Baseball Nation - Hanley Ramirez Ready To Handle Third Base

Hanley Ramirez Officially Fine With Third Base

2012-02-27T01:09:46Z

Just so we can wrap this all up in a neat little package, all that stuff about Hanley Ramirez being really stubborn about his forced move to third base? It's not an issue anymore. Or at least, if it is an issue, Hanley Ramirez is keeping it to himself. From Jon Heyman:

[...] Ramirez's public message was that he loved third base and was looking forward to the challenge. "It's 200 percent OK,'' Ramirez said. "I feel it in my heart. I feel it in my mind. I feel it in my body.''

Asked how he thinks he'll be at third, he said, "Great ... the best.''

It's possible that Ramirez is seething on the inside. He certainly didn't want to be moved off of shortstop, and just because he's accepted it doesn't mean he's thrilled about it. But, what's he going to do? Force a trade? Half-ass everything? Provoke discontent within the clubhouse? He might grumble every now and again, especially as he learns that third basemen get different grounders than shortstops do, but Ramirez probably isn't going to do anything too destructive. That would be, in a word, stupid.

How Hanley Ramirez's glove adjusts to third base will be a worthwhile story to follow. How Hanley Ramirez's brain adjusts to third base will probably not.

Hanley Ramirez Warming Up To Third Base

2012-02-21T23:09:50Z

It's been some time since the new Marlins acted like the new Marlins, but remember that the new Marlins became known as the new Marlins for a reason. For a few reasons. One of them being that the Marlins signed Jose Reyes even though they already had Hanley Ramirez.

Immediately, what everybody knew was that Ramirez would have to slide over to third base. Reyes is the more competent shortstop, and Reyes is the bigger star. Ramirez has had his thoughts about the shift, and few of them have been positive, but from the sounds of things, he's not going to let the move get him down. Tom D'Angelo:

"I never said I’m not going to do it," he said, speaking for the first time about the switch from shortstop. "I’m just happy to be here, be back in the spring with my guys, my teammates, everybody’s happy. That’s what we need. We got to stay together through the year. We’re looking good. This is the best team I have been in six years with the Marlins."

To be honest, this was pretty much never not going to happen. Ramirez wasn't thrilled about being bumped. That's just fine. Why would he be? Over time, he's gotten used to the idea, and he's not so selfish that he'll throw a fit and try to hurt the team. Ramirez knows that the right thing to do is to suck it up and be the best damn third baseman he can be, and that's what it sounds like he's going to do. Of course. Ramirez was always going to be okay with things by opening day. It looks like he'll be okay with things by opening day, if not before then.

This is a bit of drama that never truly got off the ground. Hanley Ramirez wasn't happy about being moved. Then it got better. It will continue to get better. On and on we go.

Ozzie Guillen: Hanley Ramirez "Not 100 Percent On Board" With Move To Third Yet

2012-02-15T16:56:34Z

The key word is "yet," I suppose, but Ozzie Guillen talked about his reluctant third baseman in a video interview posted by the Miami Herald:

If Hanley Ramirez was like, "Yes, I'll move out of here!", I'd be like "Hrmmmm." But he was upset ... we got a guy here (Jose Reyes) who's pretty good too. I want him to understand where ... where we're coming from.

As funny -- intentionally and not -- as Guillen can be, it's an understanding approach. Where I'd be tempted to use adjectives like "petulant", "whiny", and "clanky" when it comes to Ramirez's disapproval of his new role, Guillen takes the reaction as a sign of Ramirez's confidence. Hanley thinks he's a great shortstop. Great shortstops should be annoyed when they're asked to move. Makes sense.

I'm thinking that if a) the Marlins do well, and b) Hanley plays a decent third base, we'll forget this was a thing by the end of April. But if Hanley struggles with the transition -- or if Reyes doesn't help the team win -- there could be some smoldering resentment for Guillen to deal with.

Hanley Ramirez: Third Base Is 'Fine'

2012-01-03T02:02:10Z

Remember when the Miami Marlins spent a gob-ton of money to sign shortstop José Reyes?

Yeah, probably. That was just a few weeks ago.

Remember when Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramírez was one of the best players in the National League?

Yeah, probably. That was just a few years ago. Somehow it seems like longer, though. Which is presumably why the Marlins have devoted a significant percentage of their financial resources to a new, different shortstop.

But the old shortstop still has three years and $46.5 million on his contract, so he has to play somewhere. It wasn't until 2012 that we've finally received some word that Ramírez won't have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, the 30 or 40 feet to third base.

MLB.com's Joe Frisaro:

Ramírez offered this comment to Dionisio Soldevila of The Associated Press: "I’ve talked with Guillen, and what we both want is to win with the Marlins. When January arrives, we’ll see what happens with the position change and everything else. If it’s at third, fine. Wherever they put me, I’ll do it in order to win."

This sentiment was probably inevitable. Most players in Ramírez's position -- and not just the truly great team guys like Michael Young -- ultimately come to the same conclusion, whether on their own or with the help of an agent.

The real question has never really been whether or not Ramírez would play third base. The real question has always been, and remains, whether or not he'll ever hit again and run again like he used to.

Jose Reyes Contract Details Released

2011-12-07T18:56:27Z

The Miami Marlins wore an old coat that they haven't worn in a while, and it turns out that there was several hundred million dollars in it. Don't you just love it when that happens? Also, the coat was covered in teal sequins.

The Marlins used that money early in free agency, pouncing on the best available shortstop on the market, Jose Reyes. We knew that he had signed for six years and $106 million, but the actual breakdown of the contract comes as a bit of a surprise. From Ken Davidoff:

Breakdown of Reyes contract with #Marlins: $10 mil, $10 mil, $16 mil, $22 mil, $22 mil, $22 mil. $$22 mil option on '18 with $4 mil buyout.

Reyes will be paid something just over Edgar Renteria money for the first two years of the deal before it shoots up into the stratosphere. There are a couple of possible reasons:

The Marlins, who don't allow no-trade clauses, staggered the money like this to make Reyes less tradeable as he ages, which would be a concession to the Reyes camp.
The Marlins are expecting revenue to go up as the new stadium ages, possibly because the new home run feature will make people brainless slaves who will tithe to the Church of Loria.
The Marlins are expecting $22 million in 2017 money to mean something different than it does in 2012.
The Marlins are going to win the World Series soon, possibly steamrolling the Cubs and/or Indians to get there, and afterwards they're going to trade anyone making more than $8.50 an hour, so they might as well limit the payroll damage in the short-term.

Whatever the reason, it's an interesting strategy, as when Reyes starts to get extraordinarily expensive, players like Mike Stanton and Logan Morrison should start to reach free agency. But seeing as the Marlins are going to sign Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Carlos Beltran, Prince Fielder (to play second), and Ryan Madson for 2012 and beyond, the might need the extra money for this season.

Marlins Introduce Jose Reyes, Their New Shortstop

2011-12-07T17:43:42Z

DALLAS -- Wednesday at Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings, the Miami Marlins made it official: They've signed free-agent shortstop Jose Reyes for six years and $106 million. Reyes joins Heath Bell among the Marlins' big acquisition as the franchise dons its new uniforms and moves into its new ballpark in 2012.

Marlins president Larry Beinfest began the press conference by preempting questions about Hanley Ramirez.

"Hanley is a key to our team," Beinfest said. "We have dealt with him respectfully and timely. We expect him to be our third baseman. Within 30 seconds of bringing in Jose we communicated with Hanley and let him know what was going on.”

Respectfulness and timelyfulness are great things, but it remains to be seen whether Ramirez, so recently one of the game's great shortstops, will happily skip over to third base.

Upon taking the floor, Reyes was honest enough to acknowledge that baseball's a business.

"They showed that they really want me. [This is] a good opportunity to win, and I like to win. I don't like to lose."

They showed they wanted him with $106 million, which was probably more than any other team showed. We'll check back in six years and see whether the Mets or the Marlins lost more games.

Hanley Ramirez Is Rather Fond Of The Shortstop Position

2011-12-06T22:34:33Z

Look at those Miami Marlins! They're going hard after Albert Pujols! They're going hard after C.J. Wilson or Mark Buehrle! They already signed Heath Bell! And they already signed Jose Reyes! Everything's coming up Marlins! Even criticism of the team's new look has waned as the public became progressively desensitized to the outlandishness of it all. The logo, the uniforms, the home run feature - individually, they're dreadful, but together, they add to the Marlins' newfound campy charm. Or something.

But it isn't all sunshine and lollipops in south Florida. About that Reyes thing. The Marlins, as you know, already had a shortstop in Hanley Ramirez. To sign Reyes as a free agent would mean that the Marlins would have to change Hanley's position. Let's go back to when signing Reyes was still just a rumor:

Source: H. Ramírez is not at all pleased at prospect of changing positions if Marlins sign Reyes; the two aren't the friends many portray.

Right. Now fast-forward. Signing Reyes isn't a rumor anymore. Reyes already signed. He touched Jeffrey Loria's hand and everything. The Marlins don't have one shortstop. The Marlins have two shortstops, which means they need to turn one of those shortstops into not-a-shortstop. That guy is Hanley Ramirez. When Reyes signed, the expectation was that Ramirez would slide over to third base.

And, as he hinted at before, Ramirez is apparently none too pleased with these developments. Here's an article from Enrique Rojas, and though the article's written in Spanish, the gist is this: Ramirez doesn't want to move. The lead quote, translated:

Hanley Ramirez doesn't like the idea of moving from shortstop to third base, and he's informed the Miami Marlins that he'd prefer to change teams before changing positions.

Here's what you need to know: the Marlins still owe Ramirez $46.5 million over the next three years. His OPS dropped 101 points between 2009-2010, and then it dropped another 141 points between 2010-2011, his season being cut short by a shoulder injury. Now does not look like a good time for the Marlins to trade Ramirez if they're interested in bringing back much in the way of value.

But they don't have to. See, it doesn't much matter how Hanley feels. I mean, it matters a little, but it isn't Hanley who's in control of this situation. The Marlins are in control of the situation, and if they play Jose Reyes at shortstop, and if they want to play Hanley Ramirez at third base, then Hanley Ramirez will end up playing third base. He'll suck it up and go out there, just as countless players before him have done.

The obvious comparison here is Michael Young. Young raised a stink when he was bumped from short to third, and he raised a stink when he was bumped from third to utility. He demanded a trade. He wasn't traded. He stayed with the Rangers, and the first time he was moved, he batted .322. The second time he was moved, he batted .338. People talk about Young as a leader. Young is a leader, despite his previous outbursts.

Players have a lot of confidence in themselves because they need to, and they take a lot of pride in the position they play. They might interpret a position switch as a shot or a sign of disrespect. It isn't necessarily a bad or surprising thing that Ramirez has had an emotional reaction to the signing. I might be more concerned if he didn't. But emotional reactions are instantaneous, fleeting, and over time, people calm down. They almost always calm down. Hanley Ramirez doesn't like the idea of moving over, but he'll think about it, and he'll talk about it, and in the end he'll almost certainly move over.

The Marlins had Hanley Ramirez. Do you think they would've committed six years to Jose Reyes if they thought it would've caused a whole mess? Hanley will live, and the Marlins will be fine. Fine and fabulous.

Is Jose Reyes Worth $106 Million Over Six Years?

2011-12-05T13:02:03Z

I don't have a problem with giving Jose Reyes $18 million next year.

There's a good chance he'll be worth more than that. The evidence is clear, there.

But $18 million next year, and the year after that and the year after that and the year after that and the year after that and the year after that?

I honestly don't know. So let's work through some of the math together.

After injury-plagued 2009 and '10 seasons, Reyes somehow put together the best hitting season of his career. In retrospect, we can see a couple of reasons why -- given his improved health, anyway -- Reyes would hit so well. One, he was 27; that's the age at which players most commonly produce their best hitting statistics. And two, he was exceptionally lucky; after entering 2011 with a .308 career batting average on balls in play -- a perfectly normal and reasonable figure -- Reyes batted .353 on balls in play last season.

That huge jump might tell us something about his future if something else in his game changed. But something else didn't. Not in his hitting game. He hit roughly the same percentage of grounders, flies, and line drives as before. More of them just happened to elude the fielders this year. Which isn't likely to happen again.

Then of course there's the injury issue. Here's David Schoenfield:

Obviously, after missing 191 games the past three seasons, Reyes comes with enormous health risks. During the 162-game schedule era, which began in 1961, only 13 shortstops have averaged 140-plus games per season from ages 29 to 34. Not surprisingly, none of them had the extensive injury history that Reyes has had prior to their age-29 seasons. Even ignoring 2009, when he played just 36 games, Reyes has missed 65 games the past two seasons. It seems fair (and logical) to assume Reyes will miss an average of 30 games a season over the life of this contract -- or more than an entire season's worth of games. That's what kept the Mets -- and presumably other teams -- from matching the Marlins' offer of six seasons.

I agree that it's logical to guess Reyes will average roughly 130 games per season over the life of this contract. At best. It takes just one season of 40 games to drop that average quite a bit. But let's say 125-130 games per season. As Schoenfield notes, even at that rate, Reyes is still worth $18 million per season -- easily worth $18 million -- as long as he's hitting. And keeps doing the other things that he's been doing.

That last is the part that worries me. Or would worry me, if I loved the Miami Marlins with the passion of a thousand love songs. As Schoenfield acknowledges elsewhere, Reyes' defense hasn't been good in recent seasons. Not according to our preferred metrics, anyway. He's also not running like he once did.

It seems to me that what the Marlins might be getting for six years is a player who will never hit like that again, and is getting slower both on the bases and at shortstop.

Let's go back to 2008, which is a hitting season more in line with what we might expect, going forward. Reyes was worth 26 runs to the good with the bat, but he also played a ton of games and he was younger. So we'll cut that back to 20 runs (charitably, I suspect). He figures to be good for a couple of baserunning runs. He gets another adjustment of roughly 25 runs for being a shortstop. Now we're up to 47 runs. But he loses five runs for his defense, if you believe the last two years. Which figures to roughly four Wins Above Replacement.

Next year, one WAR will be worth around $4.5 million.

If Reyes does play his 125-130 games next season, he figures to be worth $18 million (give or take).

And that's how the basic math makes this contract look reasonable. Actually, it's funny how often, when you actually do the math, these big free-agent deals do look reasonable.

Of course, we will expect Reyes to decline over the life of the contract. We also expect Wins Above Replacement to cost slightly more with each passing season, because of salary inflation. Does the salary inflation match Reyes' expected age-related decline?

I don't have any idea. I don't have that information handy. Here in Dallas, we have baseball writers, not information. But I'm guessing however you run the numbers, you're going to find that Reyes' expected performance over these next six years is worth slightly less than $119 million, or slightly more. But within whatever margin of error you happen to find acceptable.

If he plays 125-130 games per season.

One catastrophic injury makes this deal look foolish. Two makes it a disaster.