Placeholders at Second and Short

nsacpi

nsacpi

Expects Yuge Games
It seems likely that at some point in the first half of next season, Albies and Swanson will be called up to take over the middle of the infield. There is also a good chance that we will need some placeholders for at least a few weeks. What are the options?

1) Go with what is available in-house: Peterson, Castro, D'Arnaud.

2) Supplement those three with some bench-level vets. Examples include the guys we used this year: KJ and Beckham.

3) Go for some higher quality (and presumably more expensive in dollars or trade chips) middle infielders.

Option 2 seems to be the most reasonable to me.

I suppose some will like option 4: Albies and Swanson all the way.
 
nsacpi said:
It seems likely that at some point in the first half of next season, Albies and Swanson will be called up to take over the middle of the infield. There is also a good chance that we will need some placeholders for at least a few weeks. What are the options?

1) Go with what is available in-house: Peterson, Castro, D'Arnaud.

2) Supplement those three with some bench-level vets. Examples include the guys we used this year: KJ and Beckham.

3) Go for some higher quality (and presumably more expensive in dollars or trade chips) middle infielders.

Option 2 seems to be the most reasonable to me.

I suppose some will like option 4: Albies and Swanson all the way.
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I believe we'll get a SS minded middle infielder who can play mutliple positions and could possibly be flipped in July. I think the way we should approach it is by penciling Albies and Swanson as 7 and 8 in the lineup while we're putting together our roster. We hope for that to happen but you're prepared for that to be Jace and/or a veteran SS or a guy like Darnoud.
 
Chico said:
I believe we'll get a SS minded middle infielder who can play mutliple positions and could possibly be flipped in July.
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Yes. A case can be made that we should acquire a higher quality asset who would have more value at the trade deadline.
 
Id go 1 if they both don't start from the jump. Jace can play 2b. I think he'd be avg at Ss .

Comargo would either need to play or be gone. If he's on the 40 man you got to play him IMO.

That said at least one likely starts day 1. Play them at Ss and play jace
 
bravesfanMatt said:
No chance, the fans would burn down SunTrust if he plays as a Brave next year.. I know what you guys are saying, but the PR would be a disaster..
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If Swanson is ready, he's obviously my first choice. If Swanson is gonna get some AAA time first though, please give me aybar over Castro
 
JMO, but I can't imagine they'll spend any more money than paying Jace and d'Arnaud, and MAYBE bringing Beckham back even if Albies and Swanson don't break camp as the starters. Even if they're not called up until June, adding someone from the unbelievably razor-thin group of MIs this winter would seem to be counterproductive to me. If you bring Aybar back because you want a "true SS" instead of using d'Arnaud to keep the spot warm, you'll wind up stuck paying him all year because other teams will call Coppy's bluff and just wait until he's released to pick him up (rather than trading anything useful for him).

I could see offering minor league deals with invites to both Beckham and Aybar just in case neither of the kids is ready before June, but I sincerely hope they don't make the same mistake of giving guaranteed deals to either of them that they made last winter with Beckham and Bonifacio. The question I'd ask both of them is "where else are you even going to get a chance at playing time in the event another team has an injury pop up?"

When I look at the list of guys available this winter, none of them strike me as having more upside than Peterson or d'Arnaud as placeholders. As much as I hate to keep coming back to him, Ian Desmond looks more and more like someone that might be a "fit" for us because of his versatility. He could be a guy who fills multiple roles and could play almost every night without having to have a set position - he could play SS until the kids are ready, could play 3B if needed once they were up, and could be the right-handed option in CF or RF when needed. He'd add pop and speed, and would much more likely be able to bring you something of value back if you decided you wanted to unload him.
 
bravesfanMatt said:
No chance, the fans would burn down SunTrust if he plays as a Brave next year.. I know what you guys are saying, but the PR would be a disaster..
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I seriously doubt that. I think the fans understand pretty well about the golden boy that's going to supplant him. What other stop gap options are there? Maybe Camargo?
 
chop2chip said:
I seriously doubt that. I think the fans understand pretty well about the golden boy that's going to supplant him. What other stop gap options are there? Maybe Camargo?
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I understand what knowledgeable fans might think.. but casual fans won't understand bringing back such a huge disappointment like Aybar. Pretty much they would take anyone other than him.
 
blueagleace1 said:
What about Ian Desmond and when Swanson/Albies are deemed ready slide him over to third? Also, gives you the option to play OF.
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Desmond makes a lot of sense for exactly that reason. Problem is he is going to be wildly overpaid, as are all the top FAs this offseason simply because there is so little impact talent available.

I think he would be a great addition, but not at the cost of $100m+, which I think he will get.
 
There are only 3 reasons they won't both be on the ML roster to start 2017. They hit like Melvin in spring training, they get hurt, or an earthquake swallows the new stadium.
 
cajunrevenge said:
There are only 3 reasons they won't both be on the ML roster to start 2017. They hit like Melvin in spring training, they get hurt, or an earthquake swallows the new stadium.
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I don't see the argument for Swanson making the team absent a tremendous spring training. He hasn't done much to show he is ready to face MLB pitching in AA.

Albies...maybe.
 
cajunrevenge said:
There are only 3 reasons they won't both be on the ML roster to start 2017. They hit like Melvin in spring training, they get hurt, or an earthquake swallows the new stadium.
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If they DO start the season in Atlanta, then the whole front office should be fired. It would be a huge mismanagement of long term assets.

You can't even justify it based on need for the new park as they are unknowns to the casual fan you would be trying to entice.
 
Jace should stick at 2nd until Albies is ready. Get your typical vet SS (one that hopefully doesn't suck on defense) on a one year deal until Swanson is ready.
 
Horsehide Harry said:
If they DO start the season in Atlanta, then the whole front office should be fired. It would be a huge mismanagement of long term assets.

You can't even justify it based on need for the new park as they are unknowns to the casual fan you would be trying to entice.
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They may be unknowns to people who don't pay attention, but even casual fans know we're building for the future and want to start seeing the young hyped guys.
 
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