All eyes on Fontenot vs. Baker in the battle for second base
Each player offers something a little different, and something to prove.
And when it all shakes out, the Cubs will need both to perform.
WAnd when it all shakes out, the Cubs will need both to perform.
Going around the diamond, most of the eight non-pitching positions are settled, with veterans filling each role. But at second base, the Cubs don't know the answer going into the Cactus League season, which opens Thursday.
That's why manager Lou Piniella says it's "open competition" between left-handed hitter Mike Fontenot and right-handed hitter Jeff Baker.
"We're not going to put anybody else in that mix," Piniella said. "Baker did a real nice job when he came over last year. Does he have the inside track? I'd say it's just dead even now and let them battle out. Fontenot needs to get back to where he swings the bat like he did his first year. One little advantage in Fontenot's favor is that he's left-handed, and we're a lot right-handed lineup wise.
"We'll let them compete. Whoever plays better here in the spring will get the job."
Whoever "loses" will figure into the plans in other ways.
Baker's equipment bag is filled with different gloves: second base, third base, first base and outfield. His versatility alone should land him plenty of playing time.
As Piniella mentioned, the only other regular who bats left-handed is right fielder Kosuke Fukudome. Last year, Fontenot and Fukudome combined for just 20 homers in a disappointing season.
After putting up an on-base percentage of .395 in 2008, Fontenot saw that figure fall to a sickly .301 last year to go along with a .236 batting average and 9 homers.
"A lot of times, I was getting pitches to hit and fouling them off," he said. "It could have been little things. There are times during the season where everyone gets a little out of whack, maybe in a funk.
"I didn't adjust well at all last year. By the time I adjusted, it was two weeks, and the batting average drops like 30 points. To be able to stay in this game and play well, you can make the adjustments."
Baker opened some eyes after the Cubs got him in a July 2 trade with Colorado. In 69 games for the Cubs, he batted .305. For the season, he hit .288 with an OBP of .343 and 4 homers.
"I came in and tried to do what I can do and bring it to the table, play well and try to keep your name written in the lineup," he said. "The bottom line is that me and Font are both going to be productive players on the team, no matter what the role is. We're going to need both of us to produce in whatever role we're in."
In a best-case scenario, Fontenot would provide some production from the left side while Baker could get action four or five times a week, playing some second base, third base, first base and outfield.
Versatility is something the 28-year-old Baker recognized as being important long ago.
"In Colorado, they brought it to my attention," he said. "We had Garrett Atkins as the third baseman when I was coming up in the system. He kind of locked it down. So they said, 'Hey, would you like to go play the outfield? We think you can help us there.' So I went and played the outfield for a year and a half. They needed a second baseman. 'Hey, do you want to try and play second base?' So we jumped over there.
"Versatility is definitely a key, a big part of what I can do."
Defensively, Baker and Fontenot are about even at second base. Baker had an Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) of 3.1, while Fontenot's was 1.8. Placido Polanco, then of Detroit, led the majors in UZR at 11.4. The stat measures the runs above or below average a fielder is.
Like Baker, Fontenot sees the competition as a good thing. In early work at Mesa, they are side by side all day.
"I want to show people what I can do," Fontenot said. "It keeps you going as a player. You get out there every day and, not that I have a chip on my shoulder, but feeling like you've got something to prove, and it keeps you on your toes.
"We've got a battle going on. It's fun. Bake and I are good friends. It makes it fun to get out there and take grounders and get together on things like that. It'll make us both fight and make us better ballplayers."
Piniella likes offense, so whoever brings that part of the game will get a leg up.
"I don't think it will end up as a platoon," Piniella said. "It could end up that way, yes. We haven't played any games yet this spring, and we'd like to see this thing how it works on the field. What it's going to depend on is who swings the bat. They can both play defensively. It's whoever brings the best bat to the party is the one who's going to get the bulk of the playing time."
<table width="300" class="News"><tr bgcolor="#cccccc"><td><b>Tale of the tape</b></td><td><b>Baker</b></td><td> <b>Fontenot</b></tr></td><tr><td>
<b>Age</b></td><td> 28</td><td> 29</tr></td><tr bgcolor="#cccccc"><td>
<b>Bats</b> </td><td>right</td><td> left</tr></td><tr><td>
<b>Height</b> </td><td> 6-2</td><td> 5-8</tr></td><tr bgcolor="#cccccc"><td>
<b>Weight</b></td><td> 210</td><td> 170</tr></td><tr><td>
<b>Games in '09</b></td><td> 81</td><td> 135</tr></td><tr bgcolor="#cccccc"><td>
<b>Batting avg</b>< /td><td> .288 </td><td>.236</tr></td><tr><td>
<b>On-base pct.</b> </td><td> .343 </td><td>.301</tr></td><tr bgcolor="#cccccc"><td>
<b>Slugging pct.</b></td><td> .425</td><td> .377</tr></td><tr><td>
<b>Home runs</b></td><td> 4</td><td> 9</tr></td><tr bgcolor="#cccccc"><td>
<b>RBI</b> </td><td> 24</td><td> 43</tr></td><tr><td>
<b>Errors at 2B</b></td><td> 2/</td><td> 3</tr></td><tr bgcolor="#cccccc"><td>
<b>Fielding at 2B</b></td><td> .991 </td><td>.989</tr></td><tr><td>
<b>UZR* at 2B</b> </td><td> 3.1</td><td> 1.8</tr></td></table>
<p class="News"><i>UZR is ultimate zone rating, and measures the runs above or below average a fielder is.</i> </p>
<p class="News"><b>Source:</b> <a href="http://fangraphs.com" target="new">fangraphs.com</a></p>