Luis Vazquez called up

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

How many teams have great benches, really. Baseball has become pay the main guys and fill in the rest with low paid guys. Sure, perfect world you have capable bench bats. But with the Cubs spending thru just didn’t have the money to add bench help. You can say all you want that you shouldn’t take the bench for granted, but most of the time teams do. Cubs had 3 guys signed to minor league deals (Cooper, Peralta, and Casili) all opt out to take bench spots elsewhere. Those are guys the Cubs didn’t even want on their bench that other teams gladly took. I am not sure, but Dom Smith might also be in a major league roster. If so, that is a 4th guy. You keep saying they need a better bench. Tell us who they should have signed for the middle infield back up. And even if you do name someone it comes with the benefit of hindsight. 

You need guys who can hit better then .200

Not saying they should have 4 guys hitting  300 plus, just guys that when they do play they're not stiffs at the plate and no better then having a pitcher hit.

 

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, chibears55 said:

You need guys who can hit better then .200

Not saying they should have 4 guys hitting  300 plus, just guys that when they do play they're not stiffs at the plate and no better then having a pitcher hit.

 

But with bench guys it is more luck that they have a good year than actually a quality player who agrees to sit the bench. Watching the Phillies right now.. They have Roger Clemens kid playing second base. He is a bench bat hitting over .320. But he is 28 and sucked until now. But because he is hitting now does that make him a good bench bat? Most likely he will suck again. Last year when Mastrobuoni came back he hit over .300. Madrigal’s carrier average isn’t bad. The bench bat is just a tough spot to fill with guys being good one year and sucking the next. Thr nature of the position, bench middle infielder almost guarantees whoever you have is a crap shoot on if he will be good or not. It is kind of sinilar to middle relief pitchers. Also guesswork. 
 

I am not saying you are wrong. They do need more production from the bench. I am just saying going into the year there is no sure fire bench bat, especially  not for middle infield. 

Zack Short is the Braves bench middle infielder. 

Edited May 22, 2024 by Rcal10

[Stratos]

14 hours ago, mul21 said:

I'm kinda baffled by this move.  He's been terrible with the bat of late, in theory you have Nico and Dansby available starting today, and he's not going to see much playing time.  Unless Nico is going to DH for a few days until he really feels 100%, I just don't get bringing Vazquez up at all.  Even if it was for defense, thinking Mastro can't handle SS based on a bobbled exchange on a ball a lot of guys may not even get to and a bad throw seems like an overreaction.

Mastro has been almost completely useless with the bat.  He can't hit in the MLB.  He's been trying to slap balls into the opposite field with Madrigal-level power (per BB Savant bat speed measurements) and has failed this year.  He serves no purpose on the team other than being able to play backup SS where others can't and having good baserunning speed,  If that's the case, might as well see if Vazquez can hit a little better.  Nothing to lose.