April Game Thread

[Nick]

Rojas and Riddle should be locked into that 8th spot every day IMO.

[Nick]

You really have to question talent evaluation, when Rosell Herrera is starting almost every day and at the top of the lineup. Real head-scratcher.

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If they're insistent on sitting Granderson against lefties, call Dean up. Have him play LF against lefties and RF against righties, with O'Brien manning RF against lefties. Herrera is a AAAA player, who has already established he can't hit major league pitching. The one useful thing he brings to the table is versatility, which will not be utilized as long as Rojas is also on the roster. Maybe you could say well who else plays CF? I say Brinson is going to be playing every day, something happens to Brinson we put Granderson out there for a couple of innings, and then the next day you call somebody up. Just puzzling sometimes the players this organization seems to get infatuated with sometimes.

[fish16]

You really have to question talent evaluation, when Rosell Herrera is starting almost every day and at the top of the lineup. Real head-scratcher.

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If they're insistent on sitting Granderson against lefties, call Dean up. Have him play LF against lefties and RF against righties, with O'Brien manning RF against lefties. Herrera is a AAAA player, who has already established he can't hit major league pitching. The one useful thing he brings to the table is versatility, which will not be utilized as long as Rojas is also on the roster. Maybe you could say well who else plays CF? I say Brinson is going to be playing every day, something happens to Brinson we put Granderson out there for a couple of innings, and then the next day you call somebody up. Just puzzling sometimes the players this organization seems to get infatuated with sometimes.

been saying the exact same thing. I guess every organization has these kind of players that just arent good but are favored by the front office but the herrera thing is maddening. Having him on the roster is ridiculous. If we want Granderson to be exclusively started against RHP then you call Dean up. The only reason Herrera is up is in the very rare times he plays CF. Granderson can take care of that in an emergency situation. Does it really matter? I dont think Dean is anything special because he just lacks power but theres no reason to have herrera up here instead of him.

I actually understand hitting brinson a little lower against RHP, but 8th is just infuriating player development. It's a completely different scenario if we're trying to win, but we arent this year. Far too often we have not put Brinson in positions to succeed. He might just be bad regardless, but at least put him in a position to succeed.

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Excited to see K-leb Smith tonight. Last 3 guys in the rotation have been as advertised coming into the year, hopefully he is too.

[lou]

You really have to question talent evaluation, when Rosell Herrera is starting almost every day and at the top of the lineup. Real head-scratcher.

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If they're insistent on sitting Granderson against lefties, call Dean up. Have him play LF against lefties and RF against righties, with O'Brien manning RF against lefties. Herrera is a AAAA player, who has already established he can't hit major league pitching. The one useful thing he brings to the table is versatility, which will not be utilized as long as Rojas is also on the roster. Maybe you could say well who else plays CF? I say Brinson is going to be playing every day, something happens to Brinson we put Granderson out there for a couple of innings, and then the next day you call somebody up. Just puzzling sometimes the players this organization seems to get infatuated with sometimes.

They don't have anyone else in the organization they think can play CF. It's that easy. I don't mind them sitting Granderson and Walker against lefties. At least Herrera (theoretically) gives you positive defense. I don't hate giving Herrera PA honestly. They were "right" on Rojas. He was a nothing .450 OPS backup for the Dodgers, and then immediately was pretty solid for the Marlins (in a bench role of course, I'm being relative here to the job). If Herrera turns into the Rojas replacement who can play some CF, that's cool? Better than Rivera!

They picked O'Brien over Dean, I don't mind that either. They can churn all these guys out and Dean will get his chance as they rotate them in and out.

It's really going to be a mess until they get someone else who can play CF, and that's basically a Granderson or Prado replacement. They have too many of these 1B/LF only types.

They probably REALLY hope Monte or Sierra or VVM has a good year and are up by the all-star break. I'm not holding my breath.

[Nick]

They don't have anyone else in the organization they think can play CF. It's that easy. I don't mind them sitting Granderson and Walker against lefties. At least Herrera (theoretically) gives you positive defense. I don't hate giving Herrera PA honestly. They were "right" on Rojas. He was a nothing .450 OPS backup for the Dodgers, and then immediately was pretty solid for the Marlins (in a bench role of course, I'm being relative here to the job). If Herrera turns into the Rojas replacement who can play some CF, that's cool? Better than Rivera!

They picked O'Brien over Dean, I don't mind that either. They can churn all these guys out and Dean will get his chance as they rotate them in and out.

It's really going to be a mess until they get someone else who can play CF, and that's basically a Granderson or Prado replacement. They have too many of these 1B/LF only types.

They probably REALLY hope Monte or Sierra or VVM has a good year and are up by the all-star break. I'm not holding my breath.

I don't mind Herrera being on the roster, I mind how they've used him so far. He might be a perfectly adequate utility guy, but with Riddle, Rojas, Walker and Prado on the roster, we're not going to utilize him in that fashion at least not yet. He should not be platooning with Granderson and he certainly shouldn't be hitting at the top of the lineup when he does play.

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Also, do we need to be grooming Rojas' replacement? Keep the guy around, not like he's going to be expensive.

[lou]

I don't mind Herrera being on the roster, I mind how they've used him so far. He might be a perfectly adequate utility guy, but with Riddle, Rojas, Walker and Prado on the roster, we're not going to utilize him in that fashion at least not yet. He should not be platooning with Granderson and he certainly shouldn't be hitting at the top of the lineup when he does play.

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Also, do we need to be grooming Rojas' replacement? Keep the guy around, not like he's going to be expensive.

I pretty much agree. My problem is still Prado even though he got a few hits the other day. That spot needs to be an outfielder who can play CF, with Herrera getting everyday PA in AAA (and comes up when Rojas eventually moved or any 2B/SS/3B injured), and then they can carry the next best hitter regardless of position (which is Cooper or Dean more than likely, maybe Ramirez or Guerrero).

Rojas is going to make $4.5 million next year and it's his last year of control. It's not expensive, but they will save $3.8 million getting a guy with a minimum salary (plus a probably OK bullpen prospect). He's a deadline casualty to me and find the next Rojas who is club controlled.

[Nick]

I say offer Rojas a 3-year $10 million extension right now, no way he doesn't take it. He's worth it, start acting like a real organization.

[fish16]

I say offer Rojas a 3-year $10 million extension right now, no way he doesn't take it. He's worth it, start acting like a real organization.

I feel like theres no need to do that. Just give him whatever he gets in arbitration next year and then evaluate from there. I would if he was younger but he's 30 right now. The guy who is impressing me is riddle. If we really want to get Rojas into the lineup id be fine with him playing elsewhere, including moving anderson to RF occasionally. Just enough with the prado and Herrera AB's. I could really go for us putting an investment into an actual backup C too.

[Madman81]

smith just bitch smacked the mets in that half inning

[fish16]

One thing i like about the current group is that the 4 non urena guys are all elite at at least one thing. Alcantara's got an elite fastball, Lopez elite control among others, Richards an elite changeup, and Smith i believe has the slider with the elite spin rate.

[Madman81]

and marlins park steals another would-be homer

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can't steal that one tho

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and it steals one from brinson

[fish16]

man you cant say brinson hasnt hit the ball hard at least.

[fish16]

smith with good stuff tonight but high pitch count and some bad luck. Pitched fairly well so far with men on base to limit the damage

[Namaste]

Brinson has 2 HR’s this season if he plays in almost any other park

[fish16]

Brinson has 2 HR’s this season if he plays in almost any other park

Id be all for bringing the fences in a little again. Dont have to make it a hitters park but this is just ridiculous.

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Gonna go with a small sample size overreaction and say that nick anderson will be pitching high inning innings for us this year.