We started this series by looking at catchers and first basemen, today it's the middle infielders who we review. Because of the interchangability of shortstops and second basemen we will look at them together making it a double position look.
Las Vegas
There could be a battle for playing time in AAA. The Jays had an excess of middle infielders, even before they added Omar Vizquel this week.
Adeiny Hechavarria will return to Las Vegas to handle shortstop. Hechavarria made a great first impression in Las Vegas last August but he didn't follow up that up in the fall where his performance was weak. Hechavarria battled some leg problems in the AFL which may or may not have impacted his hitting. 2012 is a big year for Hechavarria to show he can be an offensive threat in the major leagues.
Jon Diaz was recently in Toronto as part of the players of the future camp. Diaz impressed John Farrell last spring training with his defense and because, in the major leagues, shortstop is a defense first position. Diaz can play defense with the best of them but his hitting is weak. Diaz is short in stature and his strong defense and weak hitting earn him John McDonald comparisons. Diaz endured a tough 2011 after a taxi crash in Vegas knocked out both he and his wife.
Luis Valbuena or Mike McCoy will have a spot in Vegas, or now with the Vizquel signing both may be in Vegas. They will be joined by recent signee Brian Bocock and returning Chris Woodward. It is conceivable that the 51's could carry four middle infielders but that is a stretch. If Mike McCoy is one of the four he can play the outfield but otherwise it looks like the Jays have too many guys. They must know something more than I do. Although Chris Woodward is a spring training invitee, he could retire at any time and even take on a coaching role with the Jays.
My expectation today is that Omar Vizquel will get the backup job in Toronto. Luis Valbuena and Adeiny Hechavarria will be the starters in Las Vegas with Mike McCoy as the super utility backup. don't know where Bocock or Diaz fit. Alternatively the extra players in the Jays system could mean that Valbuena has been promised a major league spot or his release. New Hampshire will need a backup, or a starter too, Diaz could fill one of those roles.
New Hampshire
Ryan Goins will be 24 when spring training rolls around and the 4th round draft pick in 2009 will get pushed up to AA to show he can handle it. Goins had a 750 OPs in Dunedin last season despite a slow start and missing the month of June due to injury. Goins has been a decent player as a pro without showing major league promise.
Ryan Schimpf missed the first half of 2011 but came back to Dunedin and hit well in the second half. Schimpf is more of an offensive than defensive player and did he hit 10 home runs in a half season in the FSL. As a lefty hitter in New Hampshire Schimpf could put up some good power numbers. Diaz or Bocok could be the backup in AA.
Another option is that Schmpf stays in Dunedin, he only played a half season in 2011. Diaz or Bocock could then be the starting second baseman.
Dunedin
There are few obvious candidates to move up from Lansing for the middle infield, or indeed any infield position. Lansing made the playoffs last season giving lots of at-bats to Gustavo Pierre, Gari Pena, Bryson Namba, Oliver Dominguez, Balbino Fuenmayor and KC Hobson. That is not a lineup to put fear in the opposition.
Oliver Dominguez could handle a promotion after two years in Lansing. Kevin Nolan has been a backup in the his with the Jays but he has been a good performer when called on. Nolan could be given the everyday job in Dunedin.
The other move that would make the upper level jogjam easier would be to leave Goins or more likely Schimpf in Dunedin to start the season. That would open up a job in AA for one of the AAA excess players.
Lansing
Peter Mooney, Gari Pena, Shane Opitz and Gustavo Pierre will battle for the shortstop position in Lansing. Pierre has played there for the first half of last season but couldn't handle the defensive requirements. At this time it is uncertain whether he will stay at shortstop. Pena is a very good defensive player but hasn't contributed offensively. Mooney is a 2011 draft pick whose scrappy play earned him a promotion to Lansing to end last season. And Opitz is a 2010 draft pick who was pushed to Vancouver last season and handled it well. Mooney is the oldest at 21, the other three will be 20 years old at the start of the season.
In part because of his age and experience Mooney would be the favourite here but if the Jays think Opitz can handle it he might get the nod too. Both Mooney and Opitz can handle second base as well as shortstop.
Jonathon Berti, Jorge Vega-Rosado, Andy Fermin and Daniel Arcila are options for the second base job, as are Pena, Opitz and Mooney. Berti is the college player who was assigned to Vancouver last season. Vega-Rosado was the Blue Jays player of the year in the GCL. Even though Vega-Rosado played well in rookie ball, I don't get the sense that he will be pushed aggressively and I don't expect him to make the Lansing squad.
I think it will be Mooney, Opitz and Pena on the Lansing roster.
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