i don't understand Riccardi's logic in not offering the same (or similar) deal to Branyan, rather than try to teach Hinske a new position while he is making $3.1 million.
Branyan's always been offensively superior to Hinske, and surprisingly, a bit better defensively at third and first than Hinske.
Code:Hinske Age AB TPA AVG OBP SLG OPS ISOD ISOP IOS RC/27 25 566 650 279 365 481 846 086 202 288 6.88 26 449 514 243 329 437 766 086 194 280 5.29 27 570 634 246 312 375 687 066 129 195 4.06 28 477 537 262 333 430 763 071 168 239 5.32 Total 2062 2335 258 335 430 765 077 172 249 5.36 Split AB AVG OBP SLG OPS Right 1549 267 349 445 794 Left 513 232 294 384 678 Position FPCT RF ZR G 3B 952 2.46 718 425 1B 993 9.81 905 100 LF YTD YTD YTD 0 Branyan Age AB TPA AVG OBP SLG OPS ISOD ISOP IOS RC/27 24 193 220 238 327 544 871 089 306 395 6.77 25 315 361 232 316 486 802 084 254 338 5.82 26 378 435 228 320 458 778 092 230 322 5.49 27 176 205 216 322 438 760 106 222 328 5.61 28 158 182 234 324 525 849 090 291 381 5.77 29 202 242 257 378 490 868 121 233 354 7.31 Total 1464 1691 232 327 480 807 095 248 343 6.13 Split AB AVG OBP SLG OPS Right 1249 235 334 480 814 Left 215 219 286 479 765 Position FPCT RF ZR G 3B 944 2.77 737 229 1B 994 9.93 800 39 LF 968 1.96 897 136 RF 971 2.64 909 17
i don't quite understand Riccardi's logic, and the best i can come up with is it's because Hinske's not far into arbitration. of course, i didn't understand Riccardi's logic of brining in Koskie and Hillenbrand to join Hinske at 3B either. wouldn't last year have been the more oppritune time for the Jays to attempt to clone Branyan?
but it brings me to one last point...how can a guy who's been in the majors at younger age, and been better offensively and defensively than Hinske have so many fewer plate appearances? just doesn't make sense to me.
