ESPN analyst: D-backs don’t have much to do
Oct 18, 2011, 1:24 AM | Updated: 2:38 am
ESPN baseball analyst Keith Law joined Arizona Sports 620’s Doug and Wolf to talk about the offseason needs of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“It seems like they are more or less set,” Law said. “There’s not a whole lot to do across the roster, most of the critical players are already under contract.”
There are two players the Diamondbacks will have to make decisions on, according to Law. Mid-season acquisition Aaron Hill, and injured shortstop Stephen Drew.
Hill played 33 games after coming to Arizona in a trade from Toronto. He hit .315 with 12 doubles and 16 RBI.
“Aaron Hill is not old, he’s a pretty good athlete, he’s got a short swing and it looks like the shift from the A.L. East to the N.L. West agreed with him,” Law said.
Law said that he agrees with general manager Kevin Towers’ approach not to over-react to a couple of good weeks from Hill.
“He could be a really valuable asset,” Law said. “You have to try and work something out with him.”
Drew, on the other hand, is coming off a season that was cut short by a broken ankle he injured when sliding into home plate.
Drew was hitting .252 with five home runs and 45 RBI through 86 games.
Law said that Drew deserves a chance to start at shortstop to see if his recovery allows him to play the position at the top level.
“Unless the doctors or trainers are saying ‘Can’t do it, too much risk of re-injury,’ I think you run him out there,” Law said.
If he cannot perform shortstop like he did before he broke his ankle, Law said the Diamondbacks will have to look for a new position for Drew.
