0-2 strikeout is a nice way to get out of your first jam. That's where a lot of pitchers either can't throw strikes or give up a dinger and get the bus back to AAA warming up.
I'm good with giving Jones a look and Lockridge is adequate as a 4th/5th outfielder, but you can't leave Lara in AAA with how he's been looking and carry Matos, Jones, Perkins, and Lockridge as outfielders.
As a Niners fan, at least neither has actually hired a scientist to look into electrical substation conspiracy theories to dismiss it as a possible explanation for all the injuries.
There wasn't a contingency plan for the entire bullpen being terrible. What do you even do? Just call up the starting depth and let them have at it? Hope the few guys having early success in Nashville's bullpen can handle this level? Cycle through other teams' DFAs hoping someone turns it around?
Wouldn't mind giving Jones a good look. Former first round pick who's been productive throughout his career when healthy. Plenty of time available given Matos is trending towards DFA fodder, Perkins has been unproductive, and Lockridge's ceiling is a 4th/5th outfielder.
On merit it would be Luis Lara, then Eddys Leonard or Greg Jones. The 40-man is not super flexible right now unless they're willing to DFA Black or Rodriguez or 60-day Rob Z. So it might actually end up being Cooper Pratt.
He's improved his average by almost 50 points the last couple of days...from .029 to .071. Williams and Pratt are also off to bad starts, so we're in line to suffer for awhile longer.
When it comes to the outfield, I'm ready to go with Luis Lara over Perkins any time now.
This is my takeaway as well. The players expected to probably be bad are mostly on par with career norms. Rengifo was bad last year and hasn't reverted to career norms. Need returns from injuries and some progression of the pipeline.
It's weird reflecting on how putting up a 4 spot without a ball leaving the infield would be the darndest thing for most every other team, but it's not at all surprising for us.
That's not a minimum IL stay type injury. Hope they can get Koenig right and throwing upper 90's again.
Drohan our likely Wednesday starter or post-opener?
Random thoughts I had:
Lockridge does many things right. Not sure if his ceiling is enough to be an everyday player for a full season, but he's looking like an excellent fourth outfielder.
Bauers has already gotten at least a couple of extra bases thanks to being one of the fastest first basemen in the league.
Lots going on with Matos' swing. I don't know how he stays on the roster all year, but nor do I think we could get him outrighted to Nashville. Take it as it comes, I guess.