The Jays have a day off from game action. Let's take a second look at how the battle for second is going.
We are 15 games into the spring schedule (just 3 weeks and a day until the Blue Jay home opener). Both Maicer Izturis and Emilio Bonifacio have had a fair bit of time at second base (though Emilio has has more of the playing time there) and also at short. Emilio hasn't been used in the outfield yet, but I think the Jays are more interested in evaluating him at second base, for now. I don't think he'll forget how to play the outfield, if he doesn't get time there this spring.
Emilio Bonifacio:
Year | Age | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | 28 | 11 | 32 | 31 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .290 | .313 | .516 | .829 | 16 |
Emilio also has 4 errors,I know at least one of them was a short. He has made some good plays at second base as well. I don't think I want to see him play short during the season. He does't seem to have the arm for it. I don't think he'll be great at 2B but he does seem to have the range.
Maicer Izturis:
Year | Age | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | 32 | 9 | 27 | 25 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .160 | .222 | .200 | .422 | 5 |
Izturis has started to hit, in the last few days. We knew he would. With Jose Reyes off at the WBC, Izturis has played more SS than second. He looks the better there than Bonifacio does. He's likely the better defensive choice at 2B too. As much as we knew he would start hitting, it is nice to see. He'd also be my favored choice to fill in at third, if/when Brett Lawrie hits the DL, but Gibbons seems to prefer DeRosa.
DeRosa is having a nice spring:
Year | Age | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | 38 | 8 | 19 | 17 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .471 | .526 | .706 | 1.232 | 12 |
Which is good to see, not that I think he'll hit anything like that this season.
Anyway, have you any new thoughts on who you'd like to see play second this season?