Wait… it worked?
Gary Trundleburry, Shin Seiki Post
3/18/2019: Nagoya, Japan – My exclusive inside sources report that Evas’ front office awoke to a pleasant surprise this morning when their waver claim on Crushers’ star gaijin 3B Vic Roberts was processed successfully last night. There had been little expectation that they would win the claim. Surely another team with a higher waiver wire priority would want a two time running BBG All-Star who led the BBG in Total Bases in 2018 (285), had the 3rd best VORP in the BBG last year (54.0) and is owed only a measly $2.728M in 2019. Well, apparently not.
Roberts brings a reliable veteran bat with 30 homerun power and a solid glove at the hot corner. But the Evas now find themselves in the slightly awkward predicament of having a log-jam at 3B between Roberts and the also recently acquired Kazu Sekiguchi.
Given his power, eye and glove, Roberts has to be considered pretty much a lock to start on opening day 2019. Luckily Sekiguchi has a couple options left. So even though his 2019 prospects with the team have been hurt, he could still have a future in SS given Roberts’ relatively advanced age and extremely advanced demands for an extension (currently rumored at over $62M for a 4 year extension).
Still it is an especially bitter turn of events for the seemingly perpetually unwanted Sekiguchi. He has been traded three times in the past 18 months. He seems to be the guy who GM’s are happy to plug in to a hole… until something better comes along. To his credit Kazu hasn’t taken his apparent demotion too hard. He is focused on improving his own performance, not on the other moves the team has made. He only expects to make the LRS squad, not necessarily start. Still, even that is far from a lock considering his defense at 2B and SS. He doesn’t really have the versatility to be a UIF.
It’s odd that in a whirlwind off season that has seem the Evas replace multiple positional starters, trade and acquire top prospects and make some waves in Free Agency that the biggest move might be a waiver claim. You’ve got to love the LRS.
