Don’t sell Napoli short at first base

It’s unclear exactly who establishes conventional wisdom, but that person is often wrong. Case in point: Mike Napoli. The free agent who has drawn serious interest from the Red Sox is a perfect fit for the roster in many ways. He’s right-handed with a swing made for Fenway Park, as his Ruthian numbers against the Sox (15 homers in 38 games) attest. He has positional flexibility, with the ability to catch or play first base. And he’s considered solid in the clubhouse, which is clearly an area of emphasis for the front office this winter. But here’s where Napoli supposedly comes up lacking – according to conventional wisdom, his production merits a big contract if he’s catching, but he falls to the middle of the pack when his numbers are ranked against those of other first basemen. Sounds good in theory, and on one level, of course, that’s the case.