My latest article at Hardball Times focuses on eight guys who made their big-league debuts in 2009 more or less as full-time players. Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera is among them.
We’ve compared Cabrera to Rafael Furcal before, as has everyone else. While digging, I found a few more names worth pondering:
Player Year Pos PA BA OBP SLG OPS+ BB K Everth Cabrera 2009 SS 438 .255 .342 .361 98 46 88 Rafael Furcal 2000 SS 542 .295 .394 .382 97 73 80 Pete Rose 1963 2B 695 .273 .334 .371 101 55 72 Chuck Knoblauch 1991 2B 634 .281 .351 .350 91 59 40 Steve Sax 1982 2B 699 .282 .335 .359 97 49 53
This stuff is like reading tea leaves, but it’s fun.
Incidentally, I have another comp for Cabrera in mind, although it’s not flattering. As much as I love him, it’s important to present the negative as well as the positive; otherwise, we are operating on belief.
I’ll write something up as soon as my notes start to make sense. Until then, enjoy…
Can’t wait to check this out. I looked at Everth after someone else asked about what to expect from him going forward and Middle Infielders in general and Josh Barfield informing the question. I actually looked at guys who had no more than 4 seasons by age 24 and who played 70% at 2B or SS.
I had some names come up which match yours, like Furcal and Knoblauch, but a comp I really liked and thought could be realistic was Delino DeShields. Good plate discipline, decent average, could draw a walk, no power and a very good base stealer.
Very curious to see how Everth will develop and what you have to say at THT.