Take A Moment To Rosterbate

If davis/niemann is in the pen, the only reason gomes would be the odd man out is options and hopper, howell and rodney are making guarenteed money >1 mil

6 years of davis for 3 years of hundley? I was thinking at least a B or C+ prospect in addition

I should not have added the point about Sean’s capacity as a SS as it seems to have muddied the focus. My point simply is that the Keppinger signing makes sense given the skill set he has, that Maddon will use him both for PH, and as a reserve infielder. Whether that is to start at 2B vs. many LH pitchers or in some other role is not my point. Nor does it matter whether you want to label him as the 25th man or something else. My response is to those who seem upset he was signed at all. I think there is sound logic behind the signing.

I don’t think the comparison to Bartlett is at all relevant. First, when Bartlett was acquired it was because of the horrid SS play of the 2007 Rays shortstops. He was a significant upgrade defensively, and in 2008 was considered pretty good there. It appears his defense declined over the next 2 years which is probably why the Rays were willing to trade him. (Fangraphs has him as + in 2008 but minus in 2009-10.) In other words, while I am not convinced Rodriguez can match Bartlett’s 2008 defense, I imagine he can do as well as (maybe better) than 2010 Bartlett, which is when the Rays decided to trade Jason.

If you object to the labeling, call him something else. Bench player, reserve, semi-platoon, utility, backup. The point is that obsessing over signing a player intended for a secondary role on this team is to overlook why he might provide value. Don’t we agree about that?

As for Brignac, I do think the Rays like his defense and hope his bat improves enough to make him useful. In instances when one of the LH hitters needs to be replaced or in any number of other circumstances when they want to protect a lead, I think they would be more comfortable with Brignac at SS than with Keppinger, Zobrist or even Rodriguez. Of course, Brignac is vulnerable, but on a team that values defense the way the Rays do, having a plus defender, even if only on the bench, might be more appealing than another RH bat on the bench. And the Rays might be concerned not so much over Sean’s defense but Keppinger’s should they have to expose Jeff in the field too much.

reflect the point Friedman made about some balance between the additional offense and a weakened defense. It is not so much that they were willing to discount defense as that they thought the increase in offense (projection for Manny plus Damon vs Fuld/Ruggiano or Pena power vs Kotchman power) was great enough to make the sacrifice worthwhile. And note that both examples are at positions on the lower part of the defensive spectrum.

I suspect that the offensive addition would have to be significant and relatively certain to make dispensing with a plus defensive SS likely. Again, I don’t discount the possibility that Brignac fails to make the opening day roster. I just don’t think the addition of Keppinger or the talent currently in the system is enough to make it likely. And as you note, since that Knobler comment the Rays have added 2 power bats (they hope). Are they prepared to let Niemann/Davis go for a bench bat; are they likely to get more before the season?

I guess he just doesnt hit the ball hard enough. It seems like forever ago he had 8hr in only 326 pa.