SAN FRANCISCO - Rich Aurilia 31 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 SF 152 558 157 23 1 22 68 80 43 71 281 336 444 2 3 2000 SF 141 509 138 24 2 20 67 79 54 90 271 339 444 1 2 2001 SF 156 636 206 37 5 37 114 97 47 83 324 369 572 1 3       The National League's answer to Bret Boone. Aurilia is a veteran shortstop, a good, consistent hitter who broke out with an MVP-calibre season. There is no reason to think that he can hit like this every year, but I guess we will see.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Like Bret Boone, he has fallen back to earth. Injuries also haven't helped.

ATLANTA - Rafael Furcal 24 S/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 A 126 519 167 24 4 1 105 41 55 78 322 392 389 96 30 2000 ATL 131 455 134 20 4 4 87 37 73 80 295 394 382 40 14 2001 ATL 79 324 89 19 0 4 39 30 24 56 275 321 370 22 6       The 2000 Rookie Of The Year had his season cut short by a dislocated shoulder. It also appears that he is two years older than he said he was, that he wasn't really a teenager when he had his terrific rookie season.       I think we are at or nearing the point where a suspicious eye will be cast at any Dominican-born player who stars at a young age. The suspicion is unpleasant, but not unwarranted; age is so important when evaluating talent that false birth certificates can throw an entire player development system out of whack. You've got an outfielder who's 20 years old and plays like Willie Mays, and you want to build your future around him... and then you discover that he's 24. He's not Willie Mays; he's more like Jerome Walton.       I don't think Furcal's outlook for this year changes much. He is still very young, though not as ridiculously young as it first seemed, and he has room to grow. Furcal didn't play badly when he was in the lineup last year, and he should return to top form in 2002. He is young and very fast, can hit .300 and has good plate discipline. He should be a force at the top of the lineup.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Has been OK, hits for a decent average and has more power than expected. But his OBA is low and he's not stealing bases. He is still not a good leadoff man at this point.

PHILADELPHIA - Jimmy Rollins 23 S/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 AA 133 532 145 21 8 11 81 56 51 47 273 336 404 24 12 2000 AAA 133 470 129 28 11 12 67 69 49 55 274 341 457 24 7 2001 PHI 158 656 180 29 12 14 97 54 48 108 274 323 419 46 8       Rollins was highly touted when the season began, and he delivered. He is very young, very fast, and has some pop in his bat as well. He seems to make improvements every year; I expect that he will be even better in 2002.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Was the starter for the NL in the All-Star, but hasn't really been better than half the other shortstops in the league. Having an OK sophomore season, expect him to play much better in the future.

MONTREAL - Orlando Cabrera 27 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 MON 104 382 97 23 5 8 48 39 18 38 254 293 403 2 2 2000 MON 125 422 100 25 1 13 47 55 25 28 237 279 393 4 4 2001 MON 162 626 173 41 6 14 64 96 43 54 276 324 428 19 7       He had a curious season, driving in 96 runs while winning the Gold Glove Award. How many shortstops have done that? The defence is fine, but the RBI total was a fluke; the Expos had him hitting cleanup, not because he's a good hitter but because the franchise is hopelessly messed up.       My question is, how could anyone think that he was a good cleanup hitter? Or even an adequate one? Yet more than once, I've read reports that Cabrera's bat "is good enough that he could bat cleanup." Gimme a break; Cabrera is no more qualified to bat cleanup than Deivi Cruz or Royce Clayton. He just does it because baseball men do strange things when they stop caring.       Cabera is a decent player. He is durable, a fine defensive player, and he hits better than the average shortstop. He's a solid player, probably won't get any better than he was last year.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Had a slow start with the bat, but is now hitting .275 with 25 doubles, and his glove is gold.

ST LOUIS - Edgar Renteria 27 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 STL 154 585 161 36 2 11 92 63 53 82 275 334 400 37 8 2000 STL 150 562 156 32 1 16 94 76 63 77 278 346 423 21 13 2001 STL 141 493 128 19 3 10 54 57 39 73 260 314 371 17 4       A reliable shortstop, durable, consistent, gets a little bit worse every year... Renteria should be in the middle of his best seasons, but his career is headed in the wrong direction. He is still better than the average shortstop, but for how long?       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Is having his best season in three years.

CINCINNATI - Barry Larkin 38 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 CIN 161 583 171 30 4 12 108 75 93 57 293 390 420 30 8 2000 CIN 102 396 124 26 5 11 71 41 48 31 313 389 487 14 6 2001 CIN 45 156 40 12 0 2 29 17 27 25 256 373 372 3 2       He's old, he's injury prone, and he's going to the Hall Of Fame. When Larkin is in the lineup he is still among the better shortstops in the league.       I said that he is going to the Hall Of Fame; I don't know that for sure, but I am guessing that he will. Here is how he stacks up against some shortstops of recent years: NAME GM AB HIT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS Tony Fernandez 2082 7788 2240 419 92 92 1046 829 682 767 288 350 399 245 135 Bert Campaneris 2328 8684 2249 313 86 79 1181 646 618 1142 259 313 342 649 199 Dave Concepcion 2488 8723 2326 389 48 101 993 950 736 1186 267 325 357 321 109 Alan Trammell 2293 8288 2365 412 55 185 1231 1003 850 874 285 354 415 236 109 Barry Larkin 1854 6843 2048 373 70 121 1163 851 839 689 300 380 456 359 71       I think, to be a Hall-Of-Famer, you need to have be at least as good as the four guys listed above. They aren't going into the Hall, but they could have if they had been a little bit better.

CHICAGO CUBS - Alex Gonzalez 29 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 TOR 38 154 45 13 0 2 22 12 16 23 292 370 416 4 2 2000 TOR 141 527 133 31 2 15 68 69 43 113 252 313 404 4 4 2001 TOR 154 636 161 25 5 17 79 76 43 149 253 303 388 18 11       Good defensive player, lousy hitter. I have some friends here in Toronto who nicknamed Alex "The Closer" because of his habit of striking out to end a rally. Though he has been in the league for several years, Gonzalez still looks like a deer in headlights when he swings the bat; maybe Don Baylor and company can help him out a little. He is a very popular player with the fans.

MILWAUKEE - Jose Hernandez 33 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 CHC-ATL 147 508 135 20 2 19 79 62 52 145 266 339 425 11 3 2000 MIL 124 446 109 22 1 11 51 59 41 125 244 315 372 3 7 2001 MIL 152 542 135 26 2 25 67 78 39 185 249 300 443 5 4       A similar player to Alex Gonzalez; he strikes out a tonne, hits a few more homers than Alex but isn't as good defensively. Hernandez hit .339 with 11 homers against left-handers, only .226 against right-handers. At age 33, he has probably slowed down to the point where he should be moved to a platoon role.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Has been the best shortstop in the NL in the first half of the season. Might also break Bobby Bonds' single season strikeout record.

NEW YORK METS - Rey Ordonez 29 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 NYM 154 520 134 24 2 1 49 60 49 59 258 319 317 8 4 2000 NYM 45 133 25 5 0 0 10 9 17 16 188 278 226 0 0 2001 NYM 149 461 114 24 4 3 31 44 34 43 247 299 336 3 2       Ordonez is a wonderful defensive player; with the exception of a broken arm in 2000, he is also durable. But he is also a gawdawful hitter, and he isn't going to get better; if I were the Mets, I really would not consider him a cornerstone of my franchise. There are lots of better options.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Having a miserable season at the plate. Not even close to being among the better shortstops in the game.

FLORIDA - Alex Gonzalez 25 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 FLO 136 560 155 28 8 14 81 59 15 113 277 308 430 3 5 2000 FLO 109 385 77 17 4 7 35 42 13 77 200 229 319 7 1 2001 FLO 145 515 129 36 1 9 57 48 30 107 250 303 377 2 2       He really wasn't all that much different from the other Alex Gonzalez. He is halfway recovered from his disastrous sophomore season of a year ago; if he can boost his average another 25 points, he will be comparable to Renteria and Cabrera.

HOUSTON - Julio Lugo 26 R/R or Adam Everett S/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS LUGO 1999 AA 116 445 142 24 5 10 77 42 44 53 319 381 463 25 11 2000 HOU 116 420 119 22 5 10 78 40 37 93 283 346 431 22 9 2001 HOU 140 513 135 20 3 10 93 37 46 116 263 326 372 12 11 VIZCAINO 1999 LA 94 266 67 9 0 1 27 29 20 23 252 304 297 2 1 2000 LA-NYY 113 267 67 10 2 0 32 14 22 43 251 308 303 6 7 2001 HOU 107 256 71 8 3 1 38 14 15 33 277 322 344 3 2       The Astros could try a number of players at short. Lugo has the job for now; he hits a little bit, but not as much as they like, and his glove is a liability. Vizcaino is a veteran who has been around forever, and is clearly not capable of regular duties right now.       Another option could be Adam Everett, a kid with an "all field, no hit" reputation. The Astros are hoping to turn him into a slap hitter who isn't a zero at the plate... but chances are that they will have to make a decision between modest offense and very good defense.

ARIZONA - Tony Womack 33 L/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 ARI 144 614 170 25 10 4 111 41 52 68 277 332 370 72 13 2000 ARI 146 617 167 21 14 7 95 57 30 74 271 307 384 45 11 2001 ARI 125 481 128 19 5 3 66 30 23 54 266 307 345 28 7       He was a World Series hero, but I don't think I would want him on my team. He doesn't hit for average, doesn't have any power, can't get on base, isn't a good defensive player... he can run, but his base stealing has slipped dramatically over the past two seasons. At age 33, it's hard to imagine that he has much more to offer.

SAN DIEGO - Deivi Cruz 29 R/R or Ramon Vazquez 26 L/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS CRUZ 1999 DET 155 518 147 35 0 13 64 58 12 57 284 302 427 1 4 2000 DET 156 583 176 46 5 10 68 82 13 43 302 318 449 1 4 2001 DET 110 414 106 28 1 7 39 52 17 46 256 291 379 4 1 VAZQUEZ 1999 AA 127 438 113 27 3 5 58 45 62 77 258 354 368 8 1 2000 AA 124 405 116 25 4 8 58 59 52 76 286 367 427 1 6 2001 AAA 127 466 140 28 1 10 85 79 76 84 300 397 429 9 7       The past twelve months haven't been so good for Cruz. He had a terrific year in 2000, and entered 2001 as one of the Tigers' best players. But he struggled at the plate, missed some time with a fractured foot, and was released after the season.       He landed in San Diego, but the Padres also picked up another kid, Vazquez, whom they also like. Then, it turns out Cruz is actually three years older than he claimed... which means that he was never the hot young prospect that we thought he was, and his fine 2000 season was most likely a career year.       Vazquez will likely be the starter in 2002. He's not young, either; his progress through the minors has been very slow, though last year he played well at Tacoma. Neither player is a very good hitter; Cruz has proven that he can hit around .300 with doubles power, though Vazquez has more patience at the plate. Cruz is very good with the glove, Vazquez has a good reputation. My guess is that neither player will be a regular shortstop three years from now.

PITTSBURGH - Jack Wilson 24 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 A 128 508 162 32 5 5 91 46 34 54 319 361 431 18 9 2000 AA 121 482 136 27 10 7 82 50 50 66 282 352 423 3 6 2001 PIT 108 390 87 17 1 3 44 25 16 70 223 255 295 1 3       After taking over the job at short for the Pirates, Wilson had about as bad a rookie season as you can have. He will be back in 2002, though; he is young, and the only other option is Pat Meares (or, I suppose they could move Pokey Reese to short and try Warren Morris at second, but Wilson will probably get another chance). Wilson will probably be okay; he was a solid hitter in the lower minors, and last year skipped Triple-A because the Pirates were desperate. He should hit over .250 with some walks, has some power and speed but not much.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Wilson's been OK, is batting .277 and has shown some flash with the glove.

COLORADO - Juan Uribe 22 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 A 125 430 115 28 3 9 57 46 20 79 267 307 409 11 7 2000 A 134 485 124 22 7 13 64 65 38 100 256 314 410 22 5 2001 AAA 74 281 87 27 7 7 40 48 12 43 310 340 530 11 8 2001 COL 72 273 82 15 11 8 32 53 8 55 300 325 524 3 0       The Rockies have apparently settled on Uribe as their shortstop for 2002. Uribe couldn't hit in the lower minors, but suddenly became a .300 hitter after he was promoted to the thin air of Colorado Springs. He was then promoted to the Rockies, and continued to hit well in Coors Field.       In reality, I don't think that Uribe is any kind of hitter. He has no patience at the plate, and in another park it is extremely unlikely that he could over .250. He does have some power and speed, and he is young enough to get better, but I can't see him becoming a quality player for another 2-3 years. The Rockies, as usual, have to be careful not to get fooled by the stats.

LOS ANGELES - Alex Cora 26 L/R or Cesar Izturis 22 S/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS CORA 1999 AAA 80 302 93 11 7 4 51 37 12 37 308 348 430 9 5 2000 LA 109 353 84 18 6 4 39 32 26 53 238 302 357 4 1 2001 LA 134 405 88 18 3 4 38 29 31 58 217 285 306 0 2 IZTURIS 1999 A 131 536 165 28 12 3 77 77 22 58 308 337 422 32 16 2000 AAA 132 435 95 16 5 0 54 27 20 44 218 253 278 21 11 2001 AAA 87 342 100 16 3 2 32 35 10 22 292 310 374 24 9 2001 TOR 46 134 36 6 2 2 19 9 2 15 269 279 388 8 1       Cora was the Dodgers' regular shortstop in 2001, and had an awful season at the plate. He has now had over 800 career at bats, and is a .220 hitter with no walks and no power and no stolen bases. The Dodgers obviously need to make an upgrade at this position. Jeff Reboulet, age 38, is still an option, but during the winter they also acquired Cesar Izturis from the Toronto.       When the Blue Jays found themselves lacking in infielders last season, Izturis came out of nowhere and played much better than could have been anticipated. I think he was playing over his head; like Cora, Izturis has no plate discipline and no power. But it appears that he may be able hit for a good average and steal a few bases. Izturis is also very young, and has lots of time to grow into a quality ballplayer... assuming, of course, that he is as young as he says he is.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Izturis has gotten all the playing time at short for Los Angeles. Things are going good; he has shown a strong glove and he is popular with the fans and the team is winning. No one seems to be bothered by the fact that he is perhaps the worst hitter in baseball.

SHORTSTOPS - BOTH LEAGUES
1 Alex Rodriguez	11 Barry Larkin	21 Alex Gonzalez (FLO)
2 Derek Jeter	12 Omar Vizquel	22 Felipe Lopez
3 Nomar Garciaparra	13 David Eckstein	23 Adam Everett
4 Miguel Tejeda	14 Alex Gonzalez (CHC)	24 Tony Womack
5 Rich Aurilia	15 Jose Hernandez	25 Ramon Vazquez
6 Rafael Furcal	16 Carlos Guillen	26 Shane Halter
7 Cristian Guzman	17 Mike Bordick	27 Chris Gomez
8 Jimmy Rollins	18 Rey Ordonez	28 Jack Wilson
9 Orlando Cabrera	19 Royce Clayton	29 Juan Uribe
10 Edgar Renteria	20 Neifi Perez	30 Cesar Izturis