Shortstop Adam Everett is the Stros’ best defensive player and a truly elegant fielder. As a result, Chronicle Stros beat writer Brian McTaggert attempts to rationalize Everett’s horrible hitting:

Set to make his fourth consecutive opening-day start and fifth overall at shortstop, Everett hit .239 last year but posted career highs in RBIs (59), doubles (28), triples (six) and walks (34). [. . .]
Twenty points higher for Everett last year would simply have meant 10 additional hits sprinkled over six months. The thin line between perceived success and failure is why it hasn’t been uncommon to see Everett spend a few additional minutes in the batting cages this spring.

Talk about rose-colored glasses. Everett is one of the worst hitting regular players in Stros history, just behind the worst hitter, teammate Brad Ausmus. To give you an idea of how bad a hitter Everett is, he set the Stros single season record for worst on base average versus the league average in 2006, the 2nd consecutive year he’s done that:

Baseball Prospectus estimates that Everett saved the Stros 20 more runs last season with his defensive prowess than an average National League fielder would have saved for his team. Given that Everett’s runs created against average was a -31, that means that Everett cost the Stros at least 11 runs from what an average National League hitter at his position would have generated for the Stros.
With an immobile Biggio at second and an iffy outfield defense, the Stros can ill-afford give up Everett’s glove in the everyday lineup. But make no mistake about it, his hitting is very bad and remains one of the big problems for the ballclub.