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2020 Lineup Discussion

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What do you guys think of McKenzie getting a start on Saturday?
There has been a little bit of talk on this in various threads, but I am very surprised, and enthusiastic about him making this start. I had mo idea he was in any immediate plans (even for a spot start), so that is very encouraging as to his health and development...even this year in Eastlake. No matter what the actual result on Saturday, it is great to see he has reached a new point of progress. Even with the injuries, he's still only 23.
 
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What do you guys think of McKenzie getting a start on Saturday?

It's interesting as hell. Perhaps even shrewd.

I suspect not having 30,000 screaming fans on hand makes it a bit different from the pressure that usually comes with a major league debut. We may have had a bullpen game otherwise, so...why not? If it doesn't pan out, it probably wouldn't be much worse than a bullpen game. And if it does, it opens up all sorts of possibilities.

ETA:

Full disclosure -- I barely follow minor league ball, and never heard of this guy until he was first mentioned for this start.
 
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It's interesting as hell. Perhaps even shrewd.

I suspect not having 30,000 screaming fans on hand makes it a bit different from the pressure that usually comes with a major league debut. We may have had a bullpen game otherwise, so...why not? If it doesn't pan out, it probably wouldn't be much worse than a bullpen game. And if it does, it opens up all sorts of possibilities.

ETA:

Full disclosure -- I barely follow minor league ball, and never heard of this guy until he was first mentioned for this start.

He pitched WELL. He’s had shoulder (or elbow? One of them) on and off for the past two seasons, so his stock really plummeted. Now he got a surprise start and looked good. Regardless of whether he gets another start this year it bodes very well for the future- just him being healthy is a plus.
 
He pitched WELL. He’s had shoulder (or elbow? One of them) on and off for the past two seasons, so his stock really plummeted. Now he got a surprise start and looked good. Regardless of whether he gets another start this year it bodes very well for the future- just him being healthy is a plus.
Pec/lat strain cost him last season
 
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Pec/lat strain cost him last season
And a upper back strain also cost TMac some time.. Before that it was a forearm strain.

While disappointing that injuries had slowed TMac's ascent, the one silver lining was none of it had been shoulder or elbow related...
 
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Last two weeks (12 games):
8-4
4.8 runs/game

The good:
Lindor
Naquin
Reyes
Hernandez
Luplow

The bad:
Domingo
DeShields
Bebo/catchers in general except for Leon that one game

The lineup isn't scorching by any means, but they are starting to come around. Not listed above were Carlos and Jose, who were both a little below average over the last two weeks, but had some good moments as well.

Lindor hasn't really gotten hot yet, but he's hitting .294/.357/.471 over the last two weeks. He's producing at an acceptable level for him right now.

Naquin and Luplow have looked like themselves, although Luplow has had limited opportunities. Still, their production is good right now.

On the flip side, Domingo has a few big hits here and there but has mostly been bad. DeShields is hitting .208/.240/.208 the last two weeks. He is who we thought he was. Mercado falling apart this year really hurts the cause.

Leon was showing some signs of life right before Bebo returned, but there's enough evidence throughout his career to know he's just a backup. Perez hasn't hit yet, and we probably shouldn't expect him to match last year's production, but something would be nice.
 
domingo.PNG

Yes, Domingo's only saving grace is he has had a few big hits in key moments, but he's been pretty damn bad

Career .351 BABIP but only .214 this year. Just not making good contact. He's always been a guy with a poor ground ball to fly ball ratio (1.63), especially for someone with his size and strength. It's a horrid 2.60 ratio this year with a 59.1% ground ball rate
 
Last two weeks (12 games):
8-4
4.8 runs/game

The good:
Lindor
Naquin
Reyes
Hernandez
Luplow

The bad:
Domingo
DeShields
Bebo/catchers in general except for Leon that one game

The lineup isn't scorching by any means, but they are starting to come around. Not listed above were Carlos and Jose, who were both a little below average over the last two weeks, but had some good moments as well.

Lindor hasn't really gotten hot yet, but he's hitting .294/.357/.471 over the last two weeks. He's producing at an acceptable level for him right now.

Naquin and Luplow have looked like themselves, although Luplow has had limited opportunities. Still, their production is good right now.

On the flip side, Domingo has a few big hits here and there but has mostly been bad. DeShields is hitting .208/.240/.208 the last two weeks. He is who we thought he was. Mercado falling apart this year really hurts the cause.

Leon was showing some signs of life right before Bebo returned, but there's enough evidence throughout his career to know he's just a backup. Perez hasn't hit yet, and we probably shouldn't expect him to match last year's production, but something would be nice.
Good summary/appraisal.
I've been hanging in there with Domingo, because we have seemed to have had so few good alternatives, but his pitch recognition/wild swings combined with so little production make him pretty excruciating to watch.
The CF situation is a mess, and that is where I can see the Tribe picking up a cheap vet, even if a minor upgrade. I had suggested Kevin Pillar, but probably somebody from that strata. It is hard to know how much progress is being made in the mythical land of Eastlake, but giving Mercado another shot may also be in the cards.
 
Good summary/appraisal.
I've been hanging in there with Domingo, because we have seemed to have had so few good alternatives, but his pitch recognition/wild swings combined with so little production make him pretty excruciating to watch.
The CF situation is a mess, and that is where I can see the Tribe picking up a cheap vet, even if a minor upgrade. I had suggested Kevin Pillar, but probably somebody from that strata. It is hard to know how much progress is being made in the mythical land of Eastlake, but giving Mercado another shot may also be in the cards.


Trade Proposal:

CLE gets: Kevin Pillar
BOS gets: Adam Scott (#36 ranked prospect in the organization by Fangraphs)

Pillar is only owed $600k, which I'd hope Boston would eat.

Fair offer?
 
Trade Proposal:

CLE gets: Kevin Pillar
BOS gets: Adam Scott (#36 ranked prospect in the organization by Fangraphs)

Pillar is only owed $600k, which I'd hope Boston would eat.

Fair offer?

Probably fair but I'd personally pass on it. Pillar is doing pretty well this year but he's still a below average bat and would be a meager offensive upgrade, in my opinion. I'd rather wait it out and hope one of our OFs get it going than trade for a player of Pillar's offensive caliber.
 
Trade Proposal:

CLE gets: Kevin Pillar
BOS gets: Adam Scott (#36 ranked prospect in the organization by Fangraphs)

Pillar is only owed $600k, which I'd hope Boston would eat.

Fair offer?
Fair? Probably yes, with the $ added. He probably would not even cost that much, but I have no idea as to how much cash, if any, the Tribe wants to take on.
 
Probably fair but I'd personally pass on it. Pillar is doing pretty well this year but he's still a below average bat and would be a meager offensive upgrade, in my opinion. I'd rather wait it out and hope one of our OFs get it going than trade for a player of Pillar's offensive caliber.
The problem is that we have very few guys who can actually play an average/above average CF. We have likely seen the best of DeShields this season (fine as a back up)...there is no inclination by the Tribe to put Johnson out there....Zimmer is not the guy with glove or bat...Allen is not the guy either. I think you go with a minor upgrade that you hope pays off over the last 30 games, or go back to Mercado.
 
Probably fair but I'd personally pass on it. Pillar is doing pretty well this year but he's still a below average bat and would be a meager offensive upgrade, in my opinion. I'd rather wait it out and hope one of our OFs get it going than trade for a player of Pillar's offensive caliber.
I just don't think Pillar moves the needle enough to make a difference.
True, he would be an improvement. But that wouldn't take much.
 
I just don't think Pillar moves the needle enough to make a difference.
True, he would be an improvement. But that wouldn't take much.
No sense us quibbling over fractional items, so certainly I see your point. To me it is all about taking a shot in somebody to give us a boost over a short span...I do not like anyone we have for this moment.
 

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