He also doesn't have to deal with the shortened FA period coming up this offseason because of the lockout. Also, who knows how a new CBA would affect the contract he gets when a deal inevitably gets done.
They haven't really said. I think it's gonna be a pretty equal split between them until one separates themselves. Ballesteros probably catches once a week.
My thought is Alcantara would be on the team, but they don't want him to rot on the bench and kill any remaining trade value he has. If he rakes in Iowa and they don't need to call him up, maybe he can still net something at the deadline.
I don't think Conforto is totally cooked. One of his last ST games he hit a ball 114, there might be a little left in the tank. Certainly enough to be a 4th/5th OF.