Hot stuff comin thru!! Our last AL Central position breakdown found the Sox wanting at shortstop after being tops at first and second base. Is Joe Crede the best in the division at third base? Let's find out.
SOX- JOE CREDE .283/30 HR/94 RBI 76 R 0 SB .828 OPS
Crede is going to be a free agent after this season, and assuming he stays healthy this year, is going to get paid a lot of money in his next contract. I'm here to tell you it should be the Sox paying it to him. Teams struggle for decades to find an anchor at third base, then throw all kinds of money at lazy ass losers like Aramis Ramirez when they find someone who is halfway decent. Crede is a great fielder, a constantly improving hitter, and someone who seems to rise to the occasion at the biggest possible moments. If he played for the Yankees the way he did for the White Sox, he'd have to deal with Derek Jeter type fellating from the media. I know the Sox have another third baseman in the pipeline in Josh Fields, but I'd much rather see Crede at third and Fields in left for the next five years than Fields at third and who knows what in left field.
TWINS- NICK PUNTO .290/1/45 73 R 17 SB .725 OPS
If the Twins win 90+ games again with this piece of shit lineup and Sidney Ponson in their rotation, so help me God, I will set myself on fire.
TIGERS- BRANDON INGE .253/27/83 83 R 7 SB .776 OPS
He looks like he's about 12 years old in his MLB mug shot, but he can play. He's turned into a good hitter, and a surprisingly good third baseman considering he broke in as a catcher.
INDIANS- ANDY MARTE- .226/5/23 20 R 0 SB .707 OPS
Baseball Prospectus had him ranked the #1 prospect in all of baseball not too long ago, and he's still just that, a prospect. He didn't set the world on fire in 50 games in the bigs last year. When his skull fully hardens and he's a veteran, he'll probably put up Brandon Inge type numbers.
ROYALS- ESTEBAN GERMAN .326/3/34 44 R 7 SB .880 OPS
German had the best 279 at bats of his life last year. He took over as the Royals full time third baseman in September, and hit 10 doubles in one month, which is a lot. Nobody expects him to hit .320 over a full season, but there's no reason to believe he can't be decent.
RANKINGS
1. CREDE SOX
2. INGE DET
3. MARTE CLE
4. GERMAN KC
5. PUNTO MIN
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