| 06 January 2009
This is part two of Battle for the Bench. Click HERE to read the other entries.
Mark Kotsay 1B/OF
The injury bug ravaged the Red Sox roster throughout 2008. Keeping Coco ended up helping the Red Sox, but Theo didn't chose to keep him, they just couldn't trade him.
One key move that Theo did make was picking up Mark Kotsay at the All-Star break. With Mike Lowell, Sean Casey and JD Drew all hitting the DL in the second half, Kotsay's versatility made an instant impact. He bounced back and fourth from the outfield to first base while hitting .293 through August. Kotsay had a rough September batting just .206 on the month, but his defense at first base in the playoffs made up for the slump.
That's why I wouldn't mind seeing Kotsay back in Boston in 2009.
Kotsay hit .289 with Atlanta in the first half of 2008 and finished the year at .276. He's career .281 hitter, so the question is: What can we expect from the 33-year old going forward?
Kotsay hit .290 as a starter with Athletics from 2004 to 2006. But in 2007, he only got 206 at-bats and hit just .214 after a return from back surgery. He bounced back to his career averages in 2008 despite the mid-season trade, and having just turned 33 in December, he very well could have a few good years left in the tank.
The averages suggest that Kotsay will continue to hit around .275, but Bill James projects a slight decrease and 295 at-bats:
James 2009: Mark Kotsay - 295 AB, .268 AVG, 34 R, 17 2B, 5 HR, 32 RBI
Being a lefty might help Kotsay's case both with the Red Sox and as a free agent in general. The Sox have looked to southpaws like Sean Casey, Eric Hinske and J.T. Snow in recent years to help out at first base... and Kotsay's connection to Boston will obviously keep him at the top of Theo's list.
Bottom Line: Kotsay has a lot of competition in the free agent market, but at 33, he is younger than all the first basemen except Eric Hinske (31) and many of the outfielders still on the free agent market. His versatility also makes him stand out, specifically his ability to play centerfield - since most 1B/OF types aren't quick enough to play in the middle.
The Red Sox could chose to fill this role from within with Jeff Bailey, but they have three ex-Red Sox in Kotsay, Casey and Hinske that are all looking for a job... and you know El' Bencho would love to come back to Boston as well...
Alex Cintron SS/2B/3B
Much like Alex Cora, who is currently one of many free agent players still looking for a job, Alex Cintron is not a name you hear on ESPN all that often. But Cintron is as versatile as Cora with experience at short, second and third and hit .286 for Baltimore in 2008, 16 points higher than Cora's .270 BA.
Since the Red Sox almost went to the World Series with Cora, as the utility infielder, let's compare their stats from 2008:
Cintron put up almost identical numbers while playing for the Orioles - a team with an inferior lineup to the Red Sox. With Ortiz and Lowell returning from injury plagued seasons and Manny no longer anchoring the lineup, the Red Sox will need all the offense they can get from every player this season. That's where Cintron becomes a promising option for the Red Sox.
Cintron's .277 career BA is better than Cora's .245 and Julio Lugo's .271. Cintron hit .286 last year and .285 with the White Sox in 2006, while Lugo has struggled to reach the .250 mark in three years with Boston after averaging .288 through 3 ½ years in Tampa Bay. Cintron is also a switch hitter, making it easy for Francona to use him in late game situations - and incase you're wondering he hit .286 in 14 pinch hitter at-bats last year.
But the Red Sox will be looking for more than offense from their utility infielder. Cora is a 11-year veteran and definitely contributed to the success of young infielders like Dustin Pedroia and Jed Lowrie. He also stabilized the infield often playing as a late game defensive replacement... Can Cintron offer those same attributes?
Cintron will be entering his ninth season as a pro, but hasn't played more than 100 games in a season since he left Arizona in 2005. He played 61 games for Baltimore last season, so his knowledge of the AL East is limited. He has postseason experience from his time in Arizona, but totaled just 8 at-bats when the D-Backs won the World Series in 2001.
As a fielder, Cintron made more errors than Cora with fewer total chances, but their Range Factors are very close:
Cintron: 8 errors in 165 total chances (.951 %); Range Factor at SS = 4.97
Cora: 6 errors in 235 total chances (.975 %); Range Factor at SS = 4.90
Bottom Line: Cintron just turned 30 in December, making him the youngest of the three players we have discussed here. His stats and service time are equivalent, but the reason I like him over Lugo and Cora is that he hits with runners on base:
If you watched Julio since he came to Boston, you'll be as excited as I am about this particular stat.
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