We finish up our Pirates Spring Training preview at first base, the position that is the most surprising going into Mondays season opener.
Gaby Sanchez was a lock going into the spring at first base, but his platoon partner wasn’t. The partner for him was looking like Andrew Lambo, who had to only put a decent showing to lock up the spot. He didn’t even do that as he hit .095/.095/.269 in 42 spring at bats. The Pirates were lucky enough to have Travis Ishikawa step up and take the spot.
Gaby Sanchez: Sanchez had an average year last season hitting .254/.402/.762 in 264 at bats while hitting 18 doubles, 17 home runs and 36 RBI in a platoon role with Garrett Jones. That was the perfect position for Sanchez as he hit .333/.539/.987 in 102 at bats vs. left handed pitchers while hitting 9 doubles, 4 home runs and 14 RBI. He struck out 19 less times against leftys compared to rightys and had one more hit in 60-less at bats.
On defense, Sanchez was the go-to man as he would play the late-innings of games he didn’t start. He committed only 3 errors in 757 chances (.996 fielding percentage) which ranked him fourth among NL first basemen. Sanchez hasn’t committed more than 5 errors since his rookie season in 2010.
Sanchez will be the go-to guy again as he will start against leftys and play as a defensive replacement in the late-innings of games he doesn’t start.
Travis Ishikawa: Ishikawa was signed to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training on December 18th of last year. What we didn’t know than was he would earn a spot on the opening day roster.
Ishikawa batted .276/.586/.986 in 29 spring at bats while hitting 3 home runs and 6 RBI. In six years (4 w/ SF, 1 w/ MIL, 1 w/ BAL/NYY) in the majors, he collected a career line of .260/.398/.721 in 774 at bats with 42 doubles, 19 home runs and 111 RBI.
Ishikawa solely hit’s against right-handed pitching as he has only taken 90 at bats in his career against leftys.
In five years as a first basemen, Ishikawa only committed 8 errors in 1646 chances (.995 fielding percentage) which is a major upgrade to Garrett Jones.
Ishikawa looks to make the opening day roster if the Pirates are unable to make a trade in the next couple of days.
The Pirates have three bullpen spots left to fill on the roster with four pitchers without options in Gomez, Mazzaro, Morris and Pimentel. The smart play would be to trade the odd man out for a 1B instead of letting him go for free.
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(Photo Credit: Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
