Thought for the day: While doing his work this off-season AA will have in mind what he would like the team to look like by the end of the 2020 season more than what it will look like at the start of the season.
This is especially relevant for positions where in-house options close to being major league ready start the season in AAA.
I have in mind the outfield. With the rosters expanding to 26, we have room to do a bit more platooning. By the end of 2020 we could have 2 platoons in the outfield with Acuna the only guy playing every day. From the left side there are Markakis and Ender to start the season (but potentially Waters--who hits better from the left side--by season end). From the right side you have Duvall (plus by season end potentially Riley and Pache).
That's a lot of options for the outfield. A lot of in-house options that could come in play by the end of the season.
Starting pitching is another area where the composition of the rotation will likely change between the end of spring training and the end of the season. In particular, it makes sense to go slow on Anderson and let him have a month or two in AAA. So one of the rotation spots coming out of spring training is likely to be filled by someone who is a place holder of sorts.
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