One of Bill Simmons best moments was the Reggie Cleveland All-Stars, players who's names make you think they are from a different race or ethnicity. One player on that team of note for today is Reggie Willits. He's not a great player and in 2008 was really bad in limited time last year, but with Abreu to the Angels will he even sniff the majors?
His UZR thanks to fangraphs pegs him as below average at CF (although not bad enough where he should never play the position), and above average in LF. He batted only .194 last year in 136 plate appearances, but still had a .321 OBP. In 2007 he batted .293/.391/.344 going 27/35 in stolen bases.
There is some definite value to be had here. CHONE predicts him to be .265/.368/.355, Bill James as .282/.383/.330. Also according to CHONE if he plays average defense he's worth .8 wins above replacement and $3.5m. Willits doesn't do a lot of things well, but he can adequetly catch the ball and get on base at a really nice rate. I also imagine he could be had for in a trade very easily. If given ample playing time I see no reason why he couldn't help out a team and be a successful leadoff hitter. People applauded the Angels for getting Abreu and realizing the value of OBP, but they have Willits just sitting there, a mini OBP machine as a 5th outfielder. I think it's only a matter of time before a team picks him up on the cheap, it's just too bad for Billy Beane that Oakland is in the same division as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
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