In my mind I've always pictured him as a Jeff Kent type. Not enough range for SS, solid at 2B, and plenty of bat to play.
In my mind I've always pictured him as a Jeff Kent type. Not enough range for SS, solid at 2B, and plenty of bat to play.
Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.
Valaika would probably be a slightly below average to average shortstop at best.
Valaika is one of my top choices for the Reds to deal. I think he'll be more Jeff Keppinger than Jeff Kent, and while I think that makes for an OK career as a offensive utilty guy, he'll be below average defensively on either side of 2B IMO. Some guys have to be dealt from the minors this offseason to shore up areas of the the organization that are paper thin from the big leagues all the way down. The team needs to target SS (guys who really project to play the spot in the majors and have enough bat to not be Juan Castro), Catcher and a mid rotation innings guy who preferably is less fly ball heavy than guys like Cueto, Harang and Arroyo.
I think Valaika will prove to be pedestrian offensively and problematic defensively. I don't think his value will be much higher than it is now.
All my posts are my opinion - just like yours are. If I forget to state it and you're too dense to see the obvious, look here!
this is what i had understood - he is a 2B not a SS. if so then i think either he or Phillips could go this offseason. as i posted a while back i have a suspicion that Phillips goes, Hairston plays 2B next year & Valaika is the second baseman mid 2009 or in 2010.
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I'd let him play himself out of the position at the majors since hes already spent all of the minors as a SS.
I like Danny Richar better. Same OBP, same power, more speed, successful at a higher level.
For that matter, I'll take a platoon.
Last edited by kpresidente; 09-27-2008 at 03:32 PM.
BP has Frazier as the #1 SS worth watching in the Hawaiian league:
Todd Frazier, Waikiki (Reds). Coming off of a .291/.368/.485 season split between Low- and High-A, there is little doubt that Frazier can hit. The big question is what position he'll end up at; he's fringy at best as a shortstop, and he struggled at third as well. He needs to stick at one of those two to project well, because at first base or left field (two positions where he also spent time this year), his bat projects as merely average.
Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.
Earlier in the year BP said Frazier's bat would project anywhere on the diamond, now it's merely average?
Not really inconsistent. League average is still a meaningful projection. It's just not the "potential star" projection his bat has if he sticks on the left side of the infield.Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine
Reading comprehension is not just an ability, it's a choice
Yeah, average at 1B or LF is still a .800+ OPS. I didn't take that BP comment as a knock on Frazier.
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