March 31, 200917 yr http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basebal...0,5591364.story Carroll may be left out in end By Juan C. Rodriguez South Florida Sun-Sentinel March 30, 2009 JUPITER Statistically, it's a no-brainer. Brett Carroll has performed better than the two remaining reserve outfielder candidates in Marlins camp. No one need tell Carroll that batting averages aren't the only numbers that matter. "[Getting cut] would definitely be a tough pill to swallow, but that's how this game is," said Carroll, who's batting .412 with a 1.046 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 34 Grapefruit League at-bats. "It's a game of numbers, and sometimes it's not your time." Everything Carroll has done says it is his time. In addition to going 2 for 3 as a pinch-hitter, he's again demonstrated arguably the organization's best outfield arm. A natural right fielder, Carroll can play all three spots and combines speed with plenty of baserunning savvy. Plus, he's already on the 40-man roster. So what's working against him? Alejandro De Aza and Michael Ryan, the two non-roster guys he's competing against, are left-handed hitters. The Marlins ultimately may determine they're better off with a lefty-swinging reserve outfielder to occasionally spot Cameron Maybin and Cody Ross. De Aza is batting .194 (7 for 36), but the last two springs he made the Opening Day roster only to have injuries wipe out both opportunities. Like Carroll, De Aza provides speed and great defense. His natural spot is center. "That's been the best thing is not trying to play GM," said Carroll, coming off a dislocated shoulder last season and broken wrist in winter ball. "In past springs, trying to figure out what's going to happen, who's going to go here, that'll wear you out. That's helped me, just trusting myself and not trying to be somebody I'm not." BC has won a job, fair and square!
March 31, 200917 yr It would be a disgrace if De Aza or Ryan won a spot ahead of Carroll. You need to choose the better player and not a guy just because he is a lefty.
March 31, 200917 yr Not to mention the defense he brings to the table. I fthe mantra is better defense this year, there's no way you pick De Aza over Carroll.
March 31, 200917 yr Can't agree more with the above posts. Just watching Brett play outfield is a world of difference. Plays that Hermida might make while fighting his footwork and just getting to a ball are plays that Carroll makes it look easy by being in the spot before the ball gets there-easily. Not saying he should play over Hermida, just that when you are looking at the backup spot and a defensive replacement, it is night and day when a guy really is good at defense.
March 31, 200917 yr I'll be upset to see him get tossed on the back burner and lose that reserve outfield spot. Is his spring training batting average still around a .267?
March 31, 200917 yr I'll be upset to see him get tossed on the back burner and lose that reserve outfield spot. Is his spring training batting average still around a .267? It's .412 with an OBP of .487.
March 31, 200917 yr Cut Ryan and De Aza already. De Aza will never be a MLB regular. Carroll, Raynor, and Cousins are all better options than De Aza. This would be a bad move, especially from a team who lacks defense and I believe Carroll may just be the best defender in our whole system- a great late inning replacement for Hermida.
March 31, 200917 yr I'll be upset to see him get tossed on the back burner and lose that reserve outfield spot. Is his spring training batting average still around a .267? It's .412 with an OBP of .487. Yep, it is an amazing 30-somthing ABs that don't count
March 31, 200917 yr I'll be upset to see him get tossed on the back burner and lose that reserve outfield spot. Is his spring training batting average still around a .267? It's .412 with an OBP of .487. Yep, it is an amazing 30-somthing ABs that don't count They do/should count in situations like this when different options for reserve players are being contemplated. Carroll .412/.487 Ryan .143/.226 De Aza .194/.268 From those numbers there should be no doubts that Carroll has earned the reserve OF spot.
March 31, 200917 yr The Marlins ultimately may determine they're better off with a lefty-swinging reserve outfielder to occasionally spot Cameron Maybin and Cody Ross. Hermida :thumbup
March 31, 200917 yr the guy who shouldve been given a chance is Jay Gibbons and not f***ing Michael Ryan!!
March 31, 200917 yr If Brett Carroll gets sent down, I would really have to question the organization. I know you like to have a lefty to be conventional, but it you have zero good options, then you must go with the righty, especially when he's performed as well as he has this spring, especially when he bring great defense to the table for all three outfield spots, when you the organization said the priority of the team is defense.
March 31, 200917 yr By all accounts he has the best arm in the system and can play all three outfield positions, forget about his at bats in spring training if you must. Need a left-handed hitting guy off the bench to play the outfield? Ladies and gentleman, I present you... Alfredo Amezaga. There are lots of scenarios one can concoct if this and this and this happens but geez I have to wonder if Carroll is still in Fredi's doghouse? Fredi doesn't strike me as the kind of guy to hold a grudge or let stuff like this get in the way of winning, and he certainly has given Carroll playing time this spring so I have no idea what the truth is, but if there was a spare part you'd think was a lock to make the team, Carroll seems a natural choice. (For those who don't remember at one point last season, I think this all happened in April and May, Carroll started with the team, was sent to AAA, hit like .400 for a month, was called up and just sat on the bench regardless of the situation or score or need. Fredi would not put Carroll in. Tommy mentioned it, it was no secret. Carroll would if I remember correctly go sit near Fredi, do the sh*t ballplayers do to silently say "put me in coach", and Fredi just ignored him. Then one day FSN miked Cody Ross who walks over and engages Carroll in a conversation in the outfield about playing time and while not insulting Fredi directly made some comments like (not his words) "it will be a cold day in h*ll before he plays me..." or some*thing* which was broadcast and Fredi took umbrage with. Then came the dressing down by Fredi in the dugout and not too much later Carroll hurt his shoulder running into the wall and went on the DL.)
March 31, 200917 yr The Marlins ultimately may determine they're better off with a lefty-swinging reserve outfielder to occasionally spot Cameron Maybin and Cody Ross. Hermida :thumbup You want Hermida to become a bench player?
March 31, 200917 yr I'm a Brett Carroll fan and defensively he is outstanding. He might have one of the best arms in all of baseball. However, the role of the 4th outfielder can be filled by Bonifacio which gives Brett the opportunity to get much needed at bats at New Orleans. Now as a fan of Brett's I would never vote for the minors over the majors, BUT if we need him to replace an injured outfielder I would rather have him fresh with at bats, rather than sitting around and getting an occasional plate appearance. He has options which helps the team make some decisions on other guys. This is the tough love part. It might mean he goes to N.O. to save Andino until such time as we can get value for Andino or someone gets hurt and we need Brett to be an everyday player. It is never a good situation to be a bubble guy.
March 31, 200917 yr None of us are coaching these guys, yet we all talk with authority when a guy has a good spring / good AAA season / nice shoes. Carrol sucks at the plate and the team does not, in any way shape or form, need to upgrade its OF defense. There is absolutely no need to make a defensive OF replacement for any of our guys.... ever. The only reason a reserve OF would be in the lineup would be for rest or platoon advantage and Carrol provides little value for either.
March 31, 200917 yr I'll be upset to see him get tossed on the back burner and lose that reserve outfield spot. Is his spring training batting average still around a .267? It's .412 with an OBP of .487. Holy crap!
March 31, 200917 yr I'm a Brett Carroll fan and defensively he is outstanding. He might have one of the best arms in all of baseball. However, the role of the 4th outfielder can be filled by Bonifacio which gives Brett the opportunity to get much needed at bats at New Orleans. Now as a fan of Brett's I would never vote for the minors over the majors, BUT if we need him to replace an injured outfielder I would rather have him fresh with at bats, rather than sitting around and getting an occasional plate appearance. He has options which helps the team make some decisions on other guys. This is the tough love part. It might mean he goes to N.O. to save Andino until such time as we can get value for Andino or someone gets hurt and we need Brett to be an everyday player. It is never a good situation to be a bubble guy. Bonifacio is not suited to be a 4th OF. A 5th OF like Amezaga maybe, but he's not currently a defensive upgrade over any of our OFs, and he's a significant downgrade at the plate. He's an IF as of now. None of us are coaching these guys, yet we all talk with authority when a guy has a good spring / good AAA season / nice shoes. Carrol sucks at the plate and the team does not, in any way shape or form, need to upgrade its OF defense. There is absolutely no need to make a defensive OF replacement for any of our guys.... ever. The only reason a reserve OF would be in the lineup would be for rest or platoon advantage and Carrol provides little value for either. I like Carroll, but this is right. Sure, he might be somewhat of a defensive upgrade over Hermida, but Jeremy had virtually identical splits vs LHP and RHP last year (.730 career OPS vs LHP), and his offensive production will be markedly better than BC's versus LHP, let alone RHP. And he's a righty just like Maybin and Ross, so he doesn't really do much for us, unfortunately.
March 31, 200917 yr This is REALLY frustrating. Carroll has done everything right in Spring. Carroll has ALWAYS done everything right in spring. Hell, he actually hit better in spring both in 2006 and 2007. The man is Mr. March. But none of that changed that he's never been able to hit a beachball with a tennis racket, much less a baseball in the bigs.
March 31, 200917 yr The Marlins ultimately may determine they're better off with a lefty-swinging reserve outfielder to occasionally spot Cameron Maybin and Cody Ross. Hermida :thumbup You want Hermida to become a bench player? yes.... and Lou is right. We need a left hander to compliment Ross and Maybin. Carroll has played better than anybody this spring, but he just has the disadvantage, sadly. I still love De Aza when he is healthy tbqh.
March 31, 200917 yr Why in the world would you want to make Hermida a bench player? he still has a chance to prove himself, but I personally feel he is just a player who will never live up to the hype he was given.
March 31, 200917 yr Why in the world would you want to make Hermida a bench player? he still has a chance to prove himself, but I personally feel he is just a player who will never live up to the hype he was given. Well, let's hope you are wrong.
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