Just how bad of a 2B was Soriano?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Ive heard bad, but I never saw it for myself. The reason I ask is becuase when trade time comes around, it will be a lot easier to find an outfielder with a nice bat than a middle infielder. Is Soriano at all capable of 2B anymore? Even if no trade comes along, and Fontenot stays cold, you could have Johnson, Fuku, Bradley across the outfield.

[Yeti]

he was horrible and i'm sure he cant even be that good anymore

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

While it's an interesting idea, I don't think there's any chance for it to happen. He was pretty bad there, and likely would be worse now.

[JGalt73]

From BP's statistics, Soriano was -15, -12, -26, +6, -27 runs versus an 'average' 2B in his 5 years playing primarily there. He was about replacement level then.

[Mephistopheles]

From BP's statistics, Soriano was -15, -12, -26, +6, -27 runs versus an 'average' 2B in his 5 years playing primarily there. He was about replacement level then.

 

This is incorrect. Baseball Prospectus' replacement level is a replacement level hitter and fielder, position be damned. In other words they're saying that a replacement level shortstop is a .230 EqA hitter who fields over thirty runs below average. Replacement level players are not nearly that bad. In the case of a second baseman their replacement level second baseman is a .230 EqA hitter who fields about thirty runs below average. Even Alfonso Soriano wasn't that bad defensively. It's an incredibly stupid the way they do it, and if you cornered the folks at BP and asked them to defend it, they'd buckle. In reality a replacement level middle infielder will have an EqA between .220 and .230, but can easily defend at an average to above average rate. League average defensive players grow on trees. The distribution of defensive talent is more or less a traditional normal bell curve for the major and upper minor leaguers. The majority of them are in the middle. The distribution of offensive talent isn't the same. It's obviously more or less a traditional bell curve in the majors, but all the players in the minors would tend to fall on the below average side. That's not true on defense.

[Backtobanks]

Ive heard bad, but I never saw it for myself. The reason I ask is becuase when trade time comes around, it will be a lot easier to find an outfielder with a nice bat than a middle infielder. Is Soriano at all capable of 2B anymore? Even if no trade comes along, and Fontenot stays cold, you could have Johnson, Fuku, Bradley across the outfield.

 

I can picture him hopping every time a ball is hit to him at 2B. :grin:

[Mephistopheles]

http://www.hollywoodcollectibles.com/autographed/memorabilia/sports/collectibles/authentic/Baseball/8x10%20Photos/Alfonso_Soriano_Photo3_MID.jpg

 

lets move him back to ss!

[Transmogrified Tiger]

FanGraphs is missing UZR data from his first full season at 2B, but in 4 other seasons he was a cumulative -10, with the most recent season being the worst at -15.

[Jehrico]

He was horrible. Picture Hoffpauir at 2nd. He'd be a small upgrade over that.

[Rob]

In the case of an emergency situation in our infield, our best bet is to move Fukudome to 3B... not Soriano to 2B.

[Mephistopheles]

To be fair, Soriano played SS in NPB as did KF.