Kevin McGonigle is...

[IdahoBert]

Stop <blanking with us> Jason. I know you’re a hireling and all, but this is becoming disingenuous.

[tiger2022]

Bill Almon was #1 overall.  He was pretty mediocre for a long time.  But at least he wasn't a scumbag like Matt Busch.

[tiger2022]

Are they going to blatantly try to manipulate his service time?

[4hzglory]

9 minutes ago, tiger2022 said:

Are they going to blatantly try to manipulate his service time?

No because if ends up top 3 in ROY, he gets a full year no matter when he’s called up.

[monkeytargets39]

McGonigle will be my next jersey buy once he has a ML number

[IdahoBert]

2 hours ago, monkeytargets39 said:

McGonigle will be my next jersey buy once he has a ML number

I have two jerseys, a Cabrera road jersey with his name and number on it and an incredibly sturdy, beautiful, fully authentic Mud Hens road jersey that I got for $2 at a St. Vincent’s thrift store and it’s even got real embroidery. It’s so thick I could wear it in a snowstorm.

Unfortunately, hardly anyone out here in Idaho knows who the Mud Hens are unless they remember Klinger from M*A*S*H. 

[chasfh]

16 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

is already a better 3B than any one even hopes Colt can be.  

(and I'm a fan of Keith's)

Supposing this is the case, the question would be, is it better to have McGonigle start every day at third, McKinstry/Javy platoon at short, and Colt float around DH/3B/even 1B; or Colt still at third, McGonigle/Javy at short, Javy also at CF in case of/in place of Parker, and McKinstry super-sub especially since Wenceel is probably gone?

[chasfh]

12 hours ago, tiger2022 said:

Are they going to blatantly try to manipulate his service time?

I think the Tigers are way more concerned about 2026 than 2031/2032, and that the only calculation at this point is whether McGonigle is better than the alternatives.

[gehringer_2]

16 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Supposing this is the case, the question would be, is it better to have McGonigle start every day at third, McKinstry/Javy platoon at short, and Colt float around DH/3B/even 1B; or Colt still at third, McGonigle/Javy at short, Javy also at CF in case of/in place of Parker, and McKinstry super-sub especially since Wenceel is probably gone?

Hinges mostly on a decision on Parker.

[Tenacious D]

14 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Hinges mostly on a decision on Parker.

I don’t see how they are related. Both can and should make the team. At this point, I don’t think they are concerned about how many AB’s Javy gets. He’ll still play a lot everywhere.  If Javy and Vierling are largely bench/utility guys, do we really need Jones?

[Tigermojo]

Do we really need Javy is my question. He could quickly become the weakest link on the team. Obviously they will let him play but if he does decline, will they cut him this year?

[NorthWoods]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

Hinges mostly on a decision on Parker.

I'm wondering of the Torres injury could open the door for him to stay.   Once he does it's likely permanent unless he's overwhelmed.

[Motor City Sonics]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

Hinges mostly on a decision on Parker.

I think Perez is the odd man out because Jones is out of options.   I think Meadows defense and speed outplays Perez being a switch hitter.   Meadows had a slightly better Spring.    Baez/Meadows platoon in CF.   Vierling/Carpetner platoon in RF.   You'll just have to live with left-handed hitting SS, 3B, DH vs. Lefties.    McKinstry hits lefties better than righties anyway (.697 - .677 career and .854 - 746 in 2025)  and so far Colt Keith is pretty close to even.  .731  OPS vs righties but .610 vs. lefties, which isn't that wide of a gap. 

13 position players

C  - Dingler - Rogers (or Valencia if Rogers concussion isn't resolved)

INF - Baez - Keith - McGonigle - McKinstry - Torkelson - Torres

OF - Carpenter - Greene - Jones - Meadows - Vierling

 

Perez, Jung and Lee will all see MLB time this year at some point.    Sweeney seems to be the odd-man out candidate, as far as The 40 goes.   I'm sure they'll put some one on the 60 day to make room for K-Mac now, but in the long run, it's gonna be Sweeney that goes. 

Plus they could swing a trade to get someone off the 40-man.  

I don't see the Tigers as the runaway winners in the Central at all.   People seem to think they have it wrapped up already.   Kansas City might surprise folks and Cleveland is always hanging around.   I think the White Sox pass the Twins this year and the Twins will be in the running with the Rockies, Angels and Nationals as the worst team in MLB.    White Sox have made a lot of good little moves - and they might have a decent manager. 

Edited 4 hours ago by Motor City Sonics

[Motor City Sonics]

vs. RHP   /  LHP

C - Dingler / Dingler  (platoon is based on rest)

1b - Tork / Tork

2b - Torres / Torres  (although I do expect Torres to get quite a bit more time at DH than last year)

ss - Baez / McKinstry

3b - McGonigle / McGonigle  (see what he can do) sometimes Keith playes lefties

rf -  Carpenter / Vierling

cf - Meadows / Baez

lf - Greene / Greene

dh - Keith / Jones

 

Baez = SS, 3B, CF, 2B

McKinstry = 3B, SS, 2B, RF, LF

Vierling = RF, LF, CF, 3B, 1B

Keith = 3B, 1B AND 2B (if they have to)

Carpenter =  RF, LF

Jones = RF, LF, 2B

You know how much Hinch loves that kind of flexibility

In the minors

Lee  2B, 3B, SS, CF

Jung  3B, 2B, 1B

Perez  RF, CF, LF

Move those puzzle pieces around.  

 

[Motor City Sonics]

What would be the OD lineup?   Padres haven't announced the starer, but it's gotta be Nick Pivetta, right?   Unless he's hurt.  It's going to be a RHP

 

Keith, ,dh
Torres, 2b
Carpenter, rf
Greene, lf
Torkelson, 1b
Dingler, c
McGonigle, 3b (or maybe let the kid watch and McKinstry starts here)
Baez, ss
Meadows, cf

 

 

[Tenacious D]

Baez was one of the few guys that hit in the postseason and has had a nice spring.  He’s safe, and hopefully will be a plus contributor.

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, Tenacious D said:

I don’t see how they are related. Both can and should make the team. At this point, I don’t think they are concerned about how many AB’s Javy gets. He’ll still play a lot everywhere.  If Javy and Vierling are largely bench/utility guys, do we really need Jones?

I don't believe that Parker by necessity should make the team, but I do believe that the Parker decision should be disassociated from the Kevin decision, and I think it will be.

[casimir]

11 hours ago, IdahoBert said:

Unfortunately, hardly anyone out here in Idaho knows who the Mud Hens are unless they remember Klinger from M*A*S*H. 

Keep preaching the good word.  Eventually folks might recognize you from your numerous photos here and realize they need to heed your gospel.

[casimir]

2 hours ago, Tigermojo said:

Do we really need Javy is my question. He could quickly become the weakest link on the team. Obviously they will let him play but if he does decline, will they cut him this year?

I think they need to see how SS plays out.  I don’t think he’s blocking anyone in the minors and he does have some value to the team despite the contract not working out as planned.

[casimir]

2 hours ago, Tenacious D said:

I don’t see how they are related. Both can and should make the team. At this point, I don’t think they are concerned about how many AB’s Javy gets. He’ll still play a lot everywhere.  If Javy and Vierling are largely bench/utility guys, do we really need Jones?

I realize why people think Jones should make the roster.  Top line stats from last year and pros wouldn’t sneak through waivers to Toledo.  I just think last year was a mirage and I don’t know that I would put much stock in someone that’s a short side platoon DH.

I suspect what will happen is Jones makes the team and Perez starts the season in Toledo.  Not sure how McGonigle and Meadows shakes out.  But I think there’s some degree of direct influence amongst a few different players’ assignments starting off the season.  And I don’t think it’s necessarily an easy one player or the other.  But I think the Jones decision isn’t a primary driver in how the roster is formed.  I think he’s secondary to other Opening Day assignments.

And how about this thought.  Maybe they start the season with 12 pitchers and 14 position players.  3 game series in San Diego.  Off day.  3 game series in Arizona.  Off day.  Then 10 games in a row, so certainly they’d be at 13 and 13 for that.  But maybe the early season first week in warmer climates with likely no rain outs factors into a bit of a wrinkle with carrying another bat rather than an arm?  Heck, they could probably swap arm for arm during that time if need be if they have options.

[gehringer_2]

2 hours ago, Tigermojo said:

Do we really need Javy is my question. He could quickly become the weakest link on the team. Obviously they will let him play but if he does decline, will they cut him this year?

If he declines, but he happens to be having a decent Spring, he may or may not turn out to be more productive than any combination of Meadows, Perez, Jones. At any rate, they aren't going to eat his salary if he's playing decently. Of course he could fall apart, anyone on the roster can, or be injured, but I think you cross that bridge when you come to it.

[gehringer_2]

42 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I don't believe that Parker by necessity should make the team, but I do believe that the Parker decision should be disassociated from the Kevin decision, and I think it will be.

I agree that the decision on whether McGonigle make the team is independent of the decision on Meadow, but I was referring to the linkage being in the outcome about where he plays in the field the most being dependent on whether Parker is on the team. I think he will get more time at 3B if Parker is the regular CF. I may not have been sufficiently clear there, but I will stand by that as more precisely rendered.

Edited 3 hours ago by gehringer_2

[tiger2022]

Parker Meadows and Colt Keith are guys that are easy to replace.  If you are worried about hurting their feelings or moving a potential future star around to different positions to accommodate these guys, it's a bad decision.  If McGonigle is your 3rd baseman, then he plays there 150 games a year.

 

[Hongbit]

I will agree with you on Keith if the numbers are the same in two years.  
 

Right now he’s still a maturing player and the expectation is there’s more production to develop.   Hes not someone that any sane organization would give up on at this stage of his career arc.  

[gehringer_2]

18 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

I will agree with you on Keith if the numbers are the same in two years.  
 

Right now he’s still a maturing player and the expectation is there’s more production to develop.   Hes not someone that any sane organization would give up on at this stage of his career arc.  

I think it's quite likely that Keith is going to get better as a hitter, maybe a lot better. I also think he is evolving into a DH. If his power improves I suppose he would be a candidate 1B, but watching him even there, I think his movement has yet to become fluid or natural.

So I suppose it depends on how the team sees its offense/defense balance. Will they make room for him on the diamond regardless, give him a lot of AB at DH, or move him and his very attractive contract which could bring back pretty good value?

And of course it's always a matter of what the alternatives are. If Tork flames out, 1b is gonna be Keith's. No brainer there.

Edited 2 hours ago by gehringer_2