Buster Posey to Shortshop

by Mac Muir on May 26, 2011 10:08 AM PDT

Since the beginning of the season I have watched Buster Posey catching, and been sure that he doesn't belong there. The Giants have played him there for good reason. He won a World Series commanding a dominant pitching staff that he had increasing influence over, and no one can touch that. He earned the right to play catcher for the next 12 years- but that is the problem. Buster Posey is the Giants superplayer; he is young, athletic, and is a very, very good hitter. He is the kind of player who could be in the league for a long time, and the catcher position is not for players who will play for a long time. The guys who played catcher longer than most were built like tanks- Pudge Rodriguez, Carleton Fisk, Mike Piazza, Johnny Bench- look up their heights and weights, and look at their shoulders. The rules of Major League Baseball are not going to change, catchers will be the players who take the most hits. Buster can have all the technical ability in the world, but when we know Ray Fosse, Mike Matheny, and countless other stories of catchers whose injuries stem simply from playing catcher, the Giants must consider a move.

Buster Posey was an All-American shortstop coming out of high school, and that is the position he should be playing. He needs to be on this team to hit. The reality is, you can find catchers who can call good games, and if you plug Eli Whiteside in the lineup instead of Mike Fontenot, the scorecards won't look much different from that spot in the lineup. To find a hitter of his caliber and watch him waste away as he takes foul balls off his head, gets crushed by bigger players who have 90 feet to gather speed before crashing into him, and has to devote more of his time to catching than hitting, is not helping us as fans or the organization as a whole. Catchers who can hit aren't rare by coincidence, hitters go to positions where they can hit best, and on a team that has a gaping hole at a position he was dominating a few years ago, my vote says stick him at shortstop, stop these Jose Reyes talks, and give him another 7 years in the bigs.

NEVERMIND---> This

http://www.lonestarball.com/2011/5/26/2191647/buster-posey-reportedly-has-a-broken-leg-and-ligament-damage

Poll

Buster Posey Catcher or Buster Posey Shortshop?

Catcher

92 votes

Shortstop

78 votes

170 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

Tweet Comment 33 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Just want to say

your headline really pissed me off. The post is fine.

"Bruce Wayne is the Brian Wilson of Gotham." -DrDC

by hairball on May 26, 2011 10:12 AM PDT reply actions

Apologies

Changed

by Mac Muir on May 26, 2011 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions

Pull a Craig Biggio and move him to Second base. Not nearly as demanding as short and a position where there are not a lot of premium hitters and his value would stay the same

by confusitron on May 26, 2011 10:28 AM PDT reply actions

screw Shortstop

he needs to play first, Belt can play outfield

no more catching, we all thought this would happen someday, ray fosse part deux

Trade Sabean/jk...Overthrow the Ydorks...
I am not a "real" fan without season tickets-The Lacob Rules

by Regulus on May 26, 2011 10:28 AM PDT reply actions

Why first?

I don’t understand why there’s support to move him from the toughest defensive position to the easiest. He would be so much more valuable playing another spot in the infield.

Is it just because he’s played there already?

"The two worst things in football are: 1) They think that a 30-year old professional athlete has to be locked up in a hotel room, with a curfew, the night before a qame; and 2) They're right."
- Cowboy safety Cliff Harris

by achiappanza on May 31, 2011 7:10 AM PDT up reply actions

If he could have stayed at SS

He probably would have. I don’t think he’s got the range necessary to do it; with his arm, I’d say third is a possibility, but Pablo is already there.

But more important is that Posey wants to be a catcher, and I think he’ll still want to be a catcher after this. If not, the Giants will find somewhere else to put him, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. At this point, I don’t see a good reason to just automatically assume he needs to be moved.

Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on May 26, 2011 10:42 AM PDT reply actions

Agree

Posey is a lot sturdier than he looks. The guy is pretty thick legged and I don’t think he wouldn have cut it at the MLB level as a middle infielder.

by barrance on May 26, 2011 11:18 AM PDT up reply actions

I agree that 3B is the logical spot for Buster – he’s not going to be a SS, and I see no reason to waste his arm at 2B. Moving Pablo back to catcher would be fine with me.

Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?

by Lyle on May 26, 2011 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions

I’d just be happy with him anywhere in the lineup at this point and not on the DL for the rest of the season. Wow.

by JLV on May 26, 2011 10:50 AM PDT reply actions

Buster Posey was an All-American shortstop coming out of high school, and that is the position he should be playing.

Other guys who were shortstops in high school:
Jim Thome
Gary Sheffield
Josh Willingham
Justin Upton
Jorge Posada
Joe Nathan

Glad to have the World Series win, but still waiting on my Kim Batiste bobblehead. GET OFF YOUR HANDS, GIANTS BRASS!!!!
Adopted Giant: Dave Dravecky, starting pitcher of the greatest regular-season game I've ever attended.

by jcb9 on May 26, 2011 12:42 PM PDT reply actions

your'e right

Bengie Molina IS available!

May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.

"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased

Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.

by natteringnabob on May 26, 2011 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions

not to mention B.J. Upton

who went on to make 172 errors in 3.5 seasons as a SS in the minor leagues

by FluLikeSymptoms on May 26, 2011 8:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Posey can't play shorstop.....

….but I think we should let Posey have some say in where he ends up when he comes back. If I’m Buster Posey, no way do I want to move from catcher. At catcher he can make multiple all-star games and is a potential hall of fame talent. At 1st base he’s what? Middle of the road NL first baseman? Maybe top 5?

"Don't trust anyone under the age of 30" - Brian Sabean

by Smotheredinhugs on May 26, 2011 12:49 PM PDT reply actions

Well, if I’m Buster Posey, there’s no way I’d want to go back to catching, no matter how much “fun” it is. I’d want a long career. But that’s just me.

Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?

by Lyle on May 26, 2011 1:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Money talks

Exactly why Buster will want to stay catching… at least until he signs his first big free agent contract.

by achiappanza on May 31, 2011 7:05 AM PDT up reply actions

If Belt has showed some potential in the OF then I’m not against Posey at first. We all know he can and I have had these same worries which are just 100x more disconcerning now after thefracture. Torres/Belt/Shierholtz/Ross/Ford is a solid OF rotation especially as Burrell and Rowand appear to be on the way out.

by Ivang101 on May 26, 2011 12:57 PM PDT reply actions

Buster says he's a catcher. Buster is a good catcher. Buster should play catcher.

Gigante. Campeón. Pumpkin. Andrés Torres.
Dursh nerf darsh narf. Poop.

by GiantPain on May 26, 2011 2:18 PM PDT reply actions

hmm

I’m not clear on what you are implying here. Are you saying Buster Posey is a good catcher?

May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.

"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased

Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.

by natteringnabob on May 26, 2011 5:07 PM PDT up reply actions

I think people need to realize that Buster's bat is not elite

It’s very good, but he wouldn’t be a special player at first. He will always be special to me though :-/

Don't think he can cut it in the bigs? Brock Bond will be the bigger man and walk walk walk away.

by baetown415 on May 26, 2011 3:35 PM PDT reply actions

He's 24

And in his first full year was hitting about .325 befoer he ran out of gas. He has a high OBP history and as he gets a bit older should hit for more power as well. I just think the notion that he won’t be a “special player” at first is nonsense.

He was getting beat to hell before this awful injury. I just don’t think its worth the risk.

by lexluth7 on May 26, 2011 4:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Even if Buster could maintain an ISO of .200 (which I doubt), he would have to hit close .325 to be considered elite. Just look at the 1st basemen in the NL, Pujols – Votto – Howard…even Sanchez and Fielder might might have more value with the bat than Posey.

"Don't trust anyone under the age of 30" - Brian Sabean

by Smotheredinhugs on May 26, 2011 4:22 PM PDT up reply actions

He's a two win player at first

League average, nothing more. That’s not the kind of All-Star production he would have behind the plate, not to mention it’d be a waste of his great arm and obvious defensive skills and intelligence behind the plate. C Posey is a starting All-Star and a way-too-early HOF possibility; 1B Posey is a good player who is actually blocking a better defender and similar hitter in Belt.

Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on May 26, 2011 4:59 PM PDT up reply actions

Yup. 100% yup.

Professional baseball analyst since 1980.
Wir sind gewohnt, daß die Menschen verhöhnen was sie nicht verstehn.—Goethe

by owlcroft on May 26, 2011 5:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Buster is not major league shortstop material.

2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller

by Johnny Disaster on May 26, 2011 4:03 PM PDT reply actions

Umm...

Neither?

by TheFreakSFG on May 26, 2011 7:14 PM PDT reply actions

Since the beginning of the season I have watched Buster Posey catching, and been sure that he doesn’t belong there.

I’m glad you’re not scouting catchers for a MLB organization

by FluLikeSymptoms on May 26, 2011 7:58 PM PDT reply actions

I think his point was that Posey is vulnerable behind the plate

Not that he’s not a good catcher. Though it was worded poorly.

And he’s got a point. With what’s been happening to Mauer I’m not sure Posey should stay behind the plate longer than a few more years; I think by the time he’s 27-28 he needs to move to 3B or 2B to preserve his legs. But the injury doesn’t mean he needs to move now, that’s just a knee-jerk bad reaction to a bad event.

Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on May 27, 2011 12:00 AM PDT up reply actions

even setting aside the fact that it is a bad idea, why does anybody assume you could just throw him out to 2B or 3B (I won’t even mention SS because that is laughable) and he would be capable of playing there? Yes, he played SS in college, but that was college and it has been years ago. 2B and 3B are difficult positions to play, you can’t just put somebody there and expect them to be major league quality.

by FluLikeSymptoms on May 27, 2011 1:03 AM PDT up reply actions

Obviously not

But I don’t believe he would immediately be major league quality, nor did I (or anyone else, I think) suggest that. I said 3B or 2B because I think those are the positions best suited for his current abilities; I don’t think he has the range to be an outfielder or a SS and Belt prevents 1B, not to mention that’d be a waste of his arm. If I thought I could just throw him somewhere and he’d immediately be ML quality I’d say 2B, not 2B or 3B, because I wouldn’t have to allow for the possibility that his range isn’t good enough for 2B.

Really, I think you could throw him at third his first day back and he’d be fine. He has good hands, great instincts, and a great arm, plus 3B don’t need range that badly. 2B would be better for the Giants, though, as Sandoval is a good 3B.

Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on May 27, 2011 1:33 AM PDT up reply actions

Whoa

Am I the only one that missed that the Giants DFA’d Rohlinger? And Sosa.

Carter Jurica!
"The trouble with baseball is that it is not played the year round." - Gaylord Perry

by GrahamCrakalaka on May 26, 2011 8:00 PM PDT reply actions

Whoa

Wrong thread.

Carter Jurica!
"The trouble with baseball is that it is not played the year round." - Gaylord Perry

by GrahamCrakalaka on May 26, 2011 8:01 PM PDT up reply actions

But, yes, you are.

2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller

by Johnny Disaster on May 27, 2011 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions

Buster Posey is no shortstop. Putting him at SS is basically going to weaken two

positions simultaneously, Catcher and SS. The pitching staff for one would be really upset, #1 for losing their preferred backstop, and #2 for getting a guy with limited range playing at the most important defensive position. And Short stops do get injured a fair amount. The safest spot for Posey would be 1B, but he doesn’t have the power numbers to be any more than an above average 1B. The prototype 1B has always been a guy like Lou Gehrig, and Posey is never going to be like that. The position where Posey can be the most valuable to the team is catcher. He just needs to learn to not block the plate anymore. Letting the guy score is preferable to being lost for the season. Sort of like trying to teach scrambling QBs like Steve Young to take a slide rather than bowl over LBs.

by rhaegar on May 27, 2011 3:14 PM PDT reply actions