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May to the DL and bring up Fitts would not be terrible. I know his first game was off, I wonder how much that shot off his leg messed with him today.
I’m really pleased about Walker. After an 0-10 in the last three games, would he lose it? Instead he’s scorched two for five RBI. If he can find his way back after he scuffles, that could go a long way.
Watching Franklin and Cijntje (can we find a good nickname that is easy to spell for him?) was definitely a rush. Both seemed farther along than I had anticipated. I’d think they would limit Franklin’s innings pretty seriously this year, ramp up some next year, so 2028 as the earliest? But to my eyeball,s Cijntje, at least while pitching right-handed, seemed like he could make AAA this year and be available in the big leagues next. I’ve heard enough hype on Dohm that I am particularly looking forward to his first appearance.
10-1 start is hopefully a sign of things to come.
I’m wondering about Jordan, too, though I’d think they would give him at least a couple months of AAA time. Injuries might sort the roster spot by then. If not, I had leaned toward Prieto, but his defense seems from eyeball to have improved and he is raking the ball. I’m now intrigued that he might be the lefty utility guy to Saggese’s righty, with Fermin being traded before too long. Torres? Raquet?
Hope that works well, Bikemike!
Since that amazing opening day, Church is 0 for 14 with 6 Ks. In the meantime, Saggese has only had 7 ABs. More playing time for Saggese in LF? Velasquez has a .118 OPS at Memphis, Baez .697. The AAA offense has mostly been Crooks, Prieto, Jordan, Bernal, and Mendoza, (they are the five at an OPS of .790 or higher) and none of those are outfielders. Small sample and all that, but I don’t see someone at AAA obviously pushing for MLB OF time yet.
With Roycroft and Svanson off to slow starts, you might think about optioning one. But…who is there to call up?
Here are the guys on the 40-man in Memphis:
Dobbins (IL)
Fernandez
Fitts
Hence
Mautz
RaquetI’d think they would want Fitts and Mautz to be in the rotation as ready help for the big leagues, and Mautz just threw his first AAA game. Hence just got his first AAA appearance. Fernandez has struggled, too. Raquet? Or would they decide to drop someone from the 40-man Rajcic? Naugton? Blewett? I’d think not Gastelum just yet. I’d thought Prieto would be the first to go, but he’s off to a torrid start, OPS of 1.718.
I’ve no problem with Walker for the next month. He was barreling the ball better late in camp, and spring training is about development, not stats. There’s some chance the process has gotten him to a point where he will be competitive. And the alternatives…make sure Baez and Velazquez can handle AAA before MLB. Velazquez can’t be optioned back down if he still needs to work on things. Walker can.
I’m curious about the decision to have Herrera 2 and Winn 4 rather than vice versa. More protection for Wetherholt?
Happy opening day!
I generally go with jnevel’s analysis here. I’d add that last year a hobbled Noot got 509 ABs with an OPS of .686. That could well get upgraded. Herrera only had 388 ABs with an OPS of .837. More ABs from him could upgrade the offense.
Last year they got 78 wins. I’m betting 75 this year, but I think there are real error bars around the offense. If Weatherholt is indeed ROY material. If Herrera is healthier. If Gorman has figured things out so he is the in the OPS range of .722 to .867 (monthly June to August last year. If Walker can find his way back to the mid .750s like his first year. Well, that could be a quite improved offense. Unlikely, but possible.
Thanks, Brian. Koperniak and Antico coming off the bench makes sense. It would be great to have all three of Baez, Saggese, and Ledbetter in the OF at Memphis as possible near term big league OFs.
Thanks, Brian.
Graceffo will be in the pen at Memphis, too. Who do you think gets bumped due to that?
I was curious what you thought of Mendoza. He got a lot of playing time in spring and seemed solid.
And who gets cut from the 40-man? Raquet and Prieto?
Yerzy would seem not to get too much time if he is the third catcher at Memphis. Any chance they send him down to Springfield?
I wonder if they’d leave Ledbetter at AA to give OF playing time to Baez, Saggese, and Koperniak, or if Koperniak will mostly move to the bench so that they have a starting OF of Baez, Saggese, and Ledbetter. I assume that Crooks and Bernal will get most of the DH time.
Oh, and is that list of pitchers the ones who are impressive this spring? If so, thanks. Mautz might be the one I didn’t expect on the list. Maybe Van Dyke, too.
Thanks for the update, Brian. I was surprised to see Dutkanych on the 60-day. He was pitching at the end of last season. Has there been some setback to his health?
Your list of people not on the 60-day DL was interesting too. A sign that Roby is farther along in his rehab than one might have expected?
15 days for a pitcher before they can return, barring injury to someone else.
If the last three righties are Soriano, Pushard, Graceffo, then Graceffo is the only one who could be optioned. Barring giving up on Soriano or Pushard, I’d guess that means that Graceffo, Roycroft, and the 6th starter (likely Fitts) would be on the shuttle for the first couple months. Perhaps with Dobbins before too long.
I’d think that Prieto would be the other cut. Rivas, Moore, and Mendoza have gotten more ABs this spring than Prieto, and I would guess they would think one of them could fill in if need be. They already have Saggese and Fermine blocking Prieto.
Bling-
Reports were that Mathews velocity was good. His fastest was 96.0 last year and he had 5 pitches between 96 and 97 yesterday. And I saw some talk of movement on his pitches being good. But then there’s the control thing….
Fermin has no options, so I’d think Saggese (with options) would be the guy who loses out here? Nice to listen to a ballgame again!
I’d guess Urias takes the spot Saggese was filling, backing up 2B/3B/SS. Fermin becomes LF till Noot comes back. Saggese is sent to Memphis to work on OF defense.
stl25, and all those who worked on the rankings–thanks much!
jnevel–Sure does seem like those are the five. I’m surprised about Cho, but not the others. And I seem to recall that you predicted Cho some time ago!
I like our top 20.
Well said by stl25. That’s roughly my thinking, too. Higher ceiling earns some credit, even if there is a lower floor.
Brian and Kyle only have 21 left to rank, and they have not yet ranked 20 of our top 21. The exception was Padilla, who we have 14th, but they have 29th. I’m trying to think through what it means if there is agreement on 20 of the top 21.
The ones on their list who didn’t make our top 50:
Clemente 41 (our 54)
Van Dyke 43 (our 51)
Campos 48 (our 61)
Miura 49 (our 60)
Burns 50 (our 52)The 6th we ranked lowest who have still not made Brian and Kyle’s list:
Torres 28
Cho 30
Hunter 35
Winquest 40
Lucena 42
Love 49Gaps of at least 10 spots
Where we ranked someone more favorably:
Sequera us 33, them 46
Molina 29, 45
Gurevitch 27, 38
Granillo 23, 35
Padilla 14, 29Where they ranked someone more favorably:
Holiday them 34, us 47
Elissalt 31, 41
Honeyman 28, 39
Young 27 38
Crossland 22, 37
Rincon 23, 36I agree with jnevel about the difficulty here. I feel good about my Clarke rating, but I could put Pushard anywhere from 23 to 35. I like him a wee bit more than Granillo, but I’d rather have Dutkanych than Pushard. I’ll split the difference.
Clarke 10
Pushard 29Not sure this is the place for it, but thus far, Brian and Kyle have 5 in their top 50 who missed the community top 50:
Clemente (their 41)
Van Dyke (43)
Campos (48)
Miura (49)
Burns (50)I am curious which 5 on our list won’t make theirs. (I’m guessing it’s just 5 on their list not on ours. All of their 29-40 ranked players have made our top 50.) My bet:
Love (our 49)
Lucena (42)
Winquest (40)
Young (38)
Rincon (36)I’m betting they like Crossland and Honeyman more than Rincon and Young, but we’ll see! The double digit separations: We like Sequera, Molina, Gurevitch, Granillo, and Padillo by at least 10 spaces each more than do Brian and Kyle. Brian and Kyle like Elissalt and Holiday by at least 10 more paces than the community.
