Is Gaby Sanchez the Marlins' 1B in '09?

by psugator on Aug 11, 2008 11:16 PM EDT

The guy is raking in Double-AA Carolina, hitting .335 with 17 HRs and 84 RBI to go with a .424 OBP and a .552 slugging. He even has 17 steals. These stats aren't a fluke, as he posted .279-9-70 with a .369 OBP and a .433 slugging last year at Single-A Jupiter, which is in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League.

Considering current Marlins' 1B Mike Jacobs is arbitration-eligible after this year, could Sanchez be the guy the Marlins go to to take over the starting 1B job? I know that Logan Morrison is ultimately the 1B of the future. But plugging in Morrison at 1B next year would be a bit premature. If the Marlins move Cantu from third to first then they would seem to have a hole at 3B. I think Cantu fits nicely as their 3B. If the Marlins agree with that then who do they plug in at 1B next year? I say Sanchez fits the mold.

My only concern would be Sanchez' age. He turns 25 in a few weeks. I still don't think that is too old. Thoughts?

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Personally...

I would like to see Uggla moved to 1B. His glove will play much better there, and then they can start Coghlan at 2B. I also think Coghlan will make a good lead-off or #2 hitter for them with his speed and good plate discipline. And if they give Raynor a shot in CF and possibly leading off, then they will have a speedy 1-2 punch like they did during their last WS win. That allows Hanley to bat 3rd where his power will help the team more, and Uggla can hit clean up with Willingham 5th and Hermida 6th. And if I am not mistaken, Gaby has played some 3B, and his defense can’t be any worse than Cantu’s. When (and if) Morrison is ready to take over 1B, they can trade Uggla and get a nice haul for him.

At least that’s what I would like to see done.

"My mom always taught me it's better to laugh at yourself than to laugh at others. She was so wrong. ;)" -Pedrophile

by Boxkutter on Aug 11, 2008 11:57 PM EDT 0 recs

Gaby

can’t play much 3b

anyway, I doubt Jacobs is back next year… so it will be Gaby’s to lose

FutureFish

by Ramp on Aug 12, 2008 12:59 AM EDT up 0 recs

Why not deal Uggla right now?

If you’re going to move him to 1B, he seems much more valuable as trade bait. Also, considering his OPS jumped up this year by almost 100 points in his age 28 season, there is a reasonable chance this was his best year, and so a nice time to deal him anyway

www.loftylantern.com

by OldProspects on Aug 12, 2008 1:36 AM EDT up 0 recs

Not a bad idea

But if they plan on using Gaby next year at 1B, then they probably will not be bringing Jacobs back either. Then what do they do if Gaby can’t handle Major League pitching? He may be able to, and then again, he may not be able to. Giving Gaby a September call-up will show them what they have a little more. But if the Marlins are still in the race, it might be hard to give any youngsters any real playing time this season.

However it works out, it should be interesting to watch.

"My mom always taught me it's better to laugh at yourself than to laugh at others. She was so wrong. ;)" -Pedrophile

by Boxkutter on Aug 12, 2008 1:55 AM EDT up 0 recs

Gaby

if he can’t cut it, they could always look at McDallas next year too (if they choose to bring him back)

FutureFish

by Ramp on Aug 12, 2008 12:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

Uggla's a good hitter but not a terrific one

If they can’t come up with a 1B who can match his .800-.850 OPS then they’re in a lot of trouble

www.loftylantern.com

by OldProspects on Aug 13, 2008 12:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

why do you need

to replace Cantu with Sanchez?

Cantu isn’t a great glove but Sanchez would probably be worse at third and Cantu has been one of the team’s better hitters. He doesn’t need to be replaced at all, at least in the short term.

by nms on Aug 12, 2008 2:56 AM EDT up 0 recs

Wouldn't

Moving Uggla to 3B make sense?

ProjectProspect.com - Sullivan10x@yahoo.com

by sully10x on Aug 12, 2008 12:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

I thought Uggla had a negative arm

And he’s probably too short for 1B as well. I’d think that LF is where he eventually lands, but the Marlins should postpone moving him as long as humanly possible.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Aug 12, 2008 1:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

re

I remember there was speculation before THIS year that Uggla would play 3B with Cantu manning 2B.

by rdf8585 on Aug 12, 2008 5:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

yea

it was useless speculation by idiotic Marlins reporters

Cantu never stepped foot at 2b (likewise with Uggla at 3b)

FutureFish

by Ramp on Aug 12, 2008 8:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

Good chance

The Marlins have never had a problem with skipping their top prospects from AA to the Majors. And with Sanchez hitting .424 since the break, I think it’s safe to say he’s ready for a promotion.

by StickRat on Aug 12, 2008 12:47 AM EDT 0 recs

Dallas McPherson?

Will he ever get a shot?

I don’t know why the Giants couldn’t have gone after him instead of a light-hitting Pirates reject over the offseason.

by number_twentyone on Aug 12, 2008 11:51 AM EDT 0 recs

He needs a shot he could help the marlins

by phillip102478 on Aug 13, 2008 4:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

how could he?

He isn’t likely to match or better the production the Marlins are getting from first or third and his minor league stats this year are drastically inflated by the fact that Albuquerque is the absolute most perfect park on God’s green Earth for a strikeout prone minor league HR champ kind of guy.

I like McPherson, and I think Mike Jacobs sucks, but honestly.. looking at things objectively.. if there is a difference between the bats of McPherson and Jacobs it is slim, if not non-existent.

And you certainly wouldn’t call up McPherson to take Cantu’s spot. Cantu has been better than Jacob’s this year and has a promising, if inconsistent, track record.

I guess McPherson might be an improvement over fellow North Carolinian Wes Helms as the 1b/3b/PH power bat off the bench but I can see why you’d want the 32 journeyman veteran to take that role and let the somewhat younger project (not that McPherson is any spring chicken) to work on his game in AAA

by nms on Aug 14, 2008 1:23 AM EDT up 0 recs

I was hoping the Marlins would open up a spot for McPherson

He’s better than a number of starting 1B/3B in the bigs right now.

http://baseballhandyman.blogspot.com/2008/08/can-this-guy-play-dallas-mcpherson-3b.html

Mike Newman
baseballhandyman.blogspot.com

by Baseball Handyman on Aug 14, 2008 11:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

but why would they open up a spot for him

when he is no improvement on who they have?

by nms on Aug 15, 2008 1:24 AM EDT up 0 recs

Sanchez

I am surprised how slowly the MArlins have advanced the 24-year-old Sanchez (25 on 9/2). This season he has walked more than he has K’d, and he was close to a 1:1 in 2006.

How about this for a comp? Kevin Millar.

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by faketeams on Aug 14, 2008 8:36 AM EDT 0 recs