Author Topic: What's on Second? 2024 Spring Competition (Read 2651 times)

welch · « **on:** February 26, 2024, 05:36:32 pm »

Fat and lazy Luis Garcia does not make this play.

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/darren-baker-makes-sliding-stop-in-triple-a

Edit - breakout from the Baker FTP thread. It's an open competition among Garcia, Nunez, Baker, Lipscomb, Alu, Vargas . . .

imref · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2024, 06:31:36 pm »

Quote from: welch on February 26, 2024, 05:36:32 pm

Fat and lazy Luis Garcia does not make this play.

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/darren-baker-makes-sliding-stop-in-triple-a

There's a non-zero chance that Nasim Nuñez is our everyday 2B when we break camp, with Vargas on the bench and Garcia in Rochester. Nuñez already is arguably our best infielder.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #2 on:** February 26, 2024, 06:35:06 pm »

Quote from: imref on February 26, 2024, 06:31:36 pm

There's a non-zero chance that Nasim Nuñez is our everyday 2B when we break camp, with Vargas on the bench and Garcia in Rochester. Nuñez already is arguably our best infielder.

Does Luis have any options left?

Slateman · « **Reply #3 on:** February 26, 2024, 06:36:44 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on February 26, 2024, 06:35:06 pm

Does Luis have any options left?

Nope

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #4 on:** February 26, 2024, 06:47:53 pm »

Quote from: Slateman on February 26, 2024, 06:36:44 pm

Nope

Someone will grab him from waivers.

blue911 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 26, 2024, 07:05:36 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on February 26, 2024, 06:35:06 pm

Does Luis have any options left?

The Army?Post Office? McDonalds?

Slateman · « **Reply #6 on:** February 26, 2024, 07:09:49 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on February 26, 2024, 06:47:53 pm

Someone will grab him from waivers.

We're not putting him on waivers

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #7 on:** February 26, 2024, 07:20:48 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on February 26, 2024, 06:47:53 pm

Someone will grab him from waivers.

I doubt it

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #8 on:** February 26, 2024, 07:38:06 pm »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on February 26, 2024, 07:20:48 pm

I doubt it

I’m blaming Darnell. Seemed a better hitter before Coles came.

imref · « **Reply #9 on:** February 26, 2024, 07:50:24 pm »

Garcia has actually been pretty consistent year to year. .260-.270 with a low OBP

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garcilu04.shtml

He had a very good September last year: .304 / .360 / .507

Slateman · « **Reply #10 on:** February 26, 2024, 08:35:18 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on February 26, 2024, 07:38:06 pm

I’m blaming Darnell. Seemed a better hitter before Coles came.

Not really.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #11 on:** February 26, 2024, 09:34:44 pm »

Quote from: Slateman on February 26, 2024, 08:35:18 pm

Not really.

I’m blaming him anyway. Hasn’t shown improvement and they are trying to make him a slap hitter. I learned this from you.

Slateman · « **Reply #12 on:** February 26, 2024, 09:36:39 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on February 26, 2024, 09:34:44 pm

I’m blaming him anyway. Hasn’t shown improvement and they are trying to make him a slap hitter. I learned this from you.

He's the same hitter he's always been. MLB figures that out and pitches him accordingly.

blue911 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 26, 2024, 10:31:22 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on February 26, 2024, 09:34:44 pm

I’m blaming him anyway. Hasn’t shown improvement and they are trying to make him a slap hitter. I learned this from you.

Good man. I still blame him for New Coke.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #14 on:** February 27, 2024, 07:53:09 am »

Quote from: blue911 on February 26, 2024, 10:31:22 pm

Good man. I still blame him for New Coke.

Smithian · « **Reply #15 on:** February 27, 2024, 02:35:58 pm »

Darren Baker is a gamer. I don't know if he'll be able to hold up against major league pitching, but I've enjoyed watching his rise.

welch · « **Reply #16 on:** February 27, 2024, 02:41:57 pm »

Quote from: Smithian on February 27, 2024, 02:35:58 pm

Darren Baker is a gamer. I don't know if he'll be able to hold up against major league pitching, but I've enjoyed watching his rise.

I agree. And Luis Garcia needed to be sent down to be taught that he needs to work hard. I don't know if that has taken -- we will see over the next month. And I've seen, over and over, that Garcia is not a great fielder.

Smithian · « **Reply #17 on:** February 27, 2024, 04:17:52 pm »

Quote from: welch on February 27, 2024, 02:41:57 pm

I agree. And Luis Garcia needed to be sent down to be taught that he needs to work hard. I don't know if that has taken -- we will see over the next month. And I've seen, over and over, that Garcia is not a great fielder.

When Luis Garcia a couple years ago was homering off both sides of the plate, I was so incredibly high on him.

At this point, he is who he is and I think the only way to change his trajectory is a totally fresh start somewhere else.

imref · « **Reply #18 on:** February 27, 2024, 04:27:26 pm »

So we're just ignoring Garcia's September?

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #19 on:** February 27, 2024, 04:47:41 pm »

Quote from: imref on February 27, 2024, 04:27:26 pm

So we're just ignoring Garcia's September?

If we can keep giving Victor chances one more year or even half season of Garcia is fine.

blue911 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 27, 2024, 05:35:26 pm »

Quote from: imref on February 27, 2024, 04:27:26 pm

So we're just ignoring Garcia's September?

Baker is older and had a lower OPS at AAA than Garcia had in the majors.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #21 on:** February 27, 2024, 05:44:45 pm »

Quote from: blue911 on February 27, 2024, 05:35:26 pm

Baker is older and had a lower OPS at AAA than Garcia had in the majors.

Ultimately I think Abrams ends up at 2B and you find a SS.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #22 on:** February 27, 2024, 05:55:13 pm »

Lipscomb could get into the mix. Right now, 2nd is open long term.

welch · « **Reply #23 on:** February 27, 2024, 06:37:31 pm »

Quote from: blue911 on February 27, 2024, 05:35:26 pm

Baker is older and had a lower OPS at AAA than Garcia had in the majors.

Baker's OPS at Rochester was about .678. Garcia's was a walloping .696. We know that Baker was hurt in June and played through the injury; in previous years, his OPS was in the .700s. Not a huge difference. Garcia is an indifferent fielder. He was sent down because he was over-weight and content with it.

varoadking · « **Reply #24 on:** February 27, 2024, 06:52:09 pm »

In perhaps the smallest of sample sizes, I saw Baker play in Nawfuk last year.

I don't believe that even on his best day as a Nat that Garcia has ever played the field as well as Baker did that evening...and he backed it up with multiple hits.

That doesn't necessarily mean that Baker is ready for the bigs, but I'd rather Darren than Luis at this point...