Who Will Make The Pirates' 25-Man Roster?
by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 17, 2011 2:50 PM EST
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PrintWith the offseason now mostly over, here's a guess at how the 25-man roster might look when camp breaks in a couple months.
Hitters
1B Lyle Overbay
2B Neil Walker
SS Ronny Cedeno
OF Jose Tabata
OF Andrew McCutchen
OF Garrett Jones/Matt Diaz
This all looks pretty clear at this point, and I don't see the Pirates doing a whole lot between now and April to change the starting offense. I had hoped that they would find a new starting infielder somewhere, but that didn't happen, unless you count Overbay, which I don't.
Bench
C/OF Ryan Doumit
UT Josh Rodriguez
OF Garrett Jones/Matt Diaz
1B/OF Steve Pearce
OF John Bowker
I'm not sure this is how the bench will actually look, because it's light on guys who can field. Right now, however, the Pirates are clearly trying to trade Doumit but haven't managed to do so, so if he's still here he definitely has a spot. I could see the Pirates using Jason Jaramillo as their backup catcher, but since they were willing to use Doumit as a catcher last year after Chris Snyder was acquired, I imagine that's what they'll continue to do.
Rodriguez makes the team because he's a Rule 5 guy and because, well, he's probably just better than the rest of their utility infield options, like Pedro Ciriaco. I could see both Rodriguez and Ciriaco making the team, but I think that's probably less likely than just taking one of them.
The Pirates seem set with the Jones/Diaz outfield platoon, so one of those guys will be on the bench most days. That leaves two spots, and I see them taking Pearce and Bowker as a left/right corner tandem, although substituting someone like Garrett Atkins, Andy Marte or Josh Fields for Pearce is, I guess, a possibility. Bowker makes the team because he's out of options and there isn't anyone else who's obviously more useful. Pearce makes it because Jones and Overbay are lefties and Pearce is a righty. Pearce probably isn't high on the Bucs' list of priorities, though, and Atkins used to play for Clint Hurdle in Colorado.
UPDATE: Some of you in the comments are probably right that another infielder, probably Ciriaco or Corey Wimberly, will replace one of Pearce or Bowker on the roster. Wimberly might be the more likely of the two since he can also play center. Both he and Ciriaco are pretty dismal at the plate, though, so maybe I was just wishing the Pirates would decide to go with one utility guy and fill the rest of the bench with decent hitters. I think Pearce is a better bit than Bowker since he's a righty, but since he has an option left, he'll probably be the one who doesn't make it.
Rotation
McDonald, Maholm and Ohlendorf are locks, and Correia, who's on a two-year contract, is probably pretty close. That leaves one more spot for Morton, Brad Lincoln or Scott Olsen, although if Rudy Owens pitches well in Spring Training, I wouldn't completely rule out the possibility that he gets it. My best guess is that Morton wins the job - the Pirates clearly like him a lot, and he's out of options. Lincoln has an option, and the structure of Olsen's contract is such that it appears the Pirates will mostly want to use him as a reliever, and probably won't start him except as a contingency plan.
Bullpen
Scott Olsen
Hanrahan, Meek, and Resop are locks, and I think Veras, despite his non-roster status, is pretty close. Olsen should stick because he's on a major-league deal and throws with his left hand, while Jeff Karstens sticks because he's on a major-league deal and is versatile (in that he's mediocre as a reliever and as a starter).
As for the seventh spot, your guess is as good as mine. I do think the Pirates will use seven relievers because, well, they pretty much always do. A lefty like Tony Watson is a possibility, but I think Ascanio is the most likely choice, because he's out of options and plainly has a bunch of upside. One of the few nice things about having someone like Karstens in the bullpen is that his rubber arm gives the Pirates the flexibility to carry Ascanio, who is recovering from injuries and is essentially a Rule 5 guy at this point. Kevin Hart is also out of options, but I think the Pirates would be more likely to be able to sneak him through waivers - he hasn't pitched since last April and wasn't particularly good for quite a while before that, whereas Ascanio at least had a successful rehab stint last year and held up well in winter ball in Venezuela.
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Is it possible Ascanio starts the year on the DL then gets a rehab assignment? That would allow the Bucs test the rest of the bullpen for the first month or so and then activate Ascanio for whoever is not producing?
One potential problem with that is that then they’d have to activate both Ascanio and Hart, who are both out of options, at around the same time. Right?
by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 18, 2011 2:13 AM EST up reply actions
Depends when they are able to start throwing.
Maybe they hold Hart out of actual games for a few weeks to space them apart, begin his rehab assignment a little later.
It buys you two months
If they are healthy, you activate them.
If they are injured. You can put them back on the DL.
Need a 2nd UT
Teams always carry 2 Infielders. SO either Bowker or Pearce will be replaced with another IF.
Yeah, that’s kind of what I was getting at when I said the bench as I predicted it was light on guys who could field. I don’t see any reason why there has to be two, but Wimberly would make some sense. If only he could hit.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 17, 2011 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
i wouldnt be shocked to see Pearce in Indy and atkins in Pitt
im not saying its the right thing to do, but it could happen. i think atkins is the only player who really is fighting for a spot on the roster.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to let Pearce start in Indy and get a lot of reps at 3B. I’d rather see Fields than Atkins get some time at 1B.
If you plan on Pearce getting a LOT of reps at 3B at Indy…you may as well DFA him. If what everyone here seems to want (draft Rendon) happens…there will be no place for Pearce to play. If you aren’t playing him at 1B or RF and occasionally PH…there’s no need to even have him on the 40 man roster.
I will say that of Pearce, Bowker, Fields and Atkins…one…at absolute most, two, but likely only one…makes the 25 man roster.
It’s not preparing him for a starting 3B position, but a position where he can be the RH platoon at 1B or RF and the back-up at 3B. We hopehe can play his way to a starting position at 1B, but being able to play 3B makes him much more attractive as a utility player if being a starter isn’t in his future.
couldnt hurt
Yes, it could. Just ask Pearce what he thinks of DY’s reps at 3B
by BurgherKing on Jan 18, 2011 12:36 AM EST up reply actions
yet DY is going to be on a major league team (maybe)
while Pearce may end up in AAA. i dont see the problem in Pearce learning more positions. if he wants to have a long career in baseball, he needs to do this.
DY
nothing about his ability to play other positions is going to land him an ML job. If he is in the big leagues, its because he’s shown the ability to hit reasonably consistently as a PH.
by BurgherKing on Jan 18, 2011 11:58 AM EST up reply actions
and pearce hasnt shown the ability to keep his name in a lineup, or even on the bench
learn some new positions, Steven.
and pearce hasnt shown the ability to keep his name in a lineup, or even on the bench
Which would be more relevant if Pearce were the one controlling roster decisions and making out the lineups.
pearce, as of now, would struggle to make any teams roster
hes a righty 1Bman with solid skills yet below average power for his position. theres plenty of guys like that already around the league.
if steven can play multiple positions, he will have a much better chance of sticking somewhere.
He played some 3B at Indy last season
though that was mostly an emergency situation
hes a righty 1Bman with solid skills yet below average power for his position.
Runs are runs. It doesn’t matter how much “power” a guy has, only how many runs he produces.
it absolutely has everything to do with power... XBH
if it didnt, im sure we could see if we could aquire Sean Burroughs to play the 1. we can move em over one base at a time
In which case, Pearce has perfectly adequate "power".
He hits his fair share of XBH. He just doesn’t get much credit for it from the casual fan, because most of them are doubles/triples rather than HR.
no, hes hit them in AAA
the only thing hes done in Pitt is make a few great plays on defense and get hurt.
pearce showed plenty of power in the lower minors
then faced tougher competition as he worked his way up, and his power came back down to earth. if it was the other way around, that his power increased on his way up, he might be pittsburgh’s starting 1Bman today. i think pearce is looked at as a future journeyman, especially by his own FO.
no, hes hit them in AAA
If you prorate Pearce’s career MLB stats (which are lower than his minor league performance would suggest he’s capable of putting up, mind) out to a full season’s playing time, 550 PA, he’d produce 36 doubles, 4 triples, and 11 home runs.
That’s a total of 51 extra-base hits, from a performance record that probably undershoots his true level of ability.
Matt Diaz was one of our big offseason acquisitions, and is expected to take the lion’s share of the playing time in right field. Per 550 PA over his career, Diaz has been good for 26 doubles, 4 triples, and 14 HR. Meaning that his power is very comparable to Pearce’s, and he actually generates extra-base hits at a significantly lower rate than Pearce does.
You want him getting every day AB at Indy, no matter what position he is playing. With Andy Marte, Josh Fields and Garrett Atkins likely also being at Indy, all natural 3B, by the way, and not natural 1B, that means you screw up 2 positions at Indy and not have ANYONE ready at their normal position if, heaven forbid, Pedro, gets hurt.
If Pearce is at Indy, then one of the others is probably in Pittsburgh. And I would prioritize Pearce’s development over the other two (the one in Pittsburgh would be Alvarez’s replacement).
and calling atkins a natural 3Bman is like calling pedro a natural 3Bman
ummmmmmmm, wait a minute…
by white angus on Jan 17, 2011 11:03 PM EST up reply actions
yeah
swap pearce (since he has an option) for ciriaco/wimberly and charlie’s list looks right to me. i think it could come to hurdle’s preference between the two infielders.
One wrinkle about Pearce's option...
If Pearce stays in MLB the whole year, he will be a Super Two, which will actually lessen the chance that McCutchen becomes Super Two by a fairly significant percentage, considering Cutch’s position on the bubble. If they send Pearce to the minors to avoid Super Two, that will actually increase the odds that McCutchen is a Super Two.
by MarkInDallas on Jan 17, 2011 6:41 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
But why send Pearce down?
Pearce + Super 2 + arbitration = meh
Clutch + Super 2 + arbitration = BIG $$$, a twelve-point deer (now that’s a big buc), Willie Stargell + Dave Parker + John Candelaria (those are some really big bucks), etc., etc., etc.
So if the front office has someone helping them game the system, they’d actually keep Pearce up!
"[T]o hold the body of women in our arms is ... the one ecstasy granted to the race of men."
I just assumed ...
the owners were making sure guys like Pearce and Karstens became Super Two just for that purpose.
nice insight
hope somebody in the org is reading the blog today.
This is correct.
It’s just a question of whether they feel Pearce can be trusted to play 3B. If so, then they can keep both Bowker and Pearce on the roster. If not, then Ciriaco or Wimberly will replace either Pearce or Bowker.
My guess is that Bowker will not make the team as Pearce will be much more valuable to spell Overbay against LHPs than Bowker would be to spell anyone, especially since he is only useful against RHPs and already Jones is going to be splitting time with Diaz.
I really can’t see any reason Pearce starts in AAA except if he is not healthy or they really want to avoid a Super Two tag on him.
by MarkInDallas on Jan 17, 2011 4:56 PM EST up reply actions
Isn’t it more a case of whether Rodriguez can play SS? If he can’t, then Ciriaco or Wimberly will get a spot. If he can, then I like the bench that Charlie has suggested.
I don't think that's going to make the determination.
Rodriguez probably makes the roster either way. If he’s a competent SS, the second UT IF is a 3B backup like Fields or Marte. If he’s not, the second UT IF is a pure SS like Ciriaco or Friday or Mercer.
That’s my point—Rodrguez makes the roster but the other bench spot will depend on whether Rodriguez can play SS. I would probably take Pearce over Fields or Marte though, and probably Wimberly over Friday (I would definitely give Mercer a full year in AAA).
Pearce is a better player than Fields or Marte...
…but they aren’t going to want to go with a bench with only one true infield backup on it. Barring something unexpected, like Pearce being annointed as the backup 3B, I just can’t see both Bowker and Pearce making the team, even if that’s the best arrangement in terms of pure talent.
I probably made a mistake in not including an extra outfielder instead of Pearce/Bowker, but I’ve never understood why you need two utility infielders. Yes, you lose some flexibility when you want to double switch, but when the choices are Wimberly or Ciriaco, I feel like you’re more than compensated for that by having more credible pinch hitters.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 17, 2011 5:21 PM EST up reply actions
In an ideal world...
..you’d go with a six-man pen and have room for both, but I guess that’s just crazy talk in the modern game.
I don't get why
It’s not like you need seven relievers in April.
And if the bullpen gets run down, you can call a guy up.
I just don’t get starting with 12 pitchers.
The book in the 1970s ...
had teams with nine or 10 pitchers.
So I was going to add something about
Dave Giusti from the 1974 official yearbook and right at the top is a quote from the Pittsburgh Press writer, Bob – can you guess his last name?
Anyway, Giusti and Ramon Hernandez basically saved every game in the early 70s. After the starters went 7, either Giusti or Hernandez came in for 2 (if needed) innings.
- From 70 – 73, Giusti had 98 saves and 30 wins pitching only as a reliever.
- 1973 – 67 games pitched, 60 games finished
"[T]o hold the body of women in our arms is ... the one ecstasy granted to the race of men."
by Trogluddite on Jan 17, 2011 7:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I never saw him pitch, but I've always thought Giusti was underrated
and not just for his righteous sideburns
You’re probably right because of how teams have done things traditionally. But forgetting that, if Rodriguez can play an adequate SS, how does a bench of Rodriguez and Pearce cause more problems than it solves? The only negative is that they wouldn’t be able to rest more than one out of Alvarez, Cedeno, and Walker at a time. The positive is better PH options.
Keeps you from using Rodriguez as a PH...
…since he’s the last man standing at three different positions, particularly in that Pedro can’t handle anything but 3B and Walker can’t even dream of playing SS. It also puts you in a position of hardship if any of four guys (Walker, Cedeno, Rodriguez, or Pedro) tweaks a hammy or gets beaned or anything like that. Do you DL a guy for 15 days who only needs to be out for three or four at the outside, or do you try playing with no UT IF for the remainder of the week?
And of course, it gives us more starting-worthy IFs than starting spots at Indy: Ciriaco, D’Arnaud, Mercer, Friday, and Harrison have to split three positions between them. At that point, you probably end up moving Harrison to the OF and holding D’Arnaud or Mercer at AAA for a month or two, which isn’t the end of the world, but it’s still fairly inconvenient from the standpoint of logistics.
I know that’s the reason, I just don’t think that it shows a good understanding of risk/reward. If it’s the 8th and you want to use Rodriguez as a PH, use him. The chances that one of the IF gets injured in the 9th, and then a ball is hit to that position, and then that costs them the game has to be very small.
If someone tweaks a hammy, then you use Pearce’s option to bring up a middle-infielder.
The AAA roster-crunch is an issue, but giving one of those two more time a AA is OK (after all, didn’t Castro jump from AA to the majors for the Cubs last year?).
"That's how it's always been"
There’s a great deal of that in organized baseball; way more than the other major sports. Not saying that’s a good thing; just sayin.
6 and counting
I distinctly remember Pearce playing one game of third base at Indy last year, and there were no disaster reports issued.
by Suffering Buc on Jan 17, 2011 10:20 PM EST up reply actions
What an informative post!
I had no idea who would make the 25 man roster! By the way, communist
Charlie has banned me from making fanposts for posting a pic of my kid
with the Pirate mascot but this boring article is okay.
Buh- bye.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Jan 17, 2011 3:38 PM EST up reply actions
Just so you know
Charlie’s job here is not to be the protector of free speech for every person who feels the need to post his every passing thought as a full article. It is to moderate content so that the site is most interesting for the majority of users of the site. And in your case, I think he’s shown incredible restraint and sound judgement.
by MarkInDallas on Jan 17, 2011 4:49 PM EST up reply actions
An odd statement.
Considering your famous tirade against the PPG for running an add asking Bob Nutting to sell the Pirates in its editorial section.
Not at all.
Although, I must say pirate21’s posts contain about as much wisdom as the PG’s editorial board mustered for that “SALE THE TEAM” piece.
by MarkInDallas on Jan 17, 2011 9:02 PM EST up reply actions
I will also say
If pirates21 put as much reasoned thought into his posts as I put into mine on the PG board on that occasion, he would not have been banned from creating fanposts, no matter what his viewpoint would be.
Charlie has never banned anyone for their opinion, only for their lack of ability or willingness to present a reasoned argument.
by MarkInDallas on Jan 17, 2011 9:13 PM EST up reply actions
communist Charlie has banned me
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”
Your demonstrated level of ability as a writer evidently helped us determine that we need less of your work on the site.
It's that -2000 WARP
Wisdom Above Replacement Poster
by WTM on Jan 17, 2011 5:03 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Don't let the door hit you
on the way out.
"[T]o hold the body of women in our arms is ... the one ecstasy granted to the race of men."
disappointing
he should have banned your fanposts because they’re as stupid as they are numerous
This from enlightened individual
who thought it “might” make sense to keep Doumit so we have a backup OF/C…..
I had no idea who would make the 25 man roster!
And, no, I still have not figured out how to use block quotes. Maybe its the America Online….
"[T]o hold the body of women in our arms is ... the one ecstasy granted to the race of men."
may I?
try putting a / in between the < and the b of the closing tag.
e.g.
[blockquote] quoted text [/blockquote]
with the square brackets changed to the ones the button gives you.
by BlindSquirrel on Jan 17, 2011 8:22 PM EST up reply actions
Well, okley-dokley
try putting a / in between the < and the b of the closing tag.
How’s that do?
"[T]o hold the body of women in our arms is ... the one ecstasy granted to the race of men."
by Trogluddite on Jan 17, 2011 10:26 PM EST up reply actions
You are my freakin' hero
I’ll have to be nice to the Aussie I ride the ferry with. Thanks for the assist!!
"[T]o hold the body of women in our arms is ... the one ecstasy granted to the race of men."
by Trogluddite on Jan 17, 2011 10:27 PM EST up reply actions
Alternately
You can highlight the text you want to blockquote, left-click on the button and it’ll close the tags for you.
each on their own merits
he might be a tosser.
by BlindSquirrel on Jan 18, 2011 7:06 PM EST up reply actions
So...
does this mean no more even meek posts??
This is what I would guess too for the 25-man. I think, though, there is a fair chance Wimberly replaces Rodriguez (I wonder if they draft Rodriguez if they had already acquired Wimberly). And of course several bullpen spots could change. If Hart shows he’s healthy, I think he’ll have a spot. And Veras is going to have to throw a lot of strikes in ST to avoid starting the season in AAA.
wimberley has a shot, but i can see him starting in Indy for the time being
gotta see what Rodriguez brings to the table though
Hart for the bullpen...
I like the idea of Hart pitching out’ve the pen…His control definetely worries me, but he has always had really good pitches; just never seemed to be able to put it together for 6+ IP. Too bad we have way too many righties, and no lefties in the pen…maybe Danny Moskos surprises some people, and can make it to Pittsburgh by mid season?
by FusilliJerry88 on Jan 17, 2011 4:32 PM EST up reply actions
Offense
Theres gonna be alot of weight on the shoulders of our young core to produce runs, because at this point the bottom half of our lineup has the potential to be very ugly. I don’t expect much of any offensive production from Diaz/Jones, Overbay, Snyder, or Cedeno.
the offense was coming around nicely the last 2 months, thanks to the young core
jones/diaz could be a nice offensive duo. snyder is here for his D. cedeno? well, at least you can say he had his best season as a major leaguer
I’m pretty optimistic about the Diaz/Jones combo. Hopefully Snyder can hit a little better than what he showed after the trade.
we should all be happy with his career norms
the pitching staff pitched better after aquiring him (and searage)
Pitching
I think our Rotation will be much improved over last years. A full year of McDonald, another year of experience for Maholm, a healthy Ohlendorf, and hopefully a bounce back/realization of talent from Morton under Searage.
Not sure what to expect out of Correia yet, but I would’nt be surprised to see Lincoln out pitch him in ST, or overtake his spot by mid year. Lincoln looked like a completely different pitcher in his few IP at the end of the year under Searage…
Our bullpen looks strong, and hopefully picks up right where they left off last year. Would’ve really liked to have seen a Fuentes signing though…
It's like I said when we signed Overbay:
The move pushes either Pearce or Bowker off the roster. Potentially both, if they catch a wild hair and go with one of the Fields/Marte/Atkins group plus a traditional UT IF like Ciriaco.
Unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can really do about it.
20 spots are set. Those on the bubble in Charlie’s projection are Morton, Pearce, Bowker, Ascanio, and Doumit if traded. At this point, I’d almost want to play doumit over 50% at catcher to hope to catch lightning in abottle with a big offensive year. I’m not holding my breath for it to happen, but a Nady-like hot streak could lead to a Nady-like trade value on July 30.
by Adam Reynolds on Jan 17, 2011 5:10 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Even Doumit isn't really a bubble spot.
That’s more of a binary determination. He’s the backup if he’s here, and Jaramillo is if he’s not.
01 011 0101 11 01010 000 0110 11010.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Jan 17, 2011 5:35 PM EST up reply actions
Ascanio and Hart
They are coming back from the most devastating injury a pitcher can suffer.
I suspect they’ll both end up on the 60-day DL and then be sent on rehab assignments.
I’m sure they’ll try that before sneaking them through waivers.
Ascanio pitched a little in the minors in 2010. Would have pitched more but he hurt his hand in some sort of household accident. Now he’s pitching in winter ball. He may be ready to start the season. The 15-day DL may be a possibility for him, but I think he has a very good chance of making the team out of ST.
Hart will almost certainly open on the DL, but the 60-day . . . I dunno. The problem is, that’s two months where he can’t pitch. More likely it’ll be the 15-day DL until he’s ready to pitch in games, then a rehab assignment.
My only differences from Charlie’s are Atkins for Bowker, Watson for Veras, and “No Relation” for Ascanio
Starting Lineup:
LF – Jose Tabata
2B – Neil Walker
CF – Andrew McCutchen
3B – Pedro Alvarez
RF – Garrett Jones/Matt Diaz
1B – Lyle Overbay
SS – Ronny Cedeno
C – Chris Snyder
Rotation:
1 – Paul Maholm (L)
2 – James McDonald®
3 – Kevin Correia®
4 – Ross Ohlendorf®
5 – Charlie Morton®
Bench:
C/RF/1B – Ryan Doumit
1B/RF/3B – Steve Pearce
1B/3B – Garrett Atkins
UT – Josh Rodriguez
RF – Jones/Diaz
Bullpen:
Closer – Joel Hanrahan®
Set-up – Evan Meek®
Chris Resop®
Jeff Karstens®
Scott Olsen (L)
Tony Watson (L)
Daniel McCutchen®
by 2010 will be the year on Jan 17, 2011 6:07 PM EST reply actions
Why are you
registering these players’ names? Some brilliant marketing scheme? ;-)
"[T]o hold the body of women in our arms is ... the one ecstasy granted to the race of men."
Lol. I meant to indicate that theypitched right handed. Epic fail on my part
by 2010 will be the year on Jan 18, 2011 6:51 PM EST up reply actions
The 1974 25-man roster for the Pirates
Included the following:
- 10 pitchers
- 2 catchers
- 7 infielders
- 6 outfielders
"[T]o hold the body of women in our arms is ... the one ecstasy granted to the race of men."
I may be wrong ...
but I think one year the Bucs started with nine pitchers in the 1970s.
Could be this year, effectively
Blass is one of the 10. He had only thrown 79 (or 89) innings in 1973 and may have been effectively riding the pine most of this year.
"[T]o hold the body of women in our arms is ... the one ecstasy granted to the race of men."
Bowker and jones are the same player, so we’re not keeping bowker on the 25 man.
by Adam Reynolds on Jan 17, 2011 7:25 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Disagree
I see Jones as a hitter with a thought process; and at least trying to make adjustments to the pitchers who are making adjustments to him. I see Bowker (who I saw a lot with the Giants) as a reactive hitter. In the long run, take Jones
6 and counting
Jones didn’t make any adjustments in the second half, when he hit very poorly…
by Adam Reynolds on Jan 18, 2011 6:49 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
yeah, i didnt see any adjustments, just frustrations
he would pull an outside pitch to the second baseman and you could see him drop his head and cuss to himself before starting his run to first. happened EVERY game.
I'll take a stab:
Starters: McDonald, Maholm, Ohlendorf, Correia, Morton
Relievers: Hanrahan, Meek, Resop, Veras, Olsen, Karstens, LHP
Bench: Doumit, Rodriguez, Pearce, Bowker, Jones/Diaz
8 McCutchen
7 Tabata
4 Walker
5 Alvarez
3 Overbay
9 Diaz/Jones
2 Snyder
6 Cedeno
My biggest questions are the random lefty and Bowker. That could be Atkins or Marte, and I have know clue who the LHP will be.
The picture to go along with this post is awesome.
That’s the stiffest high-five offering I’ve ever seen.
Everything that guy just said is bullshit . . .thank you
Yahoo sports says we’re still making a run at Carl Pavano. Doubt it’ll happen at this point, though.
by Adam Reynolds on Jan 18, 2011 6:48 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I think you are right. MLBT doesn’t list him on our players out of options from 2010. Seems unlikely they would use that at the beginning of the season, though.
by MarkInDallas on Jan 18, 2011 12:20 PM EST up reply actions
Just figured I should throw it out there.
In case Bowker comes out of the gate on fire while Jones struggles.
The January 25-man roster guess
The problem with putting so much thought into the roster right now, is that there will be substantial changes due to unforseen events.
First off, Josh Rodriguez is here as a 25th man, “IF” he can play SS. If he can’t play SS, he’s gone. If he can look decent there, we will still keep a MI backup like Wimberly because you do have to have 2 viable options at MI.
Wimberly and Rodriguez have also logged OF time, so you don’t need extra outfielders beyond the Diaz/Jones platoon. I feel that leaves one backup CI spot, and with lefties at 1B and 3B it should be a righty-Pearce, Atkins, Fields, or Marte (my preference). If Pearce looks 100 % and is hitting in spring training, I have no problem losing some guys like Atkins, Bowker, Fields, or Marte and sending some others to the minors.
Pitching is the tough one to predict. I think Olsen will be in the rotation if he looks good. If there is the unlikely event of no other starters being injured in spring training, then Maholm will be traded to make room for Olsen. More likely, we have an injury and Olsen is in. If we don’t sign a lefty reliever, and we feel we really need a lefty in the bullpen, we have Burress or Justin Thomas. Veres signed a minor league contract, and we will send him to the minors before we will lose Ausanio or Hart on waivers.
by ballparkfranks on Jan 18, 2011 10:56 AM EST reply actions
First off, Josh Rodriguez is here as a 25th man, "IF" he can play SS. If he can’t play SS, he’s gone.
What makes you say that? He’s got more than enough bat to stick as a 2B/3B/OF backup.
Rodriguez
His bat is not proven at the major league level. We have backups with better bats at 3B/OF, and I doubt we carry him as a backup at 2B. I think (hope?) he will show enough at SS to stick.
by ballparkfranks on Jan 18, 2011 12:32 PM EST up reply actions
His bat is not proven at the major league level.
Which is worth approximately fuck-all in player analysis. You pick your bench based on a player’s skills, not his resume.
Huh?
This seems like a wierd and sort-of hostile response.
Josh is unproven at the major league level in both hitting and defense. He shouldn’t be written in as a sure thing on our 25-man roster for that reason. I hope he succeeds.
by ballparkfranks on Jan 18, 2011 3:53 PM EST up reply actions
This seems like a wierd and sort-of hostile response.
It was meant to be hostile toward that particular school of thought. Not to you, though, and if you took it that way, I’m sorry for having offended and for having not being more clear.
Can't help that - it's what I think/feel.
It’s fairly common for people to assume that a player with MLB experience is inherently better than another player of equivalent skill without one, and in my view that’s wrong and actively counterproductive when you’re trying to build a roster.
That said...
…I wasn’t intending to be a dick about it, so when Frank indicated that it came across that way, I apologized.
No problem here
I was just surprised by the response, not offended (I don’t get offended on messageboards). I thought there might be some history I didn’t know about, so I asked.
by ballparkfranks on Jan 18, 2011 11:37 PM EST up reply actions
How long will Charlie Morton's leash be this year?
If he bombs in April, I’ve got to believe they will soon run out of patience with them. (If he even makes the MLB club out of spring training, which I have my doubts about.)
short, i imagine
however, there’s a chance that he will get a shot in the pen as well before they risk losing him!
by BurgherKing on Jan 18, 2011 12:07 PM EST up reply actions
MLB needs a 26-man roster with all the pitchers carried in recent years.
One would think that the MLBPA would try to do something about this for the new CBA.
The current system discriminates against utility IF/OF types.
A guy like Rick Short had to make it in Japan.
A guy like Steve Pearce probably deserves another shot but will get caught up in the numbers game.
pearce does deserve another shot, and he needs to be ready for it IF it comes along
i still think he needs to learn to play 3B. if wigginton can play a bunch of positions, theres no reason to think Pearce cant.
by white angus on Jan 18, 2011 11:42 AM EST up reply actions
I'd Go
For a 26 man roster in both leagues with the elimination of the DH.
It would even the leagues and make AL baseball baseball again.
by Pitchers and Catchers Report on Jan 18, 2011 8:17 PM EST up reply actions
With 26 men, you could just carry another pitcher. There would be a bunch of things you can do there. In the 5th starters spot, you could have 2 guys pitch 3 innings.
by Adam Reynolds on Jan 18, 2011 9:15 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I'm talking about the MLBPA insisting something be done in the new CBA to ensure another spot for a position player.
Professional baseball is a business. The union represents the employees. Don’t tell me that over the past couple of decades as teams generally carry 11 or 12 pitchers that quite a number of back-up position players have not felt the system was unfair and cost them a lot of money and MLB service time.
I remember a year back in the early to mid ’80s when the 24-man roster thing was around and how much the extra position players hated it because they believed-rightly-that it would cut not a few of them out of a job. Well, a 25-man roster is not enough now to accomodate the extra pitchers.
Particularly
since guys like Giambi are still making rosters. (Yes, I know it’s a minor league deal. This is just a f’rinstance.)
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Jan 19, 2011 12:22 PM EST up reply actions
That’s an odd thing to say. Would anybody have said in the 1970s that the system discriminated against LOOGYs so we should add a man to the roster in order to give them a shot?
I recall Richie Hebner about 25 years ago or so
believing the 24-man roster hurt people like him looking for a bench job when he was looking to make the Bucs towards the end of his career.
It’s the same thing now with a 25-man roster because the teams carry 11 or 12 pitchers, occasionally 13, instead of the usual 10 back in those days. An extra roster spot is needed to be fair to position players.
off topic: gil meche has retired
mazzaro and francis to battle to see whom will be the opening day starter… do you think the Royals are now going to rush any of their prized lefties to the show?
Not if they are smart...
They are rebuilding properly so it would be foolish to rush their prized prospects if they are not ready.
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