Why 2B/3B Swaps Make Sense
When the Seattle Mariners signed Chone Figgins over the winter, it was widely assumed that he would replace the departed Adrian Beltre at third base. However, when spring training opened, the team had Figgins playing second base, while last year’s second baseman Jose Lopez had moved over to third base. This move appears to be part of a growing trend in Major League Baseball.
More and more, teams are realizing that if you can play a quality third base, you probably have the skills to transition to second, and vice versa. While the traditional view has held second base as a premium defensive position (one of four “up the middle” spots that has generally been regarded as a spot for a good glove guy), modern defensive statistics such as Ultimate Zone Rating suggest that there just isn’t much of a difference between second base and third base.
A year ago, 26 players played at least 50 innings at both second base and third base, and it wasn’t just utility infielders playing part time; Alberto Callaspo, Adam Kennedy, Martin Prado, and Ian Stewart were among the everyday players who spent a decent amount of time at both second and third. As a whole, these players were one run above average at second base per 150 games played and two runs below average at third base per 150 games played. It’s a difference so small as to not be important.
Indeed, it is becoming more and more common for teams to see these positions as interchangeable. The Twins will use second baseman Nick Punto and Brendan Harris as a third base platoon, while the Cardinals signed Felipe Lopez to play both positions for their squad. The mystique of second base as a spot for glove guys and third base as the place where power hitters go is breaking down, as teams find that if you can play one, you can play the other.
Dave is the Managing Editor of FanGraphs.
I dont mean to be a pain, but I don’t see much in common with the two positions of second and third other than they are both in the infield. So I’d like to see the idea fleshed out a little more, maybe talk about footwork or something, cuz I can’t imagine A-Rod having the body control defensively to play a good second base, and just cuz this popped into my head, not every second baseman has a rocket for an arm and weak arms just aren’t suited for 3b. Also the ball gets on you more quickly at third than other areas of the infield and it might give a second baseman some trouble. Maybe I just dont get it.–but i dont think it’s fair to say that second base and thrid base are becoming interchangeable positions just because alot of guys last year shared time at both positions. Teams could be doing it simply out of necessity or convenience, since you can only have so many bench players or there might be an injury at 3rd or 2nd, or the team just might have aweful players at both positions so they bounce them around. (you mention the starters for the Royals, Braves, Oakland, and Colorado) All of which in the past year are teams that have either had really sucky players at both third and second (Oakland, KC) or teams that have experienced large amounts of time on the DL by the starer at either position, (A’s Braves, Rockies) (Eric Chavez or Chipper Jones or clint barmes) — so i really think there’s too many confounding variables here to draw your conclusion, that teams think 2nd and 3rd is becoming interchangable, really. It’s more a phenomenon caused by injuries and sucky players at their respective positions, so seems like to me the teams didn’t really do this by choice. Thoughts?