1b/OF log jam as an offensive strategy

[pacopete4]

Not going to be much of a logjam if that MRI comes back with bad news today in Thames.

 

Will probably mean we'll see more of Braun at 1B, and possibly the return of Choi. Neither are ideal, considering how hot Thames has been. Hopefully it's nothing too serious, but Counsell didn't seem overly optimistic last night.

 

Choi hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire so it’ll be interesting to see who the call up is.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I would still guess Choi's lefty bat plays as a call-up. Aguilar/Braun get most starts, but you have Choi to pinch-hit late.

 

It might make sense to call up another bullpen arm too and just stick with Braun and Aguilar, but Santana isn't exactly making a case for more PT.

 

I am guessing Thames is DL'd for sure. Just hoping it is 2-4 weeks instead of something requiring surgery.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Although we have good depth at 1st, Thames' bat is a real tough loss. Choi is a definite possibility, although his numbers in AAA haven't been really inspiring. They could also promote someone like Phillips and transition Braun more to 1st.

 

All of this is still hypothetical. Maybe we get good news on Thames. But thumbs are so tricky and as we've seen with Braun, having him try to play through it isn't going to go well. I'd prefer them to just DL him and have him take whatever time he needs to heal up. Even if that means he isn't back until midseason.

 

I'm a huge Phillips fan, so I certainly wouldn't mind him coming up. If he does, though, I would think it would be to play regularly. I don't think they would pull him up as a rarely-used bench bat.

[jerichoholicninja]

If Thames is out, 1B is covered with Aguilar, Braun, and Perez already on the roster so I don't think Choi is the for sure callup. I think I'd prefer Phillips as he provides a lefty bat, speed, he's an actual backup CF, and plays good defense all around.

[Fear The Chorizo]

If Thames goes on the DL, they don't need Choi up - I'd rather go with Phillips or adding another pen arm (Lopez or Houser). Vogt is getting closer, too - he'd provide another LH bench bat after he'd send Bandy out not too long from now.

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the MRI doesn't reveal something that needs surgery or a long DL stint. My hope if Thames does hit the DL is that it opens up more consistent ABs for Santana to finally get going - and aside from the RH/LH hitting difference the offense doesn't miss a beat.

[FVBrewerFan]

Yea juggle Braun, Santana, Aguilar, Phillips. More starts for Braun at 1B, which is actually a good opportunity for him early in the season. He needs to get comfortable there, as he may not have much of a choice down the road a year or two.

 

Plus, having those four players shuffle between the OF/1B will ensure nobody will ever be happy with any line-up posted in the IGT.

[MoreTrife]

Count me as another voting for Phillips.

[chuckiehacks]

My guess is that they'll use this to ultimately find a spot for Vogt as a bench bat/3rd catcher/once-in-a-while-because-he's-a-gritty-veteran 1B.

 

There might be a little time in between when Thames goes on the DL and when Vogt's rehab assignment is complete, so maybe they'll call up Philips or Choi for a few days, but I don't think they'll stick, as the organization seems to like Bandy and Vogt, and this will buy them time in trying to figure out what to do with one of them.

[adambr2]

My guess is that they'll use this to ultimately find a spot for Vogt as a bench bat/3rd catcher/once-in-a-while-because-he's-a-gritty-veteran 1B.

 

There might be a little time in between when Thames goes on the DL and when Vogt's rehab assignment is complete, so maybe they'll call up Philips or Choi for a few days, but I don't think they'll stick, as the organization seems to like Bandy and Vogt, and this will buy them time in trying to figure out what to do with one of them.

 

Ugh I hope not. We have good enough depth in the minors without carrying 2 mediocre backup catchers.

[brwrsfan]

Carrying 2 mediocre catchers as backups would annoy me a great deal as well. Simply no need for it. I don't think very highly of Bandy or Vogt and losing either one wouldn't even make me blink an eye quite frankly.

[liveforoctober]

Nottingham not being overwhelmed in his short stint here was enough for me to move on from Bandy if that is needed. Use Vogt as the backup and, if needed, we have our next in line in Nottingham.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Nottingham not being overwhelmed in his short stint here was enough for me to move on from Bandy if that is needed. Use Vogt as the backup and, if needed, we have our next in line in Nottingham.

 

Bethancourt has been good too in AAA. Bandy is pretty redundant at this point. Given the dearth of decent catching options out there, it's possible they might be able to make a DFA trade with Bandy for some minor league depth, but if that doesn't happen, I don't have much problem with full on cutting bait.

[dlk9s]

Well, looks like having a bunch of 1B's is about to pay off. Can never have too much depth.

[JohnBriggs12]

A few days off would be a good thing for Santana. As pointed out, had a super slow start last year and really picked it up. I am betting on that again. Domingo will be fine. All I know is all this depth at OF/1B is really paying off so far with injuries/slow starts.

 

He started slow last year but nothing like this year. He had 5 HR, and 12 RBI and a .774 OPS in April of 2017. His OPS right now is a pathetic .569 and he's got a grand total of 1 extra base hit in 87 PA and just 3 RBI.

 

If Choi doesn't pick it up and soon, the move to make is to bring up Phillips.

[djoctagone]

three games in since eric thames has been activated, and it appears that he'll be out of the starting lineup for two of those three (assuming no changes to the today's announced lineup). the one game he started, he played first base.

[pacopete4]

three games in since eric thames has been activated, and it appears that he'll be out of the starting lineup for two of those three (assuming no changes to the today's announced lineup). the one game he started, he played first base.

 

Yeah. He shouldn’t play, ever, against a LHP. Shaw’s close to that territory as well.

[istanbultaye]

Shaw has clearly not had great results this year in the 64 PA he's had against lefties thus far, but he hasn't looked overmatched with tons of bad swings in most of the lefty ABs I've seen, so with there being less quality options to replace him at 3B, I wouldn't be shutting him down against lefties other than just making sure if you give him a rest day, it's against a lefty.

[bork]

So Braun flew out to LA to have the cryotherapy on his thumb again. Looks like we're going to see more Thames in RF.

[JohnBriggs12]

So Braun flew out to LA to have the cryotherapy on his thumb again. Looks like we're going to see more Thames in RF.

 

Thames is playing RF in Pittsburgh because LF has so much room to cover. He'll play LF in Miller Park.

[bork]

The point isn't LF vs RF, the point is he's going to be playing a lot of OF, something that didn't seem possible when the season started.

[jerichoholicninja]

Aguilar (and to a lesser extent Santana) is the reason Thames will be in the outfield. If Jesus wasn't proving his 2017 wasn't a fluke, Perez would be in the OF with Thames at first.

[adambr2]

So Braun flew out to LA to have the cryotherapy on his thumb again. Looks like we're going to see more Thames in RF.

 

Thames is playing RF in Pittsburgh because LF has so much room to cover. He'll play LF in Miller Park.

 

If he can handle RF I'd imagine he'll play it at Miller Park too, given how much better of a defender Yelich is in LF than RF.

[chuckiehacks]

So Braun flew out to LA to have the cryotherapy on his thumb again. Looks like we're going to see more Thames in RF.

 

Yet another opportunity to use the 10-day DL instead of Braun sitting unavailable on the bench for 7 days.

[pacopete4]

So Braun flew out to LA to have the cryotherapy on his thumb again. Looks like we're going to see more Thames in RF.

 

Yet another opportunity to use the 10-day DL instead of Braun sitting unavailable on the bench for 7 days.

 

..he may play tonight. So far, hasn’t missed a game.

[chuckiehacks]

Up to three games missed...so far.

 

 

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