Junior doing a Ruby immitation?

[moviegeekjn]

I hope that Junior is being misquoted here
http://www.aztrib.com/index.php?sty=6933
Spivey said he has heard talk that — with rookie Matt Kata playing well — he might be asked to try the outfield when he goes on a rehab assignment. The team has not made public any such intentions.

“I'm a second baseman and that's my position,” said Spivey, recovering from a sprained left ankle. “I've been a second baseman ever since junior college. That's the position I'm going to play, and that's the position I feel comfortable playing. That's where I see myself playing for a long time.”

Spivey played four innings of center field on June 4 after Steve Finley left the game with a cramp in his right hamstring.

“That was fun,” Spivey said. “But I didn't have any pressure on me. We had a five-run lead at the time. I was just filling in.

“It's not necessary for me to (change positions). I feel I can help this club at second base. I'm more valuable to a club playing second base.”

 

[AZCB34]

Originally posted by moviegeekjn
I hope that Junior is being misquoted here
http://www.aztrib.com/index.php?sty=6933
Spivey said he has heard talk that — with rookie Matt Kata playing well — he might be asked to try the outfield when he goes on a rehab assignment. The team has not made public any such intentions.

“I'm a second baseman and that's my position,” said Spivey, recovering from a sprained left ankle. “I've been a second baseman ever since junior college. That's the position I'm going to play, and that's the position I feel comfortable playing. That's where I see myself playing for a long time.”

Spivey played four innings of center field on June 4 after Steve Finley left the game with a cramp in his right hamstring.

“That was fun,” Spivey said. “But I didn't have any pressure on me. We had a five-run lead at the time. I was just filling in.

“It's not necessary for me to (change positions). I feel I can help this club at second base. I'm more valuable to a club playing second base.”

That might be the longest misquote of all time if it truly is. I doubt it though. Per usual though, what seems to be missing is the question that lead to his answer. That may be telling in how his answer came out. I have no doubt the quote is right but the conversation around it is what brings what Spivey said into clearer focus.

 

[SweetD]

IMO Spivey should stay at 2nd. Def. he is better than Kata. What about putting Kata in RF?? not sure if he has ever been in the outfiled, looks like he has some speed and an arm to play RF?

 

[Lefty]

I am not a big fan of putting infielders to the outfield. Look at the struggles of Biggio this year. Plus, remember when Tony Womack dropped that flyball in rightfield in game 4 of the 1999 playoff game against the Mets? I wonder if Kata has any experience in the outfield because if he does he be better off their. There are some posters who do not like Junior at all and have bagged on him but Spivey is an All-Star who was producing before he got hurt. He should play second. Curt said he has the best range of any infielder.

 

[RLakin]

Originally posted by moviegeekjn
I hope that Junior is being misquoted here
http://www.aztrib.com/index.php?sty=6933
Spivey said he has heard talk that — with rookie Matt Kata playing well — he might be asked to try the outfield when he goes on a rehab assignment. The team has not made public any such intentions.

“I'm a second baseman and that's my position,” said Spivey, recovering from a sprained left ankle. “I've been a second baseman ever since junior college. That's the position I'm going to play, and that's the position I feel comfortable playing. That's where I see myself playing for a long time.”

Spivey played four innings of center field on June 4 after Steve Finley left the game with a cramp in his right hamstring.

“That was fun,” Spivey said. “But I didn't have any pressure on me. We had a five-run lead at the time. I was just filling in.

“It's not necessary for me to (change positions). I feel I can help this club at second base. I'm more valuable to a club playing second base.”

Evidently this is a touchy subject with Junior. I asked Rod Allen two weeks back about a Spivey move to the OF and he wasn’t having it either. Those two are pretty close, so you can bet that this is something that has been whispered around the team and clearly Spivey isn’t interested in moving.

 

[schillingfan]

Re: Re: Junior doing a Ruby immitation?

Originally posted by RLakin
Evidently this is a touchy subject with Junior. I asked Rod Allen two weeks back about a Spivey move to the OF and he wasn’t having it either. Those two are pretty close, so you can bet that this is something that has been whispered around the team and clearly Spivey isn’t interested in moving.

Well Junior may be moving farther than he thinks, then. The D-Backs have proven that they will move people who they perceive as not being "team" players in terms of doing what is asked of them: See Durazo and Kim.

But even more importantly, Junior has not hit well this year and Kata has and Kata is at least one year cheaper.

 

[Freddie]

Spivey was hitting better before he got hurt. Come on, you guys expect him to move on a dime?

Hypothetical situation..

I am a electrical designer, if my company asked me to move to accounting without missing a beat I would complain. If any of you moved jobs not by choice without prior experience you would be mad.

 

[CardNots]

My issue with the situation is this:

I like Kata. Reminds me of Fins. I don't want him to go back to Tucson.

The question should be, how do we keep Kata in the lineup. I think it is unfair to ask Spivey to switch positions.

 

[Stan C]

I like all these young guys, but they too will have their sophmore slumps as other teams get good scouting reports on their weaknesses. LA made poor Lyle look bad with off speed stuff over the weekend, and Hammock is starting to get a steady stream of breaking balls, same pitch Junior struggled with early in the year. I bet some sort of trade will happen for a good right fielder with the depth it looks like we have right now. We still haven't seen Chad Tracey and he was supposed to be the best.
It's fun to watch, but I hope Junior doesn't turn into a Travis Lee, BK, or Durazo, as Schilling fan is right, they will move him.

 

[Ryanwb]

The Diamondbacks need to lighten up a bit...

There is a fine line between being a selfish player and being a competitive player. Spivey worked his ass off to get where he is today and he will be damned to see another cheaper player come in and take his spot because he was injured. He was an All Star last year and he will be an All Star again.

Management needs to be careful who they deam to be cancers.

 

[Lefty]

Junior is an All-Star second baseman and deserves to be one for the Diamondbacks. I like Kata but he has only been on the team for 3 weeks.

By the way, Junior went 3-4 with a double and rbi last night in his rehab stint.