Logan Forsythe Healthy Again and Playing Well

For those of you who have not heard, Friar Infielder Logan Forsythe is back from his foot injury (sesamoid bone) and currently playing at the Triple-A level in Tucson.  The good thing about Forsythe appearing to be healthy is the fact that Alexi Amarista, Everth Cabrera, and Andy Parrino have not proven themselves enough to make the Middle Infield situation stable.  With that in mind, I believe that Forsythe should be getting a call back up to the majors very soon because he has done well so far in Tucson since returning from his injury.

What Can Forsythe Do?

As I mentioned previously, Forsythe has missed some extensive time due to the injury he suffered in late February/early March.  It was a shame, because Forsythe was likely to fill the role of top Utility Infielder on the club, and probably would have received extensive playing time behind Orlando Hudson, Jason Bartlett, and even filled in for Chase Headley on occasion.  Forsythe should factor in for some playing time once he gets the call up to San Diego.

In terms of his bat, power, and his fielding (Amarista and Parrino are equal to him in terms of positional versatility), Forsythe has the better overall skill-set, and probably would have been the first option to fill in once Hudson was released and Bartlett was shelved.  Unfortunately, Forsythe has had to fight back from his foot injury, and is now back to playing in the Minor Leagues.  Luckily for the Padres, Forsythe is doing quite well.  And luckily for Forsythe, the Padres are in dire need of help in the Middle Infield.

How Has He Performed So Far in 2012?

So what has Forsythe done so far?  Well, in his first 8 games back with the T-Pads, Forsythe has hit .345 in 29 At-Bats, hit 1 Double, 2 Triples, 1 Home Run, logged 8 RBI’s, an 8 to 7 Walk to Strikeout ratio, a .500 OBP, a .690 SLG, and best of all, a 1.190 OPS.  This stat line is extremely similar to Forsythe’s 2011 stat line from Tucson which read: .326 Batting Average in 178 At-Bats, 12 Doubles, 8 Home Runs, 34 RBI’s, .445 OBP, and a .528 SLG.

To his credit, Forsythe has had some experience at the Major League level, as he played in 62 games last season for the Padres.  Still, Forsythe’s production during his debut left quite a bit to be desired.  Over 62 Games, Forsythe logged 150 At-Bats, hit 9 Doubles, 1 Triple, and Drove in 12 Runs.  He did hit for a low Batting Average (.213), and struggled at the plate in his 150 At-Bats.  But considering that number is higher than anything the Second Basemen and Shortstops the Padres have used this season (Chase Headley is also approaching the Mendoza Line), it would not be a stretch to say that Forsythe’s projected numbers could be an improvement, and should improve when he gets his next extensive chance at the big league level.

Will He Be a Factor?

To say that Forsythe is the “be-all-end-all” answer at Second Base or Shortstop that the Padres are looking for is a bit short-sighted though.  San Diego has Jedd Gyorko waiting in the wings in Tucson with Forsythe, and Cory Spangenberg should quickly rise up the Minor League ranks and is performing well at High-A Lake Elsinore.  Yet due to 2012 being a rebuilding campaign, the Friars should strongly consider getting extensive looks at Triple-A overachievers like Forsythe over the course of the season and try to figure out how they figure into their franchise’s long-term plans.  I say give as many guys chances as possible in the coming months, and see what they can do with their chances.  As I stated before, Forsythe probably could have made the 25-man roster out of camp, and has shown flashes that he belongs in the big leagues.  Whether it is time to deal or send guys like Cabrera or Parrino down is up to the club, but San Diego should consider experimenting and shuffling its lineup when there is little on the line in regards to Pennant Races and Division Races and such.

Statistics Courtesy of: http://www.baseball-reference.com/

You can follow me on Twitter @DominicDiTolla.