Andy Dirks
Five Numbers That Sum Up The Season
BA |
OPS+ |
ISO |
BB/PA |
OF UZR/150 |
.251 |
90 |
.155 |
.047 |
-5.3 |
What It All Means
Dirks got sporadic playing time over the course of the season at the various outfield spots, holding his own, but not necessarily being an above average player. Dirks hit for a decent average and hit for a fair amount of power, but his walk rate was low enough that his OBP was under .300 which kept his OPS around .700 and decidedly below average. Dirks was versatile in being able to play all three outfield spots, though a tough showing in limited time in centerfield dragged his UZR rating down – despite the number, he’s still seen as a capable outfielder in all three spots.
What Does the Future Hold
The Tigers feel Dirks can be a useful player for the organization, if he’s needed. How the roster shapes up could still change dramatically, and the number of platoon spots will ultimately drive how many players are kept on the bench, which will of course impact Dirks’ chances of sticking with the big league club. Dirks can certainly be serviceable as a fourth outfielder capable of adequately backing up all three outfield spots, but his below average offensive profile will limit him, and with other versatile defenders like Don Kelly likely to make the roster ahead of him, his opportunity could come down to availability of room under the 25-man.
Contract Status
As a second year player, the Tigers will renew Andy Dirks contract for the league minimum for 2012.
All statistics are provided by Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.com, with all contract information thanks to Cot’s Contracts.