If Hermida, Ross, and Maybin can step it up and produce at a decent level like today, then this lineup has a chance to be extremely potent even if Bonifacio falls on his face as in the last 2 games. Very excited to see what those can do over the next couple months.

Just wondering...those people who said we will fail b/c we lost power when trading Mike Jacobs...does anyone really miss Mike Jacobs? :lol And please, be serious, if you felt that way when the trade occurred.

 

Similarly, does anyone really miss Hammer and/or Olsen?

 

[edit] I know that having another capable starting pitcher can never hurt

 

 

And, with Maybin looking overmatched and possibly in AAA if this continues, having Hammer would be great since instead we're probably looking at Brett Carroll starting.

 

We lost bench stuff in Hammer/Olsen. We GAINED runs by trading Mike Jacobs. If he's at 1b, he does more damage to his team than the opposition. Why in the world is he not DHing.

 

It is early, but think I like Gload almost as much as Hammer. Mostly since he is not the same injury concern, and the defense is an upgrade. Olsen has been awful so far, small sample for all parties, though.

 

Carroll will get some chances. Not the worst thing in the world, though. Anyhow those two (Olsen and 'Ham) have not done anything to make us think we underestimated their values, that's for sure.

Just wondering...those people who said we will fail b/c we lost power when trading Mike Jacobs...does anyone really miss Mike Jacobs? :lol And please, be serious, if you felt that way when the trade occurred.

 

Similarly, does anyone really miss Hammer and/or Olsen?

 

[edit] I know that having another capable starting pitcher can never hurt

 

 

And, with Maybin looking overmatched and possibly in AAA if this continues, having Hammer would be great since instead we're probably looking at Brett Carroll starting.

 

We lost bench stuff in Hammer/Olsen. We GAINED runs by trading Mike Jacobs. If he's at 1b, he does more damage to his team than the opposition. Why in the world is he not DHing.

It would certainly be interesting to see what they do if they send Maybin back to AAA if he struggles another two weeks.

 

I kind of think they would do this - Gaby 1B, Cantu 3B, and Bonifacio RF. I'm not saying it's a good idea, but calling up Raynor isn't the answer, Carroll isn't either, or Jai Miller, or gulp De Aza. I think they prefer Gload to be on the bench. They seem enamored with Bonifacio and want to play him, so why not? Just move him around, and call up Gaby who is clearly next up of all our significant prospects. It just switches the skepticalness from 3B to RF.

Didn't really think of that and certainly likely our best option, though I'm scared of what that would do to our defense. I have no idea how Bonifacio's arm rates though, would he be able to handle RF? Rather moot though I'm sure since I doubt we move Hermida back to RF for a short-term thing.

Didn't really think of that and certainly likely our best option, though I'm scared of what that would do to our defense. I have no idea how Bonifacio's arm rates though, would he be able to handle RF? Rather moot though I'm sure since I doubt we move Hermida back to RF for a short-term thing.

I don't think there would be any notable defensive change as long as Gaby is average over at 1B, something he did in the minors last year but absolutely not in spring training. It's not like EB is changing games at 3B. He is making a few nice plays, but blowing some too. Cantu could probably do that. EB's range should negate arm strength problems in the OF, and Cody would be relatively the same in CF.

 

Either way, like you said. It would be short term until they figure out what to do with Maybin/another starting OF. Hopefully this is just a sample size thing, and he starts hitting a bit. It probably wouldn't hurt to give Amezaga a game a week in the outfield, Gload another one, and even Carroll one. They could shield Maybin a bit and still get him 20 PA a week and see if in 2-3 weeks he's feeling more comfortable.

Pretty unbelievable that we are having the "Gaby can fix the lineup" conversation all over again, but now subbing in for Maybin instead of you-know-who.

 

If Gaby can come up and perform, it gives this club a heck of a lot more flexibility with the corner IF spots. If a temporary send-down for Maybin leads to Gaby getting a shot and succeeding, this has to be viewed as a positive. Then Maybin comes back up with a little more experience and we are exactly where we wanted to be all along. Just thinking best-worst-case scenario here...

I know they don't want to pick up salary, but Catalanotto is still out there. You could stick him in left, slide Jeremy back to RF, and put Cody in Center. Luis Gonalez, too. Not sure who else. But if they get really desperate there are FA options, and I think FC > Carroll/Amezaga/current Maybin

Or, the team shows a little faith in the kid, maybe moves the order around and looks at it in May.

Pretty unbelievable that we are having the "Gaby can fix the lineup" conversation all over again, but now subbing in for Maybin instead of you-know-who.

 

If Gaby can come up and perform, it gives this club a heck of a lot more flexibility with the corner IF spots. If a temporary send-down for Maybin leads to Gaby getting a shot and succeeding, this has to be viewed as a positive. Then Maybin comes back up with a little more experience and we are exactly where we wanted to be all along. Just thinking best-worst-case scenario here...

I'm still making the argument for Gaby replacing Boni, assuming he doesn't turn this 4 game nosedive around. I don't like the idea of sending Maybin to AAA because I really don't know the good it would do him.

Pretty unbelievable that we are having the "Gaby can fix the lineup" conversation all over again, but now subbing in for Maybin instead of you-know-who.

 

If Gaby can come up and perform, it gives this club a heck of a lot more flexibility with the corner IF spots. If a temporary send-down for Maybin leads to Gaby getting a shot and succeeding, this has to be viewed as a positive. Then Maybin comes back up with a little more experience and we are exactly where we wanted to be all along. Just thinking best-worst-case scenario here...

Well to be fair, I still want to get ride of EB immediately. But Maybin just looks pretty lost, and Gaby is the only guy in AAA (and on the 40 man) that is hitting the ball and ready for a call up if need be. If this non hitting keeps up with Maybin and Bonifacio's last 2 games, for another 10 games or so, they are going to have make some sort of move in calling up Gaby and use more of Gload/Helms.

Pretty unbelievable that we are having the "Gaby can fix the lineup" conversation all over again, but now subbing in for Maybin instead of you-know-who.

 

If Gaby can come up and perform, it gives this club a heck of a lot more flexibility with the corner IF spots. If a temporary send-down for Maybin leads to Gaby getting a shot and succeeding, this has to be viewed as a positive. Then Maybin comes back up with a little more experience and we are exactly where we wanted to be all along. Just thinking best-worst-case scenario here...

I'm still making the argument for Gaby replacing Boni, assuming he doesn't turn this 4 game nosedive around. I don't like the idea of sending Maybin to AAA because I really don't know the good it would do him.

 

This is the big question for me. If we do promote Gaby and he can produce, then we're likely getting production from the entire infield, LF/RF, and from behind the plate. Quality hitters at every other position. At that point, I can deal with Maybin taking his lumps. And he's just not going to face that good of pitching in AAA. It looks to me needs to learn how to hit big-league hitting.

 

And as long as he bring plus defense, the difficulties at the plate are again easier to swallow. If we put a player like Gload/FC in there every day for a 'more reliable bat', then the defensive loss will nullify some portion of that anyway, assuming Maybin's bat in its worst case and those guys' bats in their best cases.

I don't like the idea of sending Maybin to AAA because I really don't know the good it would do him.

 

I don't either. I just figure that if he really is struggling for an extended period, at some point, that is the decision the management will have to make. Same goes for EB and every other player on the squad that has options.

I don't like the idea of sending Maybin to AAA because I really don't know the good it would do him.

 

I don't either. I just figure that if he really is struggling for an extended period, at some point, that is the decision the management will have to make. Same goes for EB and every other player on the squad that has options.

Actually, I can see the good AAA could give EB if we force him to try and take a different approach at the plate. His MiLB numbers show an ability to hit down there, so I don't know how much any of his coaches told him to try and be more selective when he was hitting .300.

Boni's swing looks a little different somehow. Might be a good idea to sit him a game and just work with Presely all day making some adjustments. He'll lose that lead off spot long before he gets sent down. He's going to get that "learning curve" mentality for a while yet.

 

Same goes for Maybin. It will be a long time before he gets sent down. He's going to get every opportunity and then some to have things start to click. And if it dosen't, I would think The Amazing moves to the OF and they call Andy back up to fill an IF bench spot, even tho he isn't hitting the cover off the ball in AAA right now. Just going by the moves Fredi has already made this season. And in the past with another IFer that couldn't hit at this level.

 

We are 8-1. At first the bottom of the order wasn't hitting, now the top of the order isn't hitting. Not exactly time to go into panic mode.

Boni's swing looks a little different somehow.

Yeah. Before he was swing and hitting the balls because they were lower, now he's swing and missing the balls because they are higher, too high. He looks handcuffed.

A lineup with Amezaga and Bonifacio is a lineup that makes me sad.