The two hole is a very weak spot in the lineup for the Marlins. I don't like Baker there ... he just ended up there by default last season. Since McPherson and Sanchez have shown nothing this spring, I guess Bonafacio plays third and bats second. I don't feel particularly good about that scenario, but what are you going to do? Maybin has to lead off over Bonafacio based on what the spring is telling us. Maybin is getting on base more often.

 

Are you retarded? He may have just "ended up there", but he is your perfect, ideal number two guy. Left-handed, patience, pop, contact. This is why so many once believed Hermida would be a perfect two hitter as well, considering they're practically the same hitter with Hermida supplying more power.

 

Seriously? There is no need for that. Beside, Baker is not the perfect ideal number 2 guy because he has no speed. But he is not a bad choice.

 

Since when has speed been necessary for (really, any) spot in the lineup? I think that, as Marlins fans, we got used to Pierre/Castillo and just have a preconceived notion that that's how it should be... Patience and contact are the ideal traits and although not necessary, WC brings up the point that being LH does give a nice little advantage in the 2 hole. But as long as Baker can keep up the OBP skills, (or Hermida or whomever) those're the biggest needs.

 

If you want to go the "second leadoff hitter" route, that's best done by batting the pitcher 8th, Boner 9th and then Maybin, Bake/Hermida, and so on...

 

This.

Since when has speed been necessary for (really, any) spot in the lineup?

 

Never

 

Since when has speed been necessary to be the ideal person for a spot in the lineup?

 

Always

I hate the fact that so many people are starting to accept Bonifacio as our starting third baseman. The guy has had a decent spring, not a great one. McPherson and Gaby have had their struggles, but let's not right them off just yet. There's still spring games left to play and you have to look at the whole picture.

I fully suspect that all EB is winning is the most time at 3B. McPherson will get at least 2 starts a week against right handers, and Helms will face a lot of the lefties. Still not ideal, but yea.

 

We can only hope Dallas hits minimum .250/.325/.450+ against right handers and starts getting more playing time as the season goes on.

 

 

I was wondering when you Dallas fans were going to chime in. I'm sticking with my very unpopular pre-ST prediction....Dallas dosen't make the 25 man roster come April 6th.

 

Do you have to mention how much you hate Mcpherson in every single thread?

 

I don't hate him. Just don't want him on the team. Not good D, not fast, Ks ALOT, and can't pitch. Dosen't fit the mold the team says it wants. So as long as everyone else keep bringing up his name and saying their opinion is that he should be on then team, I will voice mine. If that hurts your feelings, sorry about your luck

 

 

His D is better than Cantu's, he doesn't need to be fast, and so what if he Ks alot. With Ks comes Homeruns. And that's what we need off the bench.

This discussion will be moot come May 1 when Hanley is on .198 with 3 RBIs. Much as I love the guy, I can't but help feel he's a tad petulant (heck, he wants to be traded 'cos he had to cut his hair) and ain't gonna warm to not batting lead-off.

 

When you own the best damned player in the league, he tells YOU where he wants to bat.

 

Until then, I like what I've seen of Bonerface and can see why Beinfest traded Glassback and Pinkcheeks for him. So I say get him to leadoff with Cameron second. Chances are one of them will be on 2B by the time the sluggers come up. Hanley 3, Cantu 4, Hermida 5, Uggla 6, Ross 7 then Baker/Paulino 8.

Personally, I don't think a left handed btter looks any better than a right handed batter striking out.

 

That's why Bonerface is so cool... he does it from BOTH sides of the plate! 49k/149AB - Majors

 

Actually according to his bio page at marlins.com, it's 49 Ks in 192 ABs. Dallas is 126 Ks in 371 ABs. But I'm not really looking at what they have done for other teams. They are competeing for a job this Spring. Emilio has 14 Ks in 72 ABs and Dallas has 15 Ks in 46 ABs. I would rather see a guy put the ball in play than watch him drag his bat back to the dug out. But it's far more than just that.

That's not an objective statement. The advantages to having a power left-handed bat off the bench to hit RHP (like McPherson) are numerous. Carrying all right-handed bats limits your pinch-hitting options and flexibility. Not to mention all the upside and insurance that comes with McPherson, and the possibility that he plays himself into a starting role if Gaby or EB don't work out.

 

I will never understand the argument to keep McPherson off this team. What else would you propose we do with him? Its not like we can get anything but a low-level prospect for him at this point and the more likely alternative is DFA. I mean seriously, what is the argument here?

 

1.) We don't have all RH bats on the team.

2.) Since he came back from his surgery he has shown absolutely nothing at this level. Not much before either.

3.) So your arguement boils down to that because we can't get much for him we keep him? No one else wants him so he is a fit for us?

4.) DFA him or trade him. Some team will be willing to take a chance on him because he comes so cheap.

 

Keep him for what? He won't be getting much playing time (see the late call up last year and how he was used), something he has stated he wants. Not much playing time means he will not be getting very comfortable at the plate. The only good thing I can see from that is an excuse as to why he will be K'ing so much.

His D is better than Cantu's, he doesn't need to be fast, and so what if he Ks alot. With Ks comes Homeruns. And that's what we need off the bench.

 

No, his D isn't better than Cantu's. I look at how Cantu played after the ASB, once he was more comfortable at the position. Or Helms. Cantu was beatiing him out last ST and he had really never played that position before. Emilio is beating him out this ST and he really has never played that position before. Where was this good D last year after the call up and we did defensive replacements late in games? On the bench with Helms taking over at 3B and Cantu going to 1B.

 

With Ks comes outs. And a player coming off the bench at least needs to put the ball in play. Things can happen then. K'ing is just a wasted opportunity.

[quote Since when has speed been necessary for (really, any) spot in the lineup? I think that, as Marlins fans, we got used to Pierre/Castillo and just have a preconceived notion that that's how it should be... Patience and contact are the ideal traits and although not necessary, WC brings up the point that being LH does give a nice little advantage in the 2 hole. But as long as Baker can keep up the OBP skills, (or Hermida or whomever) those're the biggest needs.

 

If you want to go the "second leadoff hitter" route, that's best done by batting the pitcher 8th, Boner 9th and then Maybin, Bake/Hermida, and so on...

 

This.

 

I have always liked the idea of having a speedster that puts wood on the ball hitting 9th and the pitcher 8th. Even if it's a pitcher that can actually hit. Keeps the defense on their toes.

And to think it was only a year ago that Uggla batted 2nd.....

 

That just seems daft thinking back now

And to think it was only a year ago that Uggla batted 2nd.....

 

That just seems daft thinking back now

 

 

That seemed daft looking forward then as well.

I personally hate the idea of giving our pitchers an extra 18 at bats over the course of the season just to get two speedy guys next to each other.

That's not an objective statement. The advantages to having a power left-handed bat off the bench to hit RHP (like McPherson) are numerous. Carrying all right-handed bats limits your pinch-hitting options and flexibility. Not to mention all the upside and insurance that comes with McPherson, and the possibility that he plays himself into a starting role if Gaby or EB don't work out.

 

I will never understand the argument to keep McPherson off this team. What else would you propose we do with him? Its not like we can get anything but a low-level prospect for him at this point and the more likely alternative is DFA. I mean seriously, what is the argument here?

 

1.) We don't have all RH bats on the team.

2.) Since he came back from his surgery he has shown absolutely nothing at this level. Not much before either.

3.) So your arguement boils down to that because we can't get much for him we keep him? No one else wants him so he is a fit for us?

4.) DFA him or trade him. Some team will be willing to take a chance on him because he comes so cheap.

 

Keep him for what? He won't be getting much playing time (see the late call up last year and how he was used), something he has stated he wants. Not much playing time means he will not be getting very comfortable at the plate. The only good thing I can see from that is an excuse as to why he will be K'ing so much.

 

 

He's got a career .816 OPS vs RHP in his MAJOR league career. As well as over 1.000 in the minors. Now I believe the number of left-handed players (not just pitchers) is between 10-25%... which means that McPherson would likely be hitting against those whom he's succeeded against in the past a HUGE majority of the time.

 

That being said, you're right, he shouldn't be pinch-hitting, and given your opinion of contact off the bench, vs power off the bench, he should be starting over Bonerface. Emilio/Helms can start/PH against the LH pitchers and be defensive replacements late in games.

 

As things stand, you knock his defense, but it's also a C-C+ defense, so even if Bonifacio is B-B+ defense, his bat is/has been incredibly weak whereas McDallas beats up RHP... you know, at least he has a major league track record, despite what you think, Bonifacio has no such luck.

 

As for that thing about not being a defensive replacement, Fredi had been putting Helms in all year, and for the longest time, we were still "in it" why would he break up a winning formula? McDallas wasn't the A+++ prospect Maybin is/was, he is a slugging 3B with average defense, that doesn't yell out "Defensive Replacement"... Everyone was loving Cantu and Jacobs is similar to McPherson in that he's a lefty slugger (though McDallas has better OBP/defensive ability), but again, the incumbent wasn't likely to be replaced during our final push for a playoff spot.

That's not an objective statement. The advantages to having a power left-handed bat off the bench to hit RHP (like McPherson) are numerous. Carrying all right-handed bats limits your pinch-hitting options and flexibility. Not to mention all the upside and insurance that comes with McPherson, and the possibility that he plays himself into a starting role if Gaby or EB don't work out.

 

I will never understand the argument to keep McPherson off this team. What else would you propose we do with him? Its not like we can get anything but a low-level prospect for him at this point and the more likely alternative is DFA. I mean seriously, what is the argument here?

 

1.) We don't have all RH bats on the team.

2.) Since he came back from his surgery he has shown absolutely nothing at this level. Not much before either.

3.) So your arguement boils down to that because we can't get much for him we keep him? No one else wants him so he is a fit for us?

4.) DFA him or trade him. Some team will be willing to take a chance on him because he comes so cheap.

 

Keep him for what? He won't be getting much playing time (see the late call up last year and how he was used), something he has stated he wants. Not much playing time means he will not be getting very comfortable at the plate. The only good thing I can see from that is an excuse as to why he will be K'ing so much.

 

 

He's got a career .816 OPS vs RHP in his MAJOR league career. As well as over 1.000 in the minors. Now I believe the number of left-handed players (not just pitchers) is between 10-25%... which means that McPherson would likely be hitting against those whom he's succeeded against in the past a HUGE majority of the time.

 

That being said, you're right, he shouldn't be pinch-hitting, and given your opinion of contact off the bench, vs power off the bench, he should be starting over Bonerface. Emilio/Helms can start/PH against the LH pitchers and be defensive replacements late in games.

 

As things stand, you knock his defense, but it's also a C-C+ defense, so even if Bonifacio is B-B+ defense, his bat is/has been incredibly weak whereas McDallas beats up RHP... you know, at least he has a major league track record, despite what you think, Bonifacio has no such luck.

 

As for that thing about not being a defensive replacement, Fredi had been putting Helms in all year, and for the longest time, we were still "in it" why would he break up a winning formula? McDallas wasn't the A+++ prospect Maybin is/was, he is a slugging 3B with average defense, that doesn't yell out "Defensive Replacement"... Everyone was loving Cantu and Jacobs is similar to McPherson in that he's a lefty slugger (though McDallas has better OBP/defensive ability), but again, the incumbent wasn't likely to be replaced during our final push for a playoff spot.

 

This.

I'm just going to give Wild Card a "+1 PWG" button :lol

I'm just going to give Wild Card a "+1 PWG" button :lol

 

Seriously. I feel like everytime I want to say something I'll just press an easy button and you'll say it for me. This past week I feel like we've agreed on literally every subject spoken. haha

He should just do that thing where people quote a block of text and then don't add anything. Same difference.

Agree with everything PWG said.

That's not an objective statement. The advantages to having a power left-handed bat off the bench to hit RHP (like McPherson) are numerous. Carrying all right-handed bats limits your pinch-hitting options and flexibility. Not to mention all the upside and insurance that comes with McPherson, and the possibility that he plays himself into a starting role if Gaby or EB don't work out.

 

I will never understand the argument to keep McPherson off this team. What else would you propose we do with him? Its not like we can get anything but a low-level prospect for him at this point and the more likely alternative is DFA. I mean seriously, what is the argument here?

 

1.) We don't have all RH bats on the team.

2.) Since he came back from his surgery he has shown absolutely nothing at this level. Not much before either.

3.) So your arguement boils down to that because we can't get much for him we keep him? No one else wants him so he is a fit for us?

4.) DFA him or trade him. Some team will be willing to take a chance on him because he comes so cheap.

 

Keep him for what? He won't be getting much playing time (see the late call up last year and how he was used), something he has stated he wants. Not much playing time means he will not be getting very comfortable at the plate. The only good thing I can see from that is an excuse as to why he will be K'ing so much.

 

1.) I thought it was fairly obvious that I meant all right-handed bats on the bench (excluding Amezaga since he is rarely called upon to pinch hit). Maybe I should have been more clear.

2.) We've been through the sample-size debate before. There is a reason this guy was a top prospect in the Angels organization four years ago. Since he has come back from injury, he's had 11 at-bats at the big league level. You can't seriously be basing your judgement on a sample size that miniscule. You also ignored the fact that he has a career .816 OPS against RHP. But apparently he's proven nothing at this level.

3.) No. My argument in keeping him is based on his upside, insurance, and value off the bench. The only other alternative is to DFA him or trade him for a low level prospect which would be an inefficient use of resources considering McPherson's potential value to this team.

4.) What does that accomplish? Ofcourse a team is willing to take a chance on him because of the low cost, low risk, and upside that comes with him. Considering the fact that he is a fit on our 25-man, we should be that team.

 

I've already outlined the benefits for keeping him. He's not in the same situation he was in last year when he was blocked by Cantu, Jacobs, and Helms. That's why he was a late call-up last year. With Jacobs gone, there's still open competition for who is going to start opposite Cantu. If Bonifacio or Gaby falters, he provides additional insurance. I still fail to see how the benefits of getting rid of him outweigh the benefits of keeping him. It's not like he's blocking a better option from within the organization. All this guy needs to do is come off the bench and hit RHP (which he has done at all levels) and get pinch hits on a regular basis.