The Espinosa Question: What should happen with him?

[sportsfan882]

Good news. Lombo needs to play solid D and get on base. If he does that the job is his.

[GburgNatsFan]

My prediction is that before the next few games is over, we're going to wish Espi was at 2nd, and that Lombo won't be much better at the plate. 

 

[HalfSmokes]

My prediction is that before the next few games is over, we're going to wish Espi kobernus was at 2nd, and that Lombo won't be much better at the plate. 

 

fixed

[GburgNatsFan]

No, you're gonna wish Kobernus was at the plate.  Say what you want about Espi's bat (and I'd agree with you), but he's very good defensively. One bad game so far, I think.

At any rate, that's the point I was trying to make. He sucks at the plate, but he's a very good defender.

fixed

[HalfSmokes]

No, you're gonna wish Kobernus was at the plate.  Say what you want about Espi's bat (and I'd agree with you), but he's very good defensively. One bad game so far, I think.

great, how many empty spots in the lineup can a team carry?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

One, and unfortunately it is taken by ALR.  I just have a hunch that Lombo will give you more contact but not more runs scored.

[Baseball is Life]

I've always been concerned about Lombo's arm strength. And, yes, you do need a good arm to play a quality 2B at the MLB level.

[GburgNatsFan]

None. I'm not saying this is acceptable. I'm saying I don't really see all the options that other people see.

Hope I'm wrong.

great, how many empty spots in the lineup can a team carry?

[cmdterps44]

I think Espinosa will sit near the tunnel. He seems like the type of guy to acknowledge the fact that Davey stands near the tunnel so he can get on TV as much as he can. His speed is above average. His footwork is pretty good as well. I think he'll be able to make it to the bathroom from the bench in record time.

[HalfSmokes]

None. I'm not saying this is acceptable. I'm saying I don't really see all the options that other people see.

Hope I'm wrong.

you may be right, but it's worth giving the other options a shot, Kobernus is hitting .372/.415/.465 in AAA

[GburgNatsFan]

 

you may be right, but it's worth giving the other options a shot, Kobernus is hitting .372/.415/.465 in AAA

[Mr Clean]

How is Kobernus in the field?

[sportsfan882]

How is Kobernus in the field?

11 errors in 105 games at 2B in 2011 with Potomac.

7 errors in 81 games at 2B last year with Harrisburg.

This year he has played 7 games at 2B (1 error), 15 games in the OF (0 errors), and 1 game at 3B (0 errors).

[HalfSmokes]

SF, you're more familiar with these guys, why did the tigers return him?

[Slateman]

How is Kobernus in the field?

Who cares? Can he hit above the Mendoza line?

[spidernat]

My prediction is that before the next few games is over, we're going to wish Espi was at 2nd,

 

No 

[sportsfan882]

SF, you're more familiar with these guys, why did the tigers return him?

After trying, but failing to make a trade that would keep him in the organization, they returned Rule 5 pick Jeff Kobernus to the Washington Nationals.

"We felt someone else was ahead of him at this point," said Tigers' president and general manager Dave Dombrowski. "We didn't see him making our club."

Kobernus hit .220 in 50 at-bats this spring, not doing enough to make the 25-man roster. That's why he had to be offered back to the team from which he was drafted.

Clearly disappointed, Kobernus told reporters at his locker that he had nothing to say after getting the bad news.

At the same time, the Tigers stopped short of handing the role of occasionally filling in for Andy Dirks to Matt Tuiasosopo, despite the fact that Tuiasosopo clearly had leapfrogged Kobernus on the more-likely-to-make-it list.

"There are going to be fans tweeting and twitting that Tuiasosopo has made the team now," said manager Jim Leyland, "and he's a candidate. That's where we stand."

He got outplayed in ST by other guys like Tuiasosopo and there was no way they could keep him on their roster all year with aspirations of winning a championship.

[Jordanz Meatballz]

The Nationals have aspirations of winning a championship and carry Chad Tracy. Last year was DeRosa and Stairs. Baffling.

[wpa2629]

We will certainly miss his defense - that I have no doubt of - Lombo is no scrub certainly, but Danny is elite - you really notice the difference when he's not out there

[Terps and Nats]

By bench do you mean the back seat of a greyhound bus on it's way to Syracuse?

[PebbleBall]

We will certainly miss his defense - that I have no doubt of - Lombo is no scrub certainly, but Danny is elite - you really notice the difference when he's not out there

This.  I'm not sure Lombo is a good idea even with as bad as Espi's been struggling.  The offensive difference only matters if you assume Espi maintains his current level and Lombo keeps hitting singles.  Big whoop.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I think the Tigers also still have Don Kelly.

By playing Kobernus in the OF, it looked like the Tigers were going to try him as a super utility guy and pinch runner.  I think he could probably develop into a Willie Bloomquist type and fill in multiple positions, and potentially start for stretches in the best case.  Really, he'd fill the roles of both Bernie and Lombo, all wrapped up in on spot on the bench.

I'm not down on Lombo so much as thinking he's the back up quarterback who every guy in the stands thinks should get more playing time.  He might be able to be an adequate 2d baseman, but I'm skeptical about his ability to get on base enough to make his lack of pop a decent balance. I'd take Espinosa if he could hit .240, have an ISO of .180, and have an OBP of .300.  Right now, he can't do that (other than the ISO).

[Tyler Durden]

An Espinosa move doesn't have to be permanent.  Just sit him on the bench for a week and have him work on his swing.  If Kobernus or Lombo play well, let them play until they go cold.

Watching Espinosa K on three or four pitches three times a night is getting old.  I'm not sure why he swings for the fences on every pitch.  He needs to change that approach. 

[Ray D]

you do need a good arm to play a quality 2B at the MLB level.

You need a good arm at every position.  Least important is first base. Second base is next.

[Slateman]

We will certainly miss his defense - that I have no doubt of - Lombo is no scrub certainly, but Danny is elite - you really notice the difference when he's not out there

Espinosa is not "elite." He's very good, but he's not top 3 or even top 5 defensively.

Espinosa's value has always been that he's a very good defender with a lot of pop. The very good defender is still there, but the pop is diminishing. The slugging has gone down with K's  going up. The whole league knows that you simply thrown it high and Danny will chase.

None of this would really matter if Laroche, Zimmerman, and Werth were hitting worth a crap. But because they're not, Espinosa's struggles are that much more apparent.