Half I in a sequence analyzing the New York Yankees
Coming into spring coaching of 2019, Miguel Andujar had labored extensively on turning into a greater all-around fielding third baseman.
So much had been product of Andujar’s 15 errors in 136 video games (132 begins) in 2018 at third, however the offseason work targeted on enhancing footwork and pre-pitch preparation. The Yankees believed progress in these areas would permit Andujar to get to extra floor balls.
The errors?
Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado dedicated 14 errors in 152 video games (140 begins) and received the sixth of seven straight NL Gold Gloves in 2018.
And naturally there was Andujar’s bat, which earlier than he reached the massive leagues had been touted as above common by some and elite by others.
In Andujar’s first full big-league season (2018), the 23-year-old completed second within the AL Rookie of the Yr to Angels’ two-way participant Shohei Ohtani by hitting .297 with 27 homers, 92 RBIs and an .855 OPS.
“He was a man who used all of the fields and hit with energy,’’ a scout mentioned of the 2018 model of Andujar. “Defensively he couldn’t get his ft set and couldn’t get his arm in a constant slot.’’
Now, after enjoying in a dozen video games at the beginning of the 2019 season, present process surgical procedure to restore a proper labrum tear in Might and the emergence of Gio Urshela at third, Andujar’s position with the Yankees was going to vary this 12 months.
Ought to there be a season, anticipate Urshela to be the common third baseman in the beginning, with Andujar enjoying third, left subject — which he did in spring coaching — DH and probably floor at first base, the place he performed a sport in March. After all all of that transferring round will rely upon Andujar’s shoulder being absolutely healed, which gave the impression to be the case in spring coaching.
How Urshela performs will impression Andujar’s position. All the time often called a powerful defender, the 28-year-old Urshela hit .314 with 21 homers, 74 RBIs and posted an .889 OPS in 132 video games. In 167 video games from 2015-18, Urshela hit .225 with eight homers, 39 RBIs and had a .589 OPS with the Indians and Blue Jays.
The query is: Can Urshela repeat or come near duplicating these numbers? If he does, the 6-foot, 211-pound Andujar would require various totally different gloves to play positions which might be international to him and already crammed.
With Giancarlo Stanton, Mike Tauchman and probably Clint Frazier, the Yankees have left subject coated, however Stanton might see lots of DH motion. With the right-handed hitting Luke Voit and lefty-swinging Mike Ford at first, there isn’t a necessity there, and D.J. LeMahieu dealt with the place effectively in 40 video games (28 begins) final 12 months.
At 25, Andujar is younger for full-time DH work. Nevertheless, if wholesome, he can be exhausting to maintain out of the lineup with a bat folks consider is elite and might reproduce its 2018 output.
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