Kiké Hernandez Named the Dodgers Second Baseman
The Dodgers have finally named their starting second baseman heading into the 2019 season. With competition from Kiké Hernandez, Chris Taylor, Brad Miller, and Max Muncy, Dave Roberts had plenty of options.
#Dodgers Dave Roberts confirmed what had become obvious — Kike' Hernandez will be the primary 2B. Chris Taylor will be the utilityman, moving around between 2B, LF with occasional SS or CF
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) March 23, 2019
With Max Muncy likely to only get a few reps at second, the competition was really down to Miller, Taylor, and Hernandez. Despite a strong spring showing from Miller, he decided to opt-out of his minor league contract and become a free agent.
That left Taylor and Hernandez left for Roberts to choose from, and that choice was easy. Taylor has hit and abysmal 180 heading into Saturday’s game, with twenty strikeouts in fifty at bats. He has constantly looked lost at the plate, which itself could have given Hernandez the job.
But Hernandez has had a phenomenal spring. He hit 300 with three homeruns, and only struck out six times in fifty at-bats. Hernandez has found a way to make solid contact all spring, and that has really reflected in his numbers.
Taylor will be moved to more of a utility man type of role that Hernandez has been in the last few years.
DODGERS’ PITCHING STAFF UPDATE: OPENING SERIES STARTERS, RICH HILL TO THE IL, URIAS MAY START
I am happy for Kike! Could be a sleeper to hit 30 homers. And Taylor’s defense at second is good; but Kike has flashed some serious leather at times. Way to go!
AND Kike DOES NOT need to be platooned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He has already shown some last year and in this ST that he can handle BOTH RHP AND LHP
Enough said! No need AT ALL to try Muncy, just another LH batter at 2nd.
Think that’s smart to give up on Muncy before the season starts? Very odd.
Kike’s offense continues unabated, and places him at or near the top of the batting average rankings for the team. Why platoon him? It makes no sense. In addition, as Kike’s average heads north, CT3’s numbers are woefully lacking thus far. My concern is still with the starting pitching and platooning. Go Blue!!!
Don’t look now but although they are meaningless ST games the Dodger pitching has given up 21 runs in these past 2 games and yesterday the Dodgers struck out 11 more times on offense…..
Sometimes, Azul, I wonder if you and I are the only two people who realize that our pitching staff is giving up some many runs during ST. This might prove to be a very long season if this continues. The trade of Puig to the Reds, and especially the deal for Wood, may come back to haunt us. Go Blue!!!
Here is a question for all here to ponder… Does Muncy deserve to be the starter at 1st base to begin this year base upon what we have seen from him so far in ST? My answer is a big NO! Besides just being another LH bat, his offensive showing does not warrant him displacing Belllinger from 1st base, where Cody is already Gold Glove material there. I and would be willing to bet that Bellinger would fare much better offensively playing his natural position, but I don’t make these decisions, so IIWII…
No to Muncy starting at 1B. IF Muncy is hurt then I hope this is the reason for his bad ST. I thought the Dodgers FO want to put Bellinger in RF, but if Belllinger is at 1B, Muncy is benched until further notice(with Kike playing 2B). I just hope the “burden” of being the 2B doesn’t affect him.
I don’t understand any logic what so ever to basically get Muncy out of the Lineup when he hit 35 Home runs and was so good last season. You clearly aren’t logical. His Home run per at bat was top 3 and he hits the other way. The guy is outstanding. IN ST Hernandez actually fell apart in March batting 239 so what do you do there? Muncy has earned the right to be in the lineup.
I think kike will be fine but Drain the swamp of the selfish all or nothing hitters like Pederson Muncy and Taylor
It is that “launch-angle” approach to hitting that these guys have embraced.
If it becomes apparent that nothing’s changed again then I’m out. There’s no point in watching this team if they are the definition of insanity
Great move to name him as starting at 2b! Last great one was Lopes. time for another, and I go back to Jackie at 2nd.
Chris Taylor has become the elephant in the room……..his at bats terminate with a strikeout more often than anything…….useless wasted at bats……..he can’t even be relied upon to hit a batted ball to move the runners unless it’s a sac fly and that’s iffy. They should have sent HIM down to OKC and persuaded Miller to stay in his place. As for the comments on here about Muncy……we can afford to wait and see if the season he put together last year was an aberration. With Verdugo on the roster, if Muncy stays in the tank then Bellinger can go back to first and Verdugo can slide into right, so that issue is covered.
……….and I failed to mention our right fielder, currently in a Reds uni, is hitting .341 this spring.
and that reds right fielder is smashing the ball. those are not fluke hits.
I hear ya, bluz1st. At worst Dodgers could have kept Puig in RF for another year and then if he rejects a QO, fine, get that draft pick. But still to deal him away for NOTHING as far as 2019 is concerned, I didn’t like at all! Jeter Downs is a good pick up in that deal, he looks promising AND he bats RH.