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KRIEGER: Baker, Stewart in the mix at second base

By Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 14, 2008 at 12:45 a.m.

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Jeff Baker is taking seriously the opportunity he is getting to win the Rockies' job at second base.

Photo by Ben Margot / Associated Press

Jeff Baker is taking seriously the opportunity he is getting to win the Rockies' job at second base.

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A month and a day before pitchers and catchers report to the Rockies spring training complex in Tucson, the club has fewer issues than it ever has at this time of year.

Although Rockies officials made inquiries into some of the big names of the hot stove league, they were either eliminated or eliminated themselves quickly.

"We stuck our nose in on the (Johan) Santana thing and the (Danny) Haren thing," general manager Dan O'Dowd said the other day.

"Santana has a no-trade clause and has a desire to stay more on the East Coast, somebody that trains in Florida. Haren, for whatever reason, (the A's) just felt like the number of players they were going to get, the match that they had with Arizona was better than with us."

The Rocks did sign Aaron Cook to a new deal, nailing down a young starting rotation - Cook, Jeff Francis, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jason Hirsh and Franklin Morales - they hope to keep intact for years. So the issues to be settled in Tucson are relatively minor, befitting a pennant winner.

But one intriguing development could still happen. The odds are against it, but perhaps not quite as overwhelmingly as the conventional wisdom suggests.

The issue is second base. With Kaz Matsui having departed as a free agent, it's the only position without a returning incumbent starter.

"Well, we'll see," O'Dowd said. "I think we have a tremendous opportunity for some players to take advantage of it."

The conventional wisdom has Jayson Nix winning the job on the strength of a strong second half last year at Triple-A Colorado Springs and a Most Valuable Player award for Team USA at the World Cup in Taiwan last fall.

This is not exactly a slam dunk. Nix's climb through the minor leagues was painfully slow. For all his potential, he's been an offensive enigma for most of that climb. He hit .236 at Double-A Tulsa in 2005 and .251 at the Springs in '06. Last year, his strong finish pushed his average to .292. These are not exactly can't-miss minor league numbers.

A year ago, you'll recall the Rocks gave two prospects the opportunity they're giving Nix this year. Troy Tulowitzki seized it and Chris Iannetta did not.

Beyond Nix, the Rocks have a couple of familiar options in Clint Barmes and Omar Quintanilla, as well as light-hitting veteran Marcus Giles, who signed a minor league contract.

But they have tried to cultivate two other options as well, options that could add power to an already powerful lineup.

"It would certainly lengthen out our lineup tremendously," O'Dowd said. "You can see the offensive upside of that decision. You can see the defensive downside of that decision."

The option is to put a natural third baseman at second - namely, either Jeff Baker or Ian Stewart, both prized offensive prospects who can't break into the lineup anywhere else.

"We told them what the opportunity was, we told them that anything they needed, we'd be there for them, but we expected them to get themselves ready and it would be up to them to come in and compete for the job without us holding their hand," O'Dowd said.

"Both of them clearly understood that. So whatever they did to prepare is on them."

Both players worked out at second this offseason.

"I got reports that both of them have worked very hard, so I'm anxious to see how they show up," O'Dowd said.

At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds (Baker), and 6-3, 205 (Stewart), both are bigger and less agile than traditional second basemen. Defense was a major asset for the Rocks last year. They are unlikely to accept a significant downgrade there, particularly beside the slick-fielding Tulowitzki.

On the other hand, such experiments have been known, occasionally, to produce stunningly successful results.

Ryne Sandberg is the best-known example. The Hall of Famer began his big- league career as a third baseman in 1982. When the Cubs signed Ron Cey as a free agent following that season, they moved Sandberg to second, where he ended up winning nine Gold Gloves. At 6-2, 180, he was taller than most second basemen, but not as heavy as Stewart or Baker.

Another example is Bobby Grich, who won four Gold Gloves after the Orioles converted him from shortstop. At 6-2, 190, Grich, like Sandberg, provided much more offensive firepower than the traditional second baseman.

The key, of course, will be whether Baker or Stewart can make the plays defensively.

"We'll be able to flesh that out, I think, relatively quickly," O'Dowd said. "I think you'll be able to see if they're athletically acclimated to be able to do that."

If they're not, the Rocks will probably ship Stewart back to the Springs and try to find at-bats for Baker as a backup at first, third, left field and right field, as they did last year.

Certainly, both are long shots at second. But not necessarily that much longer than a career minor league prospect, an offensively challenged veteran and a pair of utility players.

At a minimum, they could provide a little intrigue on a team happy to bank most everywhere else on the status quo.

kriegerd@RockyMountainNews.com

Comments

  • January 14, 2008

    7:53 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    warrengfunk7 writes:

    The Rockies have improved their ball club and 2nd base will turnout well. I like all five possibilities at 2nd in Nix, Quintenilla, Baker, Giles and most definitely Stewart. Baker needs a shot as an everyday player. Stewart could use more experience.

  • January 14, 2008

    8:32 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    joeblow writes:

    In baseball you've got to be solid up the middle. with Yorvit catching and a good platoon system in center field, two thirds of the equation are set.
    I'm guessing that the Rockies still aren't done shopping around. What is equally as important is the signing of the team's power. Matt Holliday's situation is still up in the air. Garrett Atkins, same thing.
    Do the Rockies have enough money to keep both of these players? Maybe. Perhaps, Holliday's agent shot himself in the foot over the Alex Rodriguez fiasco. It's possible Scott Boros leverage took a hit and the team will have a better shot at keeping Holliday. In any case, this appears to be every bit as pressing as the second base situation, probably more.