I'll I can say is that at least Everett can bunt! Gardenhire called a suicide squeeze this year while Everett was up and he
GOT THE BUNT DOWN something that
Punto demonstrated last year that he could not do. We also ended up winning that game by one run thanks to this perfectly executed suicide squeeze play, which might I add is one of the sweetest plays to watch in baseball when executed properly.
I'm not going to argue for Everett having 3 errors in 9 games but give him a chance, it's the 13th game of the season? If you want
career numbers defensively for Everett,
he's rated as one of the best shortstops in the game?
Quote:
Numbers often disagree with the sterling defensive reputations that guys like Punto and Castro have been tagged with, but in Everett's case his reputation is strong and his numbers are even stronger. In fact, Everett's numbers--the important ones, not misleading/near-useless stats like fielding percentage and Range Factor--show him as either the best or second-best defensive shortstop in all of baseball since he became an everyday player in 2003.
This only further demonstrates that it's fricken 13 games into the season for Everett, the guy's career numbers are sick defensively. As for his bat, this will need to improve or he'll be riding the pine with the likes of a
UTILITY PLAYER like Punto. Gardenhire has already been using Tolbert in 6 of the 13 games this year because of Everett's lack of production offensively and to some respect defensively though I'd caution on Gardenhire determined that Everett is a horrible defensive player.
Lamb has never proven to be a solid defensive 3rd baseman but after a season that Punto had, they had to find a replacement obviously because our run production last year was terrible.
Lamb was brought more for his offense than defense and Gardenhire uses Punto in later innings (7/8th inning on) to replace Lamb in the field in games that we are leading. This is smart due the "LNP's"
UNBELIEVABLE defense. Now if he can't lay down a bunt or slides head first into first you can rest assure I won't keep quiet. BUNTING IS FUNDAMENTAL, to be a fundamentally sound player requires to do it on
BOTH sides of the field, period.
Quote:
The Twins clearly targeted Lamb because of his bat. He's hit .281/.339/.427 in 2,676 career trips to the plate, including a .281/.342/.464 hitting line during four seasons in Houston that looks nearly identical to the aforementioned MLB average at third base (.275/.345/.445) over the past three seasons. Lamb's numbers away from Houston's hitter-friendly home ballpark have been somewhat underwhelming, but he's capable of being an average offensive third baseman. That's the good news.
The bad news is that Lamb's defense is another story. While the Twins are looking at Lamb as their everyday third baseman, several other teams were reportedly interested in signing him as either a first baseman or designated hitter. And with good reason, because Lamb's numbers at third base have been nearly as ugly as Adam Everett's numbers at shortstop are impressive. While Everett is among the MLB leaders in Zone Rating and Revised Zone Rating every year, the opposite is true for Lamb.
Analysis of these two players and team will be better judged 2-4 months into the season, bottom line 13 games is
WAY TOO EARLY to jump on the "I HATE THESE JOKERS EVERETT AND LAMB" bandwagon. Unfortunately I have already given up on Punto being an everyday player and so far this season it looks like he's fit into his new role perfectly. But as stated above, it's the 13th game...the season doesn't end on 13 nor do I only give two new players 13 games to prove themselves.
-HS
