Encarnacion struggles: A critical contributor on the 2003 World Series championship team, Juan Encarnacion has had his struggles this season.

 

Since rejoining the Marlins after being dealt by the Dodgers, Encarnacion is batting .214 with one RBI. However, in the last two games, he's contributed at the plate. In Sunday's win at Milwaukee, he drew a two-out walk in the 10th inning and scored the go-ahead run. On Monday the right fielder went 1-for-3, with a run scored.

 

Overall, he's had a big dropoff, with 44 total RBIs after driving in 94 and hitting 19 homers a year ago.

 

"Sometimes you get in a rut and you can't get out of it," said manager Jack McKeon. "It's been a whole year like that."

 

With Encarnacion struggling, Damion Easley may offer some relief in the outfield. A natural infielder, Easley has been working in the outfield lately, providing an option should Encarnacion's struggles continue.

 

Easley would likely play left field with Miguel Cabrera moving to right, where he opened the season. Defensively, Encarnacion is an upgrade over Cabrera in right field because he has better speed and range. But after not committing an error all of last year, Encarnacion has had two since his return.

 

Easley has 29 RBIs and six home runs in 151 at-bats.

 

"For a guy playing part time, he's had a lot of key RBIs for us," said McKeon. "We have him playing a lot of positions. We're working him in the outfield now. There might be a day we throw him out there."

 

 

I said that Easley should start over Enc as soon as the trade went down. It took less time than I thought it would for the Marlins organization to realize this.

give the big eazy the chance to play 3 games str8 see what happends his been swinging a big bat and cant do much worse then our current right filder.and the games off might help him out

Fragments...

 

I'd like to ask Bill Robinson "To what extent does Enc's sore shoulder affect his hitting?"

 

I asked long ago (before the Trades) if Easley was getting OF practice.

Glad to hear he is... but I'd still like to see Aguila get a chance out there.

 

I never, ever, want to see Cab's in RF again!

Amplification by Popular Demand (None)

 

Easley is a consumate veteran and can "handle" almost any position. But, he is by long experience a right-side infielder (2B).

 

Cab's is a very young gem whose short experience is left-side infielder (SS/3B).

It's easier for him to see the ball coming off the bat when he's in Left, not Right.

 

Just watching Cab's in Left... what a difference! And this confidence will carry over to his hitting. No more messing with Cab's playing position. He's LF unless Mikey gets injured. (Even then, I would leave him in left and put Easley at third.)

What's Cordero up to?

Well, he was aquitted in his DUI case last Friday.

 

But I have no idea how his knee surgery recovery is doing. Originally, the timetable for his recovery would have had him back around early August. Obviously that is not the case though.

Enc is suffering from a pretty severe injury in his left shoulder. I think it is at the point to consider whether or not putting him on the DL will do any good. It seems that surgery may be the only answer and if that is the case, you either lose Enc for the rest of the season or have him play as much as possible.

 

I am sorry, but I dont endorse Easley playing RF. Defensively, we would have one of the worst units out there in the OF. Cabrera is much better in LF - for the reasons that Chin High has stated. But Easley, who could fare decently in RF, would best serve as a short term replacement. I would much rather see Aguila and Cordero split time out there if Enc went down.

 

The key thing is Enc's status. I am kind of confused about why we included him in the deal.