Player rankings, in which players are ranked!
Beyond the self-evident, I'm going to be, capriciously and without mercy, ordering players based on criteria that I find to be meaningful on some level.
This time out, we're looking at "boom" performances in spring training. Sure, spring-training numbers are not to be approached with much respect or seriousness. After all, the sample size is tiny, the competition is often of "split squad" quality, and all parties involved aren't yet in fighting shape. Still, organizations often make decisions based on what unfolds in the month of March. So with that in mind, let's take a look at 10 players who have increased their standing or perhaps encouraged wild optimism with their spring bestowals …
10.
Zambrano, who had posted a sub-4.00 ERA every season of his career until last, has before him a change of environment and a manager who figures to be more sympathetic to the occasional dugout tantrum. But maybe there won't be many dugout tantrums? While Zambrano's spring ERA isn't especially impressive, it's worth noting that he has struck out 16 batters in 9.1 innings and has yet to surrender a home run. Zambrano's lost velocity in recent seasons, but he's also proved that can be effective despite the less-than-blazing stuff. Perhaps change will do him good.
9.
The Phillies infield right now is in need of a triage nurse, so it's mildly encouraging that the all-but-forgotten Luna has been raking this spring. In 34 plate appearances, Luna is batting .281/.343/.531, and he's capable of playing third and even second on occasion. Given the state of things, he might be useful on the active roster.
8.
Elsewhere in Phillie-land, Kendrick, who's in the mix for the fifth-starter's job, is thriving this spring. He's whiffed eight, walked zero and held the opposition scoreless in 8.1 spring innings. The back of the Philly rotation could be problematic, so perhaps Kendrick is ready to help out. Or, since, it's 8.1 innings, perhaps not.
7.
There's no doubting Cain's defensive skills in center, but his occasionally long swing has caused him problems at the plate at times. But after a strong season at AAA-Omaha and the winter of
6. Dan Uggla, Braves
While Uggla's overall numbers were down last season, he hit like a house afire in the second half. Bulletin: He still hasn't stopped hitting. The Braves' second sacker has a robust and numerically tidy OPS of 1.111 in Grapefruit action, and he's also smacked four bombs in 34 ABs. Meaningful? Only to the extent that Uggla hasn't let up at the plate since June.
5.
Matusz has long had the stuff to succeed, but transitioning to the highest level has been tough for him. In 2011, he was, well, just awful. But this spring, he seems to have seized a job in the Baltimore rotation, with good reason. In 15.0 exhibition innings, Matusz has notched a 2.40 ERA, and best of all he's struck out 16 batters against just one walk. Harbinger of things to come? Given Matusz's underlying skills, maybe so.
4.
Liriano, who looked like a certifiable ace in the making coming off his 2010 campaign, declined badly last season and battled recurring shoulder problems. So consider this a critical season for Liriano. On that front, so far so good. His 13.0 spring innings have yielded an ERA of 2.77 and 18 strikeouts versus just two walks. Since the Twins have little shot at contending this season, GM Terry Ryan may view this as Liriano's early audition for a trade.
3.
The Giants boast one of the best rotations in the game, and it's not all because of
2.
Given the uncertainty surrounding
1.
The pressing matter, of course, is to what extent Gamel can offset the loss of Prince Fielder to Detroit. To state the obvious, Gamel is no Fielder, but if he sorta-kinda comes vaguely somewhat close to a semblance of a simulacrum of the kind of thing Fielder provided, then the Brewers will be in the contending scrum once again. An encouraging sign is what Gamel has wrought this spring: a batting line of .300/.400/.667 with a home-run rate of one every 10 ABs. The sample size, of course, is vanishingly small, but it's something to which Brewer faithful can cling.
