Let's go Bucs!!! (Morton, Mercer: layoffs, move, best)

[sskink]

Originally Posted by erieguy

Harrison is anything but "lights out" unless you're comparing him to Snider.

This is Josh Harrison's May so far:
BA .341
OBP .396
SLG .568
OPS .964

That's not comparing him to Travis Snider. That's right there with Cutch. Not to mention outstanding defense and baserunning.

Do you even watch the games?

You ride that production as long as you can. Polanco isn't going to give you that when he first comes up.

The problem isn't RF at the moment and probably won't be for the next couple of weeks until Polanco does arrive.

Let me prioritize those for you:

1. Liriano
2. Volquez (although he did well on Thursday)
2. Mercer and the SS position in general
3. Bryan Morris
4. Pedro's sub-700 OPS (which may be fixed by moving him back down to 6)

[erieguy]

Harrison is on a streak. It won't last. Anybody that watches the game would know that.

Two words. "Super two". Should have been up when the season started. In your words, "Polanco is the real deal".

Reality is 21-26.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by erieguy

Harrison is on a streak. It won't last. Anybody that watches the game would know that.

Two words. "Super two". Should have been up when the season started. In your words, "Polanco is the real deal".

Reality is 21-26.

Bringing Polanco up at the start of the season without some guarantee of a long-term deal would've been insane as they'd not only be losing money on Super Two, they'd lose a year of player control. See George Springer - the Astros brought him up and were willing to pay the additional year of arbitration, but not before they were ensured of control through 2020.

You can argue the money. You can't argue the year of control. I didn't create that rule, the players and owners did. But to not take advantage of the rules as they exist is folly. Based on the limited number of AAA at-bats Polanco had in 2013, he was going to start there no matter what. And should have.

Harrison probably is on a streak. But for him it's by far the longest streak of his career. And what he's done is actually provide something the Bucs haven't had in awhile - a productive leadoff hitter, which means runs. I have no expectations of Harrison having a .900 OPS year, or even .800. But as long as he's hitting and doing everything else right, you play him. If Mercer and Pedro don't start hitting, I'd put Harrison at SS & 3B a few times a week to keep him going even after Polanco arrives.

[erieguy]

I'm aware of the rules...and like it or not, this team was/is going nowhere now or in the future. When this team started hitting the crapper, he should've been brought up.

I dont see the 1 year of control as significant as Im not counting on a long term deal.

[Gee Whiz]

The Bucs have been a bit banged up and are starting to get healthy. Both Grilli and Martin, key players on last year's team, came off the DL last night. The sent Wandy packing. This sends a message that mediocrity is not acceptable. There are others than can take your place, as opposed to a few years ago. We just won three close games. That was more or less our game last year. I will make no predictions. I am just not giving up yet. It is only Memorial Day. There is time to get it together and get back into the race.

[Gee Whiz]

Originally Posted by erieguy

Harrison is on a streak. It won't last. Anybody that watches the game would know that.

Two words. "Super two". Should have been up when the season started. In your words, "Polanco is the real deal".

Reality is 21-26.

Once Polanco is called up in a few weeks, Harrison will be a role player, but a key one at that because he can play outfield and infield. These types of role players are what is needed on teams. Marte needs a blow once in a while, so does Pedro as was mentioned. There will be plenty of at bats for Josh even when Polanco is brought up. This will only strengthen our 25 man roster.

[JimboPGH]

Originally Posted by sskink

1. Liriano
2. Volquez (although he did well on Thursday)
2. Mercer and the SS position in general
3. Bryan Morris
4. Pedro's sub-700 OPS (which may be fixed by moving him back down to 6)

- Liriano is a positive regression candidate, but I have to admit his "every other year curse" is starting to worry me.

- The Ray Searage treatment seems to have improved Volquez's control, but unfortunately his HR to fly ball ratio has been awful. If that can improve a little bit and his control stays reasonable, he could actually be an above average back-of-the-rotation starter. If those things don't happen, and if regression to his relatively low BABIP and strand rate occurs, then Jeff Locke will likely get another shot (it's a shame Jameson Tailon had to have Tommy John).

- I'm worried about Mercer's strikeout rate and lousy ISO. I was hopeful that he would become an above-avereage offensive middle-infielder, but I'm starting to think his future is as a utility infielder and platoon man against lefties. Basically the shortstop version of Gaby Sanchez, but with much less power. The good news on the short-stop front is that Alen Hanson has been tearing up the Eastern League lately, but he's still a year or two away from The Show.

- The bullpen on the whole was bound to come down to earth. Last season we had an above-average team with an historically excellent bullpen that probably won us an extra 10 games (I forget the actual collective WAR of the bullpen, but it was something astronomical). This season we have an above average team with a bullpen that is still very good on paper, but has grossly underperformed, and has lost at least four games we would've other wise won. Bryan Morris has been disappointing, but I think Grille's injury and the coming back to Earth of Justin Wilson and Mark Melancon has had more to do with it.

- Pedro's one of the biggest positive regression candidates in baseball right now. His BABIP and ISO are no where near where they should be, and his greatly improved K/BB ratio suggests that he could end up having a career year. Whether he or Davis bats clean-up probably doesn't matter, as long as a right-handed batter (preferably Marte) bats between them.

[JimboPGH]

Originally Posted by Gee Whiz

The Bucs have been a bit banged up and are starting to get healthy. Both Grilli and Martin, key players on last year's team, came off the DL last night. The sent Wandy packing. This sends a message that mediocrity is not acceptable. There are others than can take your place, as opposed to a few years ago. We just won three close games. That was more or less our game last year. I will make no predictions. I am just not giving up yet. It is only Memorial Day. There is time to get it together and get back into the race.

115 games to make up 4 1/2 on the wild card. Nothing to it.

Beat 'Em Bucs!

[erieguy]

7th or 8th worst record in the league...and theres nothing "above average" about them. They got worse instead of better in the offseason.

[Gee Whiz]

Originally Posted by erieguy

7th or 8th worst record in the league...and theres nothing "above average" about them. They got worse instead of better in the offseason.

Right, and Milwuakee had the best record in the league a week or two ago. It is that etched in stone too for the rest of the season before we have even reached the first of June?