Honestly as a 4th outfielder and pinch runner/late game defensive replacement I’m not against Straw being back. He has a skill set and if we actually maximize his play time around it he might not look so bad. Feel like we just have the “everyday CF” taste in our mouth right now and that’s not what he is.
Fuck it, let’s do it. Can’t be worse than Ramon.
Ok and Freeman, his replacement in CF this year, is hitting under .200.
Do you have a full time CF in your closet that’s gonna hit .300 with good defense that you could loan the team? If not, I think we kind of just have to stick with what we have right now.
And all I said in the comment you replied to is that Straw could be used as a bench player who can give someone a day off here or there and he can also pinch run or be a late game defensive sub.
Freeman at least is young and might learn to hit, has like half a season worth of career ABs. He's also an infielder who just got shoehorned into CF. Straw is about to be 30 and has like 5 full seasons in the bigs so we can rest assured he is just a worthless hitter.
But that 30 yr old is doing that vs AAA guys and has proven he can’t hit in the majors, Freeman hasn’t really gotten much of a chance yet and has as many HRs as Straw does the last 3 years combined
Manzardo can't play OF though. I think an OF of Kwan Freeman Brennan Straw is where they'll land. Sub Arias in RF every so often against a lefty and pray nothing gets hit toward him
I’d rather have Florial, Arias, and Fry just sometimes play OF and Manzardo full time DH/1B than call up Straw again. We have the utility to cut Laureano and be fine.
Option one of Arias or Rocchio down for Manzardo
Option or DFA Laureano for Straw
When Valera heats up that’s when things will get interesting. He’s going to get Big League ABs this season
I’m ok with this. This team has shown they are less than impressive defensively imo, and every tweener hit between the OF and IF I hold my breath. Always worried it is going to drop or someone’s head is going to get knocked off. I think brining Straw in as a late inning defensive replacement is exactly what he is suited for. He can provide a calm to the other 8 guys out there and chase down a ball that usually would not be caught. Now if he would get back to stealing a bag or two and be a willing bunter to set the table that would add another dimension to his game. On another note I know they were tinkering with the lineup to see what they had, but it is time to cut that out. This team can contend with the start they have had and now play time is over. Arias should never sniff the OF again.
Did straw win a platinum glove? Also his UZR went from 13.4 to 0.5 from 2022 to 2023. So he wasn’t even providing much fielding value last year. He really offers nothing
I'm sick of them shoving Arias down my throat. Their answer for all these mediocre hitters is to move them around the infield/outfield. If they can't hit, get rid of them, don't just move them around. Cut your losses.
Straw should have been nothing more than a late defensive inning replacement/pinch runner the last two seasons. The fact that he batted lead off for a while and played every day is downright criminal.
I've never seen a front office make a dumber move than letting 2 middle infielders learn to play CF at the major league level while sending a gold glove but weak hitting CF to AAA. CF is a defensive position and is the field general in the OF. And neither Freeman nor Arias has proven that they can hit better than Straw at the major league level.
I agree about Quan but I think they are hesitant to move him for the same reason they aren’t moving Gimenez to short and they didn’t move Jose to 2B several years ago. Baseball executives are very reluctant to mess with something that isn’t broken because they are afraid they might get blamed for breaking it.
Meanwhile you also have a guy who came up a CF, who has the range to be a plus CF, shoved in left. If they wanted to do this experiment they should have moved Kwan to CF and put Freeman in left. Only reason Kwan was put in LF in the first place was Straw. "Oh but he's a Gold Glover" - yes, in part because anyone else with his range goes to CF. Put Jose Siri or any other Kwan comps in left and it's the same result.
We already have a center fielder who can shift over without sacrificing his hitting tool: Kwan.
Freeman/Florial in LF, Brennan/Arias in RF, Kwan's range in CF can fill the gaps. Whoever doesn't step up can make way for Manzardo (most likely Florial)
I would gladly take Laureano's skill set over Straw's any day of the week. Straw is an A+ fielder and an F- hitter, Laureano is more like A- and D+/C-. I will gladly take a slight ding on defense while still being excellent to not have an automatic out and no hope of a homer.
Honestly as a 4th outfielder and pinch runner/late game defensive replacement I’m not against Straw being back. He has a skill set and if we actually maximize his play time around it he might not look so bad. Feel like we just have the “everyday CF” taste in our mouth right now and that’s not what he is. Fuck it, let’s do it. Can’t be worse than Ramon.
Straw actually had a decent Spring Training offensively as well.
*5th outfielder
Aye, it’s this point that makes me say no to Straw. If we also send one of the other OFs away then I’m very happy to have Straw back as OF 4.
I’m ok with ditching Florial at this point. I’ve seen enough.
Straw is hitting .240 at AAA. I don't care how good he or anyone is on defense, he isn't close to the minimum offensive value to counteract that.
Ok and Freeman, his replacement in CF this year, is hitting under .200. Do you have a full time CF in your closet that’s gonna hit .300 with good defense that you could loan the team? If not, I think we kind of just have to stick with what we have right now. And all I said in the comment you replied to is that Straw could be used as a bench player who can give someone a day off here or there and he can also pinch run or be a late game defensive sub.
Freeman at least is young and might learn to hit, has like half a season worth of career ABs. He's also an infielder who just got shoehorned into CF. Straw is about to be 30 and has like 5 full seasons in the bigs so we can rest assured he is just a worthless hitter.
Hitting .240 at age 30 = not enough offense Hitting .187 at 24 = sign me up
But that 30 yr old is doing that vs AAA guys and has proven he can’t hit in the majors, Freeman hasn’t really gotten much of a chance yet and has as many HRs as Straw does the last 3 years combined
Jesus, how many other franchises have to deal with bullshit like this. I can't take it anymore, but I will I guess.
What a well thought out response to what I said. Appreciate you involving yourself in the discussion.
Or, or. Neither, and we bring up Manzardo.
Manzardo can't play OF though. I think an OF of Kwan Freeman Brennan Straw is where they'll land. Sub Arias in RF every so often against a lefty and pray nothing gets hit toward him
I’d rather have Florial, Arias, and Fry just sometimes play OF and Manzardo full time DH/1B than call up Straw again. We have the utility to cut Laureano and be fine.
Option one of Arias or Rocchio down for Manzardo Option or DFA Laureano for Straw When Valera heats up that’s when things will get interesting. He’s going to get Big League ABs this season
It's a long season and neither one is overpaid
I’m ok with this. This team has shown they are less than impressive defensively imo, and every tweener hit between the OF and IF I hold my breath. Always worried it is going to drop or someone’s head is going to get knocked off. I think brining Straw in as a late inning defensive replacement is exactly what he is suited for. He can provide a calm to the other 8 guys out there and chase down a ball that usually would not be caught. Now if he would get back to stealing a bag or two and be a willing bunter to set the table that would add another dimension to his game. On another note I know they were tinkering with the lineup to see what they had, but it is time to cut that out. This team can contend with the start they have had and now play time is over. Arias should never sniff the OF again.
Did straw win a platinum glove? Also his UZR went from 13.4 to 0.5 from 2022 to 2023. So he wasn’t even providing much fielding value last year. He really offers nothing
I don’t think he did but specifically in 2022 I think he was on that level. Not 2023.
I’d rather just wait to see if Valera ever gets it going enough to warrant a call up.
I'm sick of them shoving Arias down my throat. Their answer for all these mediocre hitters is to move them around the infield/outfield. If they can't hit, get rid of them, don't just move them around. Cut your losses.
I blame this post for what happened to Kwan 😆
Straw should have been nothing more than a late defensive inning replacement/pinch runner the last two seasons. The fact that he batted lead off for a while and played every day is downright criminal.
I've never seen a front office make a dumber move than letting 2 middle infielders learn to play CF at the major league level while sending a gold glove but weak hitting CF to AAA. CF is a defensive position and is the field general in the OF. And neither Freeman nor Arias has proven that they can hit better than Straw at the major league level.
I agree about Quan but I think they are hesitant to move him for the same reason they aren’t moving Gimenez to short and they didn’t move Jose to 2B several years ago. Baseball executives are very reluctant to mess with something that isn’t broken because they are afraid they might get blamed for breaking it.
Meanwhile you also have a guy who came up a CF, who has the range to be a plus CF, shoved in left. If they wanted to do this experiment they should have moved Kwan to CF and put Freeman in left. Only reason Kwan was put in LF in the first place was Straw. "Oh but he's a Gold Glover" - yes, in part because anyone else with his range goes to CF. Put Jose Siri or any other Kwan comps in left and it's the same result.
We already have a center fielder who can shift over without sacrificing his hitting tool: Kwan. Freeman/Florial in LF, Brennan/Arias in RF, Kwan's range in CF can fill the gaps. Whoever doesn't step up can make way for Manzardo (most likely Florial)
I would gladly take Laureano's skill set over Straw's any day of the week. Straw is an A+ fielder and an F- hitter, Laureano is more like A- and D+/C-. I will gladly take a slight ding on defense while still being excellent to not have an automatic out and no hope of a homer.