With the free agent period set to being very soon, Portland won't necessarily need to look for a shortstop entering the 2059 season. Damek Korbel has picked up his 1 year, $10.6 million player option to stay in Portland and play for the Lumberjacks in 2059. But then again, perhaps Portland still needs a shortstop.
Korbel started the 2058 season on fire. And that might be an insult to fire. Korbel's first 42 games last season saw him hit .340 with an .891 OPS and him posting a 2.0 WAR. The problem is, he only played in 42 games. Some back issues sidelined Korbel early in the season and then a torn groin derailed the rest of Korbel's 2058 campaign. The injury that was originally diagnosed as just needing a 6 week healing time, cost Korbel 3 months of game action and missing the final months of the season.
The changing of the calendar has also not treated Korbel fondly. Despite still showing a good glove at the position, Korbel's bat seems to have dropped off drastically this off-season. The decline makes that $10.6 million price tag look like a bad deal for the Lumberjacks. To add salt to the wound, it's also a price tag that will likely hinder the team's options at adding another middle infielder who can play SS effectively. And with Korbel's proneness to injury amplified by last season's woes and him now turning 39, Portland will likely need another decent option on the roster.
In 2058, the club continued to trot out Cernunnos Haberknuckle to play the spot and he ended the season with a -1.5 WAR. Desperation led the team to call up veteran Dusty Crouch who only managed to lose -1.0 WAR. So in the end, despite having a SS post a 2.0 WAR in 42 games played, Portland still finished the 2058 season with a negative WAR at the position.
With very few options for 2059, Portland would likely love to see a neutral WAR at the postion in 2059. Either way, it'll be an expensive neutral if they can achieve it.
