Off of the Phillies.com website there is a story about the fight at 3B this spring between Abraham Nunez and Wes Helms, both battling for the starting job.
Many people assumed that when Helms was signed to 2year $5.45 million deal that he was going to be given the starting job. Word out of Clearwater is that the job is up for grabs.
That is a fair stance for Manuel to take considering what Nunez did for the team last year. He played well defensively and had a batting average of .242 as a starter. I'm not saying he was great, I didn't really like seeing him out there either, but at least Manuel is stirring some competition to get each of them to work hard.
The issue comes down to the question of do the Phils want a better defensive or offensive 3B. Nunez is the proven better defensive player (it would be tough to bat .211 in a season and still have a job if you didn't play defense well). While Helms is the likely better hitter since he batted .329 with 10 homers last year in 240 at-bats. Those are pretty decent numbers in only 240 at-bats. Now the Phils upon signing him this offseason hope that those at-bats carry over with relative numbers in a full season's worth of at-bats. That is rather tough to predict. Was last year a fluke for Helms? Is he able to bat like that every day?
One idea that Mandel in the article gives is that the two would platoon. It would be a defensive platoon though, with Nunez playing when the Phillies have a lefty starting (Hamels and Moyer) because a lefty pitcher would cause the other lineup to have more right handed hitters (right handed hitters can rip the ball down the third base line much easier than lefties).
It would be an interesting move that I don't think Manuel would go with, but we shall see. Hopefully we get some answers on the two 3B during spring training.
The Official Site of The Philadelphia Phillies: News: Philadelphia Phillies News: "'I've never had a stretch that bad,' Nunez said. 'It's not how you go through it, but how you come out of it.
Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes, it's a wakeup call.'"
1 comment:
I'd like to see Helms get the majority of the time at 3rd with Nunez appearing in late innings for D
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