Jim, scrutiny of the last roster spot is a time honored pointless tradition.
There are folks who still hate Orlando Palmeiro.
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To me a strong bench needs to be balanced.
A back up for each position with as little let down as possible.
A dependable pinch hitter or two
A good pinch runner option.
The nice thing is that this team does not have any regulars who are weak fielders.
Defensive subs can be used but not a requirement which could change the composition of the bench.
Example: Devers is a dynamic hitter for Boston but a brutal fielder. It would suck to be forced to roster a glove first 3B that you might not want on the playoff roster and take a spot from another potential contributor.
I appreciated the likes of Orlando Palmeiro just as I appreciate (even more) a multi-positional guy like Dubon.
But let me make sure I understand your thinking.
The aforementioned bench of Dubon et al. Are you also suggesting that it’s “pointless” for Click to be looking at trying to upgrade that group with an eye towards the playoffs?
It’s not pointless for Click to do it. It’s pointless for us to say he should.
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Diaz has been an absolutely fantastic PH throughout his career. Would be nice to have a solid LH bat on the bench. If Click feels the need to upgrade something on the team, he will. If he don’t, he won’t.
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So we should never speculate about roster moves on this board?
Palmeiro or Merced?
Palmeiro.
Apparently they’re mad he didn’t hit a HR to win game 4.
He was no Dave Clark, that’s for sure.
It’s still mystifying how Clark went from the best PH in the league to a pretty much zero the minute he joined the Astros.
Depends on what your definition of pointless is. Is speculating about things you can’t control pointless?
Nah.
Everything we do here is pointless.
Which is why we shouldn’t get too worked up about any of it.
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Agreed
I may be nuts, and have been accused of being so, but if Castro ends up the backup catcher at the end of the season, I’m perfectly OK with that. He has some skills, and has been in big games. He’s unlikely to be the weakest link.
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I think a LH reliever. I like the idea of Mullins but I am not unsold on Jake and the longer term OF potential at AAA. Personally I ride with Yuli at 1b this season.
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We are gearing up to argue about the backup catcher when Machete will play most of the innings, especially in the playoffs? How fucking crazy.
I’d like a really good LHP reliever too, and Abreu’s spot looks vulnerable. We are solid to very good in the bullpen. I think Garcia is shaky, and we’ll see about Urquidy. I am not counting on McCullers at all.
We need another hitter, and I’d like Jake M. to be it. Yuli is a permanent fixture at 1B, imo. CF is the likely spot for that needed hitter, but defense comes first there.
Dubon is an excellent, versatile utility player to back up/complement Diaz. Nowhere does it say slick-fielding bench guys have to be good hitters too. Dubon will hit enough to be an asset, imo.
The SP worries me, but a Big Three and a strong pen can win big in the playoffs. We do not really know about Javier yet, but he sure has promise.
Pitching and defense win championships.
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Highly unlikely to make a difference, and I find him to be a fine option.
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As of now his best asset in the postseason would be as a lefthanded pinch hitter and a catcher in case Machete is somehow rendered quadriplegic.
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Knowing Maldy even if he was a quadriplegic he would play and find some crazy, rare, and unexpected way to help the team win.
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One of the other Astros fan sites said yesterday the Astros need to decide about Yuli at 1B with the trade deadline approaching. I hope that issue is not one Click is dealing with.
I will not be upset of Click stands pat with the current roster. Especially with the expected additions coming from the IL soon of McCullers and Brantley.
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