2012 Position Battles: Final Bench Bat

[Miamarlin21]

The team is mostly locked up minus maybe one hitter.

Locks:
Brett Hayes
Greg Dobbs
Donnie Murphy
Scott Cousins.

So who fills the final spot? Here are the options:
Bryan Petersen
Chris Coghlan
Aaron Rowand*
Austin Kearns*

*Would require to be added to the 40 man roster, which is currently full.

[lou]

I don't think cousins is guaranteed anything

[Miamarlin21]

Yeah, I almost wanted to put him in the other category, but I didn't want you to have to choose two people.

[Bobbob1313]

Peterson has a far better chance of making the roster than Cousins.

[Ramp]

I don't think Cousins or Murphy is guaranteed

[lou]

Murphy's contract is guaranteed and they intend to use him as backup MI from what I have seen

[Ramp]

fair enough, but he's not making anything... so I refuse to believe it's a done deal for him

that being said, no idea what other infielders are even in camp that would have a chance at the back-up role anyway

[Jay]

I think the only definite lock there is Hayes. Dobbs is probably a lock too.

Position backups aren't a necessity with the current team with the exception of a backup catcher.

I don't know how the contracts line up currently and I think it could end up having Kearns or Rowand making the team just to get an extended look at them while having murphy down in AAA.

[Omar]

Despite our newfound financial laissez faire, I doubt they'll drop cash money on Dobbs/Murphy to have them start in the minors. With Bonertron starting full time, you have to expect them to be as close to locks as possible barring injury.

That leaves either two OF spots or one IF and one OF, depending on how you want to look at it. I think that if anyone has the inside track, it's Coghlan because of his pedigree and Kearns for some pop. So as of now, I'd guess:

Hayes
Murphy
Dobbs
Coghlan
Kearns

[Erick]

Every guy listed has a better shot than Cousins.

Petersen and Coghlan for being better; Rowand and Kearns for being right-handed (and better).

[lou]

fair enough, but he's not making anything... so I refuse to believe it's a done deal for him

that being said, no idea what other infielders are even in camp that would have a chance at the back-up role anyway

Yea that's why too. There is always the, let's move Bonifacio anywhere and put an outfielder in, line of thought, but end of the day they will be carrying someone else who can cover the middle infield, and that's pretty much just Murphy. I'd say lock.

I'd say Petersen beats out Coghlan because of defense and they will want to 'showcase' Coghlan raking AAA pitching everyday, and I have no idea about the Rowand/Kearns toss up. It's hard to predict who will suck less, but I'll put that one on Rowand.