Any Two Way Player Possibilities?

[sportsfan8703]

Ohtanhi has really changed the game. Now Verdugo is talking about pitching in relief some games. We saw Givens make the transition from failed SS to basically a pretty wealthy reliever that has pitched in some big spots. Could we have maximized Markakis more in his early years?  Anyone in the system with a big arm that could pitch in relief?  Mayo?  Could Diaz be a platoon OF that could also eat some IP?  
 

I think teams are starting to think outside the box. Who in our system has that is a position player could do this?  Especially guys that pitched in the NCAA part time. 

[yark14]

No.  It's fun to speculate, but it truly takes a once in a 100 year talent to do both sides effectively at the big league level.  

Edited October 14, 2021 by yark14

[86this]

Adam Loewen was our opportunity.

[waroriole]

I mean that’s like asking if you have any Bo Jacksons laying around. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, waroriole said:

I mean that’s like asking if you have any Bo Jacksons laying around. 

Rays drafted a guy as a potential two way player in 2017 (4th overall).

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mckaybr01.shtml

 

 

[owknows]

The game has aligned itself to the expectation of distinct pitchers and position players for many decades...

...but in reality, athletic prowess could easily overcome this for any player with a decent arm. 

In general.... pitchers don't exclusively pitch because they are not able to do other things.... but because the game expects them to...  so other skills atrophy.

Imagine the power of a roster comprised of fully half of two-way players... It'd be like having a 40 man roster to play every day.

 

[RZNJ]

Wieters was a closer in college, wasn't he.    Brooks Kieschnick was another two-way guy in college.   I think he tried both at different times in the majors.   Who was the 1:1 guy the Padres drafted as a SS and then was a pretty good reliever years later with the Rangers?

The Reds have the guy drafted as an outfielder/RHP who's basically a reliever now.  Lorentzen.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

Wieters was a closer in college, wasn't he.    Brooks Kieschnick was another two-way guy in college.   I think he tried both at different times in the majors.   Who was the 1:1 guy the Padres drafted as a SS and then was a pretty good reliever years later with the Rangers?

Matt Bush.

 

I will say that switching from one to the other isn't the same as doing both.

Also, Rick Ankiel.

[RZNJ]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

Matt Bush.

 

I will say that switching from one to the other isn't the same as doing both.

Also, Rick Ankiel.

Right.  Just thinking of guys who could do both.   Can't think of any besides Ohtani who were good at both at the same time.

[waroriole]

38 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Rays drafted a guy as a potential two way player in 2017 (4th overall).

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mckaybr01.shtml

 

 

That’s not quite the same thing as Ohtani is it? Also, did he not play this year?

[RZNJ]

Got me to thinking about looking up best hitting pitchers of all-time.   Of course, Babe Ruth was #1 but a guy named Wes Ferrell was #2.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/ferrewe01.shtml

[RZNJ]

Not to sidetrack this thread but I always knew that Babe Ruth was considered a standout pitcher with a 94-46 record and 2.28 ERA.    What really surprised me was his really low strikeout total of 488 in 1221 innings pitched.   A different era but even with that it seems really low!!!!

[Can_of_corn]

29 minutes ago, waroriole said:

That’s not quite the same thing as Ohtani is it? Also, did he not play this year?

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mckay-000bre

Six games in AAA.

[Moose Milligan]

It seems close to impossible now because there's only one guy doing it.  To all of a sudden have guys trying to play two ways doesn't make sense, they haven't been developed that way. 

That's not to say they can't develop guys like that going forward.  I think in the next 10 years you'll see two way players more often.  I don't think they'll be commonplace, but I don't think Ohtani is going to be the only guy to have done it.  

 

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Not to sidetrack this thread but I always knew that Babe Ruth was considered a standout pitcher with a 94-46 record and 2.28 ERA.    What really surprised me was his really low strikeout total of 488 in 1221 innings pitched.   A different era but even with that it seems really low!!!!

He was above average in K/9 for his time.  Topped out at 4.7 K/9 in 1916, when 3.7 was league average.  He was 3rd in the league In K’s that year behind Walter Johnson and Elmer Meyers.