Reds Acquire Santiago Espinal

[TheBigLebowski]

Espinal is curently performing at sub-replacement level. Almost inexplicably, of players with 140 or more PA (236 players), Espinal is dead last in Barrel Rate with an amazing 0.0% and sits in the bottom 20 Hard Hit% list (27.9). His Hard Hit% is bottom 20 (18th worst) and even when he manages to hit the ball hard, it's not really that hard (8th worst Max EV). Espinal makes contact, but it's consistently poor contact, which is nothing new for the guy; Punch, meet Judy.

This guy is a bad player. As soon as the Reds are able to get rid of him, they absolutely should.

It’s remarkable how poorly this team hits. These stats are accurate - I was rather surprised, so I checked.

I was never under the impression that he was a Joe Morgan clone, but anecdotally, I thought of him as an average offensive producer on this team. A guy with these stats should stick out like a sore thumb. But he just blends in.

[SteelSD]

I'd need you to show me how this is a new baseline from 2021-2022 when he was worth 4.3 fWAR across 737 PAs.

Oh, I don't think his hitting baseline has moved much. Take a look at his statcast xBA and xSLG seasonal numbers. He's been virtually the same low-quality BIP hitter from the start. What you're not accounting for is that sometimes those guys see good luck (like 2021- .353 BABIP). But you cant count on repeatable good fortune. When that luck turns south (2024) or he puts up nearly spot on expected numbers (2023), it shows us the reality and the downside. Couple that with a defensive value that's recently tanked from a WAR calc perspective, and even his midrange value is pretty craptacular.

[*BaseClogger*]

Oh, I don't think his hitting baseline has moved much. Take a look at his statcast xBA and xSLG seasonal numbers. He's been virtually the same low-quality BIP hitter from the start. What you're not accounting for is that sometimes those guys see good luck (like 2021- .353 BABIP). But you cant count on repeatable good fortune. When that luck turns south (2024) or he puts up nearly spot on expected numbers (2023), it shows us the reality and the downside. Couple that with a defensive value that's recently tanked from a WAR calc perspective, and even his midrange value is pretty craptacular.

He only needs to be slightly more productive than 2023 Espinal to be a typical bench player. I think it all really comes down to the scouting of his defense since those metrics take so long to settle. Has his defense regressed like the metrics indicate (rhetorical question)?

[757690]

Well you wanted defense. That’s what you usually get with just defense. Darrell Chaney. Jimmy Stewart. You just have to have at least 4 AS starters at worst to hit for you. You have only 1? Starter doing much on any consistent basis here.

A sign of the changing times. Not too long ago, a player like Espinal was a starting SS on many MLB teams, maybe even a few contending teams, and was the backup INF for nearly every team.

Now, no matter what position you play, no matter how much defensive production you provide, you have to be a league average hitter to even be the 26th man on the roster.

[Patrick Bateman]

He’s the new Kevin Newman and is a stop gap until better players usurp him. Until then he can field some positions.


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[westofyou]

Kid has a seven vowels in his name, one more than Rico Petrocelli.

That's all I got, his game reminds me of Live Aid, Joe Barry Carroll and $4 burritos

[mth123]

He’s the new Kevin Newman and is a stop gap until better players usurp him. Until then he can field some positions.


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He's better than Kevin Newman. Espinal is an excellent defender at 2nd and 3rd (haven't seen enough of him at SS) and a fast runner. I thought Newman was terrible on defense. Newman's value was his bat against LHP and that was his only value. Defensively, I didn't really like him at any position and hated when the ball was hit his way.

[REDREAD]

He's better than Kevin Newman. Espinal is an excellent defender at 2nd and 3rd (haven't seen enough of him at SS) and a fast runner. I thought Newman was terrible on defense. Newman's value was his bat against LHP and that was his only value. Defensively, I didn't really like him at any position and hated when the ball was hit his way.

Yes, Espinal can actually play SS competently too (from the little I've seen).
I agree that it would be nice if Espinal hit better, but honestly, if he could hit at a respectful level, he'd be a starting SS somewhere

[LiferJim]

Yes, Espinal can actually play SS competently too (from the little I've seen).
I agree that it would be nice if Espinal hit better, but honestly, if he could hit at a respectful level, he'd be a starting SS somewhere

Yes and with balls not flying out of the yard this year, one could make the argument that his defense is more important


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[Marc D]

Yes, Espinal can actually play SS competently too (from the little I've seen).
I agree that it would be nice if Espinal hit better, but honestly, if he could hit at a respectful level, he'd be a starting SS somewhere

Exactly.

He's a futility infielder. If he could hit he'd be a starting infielder somewhere.

[goreds2]

Per Lance McAlister on last nights Extra Innings show, Santiago has 4 sac flies, 4 sac bunts and 4 homeruns thus far.

[RiverfrontRed]

There's still a couple other players (Hurtubise and Martini) that I dread seeing come up to the plate more than Espinal.

[Marc D]

Per Lance McAlister on last nights Extra Innings show, Santiago has 4 sac flies, 4 sac bunts and 4 homeruns thus far.

The Utility Triple Crown

[WrongVerb]

Per Lance McAlister on last nights Extra Innings show, Santiago has 4 sac flies, 4 sac bunts and 4 homeruns thus far.

He also currently wears #4.

[JCM11]

Espinal is a fine last man off the bench type. The problem is the Reds also have 4 or 5 other guys who you could say that about on the current MLB roster. Espinal will get to stick around as long as he's the only SS backup, but that could change when Marte, and especially McLain are back.