Diamondbacks likely to use platoon at shortstop
Willie Bloomquist was the Arizona Diamondbacks' starting shortstop from their stretch run into the 2011 NL West title until injuries hit last August, and he will not give an inch in the competition for that spot again this season, even though many preseason publications consider newcomer Cliff Pennington as the starter.
"That's fuel to my fire. I've never gone into the season with a mindset of being a backup. If that's what ultimately happens, that's what ultimately happens. But I wasn't raised to sit and watch. Being a competitor, I don't like watching. I always feel like I can be a guy out there somewhere helping our team win," Bloomquist said.
Bloomquist took over as the starter at shortstop after Stephen Drew's ankle injury in late July, 2011 and held the job for almost exactly a year, until a lower back injury late last July limited him to two starts in August and one pinch-hit appearance in September. Despite missing two months, he set career highs in batting average (.302) and doubles (21).
The D-backs felt they overused Bloomquist last season, and the position could become a modified platoon this season. The numbers align. Right-handed hitting Bloomquist batted .317 against left-handers and .295 against right-handers last season and is a .281 hitter against lefties in his career. Pennington, a switch hitter, has been better against righties, hitting 60 points higher against them last season and 20 points higher (at .253) in his career.
"We see it probably more as a platoon type situation at short," D-backs general manager Kevin Towers said early in spring.
Through his 11 major league seasons, Bloomquist has been a study in adaptability. He is one of three major leaguers since 2006 to have played at least 50 games at second base, shortstop, third base, left field and center field. He played 25 games in left in his first season with the D-backs in 2011before settling in at shortstop, where his .981 fielding percentage is fourth in the NL in the last two years. He had two at-bats and scored a run in a utility role for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
Bloomquist, 35, immersed himself in core strengthening exercises to combat a slight cartilage tear in his lower back over the winter, and he also plans to make adjustments in his pregame routine, as difficult as that may be.
"I've always been a guy that likes my repetitions, and I'm learning that when I feel good, I've got to just stop right there instead of taking that extra 15-20 ground balls or 20-25 swings just to really make sure. I have to just to a point where I feel good and trust that it is there. That will be a little bit of an adjustment for me. I have never been like that my whole career. But I'm not 20 anymore. I have to be a little bit smarter about things," Bloomquist said.
