Jun 23, 2015; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Will Middlebrooks (11) hits a double against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Will Middlebrooks traded to San Diego for Ryan Hanigan.
Middlebrooks was on the fast track to be a right-handed power producer in the Red Sox lineup. All signs pointed favorable in 2012 with a slash of .288/.325/.509 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI in about a half season of actions. Then it simply fell apart.
Middlebrooks still has not hit for average. The WAR is 0.1 or just about flat. BABIP is at .250, wOBA at .276, ISO of .164 and the traditional numbers are nine home runs and 28 RBI. Defensively Middlebrooks’ UZR/150 is -5.8 and the defensive metrics are minus across the board.
The numbers are clear in that Middlebrooks still is a long – very long – way from his 2012 promise. San Diego has not provided the impetus to resurrect his career.