Maximizing output at positions where few elite options are available is an essential part of what a General Manager needs to accomplish each and every year. Offensively, fans and broadcasters alike seem to focus on the contributions made by Catchers, Second Baseman and Shortstops as positions where average or better options will greatly improve upon the strength of their teams. Whereas, all three positions are important, I believe that the last 10 years has shifted another position into that mix.
Early in 2011, we have seen several elite options at third base spend time on their teams’ disabled list. Franchise cornerstones such as Evan Longoria, Ryan Zimmerman and David Wright have all sustained injuries which have knocked them out of action. Furthermore, other third base options like Pablo Sandoval and Chipper Jones have missed time on the diamond. With such a spate of injuries, it’s becoming more apparent that there is hardly any depth in the third base position.
Looking at the combined statistics from 2008* through 2010 of our recently injured third baseman, you can see that a lot of production will be lost for their respective teams while they recuperate.
|
Player
|
Average
|
On Base Pct.
|
Slugging Pct.
|
OBP + Slugging
|
|
Jones
|
0.2998
|
0.4150
|
0.4799
|
0.8949
|
|
Longoria
|
0.2833
|
0.3609
|
0.5205
|
0.8814
|
|
Sandoval
|
0.2996
|
0.3555
|
0.4828
|
0.8383
|
|
Wright
|
0.2969
|
0.3782
|
0.4966
|
0.8747
|
|
Zimmerman
|
0.2943
|
0.3638
|
0.4971
|
0.8609
|
|
Grand Total
|
0.2943
|
0.3746
|
0.4970
|
0.8716
|
|
League Average
|
0.2759
|
0.3417
|
0.4473
|
0.7890
|
Admittedly, Sandoval is coming off of a terrible season where he saw a 50 point decline in average and a 150 point decline in slugging; however, his statistics at the point of his injury were well in line with his 2009 rate statistics (.313/.374/.530). Additionally, Chipper Jones is starting to show the signs of aging, but his rate statistics over the past 2 seasons are close to the league averages for third base over the same span**.
|
Player
|
Average
|
On Base Pct.
|
Slugging Pct.
|
OBP + Slugging
|
|
Jones
|
0.2646
|
0.3849
|
0.4286
|
0.8134
|
|
League Average
|
0.2759
|
0.3417
|
0.4473
|
0.7890
|
By losing all of these players, their respective teams have needed to resort to other options at third base during those times. Because third base has seen a consistent decline in quality, the replacement options have demonstrated the overall lack of depth across the league at third base.
|
Player
|
Average
|
On Base Pct.
|
Slugging Pct.
|
OBP + Slugging
|
|
Prado
|
0.3093
|
0.3578
|
0.4612
|
0.8190
|
|
Lopez
|
0.2805
|
0.3509
|
0.3923
|
0.7432
|
|
Tejada/DeRosa
|
0.2785
|
0.3298
|
0.4254
|
0.7552
|
|
Turner
|
0.1143
|
0.2250
|
0.1429
|
0.3679
|
|
Hairston/Cora
|
0.2582
|
0.3227
|
0.3682
|
0.6909
|
|
Grand Total
|
0.2789
|
0.3367
|
0.4109
|
0.7475
|
|
League Average
|
0.2759
|
0.3417
|
0.4473
|
0.7890
|
Historically, third base has not been considered a position with scarce resources; nonetheless, general managers and fantasy players alike should start treating average or better third baseman as a covetable asset. On Base and Slugging, two stereotypical qualities that are prevalent in the corner infield and outfield positions are both on the decline for third baseman, making the contributors who provide average or better production that much more valuable. In contrast, even with the late 90’s offensive boom at the shortstop position, the common rate statistics of Batting Average, On Base Percentage and Slugging Percentage have been relatively stable; whereas third base has shown that only several elite options are buoying these statistics for the entire position, while the rest of the options are average or worse.
*Pablo Sandoval had his debut in 2009.
** League averages based on players eligible for the batting title.