In a segment on KNBR on Thursday, Posey made some interesting comments on the team’s plans for first base going forward.
Good morning, baseball fans!
Yesterday, San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey made an appearance on KNBR’s “Murph and Markus” show to discuss the team’s recent woes (or, more accurately, just to discuss the team).
It isn’t exactly newsworthy to report that LaMonte Wade, Jr. has been struggling this season. In 164 plate appearances, Wade is averaging .171/.278/.279 with one home run and 15 RBI this season. He’s either second to last or dead last in just about every offensive metric among every day players. It’s not great, but it’s not exactly news.
What is interesting is that Posey is publicly discussing other options as the organization’s priority.
They had expected, initially, to have Jerar Encarnación factor into this year’s plans at first base. That was obviously derailed when he broke his hand during spring training. However, he has been rehabbing with Triple-A Sacramento and is likely to join the team fairly soon.
What I found most telling was Posey’s comment about Encarnación’s return, saying that they would mix him in with Wilmer Flores and Casey Shmitt at first base when he is ready.
Notably absent from that plan of action is Wade.
This left listeners to draw their own conclusions that Wade will be out when Encarnación returns. Which I believe is probably a fair assessment.
Adding fuel to the flames, as Alex Simon of SFGate noted in his piece on the topic, Marco Luciano played first base for Sacramento on Wednesday, with Encarnación as designated hitter. This was Luciano’s very first time playing the position. Some fans interpreted this as a sign that Sacramento was working with Luciano as a replacement option for Encarnación’s imminent return to the Giants.
Between that and the fact that the Giants will have to clear up a roster spot for him, it seems to me like the writing is on the wall and Wade’s days as the every day first baseman might be coming to an end pretty soon.