Folks outside of Arizona are missing the boat on Jake Lamb. Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The Arizona Diamondbacks have a competition at third base this Spring between Jake Lamb and Yasmany Tomas. However, if you read enough publications and watch some MLB Network, most folks have already given the job to Tomas. An example of this is Athlon Sports’ Baseball Preview magazine where it has already penciled Tomas in for the position. Not only that, some outlets like Baseball Prospectus feel that Brandon Drury is a better prospect than Lamb. It seems as though Lamb should already be ticketed to Triple A Reno when the Snakes break camp.
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Is that any way to look at the organization’s 2014 Player of the Year?
After all, this was a guy who started last year at Double A Mobile and then finished with over 100 at-bats with the D’backs. He provided one of the team’s signature highlights of the year, a go-ahead, eighth inning grand slam against the Rockies on August 29th. The 24-year old is a gap power, potential doubles machine at Chase Field. With Miguel Montero gone, he can team with David Peralta to be lethal lefty bats, something the team lacks. True, Ender Inciarte also swings from the left side but he is a different type of hitter. To automatically believe that Tomas will win the job today ignores the potential of Lamb, something that many folks outside of Phoenix seem to be doing. They see a big named Cuban signing and assume he will win the competition without breaking a sweat.
I am not saying that Tomas shouldn’t be the third baseman if he is the better man. I just feel bad for Lamb, a guy who already seems to be ticketed to oblivion. I don’t believe that to be the case and I think there are many Arizona fans that feel the same way I do. If Lamb does win the job, where does that leave Tomas? That’s a discussion for another day.