Manny at short

[Babypowder]

2015 JJ Hardy has the best UZR/150 of any shortstop in the major leagues. http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=ss&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=700&type=1&season=2015&month=0&season1=2015&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=24,d He's 5th in total UZR despite having missed about 35 games. 2015 JJ Hardy is an elite defensive shortstop. And based on a study I did last winter, it's not unusual for an elite defensive SS to remain elite through age 34 (the 3rd year of Hardy's deal). So there is not reason to move him now. This is not 1997 when we moved 36-year old Cal Ripken to 3B. Cal was still a great defensive SS at 34 (22 Rtot), slowed at 35 (2 Rtot) and then we moved him over. It's not time yet for Hardy.

You move him if he remains a <1 win player because he continues to hit like a pitcher. He's been a below average player this year, if his defense slips even a little he's not startable.

[Frobby]

You move him if he remains a <1 win player because he continues to hit like a pitcher. He's been a below average player this year, if his defense slips even a little he's not startable.

I will worry about Hardy halfway through next season if he hits as poorly as this year. It's way too soon to jump to conclusions about how next year will go.

[Babypowder]

I will worry about Hardy halfway through next season if he hits as poorly as this year. It's way too soon to jump to conclusions about how next year will go.

As I said, if it happens. I'm not jumping to conclusions but you certainly have to be concerned.

[Frobby]

As I said, if it happens. I'm not jumping to conclusions but you certainly have to be concerned.

Yes, I am concerned. But many here seem to be treating it as a fait accompli that Hardy will be bad next year. I think it's crazy to assume that.

[Pheasants]

Does anyone know how Manny's knees felt after the game? He made the plays, but are there any signs that his surgically repaired knees will not stand up to the greater movement game after game? I'd think of playing him at short every game for two weeks just to see if there are twinges.

By monitoring Hardy from now to next March, the team should be able to have a pretty good impression on whether his back will be OK enough to play his defense with moderate hitting. So by Spring we should be making a decision. Of course if Toronto offered us Josh Donaldson even up for Flaherty, I'd make the decision immediately.

[winkies]

Seriously, who cares man? We're not winning more games this year with Machado at SS. The lineup is what the lineup is. Beat another drum, the skin is worn off of this one.

Because it's almost a virtual guarantee that Machado saves many more runs than Hardy at 33 years old with a back back.

It's not just about this year.

The kid can play. He's by far our best player. Unleash his full potential.

Let the kid play....

[Aristotelian]

Let JJ get healthy and see what he can do. 2014 JJ at SS and Manny at 3B is our best option right now. Nobody will give us anything of value or eat his contract unless we get an equally bad contract back, so we might as well stick it out with JJ. Fortunately, neither 3 years not $10M is the end of the world.

[Frobby]

Because it's almost a virtual guarantee that Machado saves many more runs than Hardy at 33 years old with a back back.

Asinine comment, considering Hardy has the best UZR/150 of any SS in MLB this year. I'm not saying it is impossible that Manny would be better, but to say it's a "virtual guarantee" is just a ridiculous statement. And even if there was some gain, what would we lose at 3B? Probably a lot.

[winkies]

Asinine comment, considering Hardy has the best UZR/150 of any SS in MLB this year. I'm not saying it is impossible that Manny would be better, but to say it's a "virtual guarantee" is just a ridiculous statement. And even if there was some gain, what would we lose at 3B? Probably a lot.

JJ has saved 4 runs in 93 games this season. He will usually average about 8-10 runs saved over a season.

I'd be willing to bet my house Machado could eclipse that.

Machado is not some lumbering guy who had to play 3B because of size. He's 6'3" 185. Very lean and quick with a strong arm.

[Aglets]

JJ has saved 4 runs in 93 games this season. He will usually average about 8-10 runs saved over a season.

I'd be willing to bet my house Machado could eclipse that.

Machado is not some lumbering guy who had to play 3B because of size. He's 6'3" 185. Very lean and quick with a strong arm.

And again, how many runs are we going to lose from third if we move Machado off of there? These moves aren't done in a vacuum.

If we had someone like Beltre on the team to fill in at 3rd, fine......but I don't think anyone here thinks Flaherty is a long term solution at 3rd base.

[zkoutdoors]

Hardy at SS and Manny at 3B is the best combo for this team next year. Manny makes remarkable plays, but he also messes up rather routine plays too much at this point to call him the best defensive player in baseball. Two weeks ago I sat in the stand and saw him basically cost us an extra inning game on a ball every high school short stop in the country would make most of the time.

He does have 16 errors this year. Hardy has 3. If you break it down by average par games each has played, Manny has an error every 8 games and JJ has one every 31 games.

I'm in no way bashing Manny. Love watching him and he is a remarkable talent which I hope stays in Baltimore for a long time. But acting like we should just throw away JJ is crazy.

If Flash is ever an everyday player, I cannot wait to see those posts start to pile up. He isn't even close as valuable as JJ is at 3/4 ability. That would make it look like Lough, Snider, De Aza and everyone else we had was a good replacement for Markakis in comparison.

[winkies]

And again, how many runs are we going to lose from third if we move Machado off of there? These moves aren't done in a vacuum.

If we had someone like Beltre on the team to fill in at 3rd, fine......but I don't think anyone here thinks Flaherty is a long term solution at 3rd base.

It's easier to find somebody who can hit at 3B than SS.

I think the alternative is worse right now. Nobody can hit right now at SS. Finding somebody who play short and hit is very hard.

Right now we are just so unbelievably bad at hitting at SS.

[Redskins Rick]

It's easier to find somebody who can hit at 3B than SS.

I think the alternative is worse right now. Nobody can hit right now at SS. Finding somebody who play short and hit is very hard.

Right now we are just so unbelievably bad at hitting at SS.

Not really, remember all the dudes we had at 3rd, prior to being desperate and taking a chance on AA Manny to the big leagues?

[winkies]

Not really, remember all the dudes we had at 3rd, prior to being desperate and taking a chance on AA Manny to the big leagues?

If finding a hitting SS was easier then why is SS considered a more scarce position?

And right now we had a 56 OPS+ coming from our SS position. That is the worst I've ever heard of from a position in the MLB.

We aren't hitting at SS.

[Reboulet'sStache]

Not really, remember all the dudes we had at 3rd, prior to being desperate and taking a chance on AA Manny to the big leagues?

Even if you want to argue it isn't easier, it's certainly easier to get around a hole at 3B because the amount of people who are capable of playing the position.