It's 1918 in the bizarro-world and the Red Sox's Ed Barrow ignores Harry Hooper's advice and keeps pitching star Babe Ruth in the rotation full-time. He decides the Babe's arm is far too valuable as a hurler in baseball's dead-ball era (3-0 in 1916 WS) to risk injury by platooning Ruth in the outfield on off days.
In reality, history is full of athletes who were re-positioned and found their niche.
Kevin McHale (a starter on most teams) is made sixth-man by Coach Casey Jones (for a time) to come off the bench and give the team a needed spark. The Houston Astros move rookie catcher Craig Biggio to 2nd base in 1989 enroute to 3000+ hits.
Where a coach puts a player can make or break a career. It can keep a team mediocre or turn it into a champion.
Sometimes necessity is the (father) of invention: the Card's Rick Ankiel switches to the outfield after developing arm trouble.
Sometimes the move is a risk: Joba Chamberlain. But such is the burden of leadership.
Moving Alfonso Soriano out of the Cub lead-off spot? I wouldn't call it a risk. I'd call it necessity. Alfonso has little patience and no command of the strike zone. If the lead-off man must accomplish one thing it's to get on base: set the table and score runs.
When Michael Vick is re-admitted to the NFL he'd be wise to swallow his pride and give up the quarterback thing. He's always been more suited to WR or tailback. If a strong arm and a tendency to ???rabbit' made a good QB, scouts would hanging-out at the Punt Pass & Kick. Maybe a talk with Brian Westbrook or Reggie Bush would help.
And then there's Devin Hester. He's a talented guy who'll catch his share of passes and TDs. But my advice to Lovie Smith: if it works, don't fix it.
Steven Keys
Kayla Oberg
Daniela Hantuchova
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