How about making a move for Joel Guzman. He is a minor league free agent and he can play 3rd and was a SS for a while. He has a lot of POP in his bat and maybe Tejada could show him some pointers.

with more versatility than Everett would be nice, and I don’t just mean a guy that will play other positions. You’d like somebody that you can at least run out from time to time and give you a productive at-bat off the bench. I’d prefer to sacrifice a little bit of defense like you do with a guy like Loretta to get a guy (like Loretta) that you can count on from time to time to get you a pinch hit.

and I’m not going to go out looking for one either through FA. I’d rather have a guy who can play multle positions as my back up, not a guy like Everett who is a SS only.

Throw Blum in there… it’s not going to be that many games(assuming Tejada doesn’t get hurt)…

Blum played 3-4 games there last season and didn’t make an error.. yea, I realize his range isn’t all that fantastic, but it’s going to be in a limited role and we can deal with it…

First of all, I have no doubt that Everett can back up 2d base, too, if needed. Generally, a good shortstop can play 2d base, though not the other way around. David Eckstein didn’t have any difficulty playing 2d base from time to time, last year, even though he had always been a shortstop. (Eckstein is another back up possibility, but I think he may be too expensive, i.e., similar price range to Loretta.)

Second, I’m not excited about Lopez playing very much shortstop. When the Cardinals traded for him last year, they ended up using him at 2d base and outfield. He is a poor defensive shortstop.

Third, I don’t know much about Joel Guzman. Is he a Rule 5 possibility? I don’t know his status with Tampa Bay. He isn’t on the 40 man roster, but is he still under their control? He is young and his stats aren’t bad. But if you have to trade for him, I don’t see it happening. I mean, what would the Astros have to give up for him. It’s good to see someone with an interesting idea, though.

Fourth, my initial reaction to the idea of using Sutton was negative because he is primarily a 2d baseman. But I noticed that he has played a few games at shortstop in the Arizona Fall League. I am skeptical that his defense is good enough to be a back up for shortstop, but then again, I haven’t seen him play shortstop. So, maybe, it isn’t out of the question.

Fifth, yes, Blum could be the back up for shortstop. But I think that only works if Tejada doesn’t get many days off. Cooper has said that he plans to give Tejada more rest next year.

He was playing 3B for the Lara Cardinals in Venezuela but took over at SS as Alcides Escobar hasn’t been hitting.

I don’t know how well that league compares but he is hitting pretty well there and seems to be a bit of celebrity.

Can you overcome seeing him in a Cardinals uni?

We would not have to trade for Guzman he is a minor league free agent. So I think we can just make an offer for him. Here is some interesting stats on Guzman.

Prospect Rankings*
2002 – 3rd ranked organizational prospect for Los Angeles Dodgers
2003 – 9th ranked organizational prospect for Los Angeles Dodgers
2005 – 5th ranked Major League prospect
2005 – 1st ranked organizational prospect for Los Angeles Dodgers
2006 – 26th ranked Major League prospect
2006 – 3rd ranked organizational prospect for Los Angeles Dodgers
2007 – 10th ranked organizational prospect for Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Here is a link on his stats last year in Durham. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/statistics/2008/10186.shtml
 He is 23 and hit 20 HR last year for them!!