5/24 - 5/30 Minor League Game Thread

[Metes]

Because God said thou shalt not covet

[Mainge]

He is turning Gathright into something he's not. Career .630 OPS, .328 OBP. He had a "nice" year 6 years ago in 300 PA's but he's been absolute trash in every other year of his career.

You can't steal first.

[Bobbob1313]

Yeah, I'm not even sure the argument against Gathright is one based on "upside." I think it's based on "Gathright is not good."

[Madman81]

Upside is something that should be strived for in every roster spot, regardless of whether the team is competing or not.

If you have two players of similar talent, but one guy is likely who he is, and the other has the potential to be better, why would you not covet the player with upside?

Well, in this case, the players are not of similar talent. All have struggled to hit. One covers significantly more ground in the outfield and is a genuine speed threat as a pinch runner than the others.

He is turning Gathright into something he's not. Career .630 OPS, .328 OBP. He had a "nice" year 6 years ago in 300 PA's but he's been absolute trash in every other year of his career.

You can't steal first.

I've said what role I think he is useful for. Do you think last guy on the roster is a spot where you simply look for the guy with the highest OPS? I'd prefer a specialized role, as I think playing time would/should be limited to late-inning defensive replacement and late-inning pinch runner. I think that does more to help your team win games than having someone who might produce a little more in the 1 out of 10 games in which he gets significant playing time.

[Mainge]

Well, in this case, the players are not of similar talent. All have struggled to hit. One covers significantly more ground in the outfield and is a genuine speed threat as a pinch runner than the others.

I'm one of Coghlans biggest detractors around here but I'm fairly sure Cogs is capable of at least a .700 OPS if he was given every day at-bats. Joey Gathright has as many seasons with a sub .600 OPS as he does above it. Being fast doesn't make up for that.

He'd be fast and outslug Smoak but he's terrible and Cogs/Petey are less so.

I've said what role I think he is useful for. Do you think last guy on the roster is a spot where you simply look for the guy with the highest OPS? I'd prefer a specialized role, as I think playing time would/should be limited to late-inning defensive replacement and late-inning pinch runner. I think that does more to help your team win games than having someone who might produce a little more in the 1 out of 10 games in which he gets significant playing time.

I'd agree with this if there was no such thing as injuries. Since injuries are on, however, I'd absolutely much rather have guys that are better overall players over guys who run fast.

[Madman81]

But, we're not talking about regular ABs. We're talking about that last spot. I would not rather have a better overall player for that last spot because of injuries. The only case in which it matters is if you're talking about everyone getting banged up bad enough to miss enough games that it matters but not bad enough to go on the DL. I'd rather have Gathright than Solano.

Also, if we're talking about upside in that last spot, wouldn't you rather have your young, higher upside guys (Peterson, Coghlan) getting regular at bats somewhere rather than wasting away development time on situational use?

[Mainge]

I also would rather Gathright over Solano. That's not what you said earlier.

[geemoney]

5/30

AAA New Orleans: L, 4-0

Velazquez: 3-5, K
Sanchez: 0-2, BB
Green: 2-4, 2B
M.Dominguez: 0-3, K
Sammons: 1-4
LeBlanc: L, 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HRA
Hatcher: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 K

AA Jacksonville: W, 9-0

Gran: 1-2, 2 R, 2B, BB, SB
Smolinski: 2-3, R, RBI, BB, K, SB, CS
Bowman: 1-4, R, 2B, BB
Skipworth: 2-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, K
Jensen: 1-4, RBI, BB
Patterson: 1-4, R, RBI, BB
Gutierrez: 2-4, R, HR (1), 3 RBI
Evans: 1-2, R; W, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Madden: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 K

A+ Jupiter: W, 6-5

Black: 2-5, R, CS
Yelich: 2-4, R, 3B, 2 RBI
Canha: 2-5, RBI, K
Ozuna: 1-4, R, 2B, BB, K
Krick: 2-3, R, RBI, BB
Lopez: 1-2, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 SB
Varner: W, 5 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Dayton: 2 IP, 1 H, 4 K
Ojala: .2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HRA
Brady: SV, .1 IP, 2 H, 1 K

A Greensboro: W, 5-3

Goetz: 1-3, R, BB
Keys: 2-4, R, HR (4), 2 RBI
M.Smith: 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB, K
Wooster: 2-4, R
Barnes: 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
McIntyre: 1-3, 2B, BB
A.Conley: W, 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Cravey: SV, 1 IP, 1 BB, 2 K

[Bobbob1313]

Being a college guy, I'd like to see Conley get a promotion if he can keep this up for another month or two.

[HUGG]

This is probably the most locked in Skipworth's ever been.

/17 at bats