D-backs GM Towers not surprised by Didi Gregorius
May 8, 2013, 10:13 PM | Updated: 10:57 pm
Every game in which he has appeared, Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Didi Gregorius has tallied at least one hit.
And while there is no official stat to measure it, it’s safe to say he’s tallied at least one outstanding defensive play per game, too.
Gregorius, 23, has been nothing short of impressive since debuting with the D-backs on April 18, and appears to be ready to assume the mantle of being the team’s shortstop of both the present and the future.
“I never doubted his offensive ability,” D-backs general manager Kevin Towers told Arizona Sports 620’s Doug and Wolf Wednesday. “Everybody else seemed to do it but we liked his bat.”
It’s still early, but so does everyone else.
Gregorius is hitting .436 with three home runs and an OPS of 1.233. Now, there’s little doubt both the average and OPS will come down in time, but for now the player who was known for his glovework is quickly gaining a reputation for being solid with the bat, too.
“He brings so much energy,” Towers said. “Just good at bats. He can turn on the fastball, he’ll stay back on off-speed pitches and go the other way with it, he’s a heads-up base runner.”
Towers, who made the call to acquire Gregorius in the deal that sent top pitching prospect Trevor Bauer to the Cleveland Indians, went on to relay a story that skipper Kirk Gibson told him.
“He said he was standing next to (infielder) Cliff Pennington [Tuesday] in the dugout, and he said ‘Didi Gregorius is the best player in baseball right now,'” Towers said.
Of course, “right now” are the key words, as odds are good the shortstop will scuffle at some point.
However, he’s already better than many anticipated, and this may just be the beginning.
