Stowers, Vavra and McKenna

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, connja said:

I bet Krjstad has passed Stowers on the depth chart for power hitting OF.  

No doubt.  He’s definitely behind Cowser.  The only advantage he has over Kjerstad is that Stowers is already on the 40 and Kjerstad is not.

[emmett16]

2 minutes ago, connja said:

Krjstad has passed Stowers on the depth chart for power hitting OF.  

 

[bpilktree]

3 hours ago, CaptainRedbeard said:

This year pretty much only McKenna, but likely not until rosters expand. Ultimately, there’s definitely a role on this team for a RH bench OF and particularly once one if Santander/Hays are gone, but with Cowser able to play CF I think somebody with more bat (and consequently perhaps less defense) will be a better fit.

Beyond this year, I think Stowers is going to hang around as depth unless he is able to fetch a quality return in a trade. He’ll get another shot here during his option years eventually through injuries but won’t ever be penciled in as a starter unless he really earns it. 

Vavra I think is done in this org. The biggest problem is they never trusted his 2B defense, which makes him far less valuable as a bench piece. His bat never profiled well enough to play anywhere further down the defensive spectrum and he hasn’t done anything at the MLB level to change that. There’s too much IF depth that has surpassed him now. I think he’s headed for a DFA eventually if he’s not throw in as part of a larger deal. 

Varva seems like a possible guy for when rosters expand as I think they will want a 3rd catcher.   They may look for another catcher or they could let Varva come up as a guy that could be emergency catcher but also give them more flexibility to have a guy that can play other positions as well.  I keep thinking you might see Varva get into game action in the minors as a catcher at some point.  

[Roll Tide]

3 hours ago, Filmstudy said:

I think Vavra understands his spot in the org, which was part of him starting to play some emergency catcher.  If he can do so at an adequate level, that's a lot of incremental value the big club could use.

I think Vavra can be a solid MLB bat. I just don’t think he gets the chance here.

[Three Run Homer]

3 hours ago, ScGO's said:

All 3 could be small pieces in any trades we swing. Young, controllable, and probably talented enough to hold some spots during another teams rebuild 

My thoughts exactly.  I'll honestly be surprised if all three are still in the organization on August 2.  Stowers in particular has earned a shot in a major league outfield, but he is blocked in Baltimore.  A non-contending team should absolutely target him in  trade, either straight up for a middle relief type or as part of a larger deal.  

[SCJeff]

Of all 3, I think you are right that Stowers has the most trade value. I think McKenna and Varva ride the Baltimore- Norfolk shuttle until they are out of options. I think both have been surpassed by younger, higher upside talent. 

[CaptainRedbeard]

Vavra being an emergency 3rd catcher is cute but it has basically zero value. Having an actual third catcher like Bemboom on the roster has some (very minor) value in that you can DH Adley, start McCann, and pinch hit for McCann without bringing in Adley to catch, to not lose the DH and continue to preserve Adley’s legs. You are not going to put Vavra in to catch in that situation if the game is at all close, you’ll just catch Adley after pinch hitting for McCann like they do normally with only 2 catchers on the roster. If they game isn’t close, you don’t even bother pinch hitting for McCann.

An emergency third catcher is only ever going to be used in a close game if there are injuries to both catchers in the same game that they cannot play through, or one had already been removed and the other gets injured. That essentially never happens, it’s not like an emergency 3rd QB where 2 QBs do occasionally get hurt the same game. And even if it did (for what, at most one game a season?), Vavra’s limited experience there this season probably doesn’t make him a demonstrably better catcher than whatever other guy we have on the bench that given day. Even if he had the physical ability, which he doesn’t, Vavra isn’t going to become a major league caliber defensive catcher after picking up the tools of ignorance at age 26.