Buck: Nellie will Play LF Against Lefties, At least

Said this in postgame comments while discussing Young still being in the DH mix. Ouch.

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2014/03/showalter-speaks-after-8-6-loss.html

That means Buck's intention is to platoon Lough, play Cruz in LF against LHP's and use Young/Pearce/Reimold as the DH against LHP's. Not the worst thing in the world if the RH part of the equation hits well. This certainly improves Delmon Young's chances of making the team as a DH only. He's hitting like he wants the job too. Interesting that Buck is tipping his hand so soon. Could Lough be in danger of losing his job entirely before he ever had it? I hope not.

Where does that leave Peguero?

I guess we shouldn't read too much into this. If Young tanks or opts out, we would still be assuming he'll see a lot of DH time. But still...

Buck does love his vets, huh?

I don't know. I think Buck should have kept quiet for now and let this play out.

Yeah, but it's not really reading into anything is it? He came right out and said Cruz will play LF against LHP's AT LEAST.

I guess. It just seems odd. If Young doesn't make the team, is Buck going to give LF to Cruz and have a better defender DH'ing? I assume Cruz < Reimold, Pearce, Lough, Peguero defensively, maybe even Urritia. I know his arm is good, but I've been getting the impression here he's just horrible defensively. Shows you what I know. I also thought Cruz = no more Young.

Seems really smart to bench a 2.5 WAR guy whose main value is his glove in favor of a 2.0 WAR guy whose main value is his bat.

I get the oddest feeling this is more about making Cruz happy then it is putting out the best team against LH pitching.

Odds are good that the difference in defense would more then make up the difference in offense between Lough and the DH.

Reimold, Pearce, Almanzar, Peguero, and Young are fighting for two spots on the 25 man roster. I have absolutely no sense of who's going to make it.

I thought you didn't believe Lough was really a 2.5 WAR guy with the glove?

I think we don't have enough information to say one way or another, although it will be harder to put up that number playing LF at OPACY then how he was used in KC last season.

I don't think the offensive difference between Lough and the other DH is going to be all that profound.

That and the idea of a Cruz/Jones/Markakis outfield brings back memories of 1987.

Seems really smart to bench a 2.5 WAR guy whose main value is his glove in favor of a 2.0 WAR guy whose main value is his bat.

I get the oddest feeling this is more about making Cruz happy then it is putting out the best team against LH pitching.

Odds are good that the difference in defense would more then make up the difference in offense between Lough and the DH.

Cruz certainly stands to make more next offseason if other teams think he's kind of, sort of, occasionally still an OFer and DH...and not just a DH. That might have been part of the calculus that was done in re: reaching an agreement on such a "cheap," one year deal.

Cruz certainly stands to make more next offseason if other teams think he's kind of, sort of, occasionally still an OFer and DH...and not just a DH. That might have been part of the calculus that was done in re: reaching an agreement on such a "cheap," one year deal.

The deal is only cheap in his mind.

O's didn't really get a bargain.

I think it is simply a matter of Buck favoring his vets. Cruz doesn't want to DH all the time, he talked to Buck...

If we take a leap and assume Cruz in LF at least against lefties and Young at DH at least against lefties, who plays against a righty? Cruz at DH, Lough in LF.

That leaves Clevenger, backup infielder, and one of Peguero, Reimold, Pearce, Urrutia? Wonder if Nolan starts out in extended ST and Peguero squeezes onto the roster.

Borderline butcher in LF ~30% of the time... "at least."

That's... nice.

Sounds like its Young/Pearce/Almanzar competing for the 25th roster spot. Right now Almanzar is losing.

Reimold is more and more headed for the DL IMO.

From what I saw today, Reimold will not be on the OD roster. Whether that means DL or DFA, I don't know.

Pretty sure Nolan's performance in this game is what triggered Buck's statement.

Yep, all the best decisions are made in the first week of spring training games.

I think we don't have enough information to say one way or another, although it will be harder to put up that number playing LF at OPACY then how he was used in KC last season.

I don't think the offensive difference between Lough and the other DH is going to be all that profound.

That and the idea of a Cruz/Jones/Markakis outfield brings back memories of 1987.

I don't like this idea at all by Buck. Not one bit. Don't like it.