I agree with this in principle. The question is whether we have guys on this roster that we can do that with. Who do we have on this roster today who has proven that they are, or are ready to be, major league regulars, a guy who plays at an above average level on a reasonably consistent basis and who has enough future with the team that you could see signing him for more than a year at a time? Riley is in that camp, if he can stay on the field. Maybe Tork. Anyone else?
Because it’s not just about the platoon issue, which is a very real consideration for rosters and lineups that every manager in the game, not just Hinch, has to deal with. It’s also about whether a guy is even ready to take on the responsibility of playing every game every day, good for 650 trips to the plate in a season. There are a lot of guys in the game who just can’t do that at this level, whether they aren’t consistent enough to perform every day, or can’t handle the pressure of performing to everyday expectations, or even because they are more prone to injury or just get plain tired. And even if you think you want to see someone every day, there’s a really good chance you might not like the results if they do. That was one of the things I would say about Mike Fontenot when he played for the Cubs: he was great for 300 at bats in a platoon situation, but give him an everyday job and you starting seeing all the things he can’t do.