It’s only spring training but …..

[ScGO's]

5 hours ago, wildcard said:

I agree with what you are saying about the young players.   These guys are going to go down.  Get playing time and be promoted during the season.  They should help the team.   Elias is going to have to figure out how to clear PT for them in the majors as the season go on.

Perez, Givens and Akin look good for the 7th  to Bautista.   Gillaspie may be helpful but we can't tell how much because he has mostly pitched vs the 2nd and 3rd team of the other team.   I think Hyde has to move him up over the last 10 games to see how he does.

Tate is scheduled to back in May.  Baumann and Bazardo look interesting. ST is not over.  Some pitchers can still step up.

 

I liked what I saw from Gillaspie last year; I feel like he offers a different look to batters. I think he's the sleeper in the pen this year

[Jim'sKid26]

53 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

If Adley gets hurt, does it really matter?

And yes, I would probably want Handley more because it would give him valuable experience.

 

To your first question: I guess it depends on the severity of the injury. As you know, catchers get dinged up. Wear and tear, etc...

To your second: That is a fair point but one could also see Handley getting his fair share of PT regardless of whether McCann is on the roster in that scenario. 

As you are well aware, I respect your opinion in most matters. I just don't share your opinion in this one.

 

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

To your first question: I guess it depends on the severity of the injury. As you know, catchers get dinged up. Wear and tear, etc...

To your second: That is a fair point but one could also see Handley getting his fair share of PT regardless of whether McCann is on the roster in that scenario. 

As you are well aware, I respect your opinion in most matters. I just don't share your opinion in this one.

 

I just don’t see the risk. You started off talking about risk. What exactly are they risking?

 

[Tony-OH]

55 minutes ago, oriolefan1035 said:

Having McCann doesn’t bother me. Adam Frazier blocking the young infielders is far more egregious IMO.

I believe I may agree with this whole heartily!

McCann will be fine. If he fails, Handley will still be in the system and able to replace him. I was ok with the move when it happened, and I'm not going to change that based off some spring training PAs for a veteran. 

As for Frazier, he has not looked very good either, but I don't expect him to be sub .500 OPS guy during the regular season either. But I 100% agree that he is blocking better players that are ready and is being paid $8 million to boot to do so. But we've beaten this horse.

 

[Jim'sKid26]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I just don’t see the risk. You started off talking about risk. What exactly are they risking?

 

Its mostly money, IMHO.

[Tony-OH]

49 minutes ago, ScGO's said:

 

I liked what I saw from Gillaspie last year; I feel like he offers a different look to batters. I think he's the sleeper in the pen this year

Gillaspie's issues are consistency from appearance to appearance. I've seen him come out and look great and then he doesn't have anything to miss a bat with and gets hit around. The fastball and slider combo can both be slightly above average, but he needs to be able to bring that to the field more times than not. He's an ok backup option as a middle reliever though.

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

Its mostly money, IMHO.

Money?  I don’t get what you mean?

[Jim'sKid26]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

Money?  I don’t get what you mean?

So the choice, as I see it, in the off season was whether to sign a veteran backup catcher or go with two young guys behind the plate. If you go with two young guys behind the plate your cost is minimal but you are banking on Adley's health and Maverick's ability to perform at the MLB level. If you sign a vet, you are spending money to get a somewhat known quantity in the back up role. You have expended financial assets to decrease your level of uncertainty. 

[interloper]

Yeah it's hard to understand the benefit of not putting the best players on the roster right away. Maybe they want to get the extra year from Westburg and that's ok, but then he needs to be up immediately after that. 

Unfortunately, it's hard to see them cutting bait on Frazier that quick. So I guess we'll just... play the worse player for a long period of time? I don't really get it. Frazier is good depth but for $8 million he's probably not going to sit on the bench.

Frustrating 

[interloper]

Kjerstad, I'm not sure I've seen a guy look as ML ready as he has in camp. It's going to be frustrating waiting for him because I think he's ready right now. Despite almost no minor league time. I think he's just one of those players who is instantly ML ready.

Edited March 19, 2023 by interloper

[Aristotelian]

5 minutes ago, interloper said:

Kjerstad, I'm not sure I've seen a guy look as ML ready as he has in camp. It's going to be frustrating waiting for him because I think he's ready right now. Despite almost no minor league time. I think he's just one of those players who is instantly ML ready.

His progress may be the most exciting story of the offseason. He should shoot up the rankings if he keeps this up in AA. Big question to me is defense. He clearly can hit and hit for big time power. Who would you rather have right now, Cowser or Kjerstad? 

[Ridgway22]

6 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

His progress may be the most exciting story of the offseason. He should shoot up the rankings if he keeps this up in AA. Big question to me is defense. He clearly can hit and hit for big time power. Who would you rather have right now, Cowser or Kjerstad? 

Both, please. 

Looking at the roster and getting a strong "San-tan-der is / should be the odd man out" vibe, depending on what we could get for him in a trade.

Hays, as a 4th outfielder / Merv Rettenmund '69-'71 type role, opens spots for both of them. McKenna is Norfolk filler waiting to be needed. e tu, Stowers? 

Man, it's nice to be talking about these "issues."

[interloper]

15 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

His progress may be the most exciting story of the offseason. He should shoot up the rankings if he keeps this up in AA. Big question to me is defense. He clearly can hit and hit for big time power. Who would you rather have right now, Cowser or Kjerstad? 

Give me Kjerstad. I just think he's going to be a true MOO All Star level power bat. 

[Cheetos]

You didn’t just pick up McCann as a backup bat or glove only. You picked him up because you have budding top gun catcher who has a strong desire to learn.    He doesn’t need and couldn’t learn from an up and coming hot shot Maverick.

[Can_of_corn]

2 hours ago, Number5 said:

Not sure how sitting in Baltimore would be better for Handley than playing in Norfolk.  McCann as our backup C seems fine to me.

I'm just worried they were telling the truth about him playing DH and first base.