SoCalTiger

Get em tommo..er..well..someday...please

So please tell me for those watching the game. Two questions :

1. Could a better first baseman have caught the ball down the line Tork flailed at ? Or knocked it down for a single.

2. Would Verling have caught the ball that carpenter fielded on the bounce ? ( nice throw but was it catchable? )

Am I being critical ?

Any potential third baseman should be welcomed with open arms. 

My hopes for a 2 - 4 road trip are diminishing. 

Tork showing his glacier reactions.

4 hours ago, mtutiger said:

Yeah, I think he's going to have to do something fairly quickly or risk being out of the starting lineup (in pinch hitting mode as kdog has suggested) or sent down. We're not there yet, AJ and Scott probably aren't there yet, but it's getting closer IMO.

In general though, at least on the SM, it seems to have reignited the debate about whether they should have brought Chapman in or whoever (who, btw, only has a 0.642 OPS at the moment), but the fact remains that the long term success of this team rests on these younger players. Even beyond Spencer Torkelson, Colt Keith and Parker Meadows.... all of them did what they needed to do in Toledo, sending them down may help for a reset but, in terms of gaining experience, there's nothing to be gained by that. And at some point, you have to give players runway to sink or swim. You have to be able to find out who these guys are and whether they fit into the long term plans.

 

In the larger context of this being a much improved team over previous seasons, it's not ideal. But its the reality.... and it would have been the reality regardless of whether they signed a Matt Chapman or JD Martinez or whoever.

I totally agree with you but what I do not understand is why management presents this as an all or none situation. They play 162 games - 9 innings per game - 4 AB's per game . Add it all up thats a heck of a lot of runway ! I agree no Chapman or long term guys but we could have added two more veteran bats in the 5 to 12 million range to sprinkle in with the kids to keep our offense off the bloody floor. Look how much Urshela helped in his limited time. Where would we be without Canha ? Does Colt Keith HAVE to play EVERY day ? Does Tork have to play every day..etc..etc..Does McKinstry need to be on the team ? I mean isn't 100 to 120 games and 400 ABs enough runway for first and second year players ? It would be nice to come into New York for a tough series and have four established bats in the lineup with Greene instead of one.

Why does it have to be all kids all the time ?

Lineup changes only help marginally unless a player has a mental block for a certain spot. Best hitters one and two for the possible 5th at bat that game is it really. Maybe switch Canha and Greene but how much does that really help. 
 

I would put the best defensive team on the field and stop platooning so much. Verling and Carpenter hitting for each other is dumb when you have 2 to 4 weaker bats to hit for. 
 

As for Tork I would DH him against lefthanders only for the next 6 weeks then progress to playing him against some righties if he is hitting lefties. Finally let him play first. 
Baby steps at the MLB level. He’s a head case in my book so a trip down won’t ease his anxiety about hitting in the bigs. 
 

Sometimes it seems Hinch just gets a bit to cute. Sometime the obvious is the best.

Two innings leaving the bases loaded is a kiss of death in baseball. 

1 hour ago, lordstanley said:

I'd take a split of the next 6 games.

2-4 is ok with me. not happy but ok. 

4 straight series wins. 

I am frustrated but I think we have made THIS bed and just have to sleep in it. I just don't see any real help thats ready yet in Toledo. Jung needs reps at third and thats about it with Kreidler and Leornd hurt. Maybe Ibanez can help now that he is back and perhaps platoon Keith and Meadows for a spell and DH Tork to focus on hitting. Have to stay patient. 

So Foleypitched the eighth to have Miloet for the heart of their lineup? Isn’t that backwards?

This one bites big time. 

Shadows and leaving bases loaded.   

Tork can be the Phoenix here 

Boo boo. I guess Lange might creep back into the picture?  Is this second lost win for Miller ?

Ok I won’t get greedy that was fine. 

Time Tork. Now

Flahtery identifies as very good !

If Keith still isn't hitting .200 when Urshela returns then it's going to be tune up time unless Perez has returned to earth.

I think its bye bye Buddy and Wencel stays...

First thing we need is to take a deep breath. Secondly I would like them to bat Tork lower and give him an extended run at DH only. Like 15 to 20 games to clear his mind. 

Bring Hitua up for the 15 to 20 games Tork is DH to maybe add a spark which is all Hirua is good for. Once Tork hits move him back to first. If at seasons end he still hits only so so and continues to field poorly then consider him a DH going into 2025 planning. 
 

Continue to play Meadows and Keith at least through May. No better options. Maybe platoon them for a couple weeks for a mini breather. Release a little pressure. 
 

No reason to trade pitching now. I love Verling in RF every day but until Jung is ready or Urshela returns play him at third. Sigh. But soonest possible get Jung out up for MLB evaluation. Get ALL of Al’s kids evaluated this year so we can put a known team on the field in 2025. 
 

And do not panic at the Trade deadline. 

Spencer Torkelson --0.7 war - 438th out of 450 players- at the start of the day. Only up from here.

1 hour ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

I would be very happy with this outcome.

Yes of course. Possible?