Offseason Discussion - Positions Players/Bench

[m26555]

Hank Blalock may be a lefty bat off the bench option.

https://twitter.com/JoeFrisaro/status/9066677070

[wanks1212]

Blalock/Gaby platoon would be cool. Bad defensively, but still pretty cool.

[Jewbility]

NL East breakdown by Phil Roger (linked from Sun-Sentinel)
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/c...,0,39072.story

Unknowns:Can promising hitters Mike Stanton (right field) and either Gaby Sanchez or Logan Morrison (both first base) force their way into the lineup?

Is Jorge Jimenez, a Rule 5 pickup who played Double-A ball last year, ready to take over third base from Emilio Bonifacio and Wes Helms?

?

[lou]

NL East breakdown by Phil Roger (linked from Sun-Sentinel)
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/c...,0,39072.story



?

Seriously stupid shit right there.

Can JJ2 beat out Mike Lamb, Danny Richar, Hector Luna, Brian Barden, and other street punks for the 25th man spot? Are they going to sign Hank Blalock/etc. and make this not a competition at all?

Can Seth McClung and Veras beat Chris Leroux and Tim Wood for the back of the bullpen?

Whose going to AAA rotation between West, Miller, and Vanden Hurk?

Is Ramp ever going to do his top 50 list cause he's a fucking loser?


Those are the key questions at hand. Not Mike Stanton making the team.

[Jewbility]

How about 3rd base competition being between Jimenez, Helms and Bonifacio?!

[Ramp]

lou <3

[lou]

Hank Blalock's former teammates are surprised to see him still without a job, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Earlier today we heard that the Rays and Marlins are thought to have interest in the 29-year-old.

MLBTR

• Hank Blalock. He's turned his personal life around but he's now battling a low batting average and thoughts he benefited from Texas' ballpark. The Marlins and Rays are belived to have some interest in him, and the Indians were looking at him before turning to Russell Branyan.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz0gNWIGaMo

The Rays depth chart looks like

C - Shoppach
1B - Pena
2B - Zobrist
SS - Bartlett
3B - Longoria
LF - Crawford
CF - Upton
RF - Joyce
DH - Burrell
B - Navarro, Aybar, Sean Rodriguez/Reid Brignac, and then a battle between Dan Johnson/Fernando Perez/Gabe Kapler for the last spot. And they kind of need an outfielder with that spot because you can't have Zobrist as your primary backup at every position on the field.

I mean, if those are the only two teams chasing you and all you can get is a minor league deal because there is no way the Rays guarantee you one either, doesn't it make sense to go to the team where you have to beat out Jorge Jimenez, Mike Lamb, Brian Barden, and other guys like that for a platoon/bench spot.

Just saying. I can see these one happening. He's not going to find a starting or a locked gig on a contender, and we offer the next best combination of fringe contender/easier path to the majors.

[Party]

How bad is his 3B?

[lou]

How bad is his 3B?

Cantu bad

[wanks1212]

What was wrong with Hank Blalock's personal life? Not that I think his personal life problems should be a deterrent - I'm just curious, because I don't remember hearing anything about Blalock's personal problems.

[Swifty]

Remember when we almost traded Josh Beckett for Hank Blalock?

Oh memories.

[PitchingWinsGames]

Remember when we almost traded Josh Beckett for Hank Blalock?

Oh memories.

Well, Lowell AND Beckett for Blalock and who else was it... perennial Cy Young candidate Thomas Diamond?

[Party]

Can you imagine how fucked this organization would be without Hanley?

[Ralph]

No. We'd have Joaquin Arias.

[PitchingWinsGames]

Can you imagine how fucked this organization would be without Hanley?

Royals come to mind...