By Brian Joura December 27, 2020
Generally speaking we think of the corner positions being the power/offensive positions and the up the middle ones being more defensive oriented. Of course there are exceptions – Mike Piazza could hit a little bit and Keith Hernandez wasn’t too bad with the glove – but this is a solid rule of thumb. Adjusted stats, which account for ballpark and run scoring environment, don’t differentiate for positions. A catcher with a 105 wRC+ is a different thing than a 1B with the same numbers. If league average is 100 than it stands to reason that the corner positions will be above that mark and the middle positions will be below it. Everyone can’t be above average.
In 1972, MLB shortstops posted a .231/.290/.298 line, which in that era was good for a 71 wRC+. Meanwhile, RF in that same season had a .716 OPS and a 108 wRC+. The Mets weren’t helping in the former, as their shortstops put up a 64 wRC+ in ‘72. It’s tough to win with offensive sinkholes in the lineup and the ‘72 Mets, despite great pitching, only won 83 games because their offensive production at SS (and 2B and 3B, too) was so poor.
It’s why Francisco Lindor is such an attractive trade target. Lindor has a lifetime 118 wRC+. Last year wasn’t his best season but he still had a 100 wRC+. Yeah, it turns out that’s not so hot. MLB shortstops in 2020 had a 101 wRC+. As for the Mets, while Amed Rosario was doing his best impression of a 1972-era shortstop with his 76 wRC+, Andres Gimenez put up a 105 mark in the category, He was better than league average and better than Lindor in his MLB debut.
Last season started with many fans wondering why Gimenez was even on the roster. It ended up with him having the larger half of a platoon and him out-hitting Lindor. Not too shabby.
Gimenez was long considered one of the club’s top prospects, a guy that former manager Brodie Van Wagenen made untouchable when he was trading off prospects left and right. He debuts in the majors at age 21 and is an above-average hitter, a strong fielder and an excellent base stealer. So, why does it feel like no one believes in Gimenez?
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