Saturday, February 14, 2004
THE NEW MIKE SCHMIDT
Niles:
A deal with the Yankees makes a 1000% more sense than with the Red Sox, who, unlike Boston, need plenty of help in the infield. Besides, no matter how much it boils Selig's blood, you know any Texas-New York isn't going to be quashed by the Union. George will pay every penny A-Rod's owed.
I think you could make the case that A-Rod would be even more valuable as a 3B than as a shortstop. Not to say that he's not a very good defensive shortstop, but he's not Ozzie Smith. I think his skill-set (tall, strong arm, good instincts, good lateral movement), however, might make him one of the best defensive 3B of all time. (And we already know he can hit at least as well as Mike Schmidt.)
The problem is that Jeter is one of the worst, if not the worst, defensive shortstops in the game today. Only Christian Guzman is arguably worse. Jeter can at least hit. The problem is finding a place for him in the field.
Joe Sheehan points out that Jeter's flaws (no lateral movement, bad instincts, 0 reaction time) wouldn't be any better served at 3B than SS. But at least there'd be fewer balls hit to him at 3B than at SS. And with a SS of A-Rod's range playing beside him, he might actually look OK at the hot corner.
