Could I turn this prospect into a left fielder

[rink23]

OK, my 2036 St. Louis River Walkers are off to a flying start sitting at 29-15 and six games in front of the Quad City Thunder on May 24.
But you still have to look to the future.
Down in AAA, I have a player, Mark Herman, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2034 draft and he is raking.
The problem is, his primary positions are third base and first base.
My third baseman is the 2035 Rookie of the Year -- Bob Saavedra.
My first baseman, Nick Shaw, came in third in the 2035 NL MVP voting.
He also can play right field, but my right fielder, Manual Coke, is one of the best players in the league right now, batting .352 with nine homers and 25 RBIs.
Left field, however, is a platoon with none of the players performing all that well.
If I start playing Herman in left field at AAA, can he develop into an everyday player and if he can, how long will it take?
First, however, he is going to be playing first base in the majors for a month as Shaw just suffered a fractured rib.
Or, would I be better off, shifting Herman to left in the minors and play someone else there?

[Brad K]

Re Herman what are his OF range error arm ratings?

[rink23]

What I think I am going to do, is Herman will get called to the majors to play first base during which Nick Shaw is going to be out with a rib fracture.

When Shaw comes back, and if Herman performs well, I will move Herman to third base and see how Bob Saavedra plays in left field.

Herman position ratings are: 1B (55); 3B (60); CF (25) and RF (35).
Defensive ratings are: If range (55); Infield error (55); Infield arm (75) and turn DP (25).
He has no defensive ratings for the outfield.

Saavedra, the 2035 NL Rookie of the Year, has just 3B as a position rating (60).
His defensive ratings are: IF range (55); Infield error (50); Infield arm (75) and turn DP (40).

I don't know if this plays into defensive performance, Saavedra has a 75 speed rating compared to Herman's 40.
I figure that would work better for him in the outfield.

Saavedra also has adaptability as a high-personality attribute.
Hopefully, I will still have a nice lead in the division when this all plays out.

As if I do, and it doesn't work, I'll have some wiggle room to make a change without it being a tight pennant race.

[Matt Arnold]

Go check on the ratings page to see what the component OF ratings are (or temporarily change his position to RF to see what shows up there). You want to check that for both guys to see - it's possible Herman is secretly a potential future stud in the OF, if that 25/35 for CF/RF is only very briefly trained up there. Or those might be his max ratings at those spots, and so in LF he will never get higher than about a 40.


For training, during spring training is the best time to train up, they can learn a lot in spring, especially if they already have some other experience around. If you're already in May and scheduling in IF time for the next month or two to cover another injury, then he won't learn a lot of OF before the playoffs. I mean, even a couple games at the spot will likely give him a rating there, but it depends what you're willing to put up with. With that bat, I wouldn't mind much no matter how bad he was, though...

[rink23]

Despite no experience in left field, going deep into his ratings, Herman seems a better fit in left field than Saavedra.
Another thing, I didn't take into consideration is double play rating at third base, the prime position for both players, where Saavedra owns a 40-25 rating advantage.
Once Shaw returns, I'll stick Herman in left and see how he does.
I have a couple of decent reserve outfielders who are good defenders, I can use as late-inning replacements.
BTW, in Herman's first three games in the majors this season, he is batting .539 with two homers and three RBIs.
I am guessing, he probably is here to stay.

[brotherblues]

Originally Posted by rink23

He has no defensive ratings for the outfield.


I don't know if this plays into defensive performance, Saavedra has a 75 speed rating compared to Herman's 40.

1. He does have ratings for outfield. Go Profile ---> Ratings tab and you'll see it.

2. Speed rating has no effect on defensive range. They tend to rise and fall (mostly fall) together, but that's it. A 40 speed OFer with 75 range will cover far more ground than a 75 speed OFer with 40 range.

[tejdog1]

Originally Posted by rink23

Herman position ratings are: 1B (55); 3B (60); CF (25) and RF (35).
Defensive ratings are: If range (55); Infield error (55); Infield arm (75) and turn DP (25).
He has no defensive ratings for the outfield.

From the screenie you posted, he clearly does. I'd guess something like 55 OF range and 70 OF arm? That deffo plays in RF, so maybe move your current RFer to left?

[tejdog1]

I would argue, however, from a traditionalists POV, Herman doesn't have the power you want from a corners guy (45/80). I've never really bought into that, but there is that to consider.

[PSUColonel]

He could be an OK RF

[NoOne]

i'd put the guy with more range / better of error ratings in left field.. "Experience" at a position is a temporary issue.. if it is better for the long-run i don't even mind doing it midseason - especially a corner OF, but maybe not C/SS/CF/3b/2/b... positions that actually require much more from the player. This decisions should be made before the season starts... in most cases its reasonable to expect. Even if i have a mil'er that progresses faster than expected, it's already planned for.

be more proactive forcing a position in minor leagues.. I make sure my few 'better' prospects play all the positions they are capable of playing in the minor leagues. These 'better' prospects are all on a shortlist and locked to current level. i set strategies accordingly -- avoid playing with injuries, overworking etc.. or forcing a new position to be learned.

don't complicate it with who is winning what award - while correlated it causes nothing. in some cases may not be best for your team, too.

stick to what actually has a causal effect on the game and go from there. eliminate all the gunk, otherwise, in any decision.

tejdog - sure in theory, but once a season starts, or really long before that point, you have what you have.. barring a trade. if putting a speedy, leadoff hitter in RF allows me to have more offense overall 1-9 in my batting lineup, that's what will be done.

i've had several offenses with a 1B batting leadoff... could steal and run fast.. got on base among bet in league year-in and year-out. Is it optimal? Nope, but relative to what i had it was the best option.

in such a situation, i'm looking for an "out," admittedly. It's far easier and cheaper to find a better run producer at 1b than other positions, therefore, having an OBP guy like i just mentioned filling that defensive spot hurts your probability of filling out the rest of the lineup over the years.

while i consider future % of finding offense at various defensive positions, defense plays no role in filling out my lineup except that each defensive position must be covered -- any which way, i don't care once the team is assembled. as far as future issues, i'll be proactive at replacing the oddball before forced to make a bad decision. but, that's for the offseason.