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artie_fufkin wrote:
APRTW wrote:
TLR is just looking for a worst case solution. I think that is smart considering this year could be a worst case situation. No I dont want Jay or Greene in center but if Rasmus is on the DL who is in center.
If it gets that bad, I'd put Skippy in center. He's probably the second best defensive outfielder on the team.
That would seem logical if both Skip and are in the lineup. It would be better then playing Greene at an unnatural position of (CF) and Skip at an unnatural position (2B). Still I dont think it is a bad idea for Greene to add another position to his resume. Maybe they are also think of using Greene as a defensive switch in the late innings for Berkman. IDK but when a team lacks depth it doesnt hurt to have guys that can play several positions.
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Max wrote:
artie_fufkin wrote:
APRTW wrote:
I believe rookie year he got a the flu or something real bad and last year it was a strained calf. Still he played 150 games. TLR just wants options. I think that is smart. If Rasmus would go on the DL giving Greene playing time now in center would allow TLR to mesh Jay and Greene into a more productive center fielder.That's fine, except do you really want Jay and Greene playing that much? Unless Jay reverts to the guy he was in August instead of the one he's been during the rest of his career, they're nice complementary players that give you depth and can fill in capably for a week or so.
If one of the primary goals this year is to get Tyler Greene more comfortable in the outfield, I'm clearly being too pessimistic or the Cardinals are being too optimistic.Or too confused. Are we so overwhelmed with depth in the infield that keeping him at his natural position is out of the question?
Before this turns into a rehash of the Gerald Laird debate, please allow me to remind everyone that TLR has had an infielder on virtually every team he's had who played a little outfield--just in case. Scott Spiezio, Felipe Lopez, even Aaron Miles and Adam Kennedy were taught to play the outfield. Someone mentioned earlier that our backup plan at third is a converted outfielder. Actually, that statement isn't entirely accurate. Our backup plan at third is a former third baseman who was converted to a right fielder who is now being reintroduced as a third baseman.
TLR has always emphasized versatility on the bench. Didn't Mabry and Stavinoha both have catcher's gloves--just in case?
I wouldn't make this out to be much more than it is. I remember talk last spring that Lopez would see some fly balls in center field. I don't know that I ever remember him actually playing there during the season.
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Max wrote:
artie_fufkin wrote:
APRTW wrote:
TLR is just looking for a worst case solution. I think that is smart considering this year could be a worst case situation. No I dont want Jay or Greene in center but if Rasmus is on the DL who is in center.
If it gets that bad, I'd put Skippy in center. He's probably the second best defensive outfielder on the team.
Not the best? Who's ahead of him?!?
Rasmus is pretty good at tracking fly balls. Edmonds spoiled us for so long that we forget what a merely above average defensive outfielder looks like.
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Max wrote:
Or too confused. Are we so overwhelmed with depth in the infield that keeping him at his natural position is out of the question?
The team lacks depth at almost every position.
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Max wrote:
APRTW wrote:
TLR is just looking for a worst case solution. I think that is smart considering this year could be a worst case situation. No I dont want Jay or Greene in center but if Rasmus is on the DL who is in center.
What's Randy Winn doing?
Signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles.
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APRTW wrote:
Max wrote:
Or too confused. Are we so overwhelmed with depth in the infield that keeping him at his natural position is out of the question?
The team lacks depth at almost every position.
The departures of Lopez and Miles have pretty much left the Cardinals bereft of journeyman middle infielders who can't hit or play in the field.
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APRTW wrote:
artie_fufkin wrote:
APRTW wrote:
TLR is just looking for a worst case solution. I think that is smart considering this year could be a worst case situation. No I dont want Jay or Greene in center but if Rasmus is on the DL who is in center.
If it gets that bad, I'd put Skippy in center. He's probably the second best defensive outfielder on the team.
That would seem logical if both Skip and are in the lineup. It would be better then playing Greene at an unnatural position of (CF) and Skip at an unnatural position (2B). Still I dont think it is a bad idea for Greene to add another position to his resume. Maybe they are also think of using Greene as a defensive switch in the late innings for Berkman. IDK but when a team lacks depth it doesnt hurt to have guys that can play several positions.
That is a very La Russ-ian way of thinking, and it might be that Tony thought to himself, "I need to get that kid Greene more playing time. He might come in handy on a double switch, so maybe I could get him to start training for CF." The retort, fair or not, is that La Russa is a manager who fucks up developing players, and that getting a guy like Greene, who has already played a fair amount at 3B, SS, and 2B to try adding CF, of all places, could mess him up. La Russa himself was quick to use Schu's defensive struggles at 2B as an excuse for last year's offensive problems, and Ryan's defensive lapses as being the result of his offensive struggles. Why take that chance with Greene?
So, I agree with everything you say, but with the caveat that everything has risks, and the risk here is that adding another assignment to Greene's playbook could fuck him up.
Last edited by Max (3/01/2011 1:34 pm)
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I think Greene's chance to make a big league splash has come and gone. His role is to be a utility player if he wants to hang around a few more years. Being able to play the outfield might help his career.
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APRTW wrote:
I think Greene's chance to make a big league splash has come and gone. His role is to be a utility player if he wants to hang around a few more years. Being able to play the outfield might help his career.
You really think he's been given enough of a chance to be comfortable saying that? The guy has 212 AB spread over 2 seasons and never had a sustained starting role in all of that, but showed flashed of quality defense and occasionally a lively bat. I think that a player needs to have the chance that Jon Jay (or Bo hart) got to truly know. Not everyone well ever get that chance, of course, but for those who don't I think it's fair to wonder 'what might have been'.
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Most the time he was playing because the Cardinals were out of options. Otherwise he wouldnt even know were to park on game days.
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I'm not saying your prognosis is wrong. I am saying I haven't seen enough of him. If you think you have, and that La Russa saw like you did that he has hit his ceiling and it ain't good enough, then the real question should be why on Earth are they even considering him one of their serious options for 2011?
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Stavinawhatever was list as a cater in yesterdays game. I wonder if he really caught. If he did, why?
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APRTW wrote:
Stavinawhatever was list as a cater in yesterdays game. I wonder if he really caught. If he did, why?
Did you mean to write "caterer". I believe he now runs a hot dog stand in Jupiter during February and March, but he moves it to the Venice Beach boardwalk for the summer months.
Yes, I believe he really did catch, as he has been practicing his Dodger Dog moves, and is now pretty good at tossing the dogs and catching the money.
Last edited by Max (3/02/2011 9:47 am)
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Without Miles on the team Nick playing catcher might take a more sexual role.