Question about the Bench Depth

[pastorfan]

Was this the weakest bench of any playoff team last year? If so, how do we fix it.

                  BA  OBP   SLG     OPS      RBI

Flaherty: .217  .291     .318     .610     15

Reimold: .222 .300     .365     .664       15

Joseph:   .174 .216     .197     .413       0

[Aristotelian]

Joseph will bounce back...or, if he doesn't, he should be on a short leash with Pena being option 2 and Sisco being option 3.

Flaherty is what he is...Best way to fix him is hope for Manny and Hardy to stay healthy and give him fewer ABs.

If Mancini stays on the roster, he places Reimold and will probably give us better offense. If not Mancini, we may be looking at Dariel Alvarez, who will probably be just as bad offensively but maybe a bit better defensively.

[pastorfan]

3 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Joseph will bounce back...or, if he doesn't, he should be on a short leash with Pena being option 2 and Sisco being option 3.

Flaherty is what he is...Best way to fix him is hope for Manny and Hardy to stay healthy and give him fewer ABs.

If Mancini stays on the roster, he places Reimold and will probably give us better offense. If not Mancini, we may be looking at Dariel Alvarez, who will probably be just as bad offensively but maybe a bit better defensively.

Solid points. I just think that numbers wise we may have had the weakest bench in the league. Not one of those guys provided speed on the bases, either. I like flash, but isn't there anyone who could provide us with more? I love Joseph and all but guarantee he has more RBI this year!

[jamalshw]

What will we do to fix it? Nothing save for an upgrade over Reimold (be that Mancini or someone else). A more experienced Rickard could help, too, depending on how he does in a full season likely getting starts in all games against LHP. 

What should we do? All of that depends on money, but somethings I would consider:

1. Sign Chris Coghlan to replace Flaherty on the roster. Coghlan can play 2B and 3B (as well as OF). It's a step back defensively, but it's more useful bench bat. You can then move Machado to SS with an injury to Hardy and Trumbo to 1B with an injury to Davis. 

2. Sign Matt Wieters. I know this is too pricey and potentially provides a number of additional complications, but if his price continues to fall and he looks for a pillow deal, he could split time at C with Castillo against RHP and the two could play C and DH against LHP while also saving a roster spot as the need for a conventional back-up catcher goes away. This, of course, is contingent on the idea that the team would be okay to lose the DH if one got injured in game and contingent on a viable backup at Triple-A in the case of an injury. This is a HUGE long shot and i don't know I do it regardless of how far the price drops, but it's something I'd consider. 

[El Gordo]

Too bad we couldn't get a guy like Brock Holt.