Jackson Holliday spring training watch

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, spleen1015 said:

You know this, I think, but I am going to say it out loud.

He's trying to further prove his point that Westburg should be playing 2B not 3B even though the guy who's in charge of these decisions has told us that Holliday is playing 2B if he's on the O's roster.

Yea I get it…but it’s an awful point and showing one clip doesn’t enhance that point.

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Gunnar at SS/3B and Westburg at 2B are athletic players.    Holliday has some competition in his attempt to move them off those positions IMO.   Not saying he won't.  Just think he has his work cut out for him.

I guess but it’s clear from listening to Elias that if Holliday makes the team he’ll make most of the starts at 2B and Henderson will make the starts at SS.  I don’t think it’s a giant leap to assume Westburg will get most of the time at 3B.

I think they think that will be the best defensive alignment of those 3 players and I agree, whether you can make the case that Westburg is better at 2B than 3B or not.  

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

I don't question that Holliday is a very talented player.   But he has played 25 games at 2nd base in his minor league career.    We will see what happens.

How many games did Manny play at third in his minor league career?

[RZNJ]

6 minutes ago, wildcard said:

So that is BA not MLB Pipeline?

Baseball America

[wildcard]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

How many games did Manny play at third in his minor league career?

Who did Manny replace at 3B?

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Who did Manny replace at 3B?

Why is that relevant?  The point is that he is that Holliday isn’t experienced enough at second base.  Well, neither was Manny.

[wildcard]

8 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I guess but it’s clear from listening to Elias that if Holliday makes the team he’ll make most of the starts at 2B and Henderson will make the starts at SS.  I don’t think it’s a giant leap to assume Westburg will get most of the time at 3B.

I think they think that will be the best defensive alignment of those 3 players and I agree, whether you can make the case that Westburg is better at 2B than 3B or not.  

Urias at 3B?    

Elias also said that there was space open at 2B because Frazier has gone.   That sounds like a platoon.   Not that I understand actually what Elias is saying with that comment.

[Ohfan67]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Who did Manny replace at 3B?

So where do you think Jackson Holliday plays in MLB? If Gunnar is better at SS and Westburg is better at 2B next year and the year after that, then does Holliday not get promoted? You think Holliday stays in the minors if there are better defensive options on the ML team? That seems to be your “logic”. But in reality, it does not matter if Westburg is the better defensive 2B. He will not block Holliday. 

[Bemorewins]

14 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Gunnar at SS/3B and Westburg at 2B are athletic players.    Holliday has some competition in his attempt to move them off those positions IMO.   Not saying he won't.  Just think he has his work cut out for him.

That’s not all there is to factor into the equation IMO. If you believe that Holliday’s bat will be elite, then you find a place to play him on the grass while his defense develops as his body develops.

Gunnar is already amazing at SS defensively, so the chances of anyone displacing right now are very slim. Westberg has the versatility to play 2B or 3B and be fine at either place.

Holliday does not appear to have the arm at the moment to handle the transition to 3B as opposed to 2B. 

It was said in Elias’ own words, that the best chances for Holliday to succeed quickly in his transition to the bigs right now is 2B.

So the question is not Westberg vs Holliday. But Holliday’s bat & glove vs Urias’ bat & glove. We know that Urias can play a GG caliber 3B, but he simply has not hit enough to be given an everyday place in the lineup.

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Urias at 3B?    

Elias also said that there was space open at 2B because Frazier has gone.   That sounds like a platoon.   Not that I understand actually what Elias is saying with that comment.

Urias will play 2B and 3B if he’s here but he won’t be the primary player at either position.   Gunnar 130 starts at SS, 20 at 3B,  5-10 DH.  Holiday, 110 starts at 2B,  20 at SS.  Westburg  120 games at 3B,  20 at 2B.  Urias 20 games at 3B, 30 games at 2B.  Mateo 10 games at SS, ?? games in the OF.   Of course injuries have a way of changing things.

[wildcard]

8 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Why is that relevant?  The point is that he is that Holliday isn’t experienced enough at second base.  Well, neither was Manny.

Hardy was at SS.  Betemit was a poor 3B defensively.   That is what Manny played 3B.

Westburg is playing a good 2B giving Holliday competition to win the 2B job.   Let's see how both of them do.  Just because Elias says if Holliday makes the team he will play a lot of 2B does not mean Holliday is ready to beat out Westburg.   

[spleen1015]

18 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Who did Manny replace at 3B?

Wilson Betemit

[spleen1015]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Hardy was at SS.  Betemit was a poor 3B defensively.   That is what Manny played 3B.

Westburg is playing a good 2B giving Holliday competition to win the 2B job.   Let's see how both of them do.  Just because Elias says if Holliday makes the team he will play a lot of 2B does not mean Holliday is ready to beat out Westburg.   

Holliday's not beating out Westburg. He's beating out Urias.

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Hardy was at SS.  Betemit was a poor 3B defensively.   That is what Manny played 3B.

Westburg is playing a good 2B giving Holliday competition to win the 2B job.   Let's see how both of them do.  Just because Elias says if Holliday makes the team he will play a lot of 2B does not mean Holliday is ready to beat out Westburg.   

He doesn’t have to beat out Westburg.  He has to show that he’s ready.  If he’s ready, Westburg will move to 3B.   

[RZNJ]

Just now, spleen1015 said:

Holliday's not beating out Westburg. He's beating out Urias.

Bingo.