I got to thinking about this since I have had a couple of spirited discussions with a friend of mine on another site. Today it seems to be the definition has changed some. I am beginning to believe there is no such thing as a pure utility player anymore. The Dodgers were lucky for the last several years to have what many called super subs. And they had two at the same time, Kike and Chris Taylor.
To me, the definition of a utility player was a player who did not have a definitive starting position and was used to give the starters a break when they might be nursing an injury or just in need of a day off. These players were capable of playing maybe 2 or 3 positions on the field. Of course, back when baseball was in its infancy there were far fewer players on a team, so most doubled somewhere, usually as a pitcher or catcher.
Utility players became more of a part of the team as the game advanced into the new century. But the stars of the game usually played one position. Ruth, who was also a pitcher when he started was an exception to the rule. But once they decided his bat was more needed than his arm, he went to RF and stayed primarily a RF the rest of his career.
That was the way it was for many years. You had your 4th outfielder, who saw little playing time except for maybe a pinch-hitting role or if Ruth had a tummy ache. There were extra infielders and usually a backup catcher. But were they utility players? Not in the true sense such a player is seen as today. The utility player really became such in the ’50s. That’s when players like Jim Gilliam, Rocky Bridges, and a few others came along. They were usually infielders who had the skills to play multiple infield positions with equal skill. Gilliam was accomplished at 2nd and 3rd, not so much as a SS. But he also played outfield on a few occasions. One of the most recognizable games he was in the outfield was game 7 of the 55 World Series. Gilliam was in left until Alston replaced him with Sandy Amoros who made the catch on Berra’s drive that saved the game.
Bridges could play SS and 3nd with equal skill. The 4th outfielder usually had the skill to play at least 2 of the outfield positions but was not as good with the bat as the starters. Guys like Bill Virdon got their start that way. Imagine, had the Dodgers kept Clemente on the roster in 55 and not tried to hide him at Montreal, he would have been that #4 outfielder.
As the 60’s arrived, more and more players would be added to rosters because they could play multiple positions. Guys like Cesar Tovar for the Twins. Bob Lillis was a utility infielder. And that title would keep evolving.
There have been 4 players who have played all 9 positions in a game. Tovar, Bert Campaneris, Shane Halter, and Scott Sheldon. Quite a feat. I know Kike lobbied Roberts to be allowed to do that in a late-season game where the game would not have any impact on the standings. Kike did get to pitch in a game in Philly I think it was and gave up a walk-off homer. Whereas Russell Martin pitched the 9th inning of a blowout Dodger win and got 3 straight hitters out.
Kike in his career has played every position except catcher. He was listed for years as the Dodgers emergency catcher. But never has gotten into the game at that position. Taylor has played SS, 3rd, 2nd, and all 3 outfield positions. Both of them are true utility players. The super sub.
Their names are alongside players like Mark Loretta, Rance Mullinicks, Juan Uribe, Martin Prado, and oh so many others. Ben Zobrist got probably the biggest contract ever given to that type of player when he was signed by the Cubs a few years ago. Chris Taylor will probably eclipse that deal. I think he will get a 4 or 5 year deal for well over 50 million. Probably closer to 60 and it is for that reason I think his days in a Dodger uniform are over.
That is what having an excellent walk year will get you in the free-agent market. Kike signed for about 7 mil a year. Joc got just a wee bit more than that and his deal was for one year. Joc was more of a platoon player than sub. He played against RHP and was removed when the lefties showed up. One utility player I would like to see the Dodgers target is Josh Harrison.
Of course, my favorite all-time utility guy was Gilliam. And there are a lot of reasons for that. One is the kind of baseball that was being played when I was growing up. Being a team player meant something. Sacrificing your own stats to help the team win, was important. Gilliam was that kind of player. Especially after Wills joined the team. Without a whole lot of power, they banked on Wills to get on, Gilliam to get him into scoring position, and the pitchers to hold the lead. And it worked very well for several years. Gilliam was a master at moving Wills over after he got on.
I have always felt he deserved the honor of having his number retired. He was as unselfish a player as you would ever want to see. If Taylor does indeed leave via free agency, there is no real replacement in place. Zack McKinstry, since he does have a lot of multipositional experience so far, will likely be the guy until he either proves he is up to the task, or fails. Lux is still learning, but I am thinking he is more likely to become a regular at 2nd base. That would be my bet especially if Corey Seager signs elsewhere.
There are a lot of questions to be answered about this team come springtime. And the utility player will play a huge role in the success or failure of the team. We just are not sure who that will be. Mickey Hatcher was one of those guys too. Mickey was more of a third baseman than anything else, but he was one of those great team players who would play anywhere you asked.
I actually just remembered this, so I am tagging it onto the end of this post. Jackie Robinson and Gil Hodges both played multiple positions during their careers. Jackie was signed as a SS. But since they had Reese, they moved him to 1st base. Only when Hodges came on the scene and needed to be moved from his original catching spot, did they move Jackie to 2nd. Robinson also played SS, 3B and some outfield while a Dodger. Hodges caught, played 1st and 3rd and even some outfield for a few games.
Good column Bear. Thanks.
Jim Gilliam would also be my favorite utility player. I too miss those days.
This morning I went back in time to the Jim Gilliam days. I rooted out my Jim Reeves albums and catalogued them. I have 31 of his RCA albums which would be originals and a like number of reproductions although the four Camden albums are not reproductions.
I have a copy of his Abbot recording, volume 2, which also is a reproduction. It is still nice to have.
Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone………31 albums? I’m only able to listen to a couple songs by him and then have to hear someone else to keep my appreciation of his works. He cried to much to listen to an album’s worth. Another artist that I like but wares on me is Jackson Brown. Then there’s The Doors and I’ll get organ brained before the album is over. But all those are great hearing on the radio.
Back in the day, I had over 4000 albums. I had every Beatle album ever made. I also had about 30 of Elvis’s albums. All those are long gone. I now have about 800 cd’s. I have all of Garth Brooks stuff and the same with Alabama. I have maybe 20 George Strait. I do have all 13 of the Beatles remastered and reissued albums. I have a 2 disc set with Reeves best stuff on it.
Well, it certainly was a luxury to have a guy like Kike or CT3 who can play all over the field and do it extremely well, especially on both sides of the ball. Both had holes in their game, but they were very good at their roles. I thought both had a flare for the dramatic as well. They were great coming off the bench and getting a clutch hit.
I was pretty surprised at how good Z-Mack was before he went down the oblique injury last year, but he was a clear step downward with the glove.
I would really like to see Corey resigned and let Lux take over that role next year. But, I would rather see him become a mini Mookie type player and do it every day at second base. Maybe even eventually take over at shortstop when Turner retires and Corey moves over about 50 feet to his right.
STB, I didn’t respond to you yesterday because I was too busy cooking all day. I do a traditional meal for the most part and do pretty much all the cooking. My wife gets to do the pies and ambrosia salad and mashed potatoes. I handle the rest. My Turkey always comes out great. I’m not sure how people dry out their bird, but mine comes out great every time. My gravy is drinkable. I try to lighten up the sides a bit, so I don’t do green bean casserole or candied yams…
Charcuterie and Cheese Board
Turkey with Stuffing (Stuffing is with onions, celery, heart and giblets chopped up, walnuts and water chestnuts)
Mashed Potatoes – lots of butter and a little milk
Yams – Roasted in foil and butter until caramelized
Gravy – I used wild mushroom this time and I cooked it for 2 days. I start with the neck and wing tips and used marsala wine. Garlic, onions and shallots.
Peas and Onions
Green Beans sauteed with garlic and olive oil and finished with balsamic reduction
Marshmallow salad (Ambrosia) my wife has this down.
Pies and Whipped Cream – Apple and pumpkin
The key to the turkey is that I roast for the first hour and a half with foil at 300. Then I baste it every half hour while cooking at 325 until it’s done. I seasoned it with just salt, pepper and oregano. I put rosemary, sage, garlic, butter and broth at the bottom of the roasting pan and baste with that. Then, at the end I deglaze the pan and add the drippings to the gravy.
Everything came out perfect.
I may need to swing by for a doggy bag
Sounds delish B&P. Thanks for the menu.
How many people did you feed with that?
Bear mentioned above a conversation we had about the definition of a utility player. I guess some people define that type of player as a guy who plays multiple positions. My thought is if you get 500 at bats a year, you aren’t a utility player, you’re a regular who plays multiple positions. Somehow, through the years, the term “utility” has taken on a bit of a negative connotation. Anyway, we’re just talking semantics here. I wonder how you and anyone else who cares to comment feel about the term “utility.”
I think the reason I use that term even if a guy like Taylor gets 500 at bats, he is getting those at bats because the regular is either injured or needs a day off. Taylor started most of those games because someone was hurt or needed that day off. If you went with what they thought would be the everyday lineup coming out of spring it would have looked like this, 1B, Muncy 2B, Lux, SS, Seager, 3B, Turner, LF, Pollock, CF, Bellinger, RF, Betts, C, Smith. No Taylor, Beaty, McKinstry or any other utility player.
I think CT is a big enough presence in the lineup that Doc gives guys days off where he wouldn’t have done that if he had a lesser player in Taylor’s place on the roster. I’ve heard Roberts say numerous times that Taylor will start on a regular basis but just not always at the same position.
Anyway, as I said earlier, we’re just splitting hairs here. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong point of view. These are the kinds of conversations we have because no one has made a trade yet today and there hasn’t even been a red hot rumor out there to discuss.
Exactly.
Great post, Bear.
Thanks DL.
Great post Bear, again. I know you do good research but your memory about former players is remarkable on a daily basis. I though mine was good and thankfully I haven’t lost a lot of recall so far. It sometimes includes about a 45 second synapse gap put usually still pops into my brain. But your memories and historical posts are always informative and fun read.
Again, Happy Post-Turkey Day to all. I made a nice turkey dinner for my Canadian neighbors who celebrated at home on October 10. They got to have 2 Thanksgivings. They are very good to me. I learned to cook well from my mother and I still enjoy it. I still use her old recipe every year for dressing. It’s made with crumbled Ritz Crackers instead of bread. Very different and very good.
I’m waiting for news on Dodger moves with a focus on starting pitching until the youngsters arrive. In the meantime I’ll be eating leftovers for quite awhile.
Thanks Phil. There might be some action this weekend on the player front. They have to either offer contracts or non tender players by Sunday. If players want contracts before the supposed lock out, they need to do that before the 1st.
Turkey sandwiches rule.
Bear, as usual a great work.
Junior Gilliam was my favorite with Mickey Hatcher not far behind.
Hatch’s love of the game was apparent..
Yesterday’s post on greenies, Peds, etc. Reminded me of another popular drug Cocaine.
Steve Howe and Darryl Strawberry come to mind..
Dave Stewart said as he sheltered Howe in the bullpen while Steve snorted that he thought coke never enhanced his game. It was fashionable and amped you up. Reminds me of Eric Gagne..
The problem was that the bitch
would turn on you and it was game over.
Some say the “We Are Family” Pirates loved the stuff.
Thanks Peter. I appreciate it. Howe was a sad case, as was Welch with his drinking problem. The fan base has always been the last to know about those things. All we knew is that suddenly, Strawberry was not playing, or this guy was not available. I don’t care what decisions people make in their own lives. But myself, I do not use drugs to do anything except control the medical problems I might have. Never smoked grass, never smoked anything actually. Bad for my singing voice and never took recreational drugs of any kind. But that’s just me.
What’s the old joke? I don’t drink, don’t smoke, but every 15 minutes I hit myself in the head with a hammer.
Something like that. But I quit drinking in 1990. That last hangover was the last straw. What amazed me was it wasn’t that hard. I just cold turkeyed it and was done. I rarely have even a beer anymore.
Congrats. That’s a healthy decision and way to stick with it.
I’d like to see Taylor back but I think he’s leaving ala Keekay.
That hurts our bench, but hopefully Lux, McKinstry, Neuse, Outman help out along with some new additions via FA.
I really believe we’ll bring back Seager; I just don’t see who else we’ll give that kind of $ to. It’s gotta be him.
Signing the Japanese OF (Suzuki?) could shake things up. I’m all for it.
Kershaw returning plus another depth SP appear necessary as well.
Our prospects need another year of season before making a real impact.
Mets heavily engaged with starting pitchers per Eppler and MLBTR. Betts says they just have to keep playing hard and finish better. Dickerson placed on release waivers by the Giants.
Mets fans are funny to follow. They panic nearly as entertainingly as Mariners’ fans.
Unsure if these have been reported here:
Tom Myers, from the Cubs and who used to cover the So-Calo area, is joining the Dodgers as an area scout. May dabble into player dev.
The Dodgers signed two players to minor league deals: OF Jason Martin and RHP Beau Burrows.
Burrows was a 1st round pick in 2015, and is described thusly:
Beau Burrows has some interesting pitch characteristics. His fastball and curveball mirror each other in movement and spin, and the sweeper that the Dodgers are so fond of teaching would mirror his changeup, as it breaks to ~9 o’clock:
Martin has appeared in the majors in each of the past three seasons. Part of the Pirates’ four-player return from the Astros in the 2018 Gerrit Cole trade, he only tallied 51 trips to the plate in Pittsburgh over his first two seasons. Martin’s most extensive big league time came this past season when he logged 154 plate appearances with the Rangers. The 26-year-old hit just .208/.248/.354 with six homers in that time, though, and Texas outrighted him off the 40-man roster at the end of the season.
Dodgers Digest took a nice peek at Kyle Hurt and Carsen Tayor:
http://dodgersdigest.com/2021/11/22/helium-kyle-hurt-and-carson-taylor-are-dodgers-prospects-on-the-rise-for-2022/
My son played against Martin in travel ball and high school. Really nice kid. Always been a center fielder, very athletic and was a very good / great hitter back then. I’m glad he’s getting a shot, but his minor league numbers are a bit disappointing.
Carson Taylor really struggled throwing the ball to 2nd when I saw him in FallBall. Big sail and spray pattern. As the article says, he is behind defensively catching. But switch-hitting is a plus.
Good article Bear. Gilliam was one of my favorites too. In 1955 his mother lived in Jersey, a couple of towns away from me. After the Dodgers won the WS, I phoned her and wished her congrats and asked her to please pass it on to Jim for me. She was very pleasant and said that she would. Man, the crazy things a 10 yr. old will do.
Rocky Bridges, I always thought that was such a cool name. I remember him from the Redlegs and Senators. I was really surprised when I looked him up and found that he played his 1st 2 yrs. with the Dodgers.
I have a old Rocky Bridges Brooklyn Dodgers card. I also have a 1963 Gil Hodges card that is made of porcelain. Remember Dick Schofield? His nickname was Ducky. His son played in 9 games for the Dodgers in 1995.
Rios.
I like him but I have to think AF is not really factoring him into any major decisions.
He is essentially depth at this point.
Similar to Neuse.
The only major decision is Seager as far as hitters go other than how to get some insurance for Lux if Seager doesn’t sign.
Rios has a role for next year. He’ll be part of the bench and play 1st and 3rd with probably a sprinkling of Left Field. If the CBA has the DH, then all the more of a role he’ll have.
Justin had a great year last year, not showing signs of decline, but obviously needs to play less when he tanked in the postseason where he’s been historically great. If Rios or Lux show their bats needs to be in the lineup, JT may have more DH days.
Mets make a pretty good move. I would use him as a utility player or extra bat in the lineup. Short-term deals are the way to go.
You must mean Escobar. Two year deal. Looks like the Red Sox are closing in on a deal with Wacha. Tigers have been talking to Javier Baez.
$teve is $pending. Got Canha too, about I know little.
Both Escobar and Canha are good bats. He might have slightly overspent on each of them but I think they were worthwhile signings, and besides, Steve Cohen can afford it.
Maybe they’ll decide to trade J.D. Davis after those signings. He’d make a really nice righty bat addition for our bench. Kind of a right handed version of Beaty. Plays first, third and left field, but none of them very well. Ironically, when I went to check their stats just now I found out they were born within a day of each other. Both are 28.
Now Marte
Ol’ Billy has really hit the ground running. Since money is no big problem for them, that’s three good signings in one day.
Tomorrow he’ll probably go sign a couple of pitchers.
Watched a little of a game in the Dominican winter league a while ago. Pujols was playing 1st and old friend Hanley Ramirez was playing for the other team. Ramirez attempting a comeback. Not going too well, he is hitting .236 with no homers or RBI’s.