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The Miami Marlins surprisingly cut ties with Chone Figgins, a utility player that would have brought plenty of depth to the team. The Marlins have already made multiple roster mistakes over the last year, and although this may not be a significant one, it was still a big mistake to release the veteran.
The 35-year old is capable of lining up at second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield positions. He spent a combined 80 innings in Spring Training at every position listed, with the exception of shortstop. The most significant time was spent at second base (31 innings) where he had a perfect fielding percentage.
Figgins batted .308 with six RBIs, three walks, three strikeouts and one stolen base in 26 at-bats this spring. His lack of power was certainly a turnoff for the Marlins, but considering he has only recorded 35 home runs in 11 years in Major League Baseball, I am sure they knew exactly what they were getting. Figgins is a career .277 hitter who is capable of doing serious damage once he gets on base.
The switch-hitter has seen a significant drop off in his production over the past two years, with a lack of plate appearances being a direct result of this. With that being said, it is hard to put a price on his ability to play solid defense at multiple different positions. For this reason alone, the Marlins should have strongly considered keeping him aboard.
I have to imagine there will be a team that will take a chance on Figgins at some point this season. It could even be Miami calling him back if injuries surface.
Michael Terrill is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelTerrill, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
