2012 in Review: Travis Hafner

Bat: Left Throws: Right (ha!)

2012 Age: 35

2012 bWAR: 0.7

2012 fWAR: 0.6

2012 Salary: $13,000,000

2013 Contract Status: $13M team option (or $2.75M buyout)

Travis Hafner’s 2012 season was right in line with what Indians fans have surely come to expect from him. He hit for power, enough to lead to team in HR/AB and place second in slugging percentage, and he drew walks at the third highest rate on the team. His rate stats were lower in 2012 than in recent seasons, but some of that must be attributed to the lowest BABIP of his career, a .233 figure that is dramatically below his career number of .313.

Hafner was probably a bit unlucky in 2012, in terms of line drives being hit right at defenders and such, his BB% was actually its highest since 2007, while his K% was its second lowest since then. His isolated power was its highest since his 2006 season, when I’d argue he was the best hitter in the American League. At the age of 35, Hafner was about as good as he’s been at any point since that incredible year.

Hafner was about league average for a DH, his OPS+ and RC+ both ranked 6th among the 11 players who got at least 200 PA while playing mostly DH in 2012.* He wasn't in the same category as David Ortiz or Billy Butler, but he was better than Adam Dunn (maybe the worst 40 HR season ever) or postseason hero Delmon Young. Over 162 games, production at Hafner's 2012 level still wouldn't be worth the $13 million he was paid, but it wouldn't be a shame either.

* What OPS+ does for OPS, adjusting it for park factors and the run scoring environment of a particular season, RC+ does for wOBA, which is basically a superior version of OPS, because it more properly weighs the various components.

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Of course, the issue with Hafner isn't so much the quality, it’s the quantity. All total, Hafner appeared in just 66 games and had just 263 PA. Each of those is the second-lowest figure in all his years with the Tribe and it's now been five years since he played enough to be thought of as a full-time player. For a player at another position, you might suggest be be moved into a part-time role, given more time to rest, etc. But all Hafner has been asked to do is bat four times a night, and still, he cannot remain healthy. I don't think there's any reason to believe that will change as he moves into his late thirties.

Hafner got off to a torrid start this year, putting up a slash line of .327/.484/.531 over the season’s first three weeks. He cooled a bit after that, but was still sitting on an OPS of .819 at the end of play on May 23rd. That night Hafner hit a game-tying home run off Detroit’s Doug Fister, but he later left the game for a pinch runner. It turned out he needed knee surgery.

Hafner missed the next six weeks. He returned on July 4th, but was out of the lineup again by early August and played in just six games over the season’s final two months, his production dipping further and further as he attempted to play through back pain when he could.

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On October 2nd, Hafner hit a two-run pinch hit home run in the 9th inning against the White Sox, tying the game, which the Tribe would go on to win. It was his 200th home run as an Indian, making him only the eighth player in franchise history with so many. It may also have been the last hit he ever collects with the team.

Year	Age	Tm	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2002	25	TEX	23	70	62	6	15	4	1	1	6	0	1	8	15	.242	.329	.387	.716	86
2003	26	CLE	91	324	291	35	74	19	3	14	40	2	1	22	81	.254	.327	.485	.812	115
2004	27	CLE	140	576	482	96	150	41	3	28	109	3	2	68	111	.311	.410	.583	.993	162
2005	28	CLE	137	578	486	94	148	42	0	33	108	0	0	79	123	.305	.408	.595	1.003	168
2006	29	CLE	129	564	454	100	140	31	1	42	117	0	0	100	111	.308	.439	.659	1.097	181
2007	30	CLE	152	661	545	80	145	25	2	24	100	1	1	102	115	.266	.385	.451	.837	120
2008	31	CLE	57	234	198	21	39	10	0	5	24	1	1	27	55	.197	.305	.323	.628	69
2009	32	CLE	94	383	338	46	92	19	0	16	49	0	0	41	67	.272	.355	.470	.826	120
2010	33	CLE	118	462	396	46	110	29	0	13	50	2	1	51	94	.278	.374	.449	.824	130
2011	34	CLE	94	368	325	41	91	16	0	13	57	0	0	36	78	.280	.361	.449	.811	128
2012	35	CLE	66	263	219	23	50	6	2	12	34	0	0	32	47	.228	.346	.438	.784	121
11 Yrs			1101	4483	3796	588	1054	242	12	201	694	9	7	566	897	.278	.381	.507	.888	137
162 Game Avg.			162	660	559	87	155	36	2	30	102	1	1	83	132	.278	.381	.507	.888	137

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Place in the Indians’ 2013 Plans: His team option will almost certainly NOT be picked up (we’ll know very soon). It’s possible he’ll be offered a smaller contract and invited to return, depending on how other off-season plans take shape.

What do YOU hope to see happen?