Diamondbacks may have their first baseman in Goldschmidt
Feb 15, 2012, 6:23 PM | Updated: 6:50 pm
Looking for a first baseman seemed to be an annual event
for the Diamondbacks, at least since Mark Grace retired
after the 2003 season.
Whether it was Lyle Overbay, Richie Sexson, Greg Colbrunn,
Adam LaRoche, Juan Miranda any other of a host of
players who gave it a shot, the team has struggled to find
a player they could rely on.
Until now, they hope.
The emergence of Paul Goldschmidt last season afforded the
D-backs the opportunity to look at other positions in free
agency, but what exactly should the team expect from a
player who hit eight home runs in 156 at bats?
According to Baseball Think
Factory’s Dan Szymborski in an ESPN Insider article,
solid power and a pedestrian average.
Goldschmidt is projected to hit .250, with 30 home runs
and 92 RBI, with an OBP of .340 and eight stolen bases.
Paul Goldschmidt plays in a very friendly park, doesn’t
have a lot of upside, and will always strike out a bit too
much, but he has enough power to be a league average
starter for a while, and his emergence after hitting
.317/.407/.620 in his minor league career gives Arizona
what it hoped to have in Juan Miranda.
The numbers projected for Goldschmidt would not make the
youngster an All-Star, but they would establish him as a
fixture in the middle of what should be a good lineup, as
power like that is hard to come by.
And, at just 24, Goldschmidt could be Arizona’s first
baseman for present and future.
