Youth Baseball Parks Blog

The Royals will try Mark Teahen at second base. He started as a third baseman and played the outfield in 2008. This is an unusual move because it’s to a tougher defensive position. At least the Royals are trying to think a bit outside the box here.

Joe Posnanski (in a post about Jeff Kent that’s well worth the read) likes the move:

And so, I have to admit, I’m kind of excited that the Royals are going to try Teahen at second base. I mean, hey, I don’t know how seriously they will try. And I don’t know if it can work. But I think this is precisely the sort of risk-reward thinking the Royals should be doing right about now. Teahen doesn’t really have a place on the Royals at the moment. He doesn’t fit in the outfield. The Royals are overloaded with first basemen. Alex Gordon needs to be at third base every day — he looks to me poised for a breakout season. And the Royals even have their super sub (hopefully) in Willie Ballgame, who plays seven positions, including all three outfield spots.

But second base — hey, why not, right? Teahen’s a good athlete. He has a good and accurate arm. He likes playing the infield. And — this is just my opinion — I’ve always felt like if the Royals would just give him a role and leave him alone and not expect him to be things he ain’t, he could really emerge as a good offensive player.

So far, the offense he’s generated in his career works better at second than at third or as a corner outfielder.

Source:One More Move