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BP Annual Player Comments

Year		Comment
2004		It might be a point of pride that he isn't going to let his potentially crippling neck injury end his career, and with $4 million still coming his way in 2004, he's gamely talking up his chances of claiming the job at second base. It might be mean-spirited to mention, but he was in decline before he signed with the Tribe, and his defensive shortcomings should be the last thing they want to inflict on a young staff.
2003		Ricky Gutierrez would have been a decent stopgap, but at three years and $11.5 million, he was a bad deal. Ricky didn’t have that awful of a year when he could play, but then he had to have surgery to fuse three vertebrae in his neck in October. At press time, he’s finishing up his time in a brace before attempting an aggressive three-month rehab to be ready for spring training. There’s talk they may play him at third to replace Fryman, where he should be a marginal upgrade, as long as they’re trying to maximize the value of the players they’re committed to.
2002		Gutierrez is a useful player, especially in the league that has Rich Aurilia and a bunch of other guys at shortstop. His basic value is as a stopgap. He’s not a good defensive shortstop, but he can play the position, and he can be a valuable hitter in the #2 slot, and obviously not just because of his ability to drop a bunt. The Indians picked him up to replace Roberto Alomar at second base. It could work for one year, but by the time Gutierrez's three-year deal is up, he should be done as a regular.
2001		Dislocating his shoulder when he fell down with a strained hamstring cost him a month of the best season of his career. Ricky Gutierrez has some pretty severe defensive limitations. Like Jeff Blauser before him, he’s not going to give you that great stop in the hole, and he isn’t a wiz on the deuce. He is going to give you a solid offensive contribution; if the Cubs had a good lineup core, he’d be a quality support player.
2000		His absence from the lineup due to assorted injuries throughout all of May and most of July might have been to his advantage, reminding the Astros of how ill-prepared they are for his departure as he enters free agency. He didn’t help his cause with a grand total of three extra-base hits after the All-Star break. While the Astros would like to have him back, I wouldn’t expect them to shed any tears if he walks. Julio Lugo is just as good, and in any industry, you don’t stay in business by paying 10 times more for labor than you have to.
1999		Provides at short what Ausmus and Eusebio provided at catcher: a marginal hitter who made up what he lacks in offensive ability with consistency and reliability, preventing a revolving door from forming at the position. He might be just keeping the position warm for Julio Lugo, but he’s an adequate short-term solution and miles better than alternatives like Tim Bogar.
1998		After the Astros came to their senses and cut loose Pat Listach, Ricky Gutierrez probably symbolized the way Dierker ran his lineups: everyone got to play, there was no talk about one player winning the job, and everyone talked about picking each other up. If managing is about keeping the players who hate the manager away from the players who haven’t made up their minds, then getting everyone in is probably the best way to do it.
1997		One of the better utility infielders in baseball. Gutierrez can play second, short and in a pinch, third. He’s a decent hitter with some discipline and runs well enough to pinch-run. His complete lack of power keeps him on the bench, but he’s not that much worse than Miller overall. I expect him to start for someone again, maybe as soon as this year.
1996		Any shortstop who can start at the age of 23 must have some talent, but unfortunately, that talent for Gutierrez largely consists of being able to hit .280, and with not even a good defensive reputation to save his job, he's now a 25-year-old backup. Could get another shot if Miller falters.

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