Angels (Kikuchi) vs Cubs (Boyd): 4/1/26, 1:20pm

[Stratos]

22 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I would rather Shaw do enough to be the starting corner outfielder. Or if he can’t play the outfield but a team values him as a 2nd or 3rd baseman, I would rather the Cubs trade him for a guy who can be a good corner outfielder or a controlled solid starting pitcher. That is more important then stashing him on the bench. I think people greatly overreact to the bench. No team has a sure fire solid bench. If the bench is good it is usually because a team got lucky signing someone cheap who performs well. Every year people complain about the same thing. And no matter who is on the bench people will complain. An everyday outfielder or a solid starting pitcher is way more important.

I believe it was Counsell so mentioned in early ST that they want to give regulars more rest this year and rotate guys through DH, so I'm assuming Shaw can play most positions to do that.  1 good supersub is cheaper than a good bench OF plus a good bench INF.

Have my doubts the arm plays well in the OF except maybe LF for Shaw as a  fulltime regular next year.  We'll see.

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, Bull said:

I'd like to also not have a garbage bench next year.

Yes, Bregman, Hoerner, and Swanson are all signed for the next four years. But in that four years there is a high chance that at least one of them misses significant time with an IL injury (strain/sprain), a non-zero chance one of them misses more than half a season with an injury requiring surgery or breaking a bone via HBP.   There is a high chance one of them will have a nagging injury like Nico's injury that required surgery following the 2024 season. 

If that happens do you want Shaw manning 2b-3b for 20-60 games or Nick Madrigal. 

If that doesn't happen, in 2016 Ben Zobrist had 631 PAs, Addison Russell had 598, Kris Bryant had 699, and Javier Baez had 450.

 

This is not a problem that needs solving. 

I would hope if they trade Shaw in offseason, that theyd do a better job with adding bench guys then they have the last couple years.

Let not forget they also have Triantos in Iowa who can play OF and IF, and also Cowles. So if theres a trade to be made for Shaw in offseason to improve team elsewhere,  they have a couple guys who are capable to replace him from Iowa if not elsewhere. 

[Rcal10]

43 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

I would hope if they trade Shaw in offseason, that theyd do a better job with adding bench guys then they have the last couple years.

Let not forget they also have Triantos in Iowa who can play OF and IF, and also Cowles. So if theres a trade to be made for Shaw in offseason to improve team elsewhere,  they have a couple guys who are capable to replace him from Iowa if not elsewhere. 

What makes you think Triantos or, especially, Cowles will be any better than a flyer on a FA middle infielder? I absolutely agree with you, the bench hasn’t been good. But, tbh, every year every team has the same issue. Filling a bench. Sometimes they get lucky with a guy and most times they don’t. There is no such thing as a sure thing good bench bat. 

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

What makes you think Triantos or, especially, Cowles will be any better than a flyer on a FA middle infielder? I absolutely agree with you, the bench hasn’t been good. But, tbh, every year every team has the same issue. Filling a bench. Sometimes they get lucky with a guy and most times they don’t. There is no such thing as a sure thing good bench bat. 

Didn't say theyd be as good,  I said that they also have those two guys in iowa they can use next season to replace Shaw if they dont add someone else.

No there's no sure thing for utility players, but it doesn't help adding guys that are bottom of the list choices.

My personal preference for a bench...

You have 3 utility bats outside of backup catcher, At least 1 guy should be like the 10th man that can play multiple positions and be a good enough hitter. This year it Shaw

The other two guys should be a mix of either defense, power, or speed

 

Edited April 3 by chibears55

[Geographyhater8888]

16 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

How much actual speed do you have to have to play 3rd base? I don’t think his running speed will matter. As for Shaw, with Nico, Swanson and Bregman all signed for at least 4 years, I hope they trade him. Get either a good pitcher or a corner outfielder. Of course, if he proves he can play the corner and hit enough, I am fine keeping him too. But I don’t think he will see 3rd base. 

Versus left handed pitchers specifically, is the defense better with Shaw at third base or Shaw in right field with Bregman/Suzuki at DH? This a platoon lineup, not an every day lineup. 

Edited April 3 by Geographyhater8888

[Jason Ross]

2 hours ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Vs left handed pitchers specifically, is the defense better with Shaw at third base or Shaw in right field with Bregman or Suzuki at DH? The idea is sliding Bregman into DH where Shaw can play a more natural position.

I think if Bregman is starting at 3b, Suzuki will be the RF, not Matt Shaw. 

[Geographyhater8888]

2 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I think if Bregman is starting at 3b, Suzuki will be the RF, not Matt Shaw. 

So Shaw would DH versus left handed starting pitchers? 

Edited April 3 by Geographyhater8888

[Geographyhater8888]

12 hours ago, Bull said:

I'd like to also not have a garbage bench next year.

Yes, Bregman, Hoerner, and Swanson are all signed for the next four years. But in that four years there is a high chance that at least one of them misses significant time with an IL injury (strain/sprain), a non-zero chance one of them misses more than half a season with an injury requiring surgery or breaking a bone via HBP.   There is a high chance one of them will have a nagging injury like Nico's injury that required surgery following the 2024 season. 

If that happens do you want Shaw manning 2b-3b for 20-60 games or Nick Madrigal. 

If that doesn't happen, in 2016 Ben Zobrist had 631 PAs, Addison Russell had 598, Kris Bryant had 699, and Javier Baez had 450.

 

This is not a problem that needs solving. 

Best case scenario is Shaw has the bat to justify being a starting corner outfielder. If not, I think the payoff is greater if you can trade for a corner outfielder bat with more upside. If there’s injuries to any of our expensive middle infielders they’re horsefeathered anyways in a playoff series.

But man do I miss the days when they Contreras, Soler Coghlan and Zobrist would all split time in left field.

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

So Shaw would DH versus left handed starting pitchers? 

Yes. At least "primarily". Lineups are fluid and sometimes a player will DH to get a bit of a break, But think of it this way: if the goal is to essentially have Ballesteros as your main DH against RHP, but you don't want him to start against LHP, then Shaw is Ballesteros. replacement. 

If you don't really want Shaw hitting against RHP as the game goes on, but you have him at 3b over Bregman and Bregman at DH you're in a bad spot. You can't move Bregman to 3b, or you'd lose the DH. So then you either are forced into Matt Shaw hitting against a tough RHP, or substituting your best LHH - none of which play 3b. If this spot comes up in the 6th, and you PH Shaw for Ballesteros, Mo gets one PA, and then you have to insert Scott Kingery the rest of the game. That's it. That's all you got. 

[Geographyhater8888]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

Yes. At least "primarily". Lineups are fluid and sometimes a player will DH to get a bit of a break, But think of it this way: if the goal is to essentially have Ballesteros as your main DH against RHP, but you don't want him to start against LHP, then Shaw is Ballesteros. replacement. 

If you don't really want Shaw hitting against RHP as the game goes on, but you have him at 3b over Bregman and Bregman at DH you're in a bad spot. You can't move Bregman to 3b, or you'd lose the DH. So then you either are forced into Matt Shaw hitting against a tough RHP, or substituting your best LHH - none of which play 3b. If this spot comes up in the 6th, and you PH Shaw for Ballesteros, Mo gets one PA, and then you have to insert Scott Kingery the rest of the game. That's it. That's all you got. 

I forgot that you can’t double switch a DH. I’m an idiot. This is only a relevant topic if Mo is sent down to Iowa to tweak his swing like Shaw if he struggles, . I don’t think Conforto has any 2008 Jim Edmonds magic in him to worry about splits or really any lefty hitting internal options.

Edited April 3 by Geographyhater8888

[Rcal10]

26 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

I forgot that you can’t double switch a DH. I’m an idiot. This is only a relevant topic if Mo is sent down to Iowa to tweak his swing like Shaw if he struggles, . I don’t think Conforto has any 2008 Jim Edmonds in him to worry about splits.

I admit, Conforto doesn’t look good. But it has been 6 AB. Taking a chance on him was not a bad idea, it just doesn’t look good so far. I think if he is still sucking come the end of the month it might make some sense to bring up Alcantara, if he is hitting in Iowa. But if they do bring him up he would take time away from Shaw. Alcantara would be the guy who plays when a lefty starts. He has to play those games. He has to get some AB. Basically he would start every game a lefty started. Maybe Shaw plays some too. Maybe Kevin gives PCA or Happ a break and Shaw is the DH. However it works they would need a plan to play him if they bring him up. And that plan would take AB away from Shaw. 

[Rcal10]

5 hours ago, chibears55 said:

Didn't say theyd be as good,  I said that they also have those two guys in iowa they can use next season to replace Shaw if they dont add someone else.

No there's no sure thing for utility players, but it doesn't help adding guys that are bottom of the list choices.

My personal preference for a bench...

You have 3 utility bats outside of backup catcher, At least 1 guy should be like the 10th man that can play multiple positions and be a good enough hitter. This year it Shaw

The other two guys should be a mix of either defense, power, or speed

 

Isn’t that kind of what they have? Forget Kingery. He is here because Seiya is out. As you said, they have Shaw. He is utility.Then they have a back up catcher. Next, Conforto is power and Carlson is the glove guy. Regardless of who you put in those spots, you have to get lucky with someone actually playing well. You idea isn’t wrong. Just figuring out who to go with is very difficult. 

Edited April 3 by Rcal10

[Radar3454]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

Yes. At least "primarily". Lineups are fluid and sometimes a player will DH to get a bit of a break, But think of it this way: if the goal is to essentially have Ballesteros as your main DH against RHP, but you don't want him to start against LHP, then Shaw is Ballesteros. replacement. 

If you don't really want Shaw hitting against RHP as the game goes on, but you have him at 3b over Bregman and Bregman at DH you're in a bad spot. You can't move Bregman to 3b, or you'd lose the DH. So then you either are forced into Matt Shaw hitting against a tough RHP, or substituting your best LHH - none of which play 3b. If this spot comes up in the 6th, and you PH Shaw for Ballesteros, Mo gets one PA, and then you have to insert Scott Kingery the rest of the game. That's it. That's all you got. 

Why not Shaw in RF with Seiya at DH against lefties?

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Radar3454 said:

Why not Shaw in RF with Seiya at DH against lefties?

Same concept, but lessened. Instead of Kingery, the end result is that Carlson or Conforto is your RF the rest of the game. Conforto hasn't looked good and Carlson has never really hit RHH in his career and the team hasn't given him a PA yet. 

Plus, while I think Shaw can handle RF, Seiya is probably a better defender right now due to experience.