2B Robinson Cano went down yesterday with what appears to be a hammy injury.
I'm writing this at 3pm on Sunday so the final diagnosis on this injury is still fluid (God, I hate that word).
Still, a short term hammy problem would cause him to lay low for awhile.
My guess is he will go in the IL be it a long or short term problem.
My question to you...
What should now be the starters at 2B, SS, and 3B and what 2 UT players should back them up?
9 comments:
I’d put McNeil at second & possible call up Herrera
McNeil at 2nd, Lagares in center and Conforto in right. This is the Mets best defensive lineup and defense is where they are having the most trouble right now. McNeil, while he may not be as adept at turning the DP as Cano, will provide better range than Cano. This lineup will also score enough runs to back up the pitchers who are on a roll right now and the defense may help the pitchers even more than scoring more runs. The other option, which I would not choose, is to play Hechevarria at 2nd and keep the outfield of Davis, Conforto, and McNeil the same. Even though Hechavarria is a better defender than McNeil, this is overall a weaker defense than my first proposal and one that will not produce more runs. It comes down to a choice between Hechavarria and Lagares and neither scares anyone at the plate. Go will the better defense.
Lagrares is not that good in cf, anymore. he almost is an automatic out.
How can we not have a legit Cf in the system. Defense is key
36 year old with a hamstring problem may be done for a month
Mack,
For me, McNeil 2B, Lagares CF, Guillorme as backup. He has earned the call up.
Viper
Luis is in the lineup for today's doubleheader.
McNeil needs to stay in the OF. You have Nimmo, Cespedes and Smith all hurting, so you are not exactly ripe with outfield choices. On the infield you have many more options. There's Dilson Herrera and his new-found HR stroke, the Jeff McNeil impression being done by Ruben Tejada, the .300 hitting of Arismendy Alcantara and oft-promoted but seldom playing Luis Guillorme.
I think the question being asked is a bit larger considering the three automatic outs on the roster. It's time to make the first two cuts immediately -- Adeiny Hechavarria -- who is performing below his mediocre career norms, and Aaron Altherr who has been released multiple times for good reason. The third one is going to take BVW working his persuasive magic, but no one wanted Juan Lagares at the trade deadline and his defense is nowhere near what it once was. He's an automatic out at the plate, so swallow hard and DFA him.
With those three moves made, I would promote Alcantara, flip a coin between Tejada and Herrera, then scour the waiver wires for an OF capable of crossing the Mendoza line. That person will likely be gone when Smith returns anyway.
As far as who plays, my nod goes to Guillorme who has hit everywhere he's played, so if he's actually given the chance to play steadily for awhile, there's no reason to think he won't do it here as well. Herrera's AVG dropped dramatically when his HRs went up, and Tejada has failed at the major league level over several years.
The simplest adjustment is a straight replacement at second base, which ultimately makes the most sense here. Adeiny HechavarrÃa and Luis Guillorme can platoon, which will improve the middle infield defense and give Guillorme an extended look at the major league level. I don't think he'll ever be more than a utility infielder anyway, so a decent showing in August and September can put Guillorme on the radar as Hechavarria's replacement in 2020.
I suppose that if Cano is out for the season, you could shift Jeff McNeil to second base. If Cano is only out for a month, I don't see the point in disrupting the current OF alignment. McNeil has been good enough in right, and I think he's going to be Todd Frazier's replacement at third next season. I don't see how a month at second base and then another month in right field helps McNeil prepare for a probable future as the team's primary third baseman.
JD Davis has earned the left field job with his bat, and with Dominic Smith out for the foreseeable future, he should play every day. Michael Conforto is being misused in center, but I don't think he's going to be shifted back to right field until 2020. Juan Lagares is completely shot, and the lineup isn't good enough to survive regularly having a #8 hitter who can't put up better numbers than that day's starting pitcher.
Todd Frazier is still here, so he might as well be the primary third baseman. I don't think Amed Rosario is a serious candidate to move off shortstop before Andres Gimenez busts down the door, and a .687 OPS in AA suggests that the door has nothing to worry about right now.
Frazier at 3B, Rosario at SS, HechavarrÃa at 2B, call up Dilson so he & Guillorme can be the backup infielders
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