You could move Peraza to third for a year or two to handle the crunch or do the same with LaStella. Its never a problem to have too many good players.
2014 Projections for Our Internal Second Base Candidates
- Thread starter nsacpi
- Start date
You could move Peraza to third for a year or two to handle the crunch or do the same with LaStella. Its never a problem to have too many good players.
Let's compare minor league careers for Matt Carpenter and Tommy La Stella.
Carpenter (23-25 years old, low A through AAA) - .299/.408/.450/.858
La Stella (22-24 years old, low A through AA) - .327/.412/.496/.908
As you can see, Tommy compares at least as well if not better than Carpenter.
Now let's look at Carpenter's first year in the majors at age 26. .294/.365/.463/.828. Now Carpenter did have the benefit of playing 130 games in AAA as a 25 year old while Tommy has not yet played above AA yet, so I can see where he either could possibly use a month or two in Gwinnett to complete his seasoning, or he could have an adjustment period in the majors if he starts for us game 1. Either way, we should be very excited about the future of Tommy La Stella.
Carpenter (23-25 years old, low A through AAA) - .299/.408/.450/.858
La Stella (22-24 years old, low A through AA) - .327/.412/.496/.908
As you can see, Tommy compares at least as well if not better than Carpenter.
Now let's look at Carpenter's first year in the majors at age 26. .294/.365/.463/.828. Now Carpenter did have the benefit of playing 130 games in AAA as a 25 year old while Tommy has not yet played above AA yet, so I can see where he either could possibly use a month or two in Gwinnett to complete his seasoning, or he could have an adjustment period in the majors if he starts for us game 1. Either way, we should be very excited about the future of Tommy La Stella.
I absolutely still look for a better 2B option. Please keep in mind Pena's OPS was inflated by 3 flukey HRs he hit in 100 ABs. He will be lucky to hit 3 HRs all of next year. A 700 OPS coupled with the crappy defense Pastor and La Stella will provide? No thanks.
If Wren doesn't spend the available money fixing the biggest hole on the team, what is he going to spend it on? The most expensive bench ever? Overpay for a starter that isn't an Ace?
Why is it such a great idea to overpay for Price in prospects and cash when the pitching staff lead the league in ERA, but everyone is so against using resources to fix an actual weakness on the team?
Because you don't spend money for the hell of it when you have a guy in the minors who has been very, very good at every level he has played. He could probably fill that hole for a fraction of the cost that you are advocating and be every bit effective if not more.
It's almost like I'm the only person here that saw Elliot Johnson playing 2B for the Braves down the stretch and in the NLDS...
Don't you guys think that if La Stella could play 2B even remotely competently he would have gotten some time at the position at the end of the year? Or do you all really think the organization simply thought EJ was a good option?
They stuck Gattis in LF to get his bat in the lineup for crying out loud, yet La Stella was so bad defensively at 2B that they decided to stick with Elliot Johnson. Doesn't that say something about how bad TLS's defense likely is? The man wasn't even called up to sit on the bench in September.
50PoundHead
Hessmania Forever
I frankly don't know if La Stella should have been up after Pastornicky went down or not, but I agree that a lot of people in here seem to discount the expertise of the people in charge of making that decision. If they would have deemed La Stella ready, he'd have been up. They didn't and he wasn't. I think it's that simple.
nsacpi
Expects Yuge Games
In 2010, we were running Troy Glaus out there even though Freddie Freeman had a very strong year in AAA. So running Elliot Johnson out instead of La Stella probably reflects the traditional reluctance to throw a young player into the fire of post-season player without any major league experience rather than a conclusion that he can't play at the major league level.
Now you are comparing Troy Glaus with Elliot Johnson to bolster your argument supporting La Stella? EJ couldn't even hold Troy's jockstrap. And wasn't Troy trying to come back from injury at the end of the year in time for the playoffs?
Either way, comparing the 2B situation to Troy Glaus in 2010 is absurd. Fredi and Wren had already showed a willingness to play ANYONE at 2B at the end of the year, and La Stella didn't even appear to be an option. They were practically looking into the stands behind the dugout every time a foul ball went into the crowd to see if some athletic looking dude made a good catch so they could slap a tomahawk on his chest and give him a shot at 2B, yet La Stella didn't even get a sniff. In 2010 Glaus was the guy at 1B, put up a couple very solid months offensively, and was trying to get healthy in time to play in the postseason.
nsacpi
Expects Yuge Games
Troy Glaus was very bad in the second half of 2010. His knees were shot and he could barely move around. And he was not hitting at all. He was clearly finished as a player.
The Braves thought so, which was why they picked up Derek Lee, who was also on the downside of his career and playing with a torn ligament in his hand.
Anyhow they preferred Glaus with no knees and Lee with a torn thumb ligament to Freeman.
The Braves thought so, which was why they picked up Derek Lee, who was also on the downside of his career and playing with a torn ligament in his hand.
Anyhow they preferred Glaus with no knees and Lee with a torn thumb ligament to Freeman.
LaStella had a little under 300 AB's at AA. Do you think it was the right time to bring him up?
I am mostly with you and mentioned that it concerned me he wasn't called up but I think its more to do with his relative inexperience as opposed to his long term potential.
I am mostly with you and mentioned that it concerned me he wasn't called up but I think its more to do with his relative inexperience as opposed to his long term potential.
GovClintonTyree
<B>Vencer a Los Doyers</B>
I don't think think we were willing to jump the guy three levels in a year.
St. Louis has had the most amazing luck promoting guys for the playoffs...just amazing. Rosenthal to closer and Wacha to ace from AAA...the reason people don't ordinarily do that stuff it that it rarely works. They either do an extraordinary job developing players or they're world-class lucky...or both.