Phillies Cesar Hernandez Impressed in Audition
By Ryan Gerstel
Cesar Hernandez’s season came to an abrupt end this past Sunday after the Phillies 2nd baseman suffered ligament damage to his left thumb during a collision with Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
“It doesn’t look good for the rest of the year. He didn’t seem in pain, but he’s disappointed obviously. We’ll wait and see [Monday]” said interim manager Pete Mackanin per MLB.com’s Todd Zoelicki following Sunday’s 7-4 win at Citizens Bank Park.
The 23-year old Hernandez was placed on the 60-day DL, is scheduled to have ligament surgery tomorrow (Wednesday), and should be recovered by the new year.
Hernandez went down with just 18 games left to play in the 2015 season. He finishes the 2015 season with a slash line of .272/.339/.348 over a career-high 405 at-bats. Aided by a team-high 19 walks, his OBP will likely finish second on the club among players with 200 or more at-bats.
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Back in early July, then general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. stated that Hernandez was the Phillies’ best second baseman while Chase Utley rehabbed from an ankle injury.
“Cesar Hernandez is our best second baseman. I would assume Cesar would be our second baseman. That’s fair,” Amaro told reporters.
At the time, Hernandez’s production at the plate warranted such confidence. The infielder was in the midst of a torrid stretch just before the All-Star break which resulted in a slash line of .353/.415/.412 and an OPS at the .827 mark. He was convincing people, including his boss, that he was the definitive successor to Chase Utley once the 36-year-old’s tenure in Philadelphia came to an end.
Utley is gone, now back alongside his old doubleplay partner Jimmy Rollins on a World Series contender with the Los Angeles Dodgers. For the first time in a decade, there is a vacancy on the right side of the Phillies’ infield at the Keystone position, and it appears to be Hernandez’ job to lose.
The 25-year-old native of Venezuela had been enjoying a nice stretch of redemption in recent days, after enduring a down month in August when he compiled a batting average of just .245 and an OPS of .630 over 110 at-bats.
Hernandez had bounced back nicely through 12 games in September posting a batting average of .303 and an OBP of .333 in 46 at-bats. His numbers this month have been an encouraging sign, and display his ability to make adjustments at the Major League level following that inconsistent stretch.
For now, it appears that Hernandez has done enough in his first season as an everyday player, despite the August struggles, to make a strong case for his being at least penciled in as the team’s 2016 Opening Day starter at the 2nd base position.
But the Phillies are undergoing a front office makeover, headlined by the firing of Amaro last Friday. The era of Andy MacPhail has undoubtedly begun, and with it a new way of thinking and a fresh philosophy should ensue.
Overhaul in the front office is a given. A decision on Mackanin returning as the manager will take place once the season ends, and there will undoubtedly be other organizational changes within the front office and coaching staff, whether or not the interim skipper returns.
But could there be a similar overhaul on the field? Hernandez clearly made an impression on Amaro. But he’s gone now, and his replacement is currently being sought. There’s no telling if the new GM will look at Hernandez and see “the future” 2nd base.
Mackanin might see Hernandez as the future, but there’s a reasonable chance that he won’t be brought back as the full-time manager in 2016. If a new manager is hired, there’s no telling what value he places on a young, speedy hitter who can get on base, but who is an average defender with no power.
Odubel Herrera has been a stud in his rookie season, especially considering his status as Rule 5 pick. As a former 2nd baseman who is playing his first full season in the outfield, could the new Phillies brain trust decide a transition back to 2nd base would behoove the 23-year-old “El Torito” and the Phillies organization?. Perhaps a new GM and manager would see Herrera as more of the future at second than Hernandez.
These changes cause a ripple of uncertainty that trickles down to the baseball diamond in South Philly. There will be new people making decisions they believe will benefit the club. Whether or not to stick with Hernandez at 2nd base will be one of those decisions.
Hernandez’ 2015 season numbers, particularly over those last dozen games prior to his injury, show a player who can recover from the typical ups and downs of a tumultuous MLB season by making adjustments, and keeping his nose to the grindstone.