Ibanez to see time in LF/1B?

[bloodbrother]

Alden Gonzalez ‏@Alden_Gonzalez 32s

Scioscia says he needs Ibanez to be able to play LF and some 1B, which he hasn't done in a while. Has to be more versatile than just a DH.

 

 

Yuck. Please no. Angels pitchers must be depressed hearing this from Sosh

[jshep]

Oh god no

[mtangelsfan]

Oh come on Sosh, break out of your stupid shell.  Geez.

[Chimi]

Isn't Shuck on the team to play LF when needed?

[Brent Maguire]

This would be idiotic. Ibanez has been one of the worst defenders in all of baseball recently. 

 

I'm going to lose a lot of faith in Scioscia if Ibanez starts more than 5 games in the outfield this year. 

[Season Over]

May as well keep Pena all year if we're that desperate for a first baseman.

[bloodbrother]

Ibanez in LF might be worse than when Abreu was there

 

Maybe they can hide him at 1B for a few starts but man, I'd rather they just avoid putting him anywhere in the field. At his age, he just can't do it. Don't get why he has to be more versatile than just as a DH. What good is it to just put him in LF or 1B when he can't do it well enough? They got bench options like Pena perhaps(for 1B) and then guys like Shuck or Brennan Boesch for LF

[jshep]

They've got plenty of bench options who can backup 1B and the OF.

No reason Ibanez NEEDS to do it.

[Hubs]

Shuck was pretty bad defensively last year, though it doesn't show up well in his fielding stats. He was so frequently out of position, and made bad reads against balls that Bourjos or Trumbo would've caught. He has a weak arm as well. 

 

Ibanez needs to be versatile only to allow for late inning pinch hitting appearances in games he doesn't start. He needs to be able to play 1B/OF if say, he's on the bench and Pujols is the DH against a lefty starter. (Say Cowgill is playing RF and Calhoun is at 1st). They want him to hit for Cowgill against a reliever in the late innings. If they use him, then they'd also have to use a defensive replacement after he hits?

 

Or say in NL parks, where there isn't a DH, and they need a lefty pinch hitter for a pitcher. If they use him, they can do a double switch, but if he can't play the field, that's not available. 

 

He's going to log maybe 50-60 innings in the field this way. He can do that. Maybe he gets a start if a player is hurt. Not any extended starts, but maybe.

 

I also think Kendrick is going to see time in the OF and at 1st to put Green (or Lindsay) as the 2nd baseman so hopefully this is the first choice and Ibanez in the OF or at 1B is a distant second or third choice.

[wopphil]

They've got plenty of bench options who can backup 1B and the OF.

No reason Ibanez NEEDS to do it.

I agree.  First base is the least taxing position on the infield, and there is no reason why Pujols shouldn't be able to play 150 games there (and with Pena available as a backup).  And Trout and Calhoun are young enough that their bodies can tolerate 150+ games in the outfield, with the dedicated fourth outfielder capable of spelling each guy once per week.  There is really no reason why Ibanez needs to play either outfield or first.

[ELEVEN]

Season over.

[Angel Oracle]

Isn't Shuck on the team to play LF when needed?

Or maybe Matt Long? 

 

Why is Scioscia so caught up in the versatility thing, where he would even think Ibanez in the field?

Did having Figgins in the 2000s spoil him? 

Edited February 19, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[Chuck]

I don't see this as a big deal at all.

 

Scioscia doesn't want a guy to just DH so he's going to get Ibanez some time in LF and 1B this spring so that he's ready for action there in a pinch.

 

I doubt he starts many games at an actual position.

 

Nothing else to see here guys.

[nando714]

So Sunday day games at the Big A will have Ibanez kicking the ball around in Left.

[jshep]

Also, because these will never stop being funny:

 

 

 

[Angel Oracle]

Uhh Mike Scioscia, the Red Sux have survived just fine for 11 seasons despite having Ortiz only be able to DH/PH. 

[gotbeer]

DH only.  Put Kendrick at first.  Put Kendrick in LF.  Heck, put Shuck in LF.  Or Cowgill.  Or Green.  We have plenty of options, where Raul can just focus on hats for bats.

[IEAngelsfan]

I don't see this as a big deal at all.

 

Scioscia doesn't want a guy to just DH so he's going to get Ibanez some time in LF and 1B this spring so that he's ready for action there in a pinch.

 

I doubt he starts many games at an actual position.

 

Nothing else to see here guys.

So you're saying that people here are overreacting?

[Mark68]

I would much rather see Ibanez at first than in left.

 

I don't want to see him at all at first.

[Homebrewer]

Scioscia comes into ST in mid-season form.

[WallyWorld]

Starting to come together, Charlie.  Starting to come together.

[tennischmp]

+/- 81 starts

[Troll Daddy]

Major over reaction here ... that's about normal

[ScottT]

I don't think Scioscia and Dipoto are on the same page.  I'd rather see Ibanez in the bunting cage than in LF.  

[Season Over]

I'm more concerned that Pujols supposedly isn't ready to play first base every day.