Stupid
Desperate
Shows either a lack of real plan with Kinsler, Andrus & Profar or a concession of a failed plan to receive the return they'd counted on from trading one of them.

Why is it so stupid? There's another thread on why this may not be a bad idea, even if it's not the best possibility.

Unless Kinsler can hit 30 HR's you are giving up a lot of offensive power production at 1B. It ok Josh left and his numbers can be replaced with improved power at 1B and DH. Part of the failed plan is giving up on Moreland unless they can get some value back in a trade. Will have traded Smoak, Davis and Moreland then to have a good 2B become a converted below average 1B. Keep Kinsler at 2B and trade 1 of the 3. If Moreland isn't the answer at 1B sign LaRoche since you missed out on Fielder last year.

I agree that this is a terrible idea. Kinsler's career wRC+ is 112. Avg. wRC+ for a 2B is 88. So Kinsler is a great hitting 2B with a good glove. Avg. wRC+ for 1B is 107. So Kinsler is a slightly above avg. hitting 1B and you lose much of the benefit of his defense.

This is why keeping Elvis Andrus was such a bad idea.

Kinsler has hit 30 HRs twice. He could do it again, especially if he returns to the heart of the lineup.

Comparing Ian to the ideal 1B (something like Pujols) is easy, but I don't think it's the best idea. Consider who we could have at 1B next year. If we don't get LaRoche or Swisher, then we have to ask ourselves if we're better off with Moreland at 1B and Ian at 2B, or with Ian at 1B and Profar at 2B. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, mostly because we don't know how Profar will do yet.

I think this will depend on whether Wash will use Moreland in a platoon role or every day.

I hear you Andy, I know Ian is capable of 30HR. I just feel this is a desperate flawed move. They need to move 1 of the 3 and sign a big LH bat 1B. They shouldn't have signed Kinsler to his extension if they didn't have a better plan on how to utilize their pieces.

I'd be okay with that if you gave me a good such piece. LaRoche might qualify, but I see nothing to the effect that we're in on him more than just a cursory check-in, like everyone is. Swisher we 've heard a little more about, and I would love him there too.

But for some reason, I have this feeling we will sit by idly while those guys go elsewhere. If we make any effort to sign them, it won't be anywhere near what they're looking for. I'd love to be proven wrong.

I realize we may have no choice now, but what about Moreland and Olt and the youth movement? It seems we have a case of too many of the wrong pieces at the wrong time... I say we trade some of the big contracts and admit we are rebuilding..

Kinsler to right field, Cruz to DH. Moreland/Olt platoon at first. Moreland is an above average fielding first baseman,

Kinsler's career wRC+ is 112. That would have been 10th among qualifying AL 1B last season.

Kinsler's career 2nd best wRC+ is 122. That would have been 6th in the AL last season, and clearly on the 3rd tier.

And you're paying about $15m a year for that production. That's a really bad contract for performance.

By contrast, in a way-down year in 2012 with a wRC+ of 99, he was 6th in the AL at 2B. His 112 career average would have been 4th, a point behind Pedroia for 3rd. That's the kind of production you pay $15m/yr for.

Ric's idea is better than Kinsler to 1B. Cruz, at least, is a liability in the OF. A Moreland/Olt combo is pretty good defensively at 1B, and thus there isn't much value added by putting Kinsler there in the field.

I agree, Kinsler to RF and Cruz to DH is likely better than Kinsler to 1B - if he can play OF. I'd like to think he can - plenty of MIFs make that transition successfully - but I'm not sure. I would definitely love to see Cruz in the field less. With Josh not coming back, we have the chance to have a good defensive outfield again.

I also think Ian could be used like Zobrist - at lots of positions. But that doesn't really seem like a Wash thing to do. But I would like to see him hitting down in the heart of the order, where he can use his power more. Let someone else lead off.

That's an amusing idea, though...the idea of Kinsler playing 1B and leading off? When was the last time you saw a 1B leading off?

I don't think league averages are all that important when you have a set roster and you're looking to maximize performance. So Ian Kinsler shouldn't be measured against the league-average 1B but against other options we have available (Moreland/Olt, Laroche?, et al). I don't particularly see a big advantage in Kinsler at 1B over Moreland, except that it adds some speed to your overall lineup. Kinsler in RF should be an advantage defensively over Cruz, but so would Gentry/Martin.

If you move Kinsler to 1B to make room for Profar, wouldn't dealing Moreland and a pitching prospect or two make some sense to fill more immediate needs (e.g., mid-rotation starter, catcher?)?

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=dallastexas-rangers&id=4894509

Some interesting stats in favor of moving Kinsler to 1st on espn/dallas.

Yeah, he makes some good points. I'm still not sure it's the absolute best idea, but I think it might work out. I wonder if it'll be full time or not (are they going to do something with Mitch?)

If Kinsler is as awful as MY was in 2012, then I imagine there will be some haters (and rightfully so).

Dave Cameron (of Fangraphs) had an interesting article re: Kinsler's move to 1B on ESPN. He was all for it.

What we're not taking into account is that if Kinsler were moved to first, he could put on some more weight and add some power to his bat. The added weight wouldn't hurt his defense because he doesn't need the same agility at first as he does at second. If you tell him today that he's moving to first full-time (with DH games against some righties to get Moreland in the lineup), maybe he'll be in shape to hit just under 40 homers by the time the season starts.

Kinsler's ankle is worse than the club or IAN wants to admit or tell us. Think about it.

Kinsler may prove an excellent defensive first baseman. Range can separate an adequate defensive first baseman from an excellent first baseman. Kinsler would have the range. LaRoche or Swisher would: cost a draft choice, demand at minimum a three year commitment. LaRoche is headed back to Washington, else some team would have already stepped in and offered a 3/$40+ deal and Swisher may not be an upgrade over Moreland. However, Kinsler should stay at second and Profar should be given an opportunity to play RF, moving an infielder who has defense to the outfield is not unprecedented. Remember, Profar was a Pitcher who wanted to play everyday.. Even with Frisco in 2012, Jurickson played second and third in games that year. Right field may prove easier for him to play than putting Kinsler there. For first I still like a trade for Morneau, may even be the easiest scenario to pull off.

Kinsler loses value at 1b just like Napoli loses value at 1b. They are solid cause they hit at hard positions. Play them at 1b and you might as well trade them and get what they are worth at their true position as opposed to getting diminished value from them at 1b. It may be an upg over mm but still not what you could potentially get by trade. That said nap may not have the ability to C. Not the case with kins at a thin 2b market

Solution to me is kins and andrus at mif profar in aaa. At asb trade profar if we are in it, trade andrus if we arent

"What we're not taking into account is that if Kinsler were moved to first, he could put on some more weight and add some power to his bat."

Is it possible for a 30 yr. old player of Kinsler's build to suddenly bulk up without using PEDs? Admittedly, I'm not an strength training expert. But it sounds pretty difficult.

As it stands right now, Kinsler's best fit seems like LF, not 1B. His bat profiles much better out there than it does at First. I think a platoon of OLT and Moreland at First, with Murphy and Cruz switching between RF and DH.
But this is where things stand right now, but I think there is at least one more move to he made to the position side of things before spring training.

Kinsler's best fit is and always has been 2nd base.