Is there such a player?

[keystone]

Can you name a current MLB player who:

1) Bats lefty (or as a switch, hitter, mostly lefty)
2) Does not play first base
3) Is not a DH

AND:

Hits pretty consistently power and average?

I'm thinking Chase Utley is the only answer. What say you?

[Berkman#17]

Chipper Jones
Raul Ibanez
Milton Bradley
Josh Hamilton
Carlos Beltran

To name a few.

[gwynnfan]

A few more.

Abreu
McCann
Delgardo
Reyes
Sizemore
Markakis will be
Stephen Drew may be?

[keystone]

Some good choices, for sure. Delgado plays first, however, and I don't associate Reyes or Abreu with raw power (Ryan Howard power, at least).

I sure would live to see Markakis develop some power. His OBP is excellent. If Josh Hamilton doesn't fade in the 2nd half this year, he could be a real beast! Likewise, Chipper. And if Bradley can avoid injury and meltdown, he could rack up some amazing stats at Wrigley.

Interesting that there are several CFers on this list. Good to see that there are guys other than first basemen that can take a walk and mash, too. It seems like Sizemore should be batting lower in the order with his set of skills.

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

Victor Martinez
Josh Hamilton
Hideki Matsui
Jim Edmunds (although now he's older and declining)

[slugger33]

Curtis Granderson

[keystone]

I think of Martinez as mostly a DH. Is that right? And Granderson as a speed-guy, not so much of a slugger. I'm got too well-versed on the AL, so enlighten me...

[Buczilla]

What about Adam Dunn?

[rich]

The Nats signed Dunn to play first.

[Buczilla]

Doh, then I guess I fumbled that ball.

[Imgran]

JD Drew anybody?
Grady Sizemore certainly.
Johnny Damon still seems to have something left.
David DeJesus is a borderline candidate.
Brad Hawpe is pretty good

BTW -- Granderson is 5 tool if you look past the strikeouts. He's not just a speed burner.

You probably should just exclude outfielders from the discussion en masse.

[rich]

J Roll ? Not to diss the OF'ers but I agree with Imgran that the list really becomes exclusive when including positions 2 through 6 only.

[Berkman#17]

Given what it says under the OP's name, I'm wondering if this was a thread designed to bask in a certain 2nd baseman's glory.

[gwynnfan]

Some good choices, for sure. Delgado plays first, however, and I don't associate Reyes or Abreu with raw power (Ryan Howard power, at least).

I sure would live to see Markakis develop some power. His OBP is excellent. If Josh Hamilton doesn't fade in the 2nd half this year, he could be a real beast! Likewise, Chipper. And if Bradley can avoid injury and meltdown, he could rack up some amazing stats at Wrigley.

Interesting that there are several CFers on this list. Good to see that there are guys other than first basemen that can take a walk and mash, too. It seems like Sizemore should be batting lower in the order with his set of skills.

Oops on Delgardo. Howard does not hit for average. Reyes does not have raw power but he does have power. He is good for 65 XBHs. 35 2b, 15 3b, 15 HR hit .290 and he gets a bump for the 60 SB. That's like another 60 XBH's. Rollins is close and I almost included him but I think Reyes is still improving and is a slightly better hitter. McCann is another young one who has strong AVG & SLG #'s with low SO's. He might be someone to recon with for the next 10 years.

But Abreu, career .300 BA, .400 OBP, .500 SLG, 40 2b, 5 3b, 20+ HR, 100 RBI, 133 OPS+ also 100+ R, 30 SB. He can hit both LH and RH pitching, I am surprised he does not get more respect. What a deal Angels got with him. I am surprised their neighbors did not sign him instead of offering 4x's more for Manny.

[rich]

So what ? i don't think that was the case. Enjoy Michael Bourn. 'Ol Eddie Wade lives about 3 minutes from my crib (Wash Twp NJ). And don't forget to hold onto those
Mike Costanzo rookie cards.

[keystone]

gwynnfan -- I should have taken the time to look up Abreu's stats. He was originally with the Astros, so I kept an eye on him in the minors and followed him in Philly after the Astros (stupidly!) let him go. Once he went to the Yankees, I didn't follow him at all because it's against my religion. Yeah, he's still All That, for sure. Thank you for posting his numbers. The Angels really did get a deal when they got him.

No, it wasn't my idea to have a bow-down to Utley. He isn't even my favorite 2nd baseman. I was honestly just noticing how many of the LH sluggers play 1B or (naturally) DH. I confess that I didn't check out Abreu or Godzilla because my eyes glaze over when it comes to Yankees' stats. I was just looking for some other names, and y'all have given me some to prove that it's not just 1B which has all the glory.

If Stephen Drew develops some power, he'll be another in the line of the "New-Breed" shortstops. He sure ain't no Ozzie.

[Scoops]

No, it wasn't my idea to have a bow-down to Utley. He isn't even my favorite 2nd baseman. I was honestly just noticing how many of the LH sluggers play 1B or (naturally) DH.
That's really just a function of most people batting and throwing with the same hand. The lefties are only considered for four field positions, and combining hitting skill with the athleticism to run around the outfield is rarer still. Plus, first is the one position where throwing left handed is actually an advantage.

Guys like Utley, who hit very well from the left, throw from the right, and can field an infield position well, are a valuable commodity. The only way he could be more valuable player, arguably, would be as a switch hitter instead of a lefty.

EDIT: THT (http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/bats-left-throws-right-part-1/) has a series recent articles about "the backwards few". Guys who bat left and throw right, or bat right and throw left.

[AutographCollector]

Carlos Beltran.

Switch hitter who bats mostly lefty
Plays center
Hits for both power & average (and has speed to burn too)