Ron Washington's comments on Angels utility man could be great omen for top prospect

Angels fans are head-over-heels for Christian Moore, and will be clamoring for him to make the Opening Day roster even more than they currently are once they see him play in spring training games. The path is clear for Moore -- he needs to beat out Scott Kingery and Tim Anderson to make the team, plus he needs the Angels to opt for a third base platoon of Luis Rengifo and Yoán Moncada. Moore will play second base every day if he makes the big league team, as his development would get stunted if he turns into a part-time player (see: Jo Adell). It appears that Ron Washington might be in favor of that third base platoon for defensive purposes.

“Third base is a reaction type position,” Washington said. “In the middle, you got to do a little thinking, and you got to know exactly what's going on. And he [Rengifo] showed that when he has to just react, he's better.” According to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger, Washington also flat-out stated that he prefers Rengifo at third base.

Washington writes the Angels' lineups, but he will not make the decision as to whether Moore makes the Opening Day roster. However, the front office will be hard-pressed to find a more knowledgeable infield defense mind than their skipper. The preeminent expert on infield defense is on the record that Rengifo should be pushed to third base more than second. If Washington also deems Moore as ready to man second base every day, then how could they not push Moore to the big leagues out of spring training?

Furthermore, Rengifo will be taking centerfield reps during camp. Bollinger hinted that his outfield work could be due to Moore's presence as well. If Rengifo can perform well defensively in centerfield, then the Angels can pencil him into the lineup more often on days where Moncada plays third base. Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak are the favorites to platoon in centerfield, but the Angels are smartly weighing alternative options to bolster their productivity out there.

Plus, both Moncada and Rengifo have injury histories. Moncada is already dealing with soreness in camp. A third base platoon would optimize their abilities to stay healthy throughout the course of the season. While Rengifo has been a productive player when he's been on the field, he has not shown the level of durability that the team needs to bank on him as a full-time player.

Rengifo is on an expiring contract, and there have been no extension talks between the two sides. The Angels decided to go to an arbitration hearing over an $150,000 difference in salary filings with Rengifo, so an extension could easily not be in the cards. Washington saying he prefers Rengifo not thinking is a rather incriminating statement about his baseball IQ.

The Angels are going to prioritize a roster that maximizes health, and a Rengifo/Moncada platoon at third with Moore at second base accomplishes exactly that. Things seem to be lining up nicely in order for Moore to pair with Zach Neto as the team's double play duo up-the-middle for years to come.

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