Is it time yet for another crappy middle infielder? I think so. I give you Jose Nieves.
He’s like Jose Valentin. Only with no power, a worse mustache, and similarly bad defensive ability.
Jose Nieves was one of those “no stick, great glove” guys, only he forgot about the “great glove” part. In fact, he pretty much forgot a glove entirely. Seriously. In 1999, Nieves committed 16 errors at shortstop in only 52 games. That is outstandingly bad. That is “just grow a tree out at short and hope the ball runs into it” bad. That’s, well, Jose Valentin bad. It probably doesn’t help Nieves’s “Bottom 126″ case that he looks and plays defense like Valentin, one of my least favorite human beings of all time. Or perhaps it does?
Low Point: Hey, Jose. Word of advice. When Daniel Garibay goes 7 innings, strikes out 6 Colorado Rockies, and only gives up 1 earned run, that’s a game you need to win. Going 0-3 with 3 strikeouts doesn’t do anyone any good, which is what Nieves did on August 1, 2000.
Did You Know? Nieves once slew a Giant. It was the highlight of his career.
