GM says Jose Bautista likely to play third base

[LittleOzzy]

All eyes will be on Jose Bautista‘s performance at the plate this year as he tries to follow up an out of nowhere 54-homer season, but Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos indicated yesterday that he’ll likely also be playing third base full time after being mostly a right fielder in 2010.

Anthopoulos told Shi Davidi of the Canadian Press that the Blue Jays’ plans for Bautista could change if they sign or trade for another third baseman yet this winter, as his defensive versatility allows them to widen the search for another bat, but short of that they’re “comfortable” playing him full time at third base.

Bautista made 113 starts in right field and 45 starts at third base last season, but has played nearly 3,000 career innings at the hot corner and was a full-time third baseman in 2007 and most of 2008. Assuming he’s a third baseman the Blue Jays’ projected starting outfielders are Vernon Wells, Travis Snider, and Rajai Davis, so Anthopoulos would presumably still like to acquire someone who could push Davis into a part-time role.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/ ... e-in-2011/

[J Dilla]

Bautista's arm is too valuable to move from the outfield.

[Blade_Runner]

Hopefully this comfortable experiment will end with a hot corner player who can field, throw and run.

[Skin Blues]

He's below average at both positions if you look at UZR, but less of a liability in RF. I think OF is best so that Hill and Lowrie can split 3B/2B. Doesn't matter all that much this year as long as he's not blocking anybody. I assume if Lowrie quickly progresses, Jose will be back to the OF and Rajai will be the 4th OF like he ought to be. Could also throw E5 back to his namesake position and buy a cheap DH like Cust or somebody along those lines, although Cust himself already signed with Seattle.

[Duffman100]

He's below average at both positions if you look at UZR, but less of a liability in RF. I think OF is best so that Hill and Lowrie can split 3B/2B. Doesn't matter all that much this year as long as he's not blocking anybody. I assume if Lowrie quickly progresses, Jose will be back to the OF and Rajai will be the 4th OF like he ought to be. Could also throw E5 back to his namesake position and buy a cheap DH like Cust or somebody along those lines, although Cust himself already signed with Seattle.

I can't argue against UZR because I don't know it well enough. And quite frankly, can't read up on it now.

But I have a hard time, with his arm and decent speed, that Bautista is a below average defensive outfielder. The fear of his arm has to be taken into account as well.

[Michael Bradley]

I don't mind moving Bautista to 3B, but not for Rajai Davis. I don't know what AA sees in Davis other than great speed. He should be the 4th OF, not the starting RF. Then again, judging by what happened last season under Murphy, maybe Davis hits 25 jacks and makes it look like a great move.

At this point I would start EE at 3B and Bautista at RF until the team gets a better OF/3B.

[Evermore]

Bautista's arm is too valuable to move from the outfield.

Agreed. It might be the best in baseball...

Rick Ankiel might disagree though

[Randle McMurphy]

I don't mind moving Bautista to 3B, but not for Rajai Davis. I don't know what AA sees in Davis other than great speed.

The Jays are going cheap this offseason (not that it's any different than most years) and Davis is a decent, cheap alternative. I think it's pretty much that simple.

At this point I would start EE at 3B and Bautista at RF until the team gets a better OF/3B.

Agreed, I'm not sure what turned them off of Encarnacion at 3B last year. He was above average for the position.

[wlujaysfan55]

I don't mind moving Bautista to 3B, but not for Rajai Davis. I don't know what AA sees in Davis other than great speed.

The Jays are going cheap this offseason (not that it's any different than most years) and Davis is a decent, cheap alternative. I think it's pretty much that simple.

At this point I would start EE at 3B and Bautista at RF until the team gets a better OF/3B.

Agreed, I'm not sure what turned them off of Encarnacion at 3B last year. He was above average for the position.

Unlikely that Michael Young fits in to the Jays plans but if they could get him from Texas while they eat a good portion of his salary, we've got 3rd base covered for the next 3 years. But looks like Texas is happy with him at 1B/DH for now. Gotta love the guy though - moved from 2nd to short to 3rd and now to 1B and maintained his decent hitting #'s to boot.

But you're right RM - they're going on the cheap. But gotta disagree with you on E5, er, EE. I mean, AA has resigned him to play 1B/DH after playing the hot corner last year. I think that says everything about the Jays confidence in this guys fielding ability at 3B. With that said, I love an outfield of Snider-Wells-Bautista and his arm is wicked.

[Michael Bradley]

I don't mind moving Bautista to 3B, but not for Rajai Davis. I don't know what AA sees in Davis other than great speed.

The Jays are going cheap this offseason (not that it's any different than most years) and Davis is a decent, cheap alternative. I think it's pretty much that simple.

I realize they are going cheap, but they couldn't do better than Davis? His value is entirely wrapped up in 1) playing CF, and 2) stealing bases. He won't be doing #1 this season unless Wells misses time. Maybe they see some power potential in him, or maybe they feel his 2009 numbers are repeatable, I don't know, but in RF he is not a very good option based on what we have seen from him so far in his career. He is a perfect fourth OF though.

[wlujaysfan55]

I don't mind moving Bautista to 3B, but not for Rajai Davis. I don't know what AA sees in Davis other than great speed.

The Jays are going cheap this offseason (not that it's any different than most years) and Davis is a decent, cheap alternative. I think it's pretty much that simple.

I realize they are going cheap, but they couldn't do better than Davis? His value is entirely wrapped up in 1) playing CF, and 2) stealing bases. He won't be doing #1 this season unless Wells misses time. Maybe they see some power potential in him, or maybe they feel his 2009 numbers are repeatable, I don't know, but in RF he is not a very good option based on what we have seen from him so far in his career. He is a perfect fourth OF though.

I thought he'd be a 4th OF on this team spelling the Snider-Wells-Bautista trio. But looks like AA wants him to the leadoff/runs/stolen base guy this team has desperately lacked for years. In addition, AA likely feels there's sufficient power from the rest of the guys to offset the 5 or 6 he's penciled in to hit. Can hit for a decent average but will he strike out less and/or walk more? If he's full time, I must admit I'm looking forward to having a traditional leadoff hitter with speed. 50-60 stolen bases?

[OldNo7]

I realize they are going cheap, but they couldn't do better than Davis? His value is entirely wrapped up in 1) playing CF, and 2) stealing bases. He won't be doing #1 this season unless Wells misses time. Maybe they see some power potential in him, or maybe they feel his 2009 numbers are repeatable, I don't know, but in RF he is not a very good option based on what we have seen from him so far in his career. He is a perfect fourth OF though.

I thought he'd be a 4th OF on this team spelling the Snider-Wells-Bautista trio. But looks like AA wants him to the leadoff/runs/stolen base guy this team has desperately lacked for years. In addition, AA likely feels there's sufficient power from the rest of the guys to offset the 5 or 6 he's penciled in to hit. Can hit for a decent average but will he strike out less and/or walk more? If he's full time, I must admit I'm looking forward to having a traditional leadoff hitter with speed. 50-60 stolen bases?

It doesnt necessarily mean that AA "wants" Davis playing every day and leading off. It could be that he didnt find another OF he liked for a bargain deal (his specialty in FA so far).

[wlujaysfan55]

yes, agreed, needs/wants him to now that he has, to date, not found someone to play 3rd or another OF if Bautista handles 3B duties.

[Skin Blues]

Makes much more sense to put E5 at third and find a cheap DH. Defense doesn't take a hit, and the offense gets a big boost since 1B/DH types that can hit a hell of a lot better than Rajai Davis are dirt cheap. Then we can use Rajai to pinch run and fill in for Vernon when he gets hurt, which is about what he's good for. Thinking forward to 2012 I can't see Bautista being on the IF so let him get comfortable in RF, since we have lots of IFs already in the system.

[SCF99]

i like it JB at 3rd,it would seem to me that e5 at first would be more of a defensive liability with his throwing than JB alround 3rd base play. The other bonus is if davis plays regualrly he might not be able to get as many hits as a cheap first baseman but would his base speed not add more runs and make up the difference. Not just his speed but the distration of having a guy like him on base would help the guys batting behind him, making the all around picture better

[r_gill]

Makes a lot of sense. 3rd base is a much harder position to fill then right field. Also Bautista has a much better chance at staying as a type A free agent in the 3B/2B/SS group then he does in the OF/1B/DH group.

[baulderdash77]

Bautista's value is really maximized at 3B. I like the move alot. Also it makes room for Mastro and Thames to make the team as the 4th OF which I like alot.

For those of you who don't like Davis as our leadoff guy- he's probably going to get us 100+ runs this year hitting at the top of the order. I'm expecting 30-35 2B's, 5-7 3B's, 5-7 HR and 50+ SB. I see him getting into scoring position at least 90 times just by himself next year.

With the guys hitting behind him, he could very well get 100-110 runs next year.

[Skin Blues]

He would pretty much have to hit like Cesar Izturis in 2011 to miss out on Type A wouldn't he? I'm not all that certain how it's weighted by season, but top 5 in MVP is pretty significant. I just hope that he keeps it up, even if it means a big pay raise for a medium length contract. It'd be nice to keep him around.

[Schad]

For those of you who don't like Davis as our leadoff guy- he's probably going to get us 100+ runs this year hitting at the top of the order. I'm expecting 30-35 2B's, 5-7 3B's, 5-7 HR and 50+ SB. I see him getting into scoring position at least 90 times just by himself next year.

He won't get anywhere near 100 runs, because he's awful at getting on base. In 561 PAs, he got on base 180 times...even if he bumped that up to 200, he'd need to score at a 50%+ rate, which is unfathomable. Rickey Henderson, the king of crossing the plate, only scored at a 43% rate for his career, and in addition to being the greatest baserunning threat of all time, he played on some of the best offensive teams of his generation.

[wlujaysfan55]

For those of you who don't like Davis as our leadoff guy- he's probably going to get us 100+ runs this year hitting at the top of the order. I'm expecting 30-35 2B's, 5-7 3B's, 5-7 HR and 50+ SB. I see him getting into scoring position at least 90 times just by himself next year.

He won't get anywhere near 100 runs, because he's awful at getting on base. In 561 PAs, he got on base 180 times...even if he bumped that up to 200, he'd need to score at a 50%+ rate, which is unfathomable. Rickey Henderson, the king of crossing the plate, only scored at a 43% rate for his career, and in addition to being the greatest baserunning threat of all time, he played on some of the best offensive teams of his generation.

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/league_leaders ... Frame=2010

Bautista at #9.