4 Reasons to Keep Victorino in Right Field
AP Photo/Elise Amendola |
Contributing Writer
They say that Fenway Park has the most difficult right field in all of Baseball.
There are few who have it mastered, just ask Torii Hunter, the owner of the bruises and bumps after tumbling over the right field fence into the bullpen during the ALCS.
Ask Shane Victorino who has met that wall several times during the season, sparking cries from the fans to stop at once.
This season ended and the speculation started, whether to move Victorino into center field and either acquire or bring up talent for right field.
There are four reasons to leave Victorino in right field and pursue other solutions when Jacoby Ellsbury vacates center field:
Reason 1: Nobody does it better
Well, almost nobody does it better.
Victorino was the second best defensive right fielder in baseball during the 2013 season, says Fangraphs. He put up numbers that have been his best yet in right field, so don't move him one inch.
Reason 2: His arm is better in right field
This year he has been more effective with his throwing, nailing players at first base and home repeatedly. As noted by Rob Bradford on WEII.com, his throwing abilities have come more to the forefront as he gets more chances to test his arm in right field. Prior to this season, he had played 762 games in center field, 147 in right and 111 in left.
Now that he gets the chance to throw out base runners and does it consistently, it would be counter productive to move him out of that role.
Reason 3: Plenty Down on the Farm
With Jackie Bradley Jr. a serious candidate for the center field position should there be no off season acquisitions, why not bring him up for real? There could also be a platoon with Daniel Nava in center field, which did happen on occasion that Ellsbury was injured.
Whether they buy a center fielder or rely on the farm system, the Red Sox have no reason to move Victorino out of right field.
Reason 4: It would mess up Koji Uehara
Uehara pounds Victorino at the end. |
Watch the attached GIF image.
How necessary might Victorino be for Uehara to pound on in the dugout?
Move Victorino from right field and he might not sit in the same spot shown here.
Enough said.
Post a comment or via twitter @ericschabell with your thoughts.
More by Eric D. Schabell