No doubt it might get old quickly, but for now I’m still getting a chuckle when I hear Hu is on first. Certainly fans in Arizona and Florida have done the same this Spring Training, as are announcers waxing nostalgic on the glory days of comedic radio when “Who’s on First” was the great sketch comedy of its time (one that still plays well 70 years later).
Yeah, there are a lot of ways to have fun with the name, but baby faced Dodgers infielder Chin-Lung Hu is much more than that. He was, by all accounts, the best fielding SS in the minor leagues last year and maybe the heir apparent to Rafael Furcal’s shortstop gig in 2009. Furcal, who will make about $13 million in 2008, is in the last year of his three year deal, and the Dodgers’ brain trust will have to decide if Hu is ready to take over in 2009 and give them Furcal’s production at a fraction of the cost- say $500 K?- thus leaving the Dodgers to spend money elsewhere (like CC Sabathia).
No one questions his defensive ability but can Hu provide enough stick? Last year he picked up his offensive game and showed signs of power, something that had been absent from Hu’s repertoire. Writes Minor League analyst Deric McKamey of Baseball HQ in his scouting report of Hu:
“Short athlete with plus defensive skills and improved offense by adding muscle. Exhibits plus range and solid-average arm strength, making all the plays at SS. Compact swing and use of opposite field is conducive to BA and began turning on inside pitches, improving power.”
Hu doesn’t need to swat homers like Hanley Ramirez to be effective, but a little pop would certainly be nice, especially if it comes with the good contact and OBP potential he’s shown. We might get a sneak preview of sorts early this year, since it’s possible we could see Hu on (at, really) third base as 2008 rolls out with the injuries to Andy LaRoche and Nomar Garciaparra.
While he’s a name firmly planted on the radar of hard core Dodgers fans, if he takes the field next week as the third baseman on Opening Day, there will be plenty of faces in the crowd who don’t know him.
And I won’t blame them one bit for asking, “Hu’s on third?”
Phil Gurnee, co-author of True Blue LA, takes a look at the current, past, and future of his Los Angeles Dodgers. Mixing a totally subjective viewpoint with statistical analysis, he looks at baseball from both sides of the mirror.
Discuss:
2 Responses to “Horton hears a (Chin-Lung) Hu”
- 1 Pingback on Mar 25th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Loading ...
In a vaccume I would be comfortable letting the young up and coming player replace the older more expensive vet even for a decrease in offensive production, but sadly this is not a vaccume, it is the 21st century Dodgers and offense is the last thing they can afford to concede. Hu needs to show more offensive production on a consistant basis with the big boys and he just might get that chance at third base early this season. Furcal had been one of the anchors of this club both defensivly and offensivly (desipte last years injury year, that still didnt produce TERRIBLE numbers) and unless that void can be filled or surpassed that Dodgers can not afford to let that go.