Red Sox vs the AL East: left fielders
Oct 2, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles left fielder Alejandro De Aza (12) hits a double during the eighth inning in game one of the 2014 American League divisional series against the Detroit Tigers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports
5. Alejandro De Aza, Orioles
De Aza, who had seemingly broken out into being an above-average player after some success with the White Sox from 2011-12, has faded back into mediocrity in recent seasons. He has continued to play everyday, playing in 142 games between Chicago and Baltimore last season, but his star has faded a bit as his slash line dipped to .252/.314/.386 with 8 home runs and 17 stolen bases. He has a bit of the intriguing power-speed combination, but neither are enough to overcome his high strikeout rate, as De Aza struck out 22.5% of the time last season. He’s not an awful player by any means as he brings passable offense and passable defense to the table, but he’s nothing special in one of the most offensively-gifted positions in baseball.
Sep 3, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter David DeJesus (7) singled during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
4. David DeJesus, Rays
DeJesus will be a part of a platoon along with Brandon Guyer, but as the left-handed hitter, DeJesus will see the strong side and should play more frequently than Guyer. In his first full season in Tampa Bay, DeJesus slashed .248/.344/.403 in 83 games and showed his potential to be a strong veteran presence on a young roster. Gone are the days of DeJesus serving as one of few bright spots on a miserable Royals team, where he hit .290/.360/.429 from 2005-2010. However, DeJesus is still a valuable player and has carved out a nice niche with the Rays, where he’ll serve as a reliable platoon player for at least another year or two.
Sep 19, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Michael Saunders (55) reaches on an error during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
3. Michael Saunders, Blue Jays
The issue with Saunders has rarely been performance, as the athletic 28-year old has been solid on the field in recent seasons but has had trouble staying off the disabled list. In 2014, Saunders played in only 78 games with the Mariners, but had his best season at the plate yet as he slashed .273/.341/.450. It’s worth noting that his BABIP of .327 was well above his career average of .290, but there’s more to his success last season than just a high BABIP. Saunders struck out at the lowest rate of his career (but still a high rate at 22.4%), walked more than his career rate (9.9% versus 9.2%), and posted an isolated power well above his career average (.177 versus .153). Plus, he will be moving from the stifling confines of Safeco Field to the much more hitter-friendly environment of the Rogers Centre. If Saunders can stay healthy this season, he could be a major breakout candidate in Toronto.
Sep 17, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner (11) hits a sacrifice RBI during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
2. Brett Gardner, Yankees
Gardner signed a 4 year/$52M contract with the Yankees before last season and he lived up to the billing with another solid season in New York. In 148 games, he slashed .256/.327/.422 with a career-high 17 home runs, hitting for far more power than ever before (his .166 isolated power last season dwarfs his career mark of .110). Gardner, now 31 years old, is also regarded as one of the better defensive left fielders in baseball and, though his defensive success has been limited in recent seasons, he is still an asset in the field. He should continue to hit at the top of the lineup and post solid numbers for the Yankees for the foreseeable future.
Aug 7, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez (13) singles in two runs in the third inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
1. Hanley Ramirez, Red Sox
Ramirez has never played a professional game in left field, but if his bat holds up as it did in Los Angeles, he won’t need to be an excellent fielder to be the division’s top name in left field. Coming off a season in which he slashed .283/.369/.448 in 128 games with the Dodgers, the Red Sox brought Ramirez to Boston on a 4 year/$88M contract on the condition that the 31-year old would move to the outfield. Ramirez appears ecstatic to once again be a member of the organization who signed him from the Dominican Republic and has been putting in the work necessary for a successful transition to the outfield. At the plate, there are no concerns about his performance, and the move from pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium to Fenway Park will only help Ramirez. Like Saunders, his issue in recent seasons has been health, but the move from shortstop to the less demanding left field should help Ramirez remain on the field. If he can do that, the rest should be fundamental for “HanRam.”