Baltimore Orioles: Thoughts on Manny Machado at shortstop

At the Baltimore Orioles FanFest, manager Buck Showalter made an announcement that fans have been wanting to know.

He wasn’t able to introduce any newly signed free agents to Baltimore Orioles fans, but he was able to share the news that Manny Machado will be the team’s shortstop in 2018.

In order to make this happen, Tim Beckham will be moved to third base.

The news was shared by a bunch of media outlets:

According to The Baltimore Sun, Tim Beckham is enthusiastic about the move. He was told Friday that the decision was made. This will be a change for Beckham who has only played 52 innings at third base when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. While his range in those 52 innings wasn’t anything to write home about, he did have 1.000 fielding percentage.

It is safe to expect that Beckham will have some adjustments to make at the hot corner. But, this shouldn’t be much of a change for Machado. He played 433 innings of shortstop during 2015 and 2016. During those innings, he recorded an above-average range, but his fielding percentage wasn’t the best. With regular reps at short, Machado could potentially earn a Gold Glove at his new position.

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It’s rather kind of Showalter to make the decision to move Machado in what could be his final season with the team. A Platinum Glove Machado at third base will be an attractive option for teams who need a power-hitting infielder. But, the possibility of an award-winning third baseman AND shortstop could send Machado’s asking price even higher.

Although, if this offseason is any sign of baseball’s direction, Machado and the 2019 free agency class might not get what they are expecting. Yes, Machado will get paid, but it might not be in the range that many are speculating he will receive. Being able to play two positions with elite ability will certainly put him out of the Orioles reach for 2019.

Moving Machado to shortstop could be a brilliant move for the Orioles. Machado’s value could increase exponentially at the trade deadline in July. If a team needs him at that time, the Orioles haul of prospects could be unprecedented.

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Despite the fact that the starting rotation still needs warm bodies that can pitch, the FanFest announcement gave fans something to look forward to. One thing is certain, Machado at shortstop will provide acrobatic entertainment for fans like me who are more than ready for baseball to begin.