Follow the Prospects: Darren Baker, 2B

[Slateman]

And that makes Baker a better baseball player than Nunez. Base-running is not a matter of straight-line sprint speed, yet Nunez is being used like Herb Washington. And it seems likely that Miami would drop him again if the Nats give him back.

Baker steals bases, and has led Rochester in steals. Baker has hit .300 at every level in the minors. He is described as an acrobatic 2B. Baker does not hit home runs, but so what? Pete Runnels averaged 2.7 WAR over 14 seasons, with 4 homers a year on a .291 average and .753 OPS.

This Nats team carries Senzel, a .200 hitter who was a decent major leaguer only in 2019, his rookie year. The Nats carry Robles, who hits .080 and who was major league quality only in his rookie year, also 2019. It carries Nunez. Three dead spots on the 26-man roster.

Sprint speed is a measure of baserunning. Nunez is as fast a base runner as Jacob Young.

Senzel is outperforming Lipscomb

[welch]

Sprint speed is a measure of baserunning. Nunez is as fast a base runner as Jacob Young.

Senzel is outperforming Lipscomb

Sprint speed does not matter if Nunez is no more a baseball player than Herb Washington, Charlie Finley's "designated runner". Baker leads Rochester with 16 stolen bases. Wood has 9. Why keep dead wood like Senzel, with a .202 average and .726 OPS? Why keep dead wood like Nunez? Why not bring up live ballplayers like Wood and Lipscomb and Baker?

[Slateman]

Sprint speed does not matter if Nunez is no more a baseball player than Herb Washington, Charlie Finley's "designated runner". Baker leads Rochester with 16 stolen bases. Wood has 9. Why keep dead wood like Senzel, with a .202 average and .726 OPS? Why keep dead wood like Nunez? Why not bring up live ballplayers like Wood and Lipscomb and Baker?

Senzel is already outperforming Lipscomb. Baker cant play third.

Honestly, this board's love affair with Baker is silly.  Hes a worse hitting, slower version of Nick Madrigal

[welch]

Nick Senzel had an OPS above .700 exactly once, and that was years ago. He flopped year after year at Cincinnati, even though he was given plenty of chances. He has been the same player for the Nats.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/senzeni01.shtml

Baker? He hits, he steals bases, and he fields. That makes him better than Nunez, who is a waste of space on the bench. There is a good chance that he out-hits Meneses -- sinking -- and Gallo at at 1B, since they have an OPS of .552 (Meneses) and .591 (Gallo).