Duquette: "We will have more than enough offense"

[Malike]

What type of player do you think would have value with sporadic at-bats then? Do you have any reason to think that Knott wouldn't be of any value or just a hunch?

There are some guys who are bench players, guys who are used to that role, do not require the 600 AB's a year to jump off the bench and hit the ball. Now, again, I'm not saying that Knott has no value he is being over valued IMO because he has always gotten a ton of AB's. Well unless you count his last stint in the ML with the Pad's where he was horrible for 60AB's or so off the bench.

[Malike]

There is absolutely no reason to think Knott will not be able to play part time to hit lefties.

Well, we are always going to disagree on this point. Honestly, I would MUCH rather see him play full time in LF then come off the bench. I think his value to the team in that role would be much better.

[El Gordo]

They want two future stars, one being a pitcher. Hayden Penn and Chris Ray fit that profile quite nicely. We could send them Liz if they didn't want Penn.

Where did you hear that? My impression was they were asking one of Bedard Loewn or Dcab plus a prospect.

[square634]

There are some guys who are bench players, guys who are used to that role, do not require the 600 AB's a year to jump off the bench and hit the ball.

I think Knott could get used to it real fast. Anyway, even if there is a type of player that cannot play off the bench, how do we know if Knott is that guy if never give him a chance? Also, if Knott were used correctly he'd be getting an at-bat almost every day, either starting against LHP or pinch-hitting late. And if you don't like Knott in particular, then play Dubois or House or (if we had kept him) Phelps. We will have to agree to disagree.

[Sports Guy]

Well, we are always going to disagree on this point. Honestly, I would MUCH rather see him play full time in LF then come off the bench. I think his value to the team in that role would be much better.

You have zero evidence to support this unless you are actually going to put alot of weight on 60 abs for SD and if you are, what about the abs he just had in ST, where he posted a 870 OPS in sporadic playing time.

Yea yea, i know, he is a human being and has always started, so he will be pissed, sulk and never be effective...Blah blah blah.

[Malike]

They want two future stars, one being a pitcher. Hayden Penn and Chris Ray fit that profile quite nicely. Ray could be their closer now and Penn could be a future #2 for them. We could send them Liz if they didn't want Penn.

Hell, I'd do that deal in a minute if thats all they wanted. We'd likely come out on top in that deal if Baldelli stays healthy.

[JTrea81]

Where did you hear that? My impression was they were asking one of Bedard Loewn or Dcab plus a prospect.

Tampa Bay has been telling clubs it has no interest in trading Carl Crawford. But while Baldelli is still, theoretically, available, the price tag has made it a moot point. Teams that asked about him report the Rays want two future stars back, at least one of which has to be a pitcher. So we don't see any moving vans in his future.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2007/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2784998

If their bullpen keeps getting bombed, they might reconsider and lower their price somewhat, though the Orioles can quite easily meet their demand. TB ownership has also questioned the fact why the FO didn't trade for pitching, so they may push for a deal.

[Malike]

I think Knott could get used to it real fast. Anyway, even if there is a type of player that cannot play off the bench, how do we know if Knott is that guy if never give him a chance? Also, if Knott were used correctly he'd be getting an at-bat almost every day, either starting against LHP or pinch-hitting late. And if you don't like Knott in particular, then play Dubois or House or (if we had kept him) Phelps. We will have to agree to disagree.

I do agree, I'd like to have someone other then Bynum on the bench, I am not adverse like I said about Knott making the team. I question how effective he would be, who knows right? He's never been in the position before he may fail, he may succeed, I've said this before. I realize I am in the minority because I dont have his awesome MiL numbers memorized, and believe he is the second coming of the savior but, as far as I'm concerned the jury is out.

Again, I am not against giving him a shot, but asking someone to look at the other side of the equation here brings up the same old bandwagon rhetoric.

[Leitch]

Well unless you count his last stint in the ML with the Pad's where he was horrible for 60AB's or so off the bench.

Jon Knott has had a total of eighteen plate appearances over his entire career.

[Malike]

Jon Knott has had a total of eighteen plate appearances over his entire career.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Sports Guy]

Thank you

It amazes me how frequently guys are behind the need for defense in theory, but discard it entirely when it comes time to actually write down names in a line up. Just because we can't quantify how much really poor range in the OF would cost us doesn't mean it isn't a large number. Every time an inning continues because a ball that should have been caught wasn't, the rest of the inning was preventable. Since balls that aren't reached are hits, not errors, all of these runs created from that "hit" and anything that follows in the inning as a result of the extra out that was magically granted go down as earned, but they are very preventable.

It also amazes me how you are treating Bynum as if he is a good defensive OFer and when i mean good, you are acting as if he is a plus plus defender and that negates his bat and that is totally false.

[Frobby]

There is absolutely no reason to think Knott will not be able to play part time to hit lefties.

There is reason to wonder whether he could do it or not. Any player will tell you that the ability to play irregularly and still be able to hit well is a skill that not all players have. Maybe Knott could, maybe he couldn't.

[Sports Guy]

Assuming that he will be able to do it isn't particularly smart either. The only way to determine if he can do it is to try him in the role. You must admit that this will be a totally new role for him to fill at a totally new playing level. The possibility that it won't work is not nearly as remote as you're making it sound.

Thanks Sammy Perlozzo.

[Sports Guy]

No, I'm not. Please provide me with the quotes where I did that. I think Bynum is much better than Gibbons, Huff, or Millar in the OF, but that ain't saying a lot. All of these guys are below average. Bynum definitely has well above average range in the outfield. I watched him this spring and that is not up for discussion. I also saw some concentration issues, but I saw those on the basepaths and in the infield. He played a very good outfield while I was watching. Overall, I would think Bynum is a bit better than average in the outfield.

Well, Davearm watched him all last year and said his lack of hustle and his lapses frustrated fans.

A bit better is not good enough to justify him being here over Knott(same with Dubois but he is hurt right now).

[Sports Guy]

There is reason to wonder whether he could do it or not. Any player will tell you that the ability to play irregularly and still be able to hit well is a skill that not all players have. Maybe Knott could, maybe he couldn't.

Ok, fine..Let's just stay with this bench. We can have another year where our bench is awful we can't get a pinch hit and can't hit lefties.

That is a much better plan.