Dear Derek Falvey...Two things happened last night.

[Mr. Brooks]

While reading your well thought out response, it has occurred to me that I really don't disagree with your overall point. I have used a cute less professional term "willy nilly" in this thread to say what you are saying. I don't think the execution of should be reckless. The player can't be a defensive mess when playing a different position and must at least meet a certain standard that will be hard to define on paper in a forum like this, other than to say "somewhat capable". I think we are in agreement and not far off in our opinions. I'm believing that the you can gain more by getting your best bats in the lineup that you would potentially lose with what could be a slight down tick in defense.

 

We might disagree on one small thing that neither you or I can prove or refute. I still believe that there are many positional flexible players on rosters across MLB that have not been identified as candidate because of (I assume) outdated conventions leading to the unwillingness to fully try to identify.

 

I hate going back to Brian Dozier as the example because it is quite possible that Brian Dozier is indeed a 2B only based on his particular skills but... Brian Dozier has never been tried in the OF so how do we know? Again, I don't want to focus on Dozier but I do want to focus on the idea that this hasn't been explored to all the potential possibilities due outdated conventions that may be unnecessarily limiting.

 

Chris Taylor was never tried in the OF before until he was tried in the OF last year and ended up starting in CF during the world series.

 

Ian Desmond played maybe 1 game in the OF before signing with the Rangers to become their starting CF. The Angels slammed Howie Kendrick into the OF after significant time of never playing past the dirt. Also Dee Gordon, Ryan Braun just off the top of my head.

 

I believe there are others but I absolutely respect what you are saying.

 

P.S. I will be watching the Dodgers like a hawk. If Brian Dozier starts 1 game at a position besides 2B... I'm gonna be standing on a table shouting and pointing.

What if he's awful at that position?

[Riverbrian]

 

I don’t understand your point with Plouffe. He played 2B & 3B because even though he was a SS, you never know what position they might be able to fill in at the ML level in an emergency. That was always something we did in the minor leagues, and I’m pretty sure most clubs handle it the same way. The only guy I really remember screwing that up with was Span. He had never played RF in the MiL and then needed to play RF in the big leagues. Everyone else had played around enough to be comfortable.

Polanco has played enough SS but moved more to 2B in 2016 because we had Escobar & Nunez but there was a chance we could trade Dozier. When we traded Nunez instead he shifted back to SS. No big deal.

 

I've been focusing on the frequency like the Dodgers are doing.

 

How often has Plouffe played an alternate position? Plouffe came up as a SS in 2010. In 2011 he made the team as a utility player and he played all the positions you list as a utility player which continued to 2012 until he became the everyday 3B.

 

Once that happened he became a fixture at the position and his position flexibility was gone. Other than 26 starts at 1B in 2015 and 2016 which I acknowledge. 

 

I have no ability to assess his capability at 2B or RF once he was solidified as a 3B but he made the team in 2012 with position flexibility and that potential value or skill came to an end.

 

BTW... he has made a start in RF for the Phillies this year.  

[Riverbrian]

 

What if he's awful at that position?

 

You either make him better or you stop and try somebody else.

 

The whole concept falls apart if you try to jam Kennys Vargas into the SS position.