yankeebiscuitfan
10-30-2011, 10:56 AM
In 2011 the Rays started Ben Zobrist as second baseman. Offensively he was an improvement in many ways.
Compared to Sean Rodriguez, who was the main second baseman in 2010, Zobrist had a BA of .269 (Rodriguez .251), a slugging percentage of .469 (.397)and an OBP of .353 (.308).
Defensively, Zobrist was even an improvement with so so a fielding percentage of .989 (still above the league average) over Rodriguez' .984.
2012
Unless some unexpected talent comes up from the minors, I don't see why the Rays would not use Zobrist as their regular second baseman. Possibility here is that the Rays call up Tim Beckham at short and move Elliot Johnson to second base.
Future
At the moment, the Durham Bulls, Tampa Bay´s AAA team, doesn´t have a specialist at second base. They have two first basemen, two shortstops and three third basemen. So when the Rays want to get their second baseman from their farm teams, I don´t see any threat for Zobrist right now, unless Beckham is promoted...
In the longer future, Cole Figueroa (second baseman with the AA Biscuits) or Hak-Ju Lee(short stop with the AA Biscuits) may develop well. But right now it is too soon to tell.
Compared to Sean Rodriguez, who was the main second baseman in 2010, Zobrist had a BA of .269 (Rodriguez .251), a slugging percentage of .469 (.397)and an OBP of .353 (.308).
Defensively, Zobrist was even an improvement with so so a fielding percentage of .989 (still above the league average) over Rodriguez' .984.
2012
Unless some unexpected talent comes up from the minors, I don't see why the Rays would not use Zobrist as their regular second baseman. Possibility here is that the Rays call up Tim Beckham at short and move Elliot Johnson to second base.
Future
At the moment, the Durham Bulls, Tampa Bay´s AAA team, doesn´t have a specialist at second base. They have two first basemen, two shortstops and three third basemen. So when the Rays want to get their second baseman from their farm teams, I don´t see any threat for Zobrist right now, unless Beckham is promoted...
In the longer future, Cole Figueroa (second baseman with the AA Biscuits) or Hak-Ju Lee(short stop with the AA Biscuits) may develop well. But right now it is too soon to tell.