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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Rosenthal: Flip-flopping Cabrera’s position is problematic

meep-meep...some afternoon Robothal for ya’ll.

“You can see that he’s a tremendous player, but he’s still young — he has a lot of exuberance, a lot of vim,” Dombrowski says. “Once in a while at third base, maybe his concentration wanes a bit. But at first base, it appeared that didn’t happen at all. It can’t — you’re involved all the time.”

The difficulty of playing first base is consistently underestimated, but Cabrera has a good arm and good hands. He once was a shortstop, and began his major-league career as a left fielder with the Marlins in ‘03.

Perhaps Cabrera will follow the example of the Cardinals’ Albert Pujols, who moved to first base full-time in 2004 due to his elbow condition, only to evolve from a below-average defender into a Gold Glove winner through hard work and determination.

Then again, when Cabrera trimmed down for his first spring training with the Tigers, he seemed committed to improving his defense at third; his biggest problem last season was that he was overweight, limiting his ability to field slow rollers.

Turns out he was not much better than before.

He’s only 25. And he’s already restricted to first base.

Repoz Posted: April 23, 2008 at 02:53 PM | 13 comment(s)
  Related News: GeneralDetroit

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   1. HollywoodHartman Posted: April 23, 2008 at 03:03 PM (#2755951)
I don't think I can disagree with this article more if I tried. So by moving him to 1b now it'll effect his long term development because he can't move to 1b later?
   2. Cowboy Popup Posted: April 23, 2008 at 03:05 PM (#2755956)
He’s only 25. And he’s already restricted to first base.

This doesn't seem to bother people about Prince Fielder. Or Pujols. Or any other great hitter who happened to play 1st.
   3. Master of the small sample size Posted: April 23, 2008 at 03:07 PM (#2755960)
And 1B is a more difficult position than 3B? What's a defensive spectrum?

If he gets that bored playing the field, he sounds like he'll be relegated to DH soon enough.

I wonder what poems he has written on his glove...
   4. ValueArb Posted: April 23, 2008 at 05:06 PM (#2756099)
Perhaps Cabrera will follow the example of the Cardinals’ Albert Pujols, ... only to evolve from a below-average defender into a Gold Glove winner through hard work and determination.


And perhaps monkeys will fly out of my, er, well you know...
   5. Bob "Jugement" Dernier Posted: April 23, 2008 at 05:08 PM (#2756101)
Of course, Pujols has just moved to second base ...
   6. Elston Gunn Posted: April 23, 2008 at 05:32 PM (#2756117)
Perhaps Cabrera will follow the example of the Cardinals’ Albert Pujols, ... only to evolve from a below-average defender into a Gold Glove winner through hard work and determination.


Yeah, but Pujols wasn't the worst non-Braun 3b in the majors either. Not exactly apples and apples.

I love the move though. One of my secret joys is when baseball teams make the unconventional but sane decision.
   7. KJOK Posted: April 23, 2008 at 06:21 PM (#2756150)
Pujols was decent at 3B, and decent at LF. He moved to 1B primarily because of his elbow problems impacting his throwing, not because he couldn't field.

He once was a shortstop,...


Dmitri Young was once a shortstop too, who moved to 3B, then to 1B rather quickly also.
   8. Ivan Grushenko of HK in Tokyo Posted: April 23, 2008 at 07:02 PM (#2756192)
Wasn't Pedro Guerrero once a SS? I actually saw him play 2B in 1980.
   9. Voros Posted: April 23, 2008 at 07:06 PM (#2756198)
Gary Sheffield of course.
   10. rLr Did Your Mother 'Cause She's Hot As A Baker Posted: April 23, 2008 at 07:16 PM (#2756214)
Derek Jeter, hard as it is to believe, was once a shortstop before he became a piece of statuary.
   11. cardsfanboy Posted: April 23, 2008 at 07:26 PM (#2756240)
I always get fed up with people saying Pujols was a poor third baseman moved and became good, by no stretch of the imagination was Pujols a poor defensive third baseman. Left field maybe because of range, but not third base.
   12. ian Posted: April 23, 2008 at 07:46 PM (#2756271)
I think this move is because Guillen can't play 1B, not that Cabrera can't play an adequate 3B. Cabrera is athletic and has a strong arm, even with the extra weight he carries.

Guillen has a strong but erratic arm, weak knees, and couldn't adjust to the footwork at 1B - kept putting himself in the basepath, looked like he was going to get trampled.
   13. ColonelTom Posted: April 25, 2008 at 07:41 AM (#2758420)
So, what do I win? ;-)
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