True Utility Players
Posted by Andy on August 13, 2007
Here's a PI Batting Game Finder for players who played at least 5% of their games at each of 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, LF, CF, and RF:
Cnt Player Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Willie Bloomquist 2007 29 SEA AL 65 127 117 22 35 3 0 2 12 7 0 27 1 2 0 4 5 4 .299 .344 .376 .720 5746/839 2 Chris Woodward 2005 29 NYM NL 81 192 173 16 49 10 0 3 18 13 0 46 2 2 2 2 0 0 .283 .337 .393 .730 37/69584D 3 Clay Bellinger 2000 31 NYY AL 98 209 184 33 38 8 2 6 21 17 1 48 5 1 2 1 5 0 .207 .288 .370 .658 84573/69 4 Dennis Hocking 2000 30 MIN AL 134 433 373 52 111 24 4 4 47 48 1 77 0 7 5 2 7 5 .298 .373 .416 .789 4897563/D
Wow, I can't believe there are even 4 guys who did this. Check out Bloomquist's main page--he has been all over the diamond with regularity (note I did this a few days ago, so it's not up to date on Bloomquist's last couple of games. Also, this is since 1957, but specific outfield positions weren't recorded for most of that time which is why players from earlier seasons don't register.)
If we relax the position to outfield in general without specifying the outfield position, the list since 2000 gets a lot longer:
Cnt Player Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Willie Bloomquist 2007 29 SEA AL 65 127 117 22 35 3 0 2 12 7 0 27 1 2 0 4 5 4 .299 .344 .376 .720 5746/839 2 Miguel Cairo 2007 33 NYY AL 54 121 107 12 27 7 0 0 10 8 1 19 1 4 1 3 8 1 .252 .308 .318 .626 36/547 3 Matt Kata 2007 29 TOT ML 47 105 98 14 19 5 0 2 8 5 0 24 1 1 0 1 1 0 .194 .240 .306 .546 57/643D 4 Chris Woodward 2005 29 NYM NL 81 192 173 16 49 10 0 3 18 13 0 46 2 2 2 2 0 0 .283 .337 .393 .730 37/69584D 5 Joe McEwing 2005 32 KCR AL 83 191 180 16 43 7 0 1 6 6 0 35 0 5 0 5 4 4 .239 .263 .294 .557 534/6D789 6 Luis A. Gonzalez 2005 26 COL NL 128 441 404 51 118 25 0 9 44 20 0 63 6 8 3 7 3 4 .292 .333 .421 .754 *4653/97 7 Mendy Lopez 2004 30 KCR AL 18 44 38 4 4 0 0 1 4 4 0 9 1 1 0 3 0 0 .105 .209 .184 .393 /465379 8 Jolbert Cabrera 2004 31 SEA AL 113 391 359 38 97 19 2 6 47 16 1 70 8 3 5 13 10 3 .270 .312 .384 .696 53746/8D9 9 Wilton Guerrero 2004 29 KCR AL 24 32 32 7 7 0 1 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 1 0 .219 .219 .281 .500 /468357 10 Jose Hernandez 2004 34 LAD NL 95 238 211 32 61 12 1 13 29 26 6 61 1 0 0 3 3 1 .289 .370 .540 .910 *465/73 11 Damion Easley 2004 34 FLA NL 98 257 223 26 53 20 1 9 43 24 1 36 8 0 2 6 4 1 .238 .331 .457 .788 436/59D 12 Mendy Lopez 2003 29 KCR AL 52 100 94 13 26 5 1 3 11 4 0 28 0 2 0 3 2 0 .277 .306 .447 .753 354/697 13 Dennis Hocking 2003 33 MIN AL 83 209 188 22 45 10 2 3 22 15 0 37 0 3 3 3 0 1 .239 .291 .362 .653 4563/987 14 Dennis Hocking 2002 32 MIN AL 102 294 260 28 65 13 0 2 25 24 0 44 1 4 5 3 0 2 .250 .310 .323 .633 *465/398 15 Joe McEwing 2002 29 NYM NL 105 214 196 22 39 8 1 3 26 9 0 50 3 3 3 0 4 4 .199 .242 .296 .538 963475/8 16 Dave Berg 2002 31 TOR AL 109 414 374 42 101 26 2 4 39 26 1 57 5 4 5 6 0 2 .270 .322 .382 .704 45639/D7 17 Dennis Hocking 2001 31 MIN AL 112 363 327 34 82 16 2 3 25 29 1 67 2 4 1 7 6 1 .251 .315 .339 .654 643/D7589 18 Clay Bellinger 2000 31 NYY AL 98 209 184 33 38 8 2 6 21 17 1 48 5 1 2 1 5 0 .207 .288 .370 .658 84573/69 19 Shane Halter 2000 30 DET AL 105 265 238 26 62 12 2 3 27 14 0 49 1 10 2 5 5 2 .261 .302 .366 .668 *5364/89721 20 Terry Shumpert 2000 33 COL NL 115 300 263 52 68 11 7 9 40 28 1 40 6 0 3 3 8 4 .259 .340 .456 .796 745/63D 21 Dennis Hocking 2000 30 MIN AL 134 433 373 52 111 24 4 4 47 48 1 77 0 7 5 2 7 5 .298 .373 .416 .789 4897563/D
Now you can see one reason why the Yankees were criticized in some circles for releasing Miguel Cairo recently when they activated Jason Giambi. A guy who plays so many positions (as plays them well, as Cairo does), is very valuable.
Now find me a great relief pitcher who can also play a corner outfield position, and then you're cooking with gas.