It looks like Steve Lombardozzi will go north as the Nationals back-up infielder:
In the Nationals dugout this morning, Davey Johnson explained his contingency plans at shortstop. If Ian Desmond suffered any kind of long-term injury, he said, Danny Espinosa would become the regular shortstop. If Desmond simply required a day off, he would keep Espinosa at second. And short?
“I’d play Lombo there,” Johnson said.
I discussed how Steve may eventually be the starting second baseman with Espinosa moving to shortstop yesterday. On top of that, Davey Johnson made this surprising statement:
“I want them to express their talent and be aggressive,” Johnson said, speaking of Desmond and Danny Espinosa. “And Desi’s doing that. I don’t want him going up there and trying to work for a walk. I want him to go and hit a double. If you’re trying to just center on the ball and hit it hard on a strike down the middle, you’re thinking you’re going to hit a double and you end up hitting one … out.”
I really don’t believe that bit about the walk. Johnson was doing sabermetrics before anyone coined the word. He knows the value of getting on base. This strikes me as Davey talking up a player who may end up getting traded.
I’ve wondered sometimes just how easy it is to teach players to draw walks. It seems like a lot of guys who are free swingers get themselves messed up by trying to be selective. They tend to take too many strikes when they do. Walks are important, of course, but if a guy is a free swinger, sometimes you might be better off to just let him be who he is.
You linked to Lombardozzi Sr for the player name, not Jr.
Great insights here David …
Ben » Thanks, that’s a program Baseball Reference supplies.
Jeff A » True, but drawing few walks, a player’s OBP is limited by his batting average. Davey learned from Earl Weaver, and Earl knew the value of a walk. That statement was Davey pumping up Ian to the press.