Quote:
Originally Posted by TLB1975
I think there's two different points here. One is whether a guy could switch positions and be effective (i.e. SS to 2B), and two how much does it happen in RL vs OOTP. Part of your original post was the statement "it happens in real life all the time".
As an example, I looked at RL stats for ML SS's for 2014 to see how many of them fielded at any other positions. Of the top 22 SS's in AB's, 20 out of the 22 only fielded at SS. Two players, Xander Bogarts and Asdrubal Cabrera fielded a position other than SS.
Looking at RL 2014 stats for 2B's, 5 out of the top 23 fielded a position other than 2B. (Ben Zobrist, Daniel Murphy, Asdrubal Cabrera, DJ LeMahieu, and Gordon Beckham).
I would say I disagree with your statement that moving starters around the infield happens in real life all the time.
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Heh, "all the time" may have been sloppy wording on my part. I merely meant that it happens often enough that it wouldn't exactly raise eyebrows, not that every team does it every year.
It also happens more often with younger players, below average players, guys who are somewhat "fringey," etc. For a host of reasons, established players just don't get juggled in the same way. A team forced to rely as primary starters on a couple of guys who aren't far removed from the platonic ideal of a utility infielder is obviously going to be a lot more willing to shuffle depth charts based on day-to-day exigencies instead of just having one guy be "the man" at 2B or whatever (and these are guys who are more likely to fall outside the the top 22 for games played at any one position).