Nyjer's role going forward

[RobDeer 45]

Just curious what you think his role is going forward. Also, what you'd like it to be.

 

I'm not convinced he gets used for a majority of starts going forward like a lot of us would like. I'm hoping he is the main starter in CF with Gomez starting against tough lefties. Has RRR said anything about what he plans to do with him when he gets back?

 

I love Gomez's defense in CF but I don't think Nyger is too much of a drop off and should give us a rather large boost on O.

[Invader3K]

Pssst...it's "Nyjer".

 

I hope for a Gomez/Morgan platoon, but I'm not sure that happens, at least right away.

[rluzinski]

I love Morgan's great start but let's not overestimate his offensive value because of it. ROS ZiPS projections:

 

Morgan: .272/.331/.357

Gomez: .243/.300/.350

 

Both are excellent defenders, so I would just go with a straight platoon.

 

What do I THINK is going to happen? I have given up trying to anticipate RR.

[Mays Hayes]

I love Morgan's great start but let's not overestimate his offensive value because of it. ROS ZiPS projections:

 

Morgan: .272/.331/.357

Gomez: .243/.300/.350

 

Both are excellent defenders, so I would just go with a straight platoon.

 

What do I THINK is going to happen? I have given up trying to anticipate RR.

 

Morgan's projected OBP seems low to me. I think he'll be on more like .340-.350. That's kind of what I'm expecting, and based on that I'd like to see him start regularly and bat 2nd (actually I'd like him to leadoff and bat Weeks 2nd, but that's not going to happen). I'd probably give Gomez the start against lefties most of the time.

 

But, I expect RR to have Morgan in a fairly straight platoon with Gomez and bat him 8th.

[DHonks]

After watching the first 7 weeks, Morgan both goes back on balls and reads balls off bats FAR better than Gomez. I'd rate Morgan in Cameron-esque territory with these as a perfect 10, whereas Gomez is about a 7/8. In terms of coming in on the ball, I haven't seen enough from Morgan, but Gomez usually is very good. And Gomez's arm is better.

 

Having said that, I think a straight platoon is best, or at least one where Morgan gets the majority against righties. Also, the differences are negligible, so they should not be pinch hitting for one another.

[monty57]

Straight platoon seems like the best idea to me, and hopefully Roenicke is going to do that.

 

I would also use Morgan / Gomez together in the OF on the days Hart or Braun need a rest, but I'm sure Roenicke will use Kotsay for this.

 

Batting order will be another issue. I'd guess Roenicke will put the Gomez/Morgan platoon in the #2 hole with Hart batting 6/7

[RobDeer 45]

Whoops, sorry about the screw up, hadn't had my coffee yet.

 

I like the idea of Nyjer 2nd but not sure we should move Hart. I'd love to go back to pitcher 8th and CF 9th but it does take away AB's. I guess I'm just excited to have him back and hopefully in the lineup.

[Mays Hayes]

Just to clarify, when I think of a straight platoon, I think 2 players spitting PT 50-50, with your RH hitting platoon player getting the vast majority of the starts against opposing LHP starters.

I believe lefties compromise about 25-30% of the starting rotations, which would mean in a straight platoon, Gomez would still be starting against a right handed pitcher 20-25% of our games. With everybody saying that they are in favor of a straight platoon, I guess I'm surprised because I thought that was just more Gomez than I thought people here wanted to see vs RHP, with a healthy Morgan available.

Unless when you're saying straight platoon you mean, Gomez vs LHP, Morgan vs RHP????

[TooLiveBrew]

Yeah, "straight platoon" to me has always meant playing time based exclusively on handedness of the pitcher, not 50/50

[Dollarbill13]

Yeah, "straight platoon" to me has always meant playing time based exclusively on handedness of the pitcher, not 50/50

I agree with this and I think it would be a good option to have Gomez available off the bench to come in as a defensive replacement or pinch runner when needed.

[monty57]

By straight platoon, I mean Gomez vs LHP, Morgan vs RHP, with Gomez occasionally getting a start vs RHP, usually when either Hart or Braun needs a day off with Morgan in RF/LF.

 

I would use "soft platoon" to mean roughly 50/50 playing time.

[Mays Hayes]

By straight platoon, I mean Gomez vs LHP, Morgan vs RHP, with Gomez occasionally getting a start vs RHP, usually when either Hart or Braun needs a day off with Morgan in RF/LF.

 

I would use "soft platoon" to mean roughly 50/50 playing time.

 

OK, I'll make an adjustment to my baseball dictionary then and correct my prediction.

 

I'd also like to see a straight platoon, with Morgan batting 2nd when he starts.

 

But, I expect RR to impose a soft platoon, with Morgan batting 8th when he starts.

[PrinceEatMeat]

There's really no reason why Morgan shouldn't always start against RHP and Gomez against LHP. But I'm sure Roenicke will try to find one.

[monty57]

PEM, it's because once in a Little League game Roenicke saw Morgan strike out when he started against a RHP two days in a row.

[logan82]

I love Morgan's great start but let's not overestimate his offensive value because of it. ROS ZiPS projections:

 

Morgan: .272/.331/.357

Gomez: .243/.300/.350

 

Both are excellent defenders, so I would just go with a straight platoon.

 

What do I THINK is going to happen? I have given up trying to anticipate RR.

Yeah but that is their overall projection. If Morgan faces almost exclusively or mostly RHP he will hit better than that. Off the top of my head I believe Morgan's OBP was about .350 vs RHP and .300 vs LHP and he was hitting LHP as well as Gomez was, or close to it.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

They probably won't go straight platoon, but 50/50 would be a big improvement. The bigger impediment will be RRR's Kotsay love...he needs to be firmly planted on the bench, but I doubt that happens.

[TheCrew]

I like the soft platoon idea with Gomez possibly getting some additional PT late in games as a defensive replacement.

[davemakovec]

I'm guessing three starts a week for Gomez, two for Morgan, one for Kotsay. It should be a straight platoon between Gomez and Morgan, with Kotsay exclusively a LH PH, and occasional relief (once per week) for Hart, who seems to benefit from a day off per week.

[topper09er]

Gomez really has value as a pinch runner in late and close games. Putting him on first means you have a very good chance of getting to 2nd without a bunt. He would be a nice option on the bench.

[brwrsfan]

There's really no reason why Morgan shouldn't always start against RHP and Gomez against LHP. But I'm sure Roenicke will try to find one.

The reason being that RR saw some good signs from Gomez in spring training. And that Morgan for whatever reason, is in his doghouse and behind Kotsay probably as well.

[Nottso]

brwrsfan, what leads you to believe Morgan is in the dog house? I'm not saying that he isn't, I'm just wondering.

[rluzinski]

I love Morgan's great start but let's not overestimate his offensive value because of it. ROS ZiPS projections:

 

Morgan: .272/.331/.357

Gomez: .243/.300/.350

 

Both are excellent defenders, so I would just go with a straight platoon.

 

What do I THINK is going to happen? I have given up trying to anticipate RR.

Yeah but that is their overall projection. If Morgan faces almost exclusively or mostly RHP he will hit better than that. Off the top of my head I believe Morgan's OBP was about .350 vs RHP and .300 vs LHP and he was hitting LHP as well as Gomez was, or close to it.

I listed their overall numbers as evidence that they should be strictly platooned. One batter would have to have a significantly higher projection to justify giving him AB's against same handed pitchers.

As for personal splits, Morgan only has 253 career AB against lefties:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=morgany01&year=Career&t=b#plato

Much too small of a sample to be useful at all.

 

[PrinceEatMeat]

Morgan isn't in Roenicke's dog house at all. When he came back from the first injury he was back in the starting lineup, hitting 2nd, right away. I'm pretty sure he values him as a player. Sure he lovess Gomez, but he doesn't dislike Morgan. I'm just saying that Morgan and Gomez should be in a straight platoon, but Roenicke will find a way to justify playing Gomez against righties at times. Morgan will get playing time, there's no doubt about that.

[brwrsfan]

He was in the lineup that day, yes. But prior to that, he had to go 9-18 just to get on the field. We had Morgan, healthy, in April for awhile and he still started Kotsay over him in RF several times. Just leads me to believe that RR would rather see Gomez or Kotsay in the lineup as opposed to Morgan. Just my theory. We'll see I guess. Morgan playing a lot means Kotsay becomes the 5th outfielder and based on the fact that he already has almost 100 AB, I'm just not seeing that happen.

[monty57]

I'd guess Kotsay will be the backup corner OF, stealing starts away from Hart far too often (i.e. the "I don't want to play Corey nine innings every day" comment). He will also be the primary LH bat off the bench, and will probably get a PH opportunity nearly every day.

 

I honestly think Gomez is the one in Roenicke's dog house, otherwise there's no way he'd be starting Kotsay in CF over him. It really wouldn't surprise me to see a lot of Morgan in CF as long as he stays healthy.