Roster projection, fifth guess
Things are much clearer on the offensive side than they were, and much less clear on the pitching side.
Starting pitchers (5)
Adam Wainwright
Braden Looper
Kyle Lohse
Todd Wellemeyer
Anthony Reyes
Relief pitchers (7)
Jason Isringhausen
Russ Springer
Ryan Franklin
Brad Thompson
Kyle McClellan
Randy Flores
Ron Villone
Catchers (2)
Yadier Molina
Jason LaRue
Infielders (6)
Albert Pujols
Adam Kennedy
Cesar Izturis
Troy Glaus
Aaron Miles
Brendan Ryan
Outfielders (5)
Rick Ankiel
Chris Duncan
Ryan Ludwick
Skip Schumaker
Brian Barton
As I see it, there are really only 14 players still with a legitimate shot of breaking camp -- the 13 listed above, plus Joe Mather. Mark Johnson won't be on the team. I'm very confident that Colby Rasmus will start out in Memphis. D'Angelo Jimenez isn't making this team. And Juan Gonzalez's bid looks finished, at least for now.
On the pitching side, it's downright impossible to make a real projection. The possibility DOES exist that Pineiro could open the season on the active roster, but not taking a turn until the second week. I'm not sure exactly how that would work, fallout-wise, but my guess is that Reyes would be the one to lose out, somehow or other.
-M.
Are Perez and/or Motte still with the big league club? If yes, what kind of chances do they have at sneaking into the back end of the bullpen?
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Teams win on the field, not on paper. On the bright side we have some pretty good young talent. The rotation if obviously full of questions.
What about Chris Duncan. I know he is working to get his swing back. Do you think he will come through as a so so fielder with a big bat? or possible end up somewhere else?
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So...by my calculations...if everything goes as planned/hoped concerning rehabbing pitchers...which, how often does THAT happen?...the following pitchers are going to be trade bait when it comes to the All-Star break:
A. Reyes
T. Wellemeyer
R. Villone
and one of the following three: Lohse, Pineiro, and Clement (Lohse/Clement because we may not be able to resign them after this year - although more with Lohse - and Pineiro because a successful season as a starter with us makes him more valuable in trade than sticking with us considering our soon-to-be-had plethora of starting pitchers...)
This assumes the following 5-man rotation after the All-Star break:
Adam Wainwright
Kyle Lohse
Mark Mulder
Matt Clement
Chris Carpentar
And...if the insane happens and we make the playoffs, one of those guys has to go, too...talk about your difficult decisions!
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DUDE....
6 errors...
I don't care how flippin' "quiet" his hands are...
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Shouldn't have been an error today, IMO.
The guy may or may not hit. But I am not going to make an assessment of his defensive ability based on his error total in ST.
-M.
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yeah...I hear ya...just frustrating, ya' know?
ugh...I wouldn't make too big a deal out of his error total in ST if his defense was a bonus and the guy could hit. But it's the exact opposite...we picked him to improve our defense...we have a young kid behind him who needs experience to improve...and if the kid doesn't start, he'll ride the bench which will cost him experience...
At this point, I say release Izturis, start Ryan, and bring Mather on board to back up the corners...um...can Mather play 3B?
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I wouldn't want Mather at 3B in any more than an emergency.
And don't get me wrong, I like Ryan a lot and I think he should play a lot. But my view on Izturis' defense is actually the opposite.
He has a history of being very good. There is no reason, other than two bad weeks of Spring Training, to think that he's not still very good. He has enough of a history that IMO it's pretty clear just what Izturis is and is not.
-M.
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Izturis history of being good defensively is overrated and past tense, he has been league average at best, but in my opinion below average the past two seasons. The guy is sure handed but no where the same guy he was 4+ years ago defensively.
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