Just when it looked like the Tigers might be moving on from Javy Baez ... they're searching for new ways to use him. The experiment started Thursday with Baez starting at third base in a spring training game against the Yankees, part of the Tigers' plan "to introduce a few positions to him," said A.J. Hinch.
Baez, who hasn't manned third in six years, promptly committed an error that led to extra runs for the Yankees against Jackson Jobe. Valenti is befuddled by the entire idea: "A.J. Hinch and the Tigers are cooking a Javy Stew. If you had a hankering for more Javy, the 1901 Society is going to be more than happy to give it to you."
Baez has been a hole at the plate since joining the Tigers three years ago, and he was worth minus-4 defensive runs saved last season at shortstop. While Valenti has "accepted he will be a part of this team" because he has three years and $73 million remaining on his contract, he can't accept "the idea that you would try him at other positions when he can’t even play shortstop at an above-average level."
"More Javy? What is the point?"
Rico says the "new way to justify" Beaz's spot on the roster is that "he'll become the Brandon Inge type, where you can put him anywhere, and therefore it will become Javy Chaos. You’re not getting rid of him, so you put him in the kitchen and you change the menu a little bit and say, 'Now here’s Javy, with fries.'"
Valenti wants to know: "Am I wrong that this upsets me? I was in acceptance phase, but then the Tigers had to go push the limit even more. Maybe seeing him at third some days? I thought the Tigers valued defense. I thought they cared about positional flexibility that was real."
To the idea that the Tigers are trying to hide Baez while keeping him on the roster, "You can’t hide him at the hot corner!" says Valenti. "You can’t hide him at third or short. You might be able to hide him at second. Problem is, you brought in a corpse at second base. Gleyber Torres can help you offensively, but he’s not a good second baseman. I thought this team cared about these things."