Well I guess this settles the "Posey to 3B" issue. HOWEVER!!!. There is a difference between can / can't play 3B and should / shouldn't. Sabean's initial comments were more along the lines of "Posey can't play 3B, so it's not even a consideration". That is a patently absurd comment, but I understand why he said it. If Posey goes the way of Hector Sanchez / Brandon Belt and misses significant time due to concussion symptoms, there might be less 20/20 hindsight. Less of a public furor along the lines of "See, we told you he was going to get hurt". Now we no longer have that problem.
from MLB Trade Rumors:
NL Notes: Giants, Braves, Mets, Andrus, Nationals – MLB Trade Rumors:
GM Brian Sabean says the Giants won’t have Buster Posey replace Pablo Sandoval at third base, and they continue to view him as a backstop, MLB.com’s Chris Haft writes. “He’s a franchise player, a franchise catcher,” Sabean says, adding that Sandoval, who recently signed with the Red Sox, was a key presence in the Giants’ clubhouse. “He brought a lot of energy. He loved playing the game. He’ll be missed on and off the field,” Sabean says. The Giants will continue to look for a third baseman and left fielder, but Sabean expects they might do so through trades and not through free agent signings. Here are more notes from the National League.'via Blog this'
We joke about the odd / even year effect because it's played itself out three times in a row (inverse gambler's fallacy?), but remember one of those odd year failures was at least partially due to the loss of Posey in the lineup due to injury.
Good to see Sabean own the decision. I'm OK with saying, "he's too valuable to us at the C position to move out of there. We'll have to look elsewhere for an answer at 3B". I'm not comfortable with the GM of my team making statements that seem to imply that he either doesn't have a working set of eyeballs in his head or he doesn't believe his fan base has a sufficient working knowledge of baseball that they would accept the first statement at face value. Maybe fans /bloggers don't have enough knowledge (opportunity) to be an actual GM, but at least some have a basic understanding of the game.
I can't say it loud enough or often enough.
Pablo Sandoval was a C who was converted to 3B and we just finished a season where folks lauded his athleticism and abilities enough at 3B to consider him for a Gold Glove. You can't tell me that with the level of athleticism and background that Posey brings to the table, that he couldn't make a similar transition if asked and lead the team from 3B, as many other major-league stars have before him. There is no baseball law or law of nature that says leadership always emanates from the catcher position. You have to protect one of the most valuable assets the franchise holds.
We're just going to have to hold our collective breaths for the time being as long as Posey toils behind the dish. Later in his career when they are looking to get the final ounce productivity out of his bat, the math may shift and the issue may resurface.
But for now, get used to hearing the sound of ".....now batting, your catcher, Buster Posey!!" Hopefully, for a long, long time.
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