Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Talks About Miguel Vargas’s Defensive Adjustments
Miguel Vargas hit another home run on Tuesday, the third in his last 10 starts. Miguel Vargas had another error on Tuesday, his third of the season. The Dodgers entered the season knowing it would be a work in progress with the 23-year-old rookie and it’s been just that. He’s been, we’ll say, fine this season, a bit better over the last few weeks for sure. Dave Roberts knows it’s all part of the process.
Recently, the Dodger manager spoke about Vargas. It came after he missed a play to his right that looked generally playable from the comfort of one’s couch. To Dave, range is the biggest weakness at this point in Miggy’s transition to full time second baseman.
“He’s catching what he gets to. It’s also a body position issue that I think we’re attacking … in the sense of not trying to start so low because he gets stuck. I think right now we feel much more confident in him not starting so low which allows for his body to move laterally better.”
Via SNLA
The idea of starting so low stems from him coming up as a corner infielder. At third or first base, the ball is usually hit so hard and comes at you so fast that the emphasis tends to lean more up and down than right or left. Make the plays hit at you or try to leap and catch the line drive hit a little over your head.
At this point, he’s played second base all of 33 games as a big leaguer and fewer than 100 games total as a pro.
To his credit, Vargas is finding ways to affect the game in a positive manner, even if it’s not always with a big play or a key base hit — which he’s certainly been better at both as the season has gone along. He’s taking his walks and keeping the line moving and being perfectly… ok in his role.
But something needs to improve a bit more over the next month or two, whether it be generating a bit more slug to offset the defensive inconsistencies, or making a few more plays look routine on the field.
If you’re like our Doug McKain, you have all the faith in the world Vargas will get there.
