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Who would be on your bench?

Rebbiv

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
6,302
Given the current players in the Tiger's organization, who would be the 4 players on the bench at the start of the season?

Assumption the following make the team

C - A. Avila
1B - M. Cabrera
2B - I. Kinsler
SS - J. Iglesias
3B - N. Castellanos
LF - Y. Cespedes
CF - R. Davis
RF - J.D. Martinez
DH - V. Martinez

My Bench

Josh Prince SS, CF, LF, 2B, 3B (R, 27)
Xavier Avery CF/LF (L, 26)
Austin Green C (R, 25)
Andrew Romine INF (S, 29) or Hernan Perez (R, 24)

If not Avery, then I would want Krizan. I would even settle on Tyler Collins. Green is my pick over McCann because he hits Home Runs at greater rate than most everyone on them team not named Cabrera and he hits lefties. Prince takes the Don Kelly role. Toss up between Romine and Perez.

Some of these are controversial picks. I get that. 3 would need to be added to the 40-man roster. But, hey, we got at least 3 there that have no business if you add these 3 (Holaday, Machado, Fields).

Last 3 years Away

W. Bernard OF, 24 96.9 RC/650 .307 BAVG .382 OBP .443 SLG .825 OPS

A. Green C, 25 90.9 RC/650 .268 BAVG .328 OBP .475 SLG .803 OPS

T. Collins LF, 24 90.0 RC/650 .271 BAVG .349 OBP .430 SLG .779 OPS


A. Westlake 1B/LF, 26 84.7 RC/650 .265 BAVG .325 OBP .438 SLG .763 OPS

J. Prince Util, 27 78.9 RC/650 .249 BAVG .356 OBP .372 SLG .728 OPS

J. Krizan LF, 25 78.8 RC/650 .270 BAVG .355 OBP .371 SLG .726 OPS

X. Avery CF, 26 77.6 RC/650 .261 BAVG .333 OBP .388 SLG .721 OPS

S. Moya RF, 23 75.0 RC/650 .253 BAVG .282 OBP .434 SLG .716 OPS


D. Fields CF, 24 69.3 RC/650 .256 BAVG .321 OBP .357 SLG .678 OPS

J. Marte 3B, 23 67.8 RC/650 .249 BAVG .330 OBP .360 SLG .690 OPS

J. McCann C, 24 67.2 RC/650 .272 BAVG .314 OBP .380 SLG .694 OPS

H. Perez SS, 24 63.1 RC/650 .265 BAVG .296 OBP .347 SLG .643 OPS

A. Gose CF, 24 62.8 RC/650 .245 BAVG .312 OBP .345 SLG .657 OPS

A. Romine INF, 29 57.3 RC/650 .233 BAG .305 OBP .308 SLG .613 OPS

D. Machado SS, 23 48.0 RC/650 .204 BAVG .294 OBP .282 SLG .576 OPS

B. Holaday C, 27 47.4 RC/650 .215 BAVG .273 OBP .286 SLG .559 OPS


For those that care, Bernard's BABIP over the last 3 years away is .376, mostly from last season. I would like him to repeat the success before starting his free agent clock.
 
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Can I pick more than 4?


Generally speaking, a team carries 12 pitchers and 13 positional players. You could have a 5 man bench and cut someone from the bullpen. Lord knows we probably need another arm there.
 
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I was kind of thinking I would add some starters to the bench at first until I figured what you meant..looks like Josh Prince can be the new Kelly. I'd like Green as well but I suspect they will take McCann with them..
 
Prince looks like a young, cheap Don Kelly
Avery looks like Gose
I would take McCann over Green
 
I have no problem with that bench, really. I would pick Romine over Perez though, lettuce has no bat whatsoever, but does have a solid glove.

Catcher is going to be a tough one, I like Avila, always have, but I don't expect him to make a full season, someone needs to talk some sense in to him, he can't take too many more shots to the melon. At some point in this season I suspect McCaan will be the starting C and someone not named Avila will be the backup.
 
I think McCann should start, and Avila should back-up. Avila would be a good weapon off the bench. We know Alex won't be back in 2016 anyway. Get McCann used to these pitchers. If we're talking about a pinch-hitter, then Lennerton would be a great choice. Josh Wilson is a veteran infielder, so he may make the team over Romine. If we could harness Rafael Dolis' control problems, he could be a good reliever. Reminds me of AA.
 
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McCann has no business starting except against LHP. I still find Austin Green more of an option at Catcher.
 
McCann has no business starting except against LHP. I still find Austin Green more of an option at Catcher.

I don't get it. He's never even reached AA, and doesn't walk a lick. McCann has atleast shown he can put up a good OPS against LHP. I get that you like the unconventional, and so do I for the most part.. but a 13th rounder with almost no pro experience shouldn't even be in the discussion.
 
I don't get it. He's never even reached AA, and doesn't walk a lick. McCann has atleast shown he can put up a good OPS against LHP. I get that you like the unconventional, and so do I for the most part.. but a 13th rounder with almost no pro experience shouldn't even be in the discussion.

How far do you think a prospect gets in 1.5 years in the Minors?

13th Rounders never make it, right?

Again, last 3 years away

Green .268 BAVG .329 OBP .475 SLG .804 OPS 16.1 PA/BB 23.5 PA/HR

McCann .272 BAVG .314 OBP .380 SLG .694 OPS 20.1 PA/BB 88.4 PA/HR


Until 2014, James McCann wasn't anything special. As with any level, any time a player increases their career BAVG by more than 25 points without improving their walk rate, I will show you a "fluke" season. I firmly think McCann would be an ideal platoon partner for Avila. But I have no delusions he is a starting catcher at the MLB level, except against LHP.

Austin Green is 25. He will start the year at AA, AAA or at the MLB level. He has a spring invite. It is basically now or never. Neither Green nor McCann has had their free agent/arbitration clock start. If McCann is the starting catcher of the future, there is no harm in him playing at AAA in 2015 and taking over in 2016. Lord knows being Avila's backup for a year will further help his development.
 
How far do you think a prospect gets in 1.5 years in the Minors?

13th Rounders never make it, right?

Again, last 3 years away

Green .268 BAVG .329 OBP .475 SLG .804 OPS 16.1 PA/BB 23.5 PA/HR

McCann .272 BAVG .314 OBP .380 SLG .694 OPS 20.1 PA/BB 88.4 PA/HR


Until 2014, James McCann wasn't anything special. As with any level, any time a player increases their career BAVG by more than 25 points without improving their walk rate, I will show you a "fluke" season. I firmly think McCann would be an ideal platoon partner for Avila. But I have no delusions he is a starting catcher at the MLB level, except against LHP.

Austin Green is 25. He will start the year at AA, AAA or at the MLB level. He has a spring invite. It is basically now or never. Neither Green nor McCann has had their free agent/arbitration clock start. If McCann is the starting catcher of the future, there is no harm in him playing at AAA in 2015 and taking over in 2016. Lord knows being Avila's backup for a year will further help his development.

Where are you getting these 3 year away stats for Green? As far as I can see Green has only played 1.5 seasons and only has 556 PA. He has been playing in A ball where he has been significantly older than those he has been playing with. In 2014 he was playing in Lakeland which is the highest competition he played against. He was 24 years old playing with less experienced players. In A ball with those less experienced players he only managed an OBP of .306 and slugged .416

There is nothing to suggest Green is ready since he has been playing with inferior competition and really hasn't been very good offensively. Now, as far as comparing the two defensively...I have no idea what either of them bring to the table.
 
Where are you getting these 3 year away stats for Green? As far as I can see Green has only played 1.5 seasons and only has 556 PA. He has been playing in A ball where he has been significantly older than those he has been playing with. In 2014 he was playing in Lakeland which is the highest competition he played against. He was 24 years old playing with less experienced players. In A ball with those less experienced players he only managed an OBP of .306 and slugged .416

There is nothing to suggest Green is ready since he has been playing with inferior competition and really hasn't been very good offensively. Now, as far as comparing the two defensively...I have no idea what either of them bring to the table.


OK...so I used 1.5 years away for Green and 3 years away for McCann.

Austin Green gets drafted in June 2013. He starts A- in June and promoted to A in August. For 2014, he was at A+ Lakeland. Yes, he was 1.3 years older for the league. That is it.

We are talking about a BACKUP catcher.

2014 DET Minor League Catchers

AAA = J. McCann (R, 24)
AA = R. Cabrera (S, 25), traded in Mid August to PIT
A+ = A. Green (R, 25)
A = B. Pickar (R, 24)

Does anyone honestly believe Green would have been promoted last year with McCann at AAA and Ramon Cabrera at AA? Is it Green's fault for being at the level he was assigned?

Whoever does not make the backup role, will be competing for the openings at AAA and AA.

Austin Green (R, 25)
James McCann (R, 24)
Miguel Gonzalez (R, 24)
Manny Pina (R, 27)

Grayson Greiner (R, 22) is either going to start at West Michigan or Lakeland. Most likely West Michigan. He is the only other catcher that I would like to see more of.
 
If Green is likely going to end up the better player, I'd rather have him get at least another year in the minors at AA or AAA and let McCann platoon with Avila since McCann doesnt really need any more time in the minors given his likely ceiling (backup/weak side of a platoon). Then next offseason we can see which one of them should be the starter.


How is Green defensively? IMO, that matters more than offense for a catcher, and we already know that McCann should be excellent defensively.
 
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Green is slightly less than McCann when it comes to defense and he is slightly less than Marcus Thames when it comes to offense.

I wasn't wanting him solely for his ability to catch as much for him to be a late game deciding factor. He has a ton of power and could be used as a pinch hitter and left in to replace Avila.
 
McCann is a better hitter and a better defender?

I think what he is getting at, is if you need a pinch hitter late in a game, someone with legit HR power is what the Tiger's did not have last year. Green could provide that power. FYI, I am all for McCann/Avila Platoon this year. Green's power is intriguing, though.
 
McCann is a better hitter and a better defender?


Green is a better hitter than McCann. I was giving his hitting in comparison to Marcus Thames. He is a righthanded power bat on the bench.

McCann is less of a hitter. He isn't going to get you many extra base hits. He doesn't walk a lot. He hits singles, that is about it and plays good defense.
 
I think what he is getting at, is if you need a pinch hitter late in a game, someone with legit HR power is what the Tiger's did not have last year. Green could provide that power. FYI, I am all for McCann/Avila Platoon this year. Green's power is intriguing, though.

I am a little skeptical of Green's HR power based on the competition he played against. 17 HR in 556 PA in A ball when he is 23-24 years old. More HR than McCann over the past 2 seasons but McCann was going against much better pitching.

Probably doesn't matter too much since it is only a back up catcher.
 
I am a little skeptical of Green's HR power based on the competition he played against. 17 HR in 556 PA in A ball when he is 23-24 years old. More HR than McCann over the past 2 seasons but McCann was going against much better pitching.

Probably doesn't matter too much since it is only a back up catcher.

That's a good point. I would think McCann is closer to being big league ready. Green could probably use another year to develop. Spring training should give us a good idea. It can't come soon enough! IMO between the super bowl and the start of baseball is the worst time of the year for sports.:ugh:
 
Green is a better hitter than McCann. I was giving his hitting in comparison to Marcus Thames. He is a righthanded power bat on the bench.

McCann is less of a hitter. He isn't going to get you many extra base hits. He doesn't walk a lot. He hits singles, that is about it and plays good defense.

last season

Green had 35 extra base hits...McCann 41.
Green 0.08 XBH per PA, McCann 0.09 XBH per PA
Green 0.046 walk per PA, McCann 0.054 walk per PA
Green 0.17 K per PA, McCann 0.19 K per PA
Green .306 OBP, McCann .343 OBP

Green has more HR pop but he was hitting against A ball pitchers. I need to see more before I would want him jumping McCann.
 
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