San Francisco signing Miguel Tejada to a one-year, $6.5 million deal and handing him the starting shortstop job at age 37 was a bad idea at the time, as they focused on his veteran-ness rather than his declining offense and lack of range.
By the middle of spring training the beat reporters covering the team were talking openly about how unimpressive Tejada looked, by late April the Giants had switched him from shortstop to third base, and now Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports that they may be ready to simply release the former MVP.
Pablo Sandoval is close to coming off the disabled list, creating an infield logjam and forcing a roster move, and Baggarly writes that “there doesn’t appear to be much use for Tejada” with rookie Brandon Crawford playing well.
Tejada ranks dead last among NL hitters with a .515 OPS and his defense, even at third base, has been ugly. Asked about his job security, Tejada replied: “There’s four months left. I’m not going to let these first two months get in my head.”