Minor League Game Thread discussion thread

[TxBuckeye]

"I make public posts complaining when there are discussions I don't like, but certainly nobody could ever take issue with anything I write!" is quite the take--especially as you're literally doing the thing you're complaining about.

To follow it up with the tried-and-true "I put myself in an indefensible position, so I better just attack the person instead of the discussion at hand" is just perfect.

Happy 4th everyone.


@33Y0 I wonder if the lack of power against lefties is something that Jones can fix. I'd love to see some advanced metrics, like Exit Velocity and Launch Angle with R/L splits over a larger sample size than the 43 AB's against lefties that Jones has had this year. Strikeout rate is the same R/L, and batting average is actually higher against lefties, so that profiles, to me, like someone who can hit lefties.

.....and I will continue letting everyone know I'm a pompous ass and drag shit out endlessly

 

[sportscoach]

I haven't sat down and watched Benson, but he has really started to turn it on of late... He's looking even more impressive than Jones at the plate... Though he isn't getting ABs against lefties his overall numbers are finally showing all the tools starting to come together...

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

View attachment a021642b-fdfb-428c-a601-767a618e94b2.mp4.

 

[sportscoach]

View attachment 6021.

Not sure what that was supposed to be... lol

 

[Tondo]

Man, I totally gave up on Benson. His K rate might still make him unplayable in MLB, but this breakout is a nice surprise.

Pretty sure nobody had him and Oscar Gonzalez on the shortlist of probable R5 offseason roster prospects, but at the moment you'd have to roster both, because they're upper minors OF, exactly what the 40 roster needs. You either trade them or add them.

My top 10 roster additions at the midway point are:

Valera, Rocchio, T. Freeman, Palacios, O. Gonzalez, Benson, C. Morris, Cantillo, Lavastida and one of Tena/Bracho

Leaving unprotected: Tena/Bracho, Noel, Broom, Kwan, Fermin, Planez, Y. Diaz, Melendez, A. Scott, Pinto, Q. Holmes plus performing upper minors McCarty, Hillman, Ponticelli, Brooks, Call etc

 

[Martyinnewyork]

Man, I totally gave up on Benson. His K rate might still make him unplayable in MLB, but this breakout is a nice surprise.

Pretty sure nobody had him and Oscar Gonzalez on the shortlist of probable R5 offseason roster prospects, but at the moment you'd have to roster both, because they're upper minors OF, exactly what the 40 roster needs. You either trade them or add them.

My top 10 roster additions at the midway point are:

Valera, Rocchio, T. Freeman, Palacios, O. Gonzalez, Benson, C. Morris, Cantillo, Lavastida and one of Tena/Bracho

Leaving unprotected: Tena/Bracho, Noel, Broom, Kwan, Fermin, Planez, Y. Diaz, Melendez, A. Scott, Pinto, Q. Holmes plus performing upper minors McCarty, Hillman, Ponticelli, Brooks, Call etc

Tondo, Benson has been such a pleasant surprise this year that I agree he may be protected. Partly because he was their #1 pick - how embarrassing if the top pick goes elsewhere and becomes a regular!!! I’ve seen him in person 4 or 5 times and I’ve always come away being impressed, thinking “man, he looks like an all-star, if only he could freaking HIT!!!”

The only guy on your “don’t protect“ list that I fear we’d lose is Yainer Diaz, as he can hit and is a catcher. Lavastida is a must for protection. And Oscar Gonzalez has definitely made himself into a likely protection candidate. Heck, the parent team roster is loaded with enough junk that we can afford to protect a ton of prospects.

 

[DickyLeftridge]

All of a suddenly Will GOAT Benson is up to .245 and has a .405 OBP. Who cares if he strikes out if he gets on base 4 out of 10 times. How awesome that would be if his bat has really turned the corner this year. Leading off definitely seems to help too.

 

[MadThinker88]

Tondo, Benson has been such a pleasant surprise this year that I agree he may be protected. Partly because he was their #1 pick - how embarrassing if the top pick goes elsewhere and becomes a regular!!! I’ve seen him in person 4 or 5 times and I’ve always come away being impressed, thinking “man, he looks like an all-star, if only he could freaking HIT!!!”

The only guy on your “don’t protect“ list that I fear we’d lose is Yainer Diaz, as he can hit and is a catcher. Lavastida is a must for protection. And Oscar Gonzalez has definitely made himself into a likely protection candidate. Heck, the parent team roster is loaded with enough junk that we can afford to protect a ton of prospects.

Tondo - depending how the season finishes, a guy you didn't list- Francisco Perez might force his way onto the list..

After a rough 1st showing in AAA, he has done much better in his next 3 opportunities

 

[CATS44]

The problem with putting a ton of prospects on the 40 man is that we then do not have enough MLB ready players on the roster to field a competitive MLB team.

So far this season we have used eleven rookies. We have three kids...Jones,, Vargas, and Arias on the roster who are not MLB ready, but who take up spots.. Seven of the eleven are on the roster now...and we are seeing the results. Most of them are simply not ready.

Thats more than a third of our 40 man. Add another seven or eight that are unlikely to be ready next year and you can see the problem.

Lets say that we want to keep our young SPs....Mejia, TMac, Hentges, Morgan, Quantrill, Allen, and Vargas. Lets say we want to keep our Big Three.

Lets say we want to keep Clase, Karinchak, Stephan, Nelson, Sandlin, and Garza.

Thats 16 pitchers out of twenty spots.

Its easy to say that we can easily dump the vet relievers to make room for more kids, but who pitches next year for Cleveland? The pen would be a disaster by June.

The position spots are in the same situation.

Two MLB catchers, no matter who they are. JRam, Reyes, Bradley, JRam, Amed, Gimenez, Jones, Arias, Harold, Naylor, Miller, Clement. Thats 14 position players, only ten of which will have significant PT in MLB.

Again, its easy to say that we can dump the rest of the vets, like Luplow, and fill the roster with kids.

But that would be a non competitive roster.

Thats 12 spots...eight position and four pitchers that could conceivably be added, if we wanted to lose 100 games. The idea that we can just plug in a bunch of kids and they will be competitive immediately should have been dispelled by what we have seen the last few years.

Not one young position player has hit the ground running since maybe Lindor. Not one SP since Plesac and Civale. The pen had better success with Karinchak, Clase, and maybe Sandlin, if he continues.

We can't go into next season without some veteran relievers and position players in addition to the above list. And we can't have a 40 man with a third of the players having little to no MLB experience.

Well, we can protect everybody and dump the 'junk' players, if we want to finish near the bottom.

 

[CDAV45]

The problem with putting a ton of prospects on the 40 man is that we then do not have enough MLB ready players on the roster to field a competitive MLB team.

So far this season we have used eleven rookies. We have three kids...Jones,, Vargas, and Arias on the roster who are not MLB ready, but who take up spots.. Seven of the eleven are on the roster now...and we are seeing the results. Most of them are simply not ready.

Thats more than a third of our 40 man. Add another seven or eight that are unlikely to be ready next year and you can see the problem.

Lets say that we want to keep our young SPs....Mejia, TMac, Hentges, Morgan, Quantrill, Allen, and Vargas. Lets say we want to keep our Big Three.

Lets say we want to keep Clase, Karinchak, Stephan, Nelson, Sandlin, and Garza.

Thats 16 pitchers out of twenty spots.

Its easy to say that we can easily dump the vet relievers to make room for more kids, but who pitches next year for Cleveland? The pen would be a disaster by June.

The position spots are in the same situation.

Two MLB catchers, no matter who they are. JRam, Reyes, Bradley, JRam, Amed, Gimenez, Jones, Arias, Harold, Naylor, Miller, Clement. Thats 14 position players, only ten of which will have significant PT in MLB.

Again, its easy to say that we can dump the rest of the vets, like Luplow, and fill the roster with kids.

But that would be a non competitive roster.

Thats 12 spots...eight position and four pitchers that could conceivably be added, if we wanted to lose 100 games. The idea that we can just plug in a bunch of kids and they will be competitive immediately should have been dispelled by what we have seen the last few years.

Not one young position player has hit the ground running since maybe Lindor. Not one SP since Plesac and Civale. The pen had better success with Karinchak, Clase, and maybe Sandlin, if he continues.

We can't go into next season without some veteran relievers and position players in addition to the above list. And we can't have a 40 man with a third of the players having little to no MLB experience.

Well, we can protect everybody and dump the 'junk' players, if we want to finish near the bottom.

There’s room for change that will protect the most valued, and I think you’re being a little too doubtful towards the roster for next year. I’m confident that some, if not all, of the fat will be trimmed. That “fat” isn’t what determines the chances of being competitive.

Somehow I doubt that Cleveland is the only organization with this problem. MLB and the player’s association should have agreed to extend the players/prospects that did not play in 2020.

Every organization has an off year from time to time. I think this season so far qualifies as that, but damn if we aren’t still playing above .500 ball without our top 3 SP. Replace some of the fodder with a good performer or 2 and we’re right back in the thick of it IMO.

 

[ZinAZ]

There’s room for change that will protect the most valued, and I think you’re being a little too doubtful towards the roster for next year. I’m confident that some, if not all, of the fat will be trimmed. That “fat” isn’t what determines the chances of being competitive.

Somehow I doubt that Cleveland is the only organization with this problem. MLB and the player’s association should have agreed to extend the players/prospects that did not play in 2020.

Every organization has an off year from time to time. I think this season so far qualifies as that, but damn if we aren’t still playing above .500 ball without our top 3 SP. Replace some of the fodder with a good performer or 2 and we’re right back in the thick of it IMO.

The problem is they have to much fodder. Who are the every day core pieces going forward? Jose, Reyes, who else?

 

[sportscoach]

The problem is they have to much fodder. Who are the every day core pieces going forward? Jose, Reyes, who else?

The fodder is the reason why I feel like we will make a trade or two we well...

It's a good probability that in 22, Jose at 3B, Gimenez at SS, Winner of the competition at 2B, Bradley at 1B, Perez/Hedges combo at C, CF Amed, LF/RF will have a competition... Naylor should be guaranteed one spot if healthy, then Johnson, Jones etc will go for the other spot.

If we add as many prospect as @CATS44 said, then we would be a little young, but not as young as he thinks... Since almost everyone will be at AAA so everyone is close/near the MLB level overall...

 

[ZinAZ]

The fodder is the reason why I feel like we will make a trade or two we well...

It's a good probability that in 22, Jose at 3B, Gimenez at SS, Winner of the competition at 2B, Bradley at 1B, Perez/Hedges combo at C, CF Amed, LF/RF will have a competition... Naylor should be guaranteed one spot if healthy, then Johnson, Jones etc will go for the other spot.

If we add as many prospect as @CATS44 said, then we would be a little young, but not as young as he thinks... Since almost everyone will be at AAA so everyone is close/near the MLB level overall...

Don't think I am ready to hand Amed CF, his OPS is back under .700 , seems pretty underwhelming to me.

 

[sportscoach]

Don't think I am ready to hand Amed CF, his OPS is back under .700 , seems pretty underwhelming to me.

He had a bad first month, but since then he's been solid... Slumped in the last few days, but I think the May/June is what is to be expected not the March/April..

 

[ZinAZ]

He had a bad first month, but since then he's been solid... Slumped in the last few days, but I think the May/June is what is to be expected not the March/April..

More than a few days he's hitting .180 over the last 2 weeks