On-Deck

Taking Advantage of the WBC

Columnist: Jeff Brown

For more analysis, draft rankings, and projections, check out FIC's first ever draft kit. At just $4.99, it's the best value on the market.

- In-depth team reports including each team's depth charts, positional battles, and top prospects.
- Profiles and projections for over 400 players
- Draft day cheat sheets including the Top 300 and positional breakdowns
- Final 2005 Rankings for each player
- Ballpark analysis
- League-winning strategic advice

The first 300 people to purchase this year's kit will get half off on next year's, so what are you waiting for?

With a lot of MLB stars off playing for their countries in the World Baseball Classic, many playing opportunities have opened up for a couple weeks that would not normally be there. With the WBC solidly into the second round, this would be a good opportunity to see who is taking advantage to improve his stock with his team.

This is not a list of the players that are playing the best in Spring Training, nor is it a list of every player that is playing in place of a WBC player. Finally, this is not a list of players that will be taking jobs away from absent superstars. This is just a list of some of the players that are getting a chance to play and are making the most of it – maybe it’s a young prospect getting his first major playing time; maybe it’s a career minor-leaguer getting a good look to see if whether he stays with the organization or gets traded to a better situation; maybe it’s a player working for a backup OF or IF spot.

Let’s take a look (all stats are through Monday):

ATLANTA – With Chipper Jones with Team USA, and now that Andy Marte is in Cleveland, Wilson Betemit is getting major time at 3B. Betemit is hitting .464 (13-of-28) with a HR and three RBI. With Jones’ injury history, and Betemit’s versatility to play SS, he should get increased playing time this season.

Jeff Francoeur is with Team USA and Andruw Jones played for the Netherlands, so that has given Ryan Langerhans an opportunity to improve on his solid 2005 season. Langerhans is hitting .381 (8-of-21) with a pair of RBI. This has been a key run for Langerhans as he was considered even with Kelly Johnson for the spot in LF against right-handers. Langerhans is considered the better player defensively, so he just needed to hit some to make Johnson expendable (Johnson has hit .333 (6-of-18) with an RBI this spring).

CHICAGO CUBS – Derrek Lee is off playing for Team USA, allowing Brian Dopirak and Brandon Sing to share duties at first 1B. Dopirak, who was at the top of the Cubs’ prospect list after the 2004 season, struggled in 2005. In an attempt to rebound from an ugly season, Dopirak has hit .357 (5-for-14) with a HR and two RBI.

Sing, blocked by both Lee and Dopirak, probably is playing for an improved opportunity with another organization as he’s not much of a corner OF option. Sing has hit .333 (4-for-12) with two HR and four RBI.

CINCINNATI – Ken Griffey, Jr. is playing for Team USA, and Wily Mo Pena is on the Dominican roster, allowing playing time for Quinton McCracken and DeWayne Wise, a couple of OFers who signed minor-league contracts in the off-season. McCracken, at age 35, seemed to be a very long shot to make the Reds’ roster, but he has responded by hitting .400 (12-of-30) with a pair of RBI. A lot of things have to fall into place for McCracken, but he’s doing the job right now.

The same goes for Wise, a 28-year-old OFer who spent time in Triple-A for Detroit in 2005 and saw some MLB time with Toronto and Atlanta in 2000, 2002 and 2004. It’s an even-numbered year, so he should see some time in the bigs again at some point this season. He has hit .444 (9-for-23) with three HR and four RBI.

COLORADO – Matt Holliday’s time with Team USA and Miguel Ojeda’s with the Mexican squad has given time to three players in his absence. Choo Freeman is a long-time Rockie minor-leaguer who has seen some time in the majors in 2004 and 2005. He’s a long shot for making the squad out of Spring Training, but the 26-year-old is hitting .360 (9-for-25) with a HR and seven RBI in his shot.

Jeff Baker is a 24-year-old converted 3B who will play a lot of RF in Triple-A this season. While he’s hitting only .208 (5-for-24) , he’s shown his potential by hitting four HR and driven in 11 RBI (including a grand slam off of Jarrod Washburn last Thursday).

And journeyman Eli Marrero has taken his assortment of gloves to Denver. Yorvit Torrealba’s shoulder soreness has given Marrero time behind the plate for the first time since 2003. He can also play the corner IF and OF if necessary. Marrero is making the most of his time as he’s hitting .524 (11-for-21) with five RBI.

DETROIT – Team Venezuela is putting Magglio Ordonez’s talents to good use, so Brent Cleven is giving the big club a good look at last season’s Florida State League’s MVP. Cleven will begin the season at Double-A, but in the meantime, he’s tearing it up in camp, hitting .346 (9-for-26) with three HR and four RBI.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS – Hee-Seop Choi is currently on the Korean roster, while Jose Cruz, Jr. is playing for Team Puerto Rico, giving three Dodger youngsters a shot. Some of the shine has come off of James Loney’s prospect label, but he’s only 21 and he has plenty of time to continue to develop. He’s had a solid spring, hitting .375 (9-of-24) with an RBI.

Jason Repko had a rollercoaster 2005 and has to prove that he can hit consistently to remain with the Dodgers out of camp. He’s gotten off to a good start, hitting .304 (7-for-23) with six RBI.

Joel Guzman is ready for the majors offensively, but since he outgrew the SS position (6-6, 225), Guzman has made the switch to LF. He has done well in left, and continues to perform at the plate (.321 (9-for-28) with a HR and three RBI) . Making the roster out of camp is possible, but not probable with veterans Cruz, Kenny Lofton and J.D. Drew, as well as youngsters Repko and Jayson Werth, ahead of him. But with this quintet’s injury history, the call from the minors won’t be far off.

MILWAUKEE – Carlos Lee will be returning from the Panamanian team soon, so Corey Hart’s excess playing time is over. But the youngster made the most of it – having hit .308 (8-for-26) with two HR and eight RBI. He’s all but solidified his role as a backup OF and 1B for the Brewers coming out of Spring Training.

MINNESOTA – Justin Morneau is due back from Team Canada soon – too soon for Terry Tiffee. Tiffee hasn’t been the most productive player in his limited big-league time (.222 BA, three HR and 23 RBI in 194 career AB), often looking overmatched. But he sure has done well over the last 10 days of camp -- .407 (11-for-27) with seven RBI. His performance has given some to wonder if he should move to third to replace the struggling Tony Batista. It’s too early to say, though.

ST LOUIS – With Albert Pujols leading the way for the Dominican Republic, that has allowed veterans Scott Spiezio and Brian Daubach to battle for the infield utility position. Spiezio got off to a great start on March 3 as he homered, tripled and drove in five runs against the Mets, but he has cooled off as of late (.323 (10-for-31), two HR and eleven RBI) .

Daubach has taken up where Spiezio left off, hitting .368 (7-for-19) with two HR and eight RBI. It looks like Daubach, the favorite coming into spring training, has regained hold of the spot thus far.

TEXAS – Mark Teixeira is playing for Team USA, giving Phil Nevin a chance to resurrect his career. Chances are that Nevin is playing for a trade to a team that has a spot for him. With Teixeira at 1B and the recently-signed Erubiel Durazo the favorite to be the DH, there’s little room for Nevin in Texas. But he looks to be in great shape and is playing very well (.389 (7-for-18) with four HR and 10 RBI) .

TORONTO – There has been a lot of room in the Blue Jay OF this spring with Vernon Wells, Alexis Rios and Frank Catalanotto each playing for Teams USA, Puerto Rico and Italy, respectively. That has allowed Eric Hinske plenty of opportunity to work on his transition to RF. It has gone very well, and it hasn’t hurt his performance at the plate, either, as he’s hitting .368 (7-of-19) with three HR and three RBI.

---