With Starlin Castro sidelined for 10 days with a tweaked hamstring, all eyes went to Javier Baez to play a lot of first team shortstop this spring. With good reason: he is the most exciting player in camp.
But the Cubs brain trust have different thoughts. Starting second baseman Darwin Barney will make several starts at short while Castro recovers . . . which should be taken as a sign that Barney is going to be shifted to a utility role.
Barney had played some shortstop in college. He has been the depth chart second shortstop on the roster ever since Castro assumed the position. However, most scouts don't think Barney has the range or arm to be a regular, full time shortstop.
Baez has grown up playing shortstop. If the Cubs plan is to keep Castro, Baez would have to shift to another position in a year. He said his preference would be second base. Barney then would be out of a job, unless he can prove he is a better middle infielder bench player than a Valbuena, Murphy or Watkins.
Baez and Castro are similar players. They both play a street shortstop - - - flashy but sloppy, and tend to make a lot of errors (physical and mental). But they have range and arm strength to make the hard plays, too. It is said that it is harder for a shortstop to adapt to play second because of the pivot skills to turn a double play. You really don't want to mess with the best hitter (Baez) in the system by making him learn a new position in spring training.
Since the 2014 season will be another lost one, there is no reason to rush Baez into playing second base at all. It is more a comeback litmus test for Castro to retain his position at shortstop than Baez proving he can't play in the majors in 2015. And you don't want to move Castro to third base now, because the front office has log jammed several prospects (Olt, Villaneuva and Bryant) at that position.
Professional players are creatures of habit. Starters like to settle into one position. Players like to know where they will be placed in the line up card. It is that consistent repetition that makes a player go instinctive in the field or at the plate. It is one less mental aspect of the game.
But moving around players on the field and up and down the line up card breeds uncertainty. You don't want players to question why he was dropped from second in the order to eighth for no apparent reason.
But front office personnel and coaches now view players more like interchangeable chess pieces than specialized workmen on an assembly line. We will know very soon whether new manager Rick Renteria will fall into this moving trap.
