Upcoming Roster Moves

[petes999]

Thought it would be interesting to playout, what you would do with 3 significant deadlines

1) Naylor is coming back either before or after Reds game ... who gets sent down?
They are at 15/13 pitchers/positions ... I thought they would send down Kwan for a Myers or Pilk before the season started (for 15 pitchers for 16 straight games) but who do they send down now?

Clement/Miller or (Chang/Bradley has no options)
Castro

I would go Castro - as you can always call up Myers if we run into a problem with pitching (on innings) - and Castro need help with location (cannot miss by a whole plate like today)

2) Who do you send down on May 1 when rosters go to 26

For me it was easy -- Send down Morgan and Pilk (to be starters at AAA for DH/Injury) but then 12 pitchers

They will probably send down Clement (allow Miller to play 1st) to give Chang few more weeks of trial

3) Come June 1 (or around there) - you have 2 roster place with Morris and Vargas coming off 60 day DL - but Vargas can be delayed by sending him on 2 - 30 day minor league re-assignment stints because it was TJ injury

Sorry, Castro needs to be slipped through for one move and Chang if he doesn't rebound is the other cut -- would you give up on Clement or Miller yet? Hentges did good today and we still got to see Allen Sr. Bradley is also on the block come July 1.

I also do this as people are thinking about bringing on Adolofo or others. I thought about it for a bit but who gets cut now? Its already a hard process and they chose Castro over others that they saw out there on a trial basis

 

[MirORich]

This is thoughtful and does merit discussion as those are all concrete situations that will necessitate corresponding moves, but just in general in the three game threads and Season thread, there has been so much jumping the gun( both positive and negative) based on past results and a three game sample size.

Many of the predictions and assumptions may bear out to be true but Baseball more than any other sport merits that patience and macro view of appropriate sample sizes. At any given point in a 162 game season, any player on this roster can look like an all star or a disaster over the course of 15 at bats or 2 pitching appearances. All of these guys really deserve a few weeks of sample size in whatever role Tito deems necessary for them before we get carried away in burying players or anointing players.

 

[Mr. Orange]

This season is about finding who can play so you don’t send down guys out of options. But Kwan stays.

 

[KluberSociety]

Good posts overall. I still think OP scenario is too slow on Chang. I don't think he's someone you DFA but if someone will give you a piece back for him that doesn't have to be thrown on the 40 man why would you not just go ahead now? He hasn't been able to put together a good enough approach to be an every day MLB player yet, but he does have some upside that another team would probably take a flier on because he does play pretty solid defense and has better pop than a lot of other IF types.

I think it's safe to say that he's not going to be the future of the team at this point with all our guys making their way up the system, at least not as a full time player and we've got the redundancy already with Clement and Miller.

Even in his strong ST, he was at 29% K, 5% BB which really just isn't going to cut it against the better pitchers of the league. I don't got anything against the guy and actually think he would be worth keeping around in most systems but I just don't understand having him soak up ABs for a position he's probably not going to be playing even as soon as later this year.

A classic example of "more valuable to other clubs than ours" which is a good start for a mutually beneficial trade.

 

[sportscoach]

Seems like the first move was Pilkington and Naylor swap... as Naylor is likely activated. Playing 1B was the final test...

Now when it comes to next moves... Maile and Lava will eventually get swapped, so that's a given...

When it comes to May 1st, we will have to move down 2 players... One will be have to be a pitcher. There is a max of 13... It means Morgan or Castro will be sent down. Morgan though as proven he should be up, but they may want him stretched out.

Next player, will likely be one of Chang or Bradley... I don't think both players will get past May 1st. Likely Bradley since Chang can play multiple positions and Miller has been playing well and looks like a bat that needs to play everyday...

 

[MadThinker88]

Its most likely Morgan going down so he gets regular work, gets stretched out and can be called up for a spot start/ fill in for (the eventual) injury...

Other possibilities would be cutting ties with one of the out of option pitchers (if they are ineffective over the rest of the month). Let's be honest: we have all seen stretches where Logan S Allen & Sam Hentges were going well & then the wheels fall completely off.. I will be thrilled if that never happens again but the track record for each suggests otherwise..

 

[sportscoach]

Its most likely Morgan going down so he gets regular work, gets stretched out and can be called up for a spot start/ fill in for (the eventual) injury...

Other possibilities would be cutting ties with one of the out of option pitchers (if they are ineffective over the rest of the month). Let's be honest: we have all seen stretches where Logan S Allen & Sam Hentges were going well & then the wheels fall completely off.. I will be thrilled if that never happens again but the track record for each suggests otherwise..

I feel like Allen and Hentges have a spot until they lose it. I don't trust either guy honestly either, but at the moment, who do we have to replace them? It's not like we have a million left handed relievers just waiting to get their spots...

 

[petes999]

Its most likely Morgan going down so he gets regular work, gets stretched out and can be called up for a spot start/ fill in for (the eventual) injury...

I think that is what they will do. Yet, heard Tito wants to (is thinking about) use him as a weapon (2-3 inn role once through for his inc FB and change). So, it is tough decision. Myers has looked a little shaky on command. Battenfield looked better last game. Scott has had good #s but may be a AAAA pitcher. Tully is Tully. Think they need Morgan stretched out until Pilk and Batten show they can be a callup starter in June/July. By then you also have Morris.

 

[Criznit]

I think that is what they will do. Yet, heard Tito wants to (is thinking about) use him as a weapon (2-3 inn role once through for his inc FB and change). So, it is tough decision. Myers has looked a little shaky on command. Battenfield looked better last game. Scott has had good #s but may be a AAAA pitcher. Tully is Tully. Think they need Morgan stretched out until Pilk and Batten show they can be a callup starter in June/July. By then you also have Morris.

I think Myers would get smoked. The dude seems way too homer prone (not a new knock) to be successful right now.

 

[petes999]

So with 1-week to go, any predictions who gets axed/sent down?

With 13 position players, they have a decision when Chang comes back from Covid (as announced he will probably do short rehab assignment). I assume it will go to May 2nd or 3rd so the cut here can be buried in the sea of other MLB moves. But, obviously, Bradley not starting yesterday vs righty Cole maybe writing on wall. Chang gives more position flexibility. Yet, with Miller and Naylor having solidified more every day slots with Kwan, Straw, Rosario, Ramirez, catcher for 7 positions with Reyes DH, then Chang or Bradley, Clement, Mercado and Giménez are your swing/bench players at OF/2nd/1st to get right/lefty match-ups. Chang on club will give you 3 righties and one lefty ... Bradley evens it out 2 lefties/2 righties. Interesting scenario ...

For Righties - Naylor RF, Giménez 2nd but that means Miller 1st ... Bradley/Chang sitting on bench anyways with Clement and Mercado. If Chang, there are no other lefties to PH or just give someone off day.

For Lefties - Mercado RF, Miller 2nd, Naylor 1B, with Bradley/Chang, Clement, Giménez on bench.

I am actually torn which way they will go. Neither Bradley nor Chang will be here next year, so it’s short term need.

 

[petes999]

For pitching, McCarty and Santos get sent down soon anyways but Castro is back today (15-2+1 =14). So, it’s the Morgan/Castro choice. With all the other roster moves going on, it will be a good time to try to sneak Castro through waivers to open that 38th man roster spot for Vargas and Morris to ultimately come off 60 day DL. And, even though it’s not to June, it’s a matter of timing. Yet, it only leaves Pilk and Myers as potential call-ups on 40 man. Morris was DLed on March 25th so can come back around May 24th, if ready.

I thought initially Morgan to be stretched out, but long-term, he is bullpen arm on this team ... so might as well get him use to that role for next year. He has shown on Fri that he can give you 3 innings/50 pitches like Hentges and Allen - enough to cover a spot start. And, Pilk has shown enough to be that call-up for injury or DH.

 

[CATS44]

I dont see how the FO can keep Bradley. Whether he bats left or right handed is immaterial, because he can hit.

I have no idea how they will handle the pitching side, but I dont think they will risk trying to sneak anybody thru waivers.

As for Hentges, he's been lights out since being put in the pen at the end of last August, covering 15 outings. In only two of them did he give up runs.

18.1 IP...2.43 ERA...23 K...2 BB.

 

[CBBI]

When the rosters shrink down to 26 in another week, this is what I'd do...

Lineup (9)
C: Hedges
1B: Miller
2B: Gimenez
SS: Rosario
3B: Ramirez
RF: Naylor
CF: Straw
LF: Kwan
DH: Reyes

Bench (4)
C: Malie
INF: Bradley
IF/OF: Clement
OF: Mercado

Rotation (5)
Bieber, Plesac, Quantrill, Civale, McKenzie

Bullpen (8)
Clase, Stephan, Gose, Sandlin, Shaw, Hentges, De Los Santos, Allen

OPTIONED TO AAA: Morgan, Castro
DFA: Chang (De Los Santos takes his place on the 40)

 

[Criznit]

At this point, I'd say position player wise Bradley will be getting axed at some point.

Pitching wise, Logan Allen is about one meltdown away from losing his spot.

 

[sportscoach]

When the rosters shrink down to 26 in another week, this is what I'd do...

Lineup (9)
C: Hedges
1B: Miller
2B: Gimenez
SS: Rosario
3B: Ramirez
RF: Naylor
CF: Straw
LF: Kwan
DH: Reyes

Bench (4)
C: Malie
INF: Bradley
IF/OF: Clement
OF: Mercado

Rotation (5)
Bieber, Plesac, Quantrill, Civale, McKenzie

Bullpen (8)
Clase, Stephan, Gose, Sandlin, Shaw, Hentges, De Los Santos, Allen

OPTIONED TO AAA: Morgan, Castro
DFA: Chang (De Los Santos takes his place on the 40)

I'd cut Bradley over Chang... Chang can at least play a few positions while Bradley can only play first... neither of them though is meant for the roster long term in my mind.