Ranking the NL East: Third Base
By Scott Bline
Sep 26, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Cody Asche (25) hits an RBI double during the sixth inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies defeated the Braves 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
#5 – Cody Asche
Asche will be 25 next year, so there are likely better seasons ahead for the Phillies third basemen than the one he had last year. In all fairness, it was his first full season in the Majors since a 50 game stretch in 2013. Overall, he hit okay. He batted .252/.309/.390 with 10 home runs. He struck out quite a bit, whiffing in 23.5% of his at-bats, but Philadelphia couldn’t have been surprised by that. His minor league numbers suggested as much. His low walk rate wasn’t exactly news either.
Honestly, my favorite part about Cody Asche is that his name makes me think of Kobayashi, which makes me think of The Usual Suspects.
Kobayashi’s Proposal
The Usual Suspects
— MOVIECLIPS.com
Since I love that movie, I’m willing to give Asche the benefit of the doubt and consider last season growing pains. He did swing the bat better in August and September as he gained distance from a hamstring strain that kept him out of action for 27 games from late May to June 20. From August 1st until the end of September, Asche hit .265/.329/.404 with three home runs.
The Phillies are rebuilding, and Asche is part of the team’s future. He’s cost controlled at least, which means he’ll be staying put as the Phillies try to further jettison more of those bloated contracts. Phillies fans can grumble each and every night as the minimum wage Asche outperforms their $25M dollar first baseman.
I’ll be sad when Howard’s extension is up . . . after 2017.
Next: Number Four?