Casey McGehee's struggles: how much leash does he get?

[davego]

Can they just play Wilson/Council at 3rd and bank on defense?

[The Truth]

Can they just play Wilson/Council at 3rd and bank on defense?

For how long? That'd be pretty brutal, long term. They really should get .750+ OPS out of 3rd base if they are legit playoff contenders, especially with such an awful hitter at SS as well as CF vs LHP

[adambr2]

There seems to be some kind of misconception that Wilson is a good defensive infielder. He's not. Better than McGehee, sure, but that's not saying much.

[davego]

True, but we are Hoping to get thru 90 games and have limited options.

[ninja33]

Can they just play Wilson/Council at 3rd and bank on defense?

For how long? That'd be pretty brutal, long term. They really should get .750+ OPS out of 3rd base if they are legit playoff contenders, especially with such an awful hitter at SS as well as CF vs LHP

Third base has been the worst offensive position in the league this season, for what it's worth. Not really that relevant because obviously the team needs more out of 3B...but i thought it was pretty interesting.

[1992casey]

Oxy

wrote:

---

When your BA is higher than your OBP, you

know that you aren't a big fan of BBs.

A few years ago, there was an article posted here about OBPs that were lower than BAs. It's since been taken offline.

 

I believe it stated that this happens to about one player per year with more than 50 ABs, and about half of these players are pitchers. Billy Beane was one of the players that had this happen.

[PrinceEatMeat]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/124975114.html

 

General manager Doug Melvin had a long talk with McGehee in the dugout after BP. Melvin didn't say what the discussion involved but he did say he has no intention at this point of sending McGehee to the minors to get squared away offensively.

 

"Players know that's always a possibility but that doesn't always work," said Melvin. "We did it with J.J. (Hardy in 2009) and he recover from that (that year). You don't always recover. The best thing is to try to get him straightened out here."

 

Great...

[trwi7]

Wait, so when you're going for the playoffs it's best to give a player who wouldn't even be starting for the Royals playing time in the majors to try to get straightened out?

[PrinceEatMeat]

Apparently it is. This is why Melvin pisses me off. He is such a flip-flopper when it comes to things like this. Do you wanna win Melvin, or don't you? Make up your mind. Those trades he made sure make it look like he wants to win, but then he decides it makes sense to have a terrible hitter in the major league lineup working things out. Stupid.

[derflotr]

I think the fact that Gamel is still on the team and started yesterday at 3B speaks a lot louder than any of Melvin's words to Tom Haudricourt. Time is running out for Casey.

[jason21nl]

I don't think Gamel still being up here has anything to do with Casey but more to do with Braun not being available

[PrinceEatMeat]

I don't think Gamel still being up here has anything to do with Casey but more to do with Braun not being available

Yeah, I'd agree. He is there more as an extra bench bat and possible extra OF in a pinch like he did today. If he gets another start at 3B soon, or multiple starts in a row then I'd change my mind. I still think he'll be gone before the all-star break.

[brettac1]

Unleash the Gamel. Immediately.

[southpaw121505]

Eh give him the rest of the year, no biggie.

 

/blue

[Never Outhustled]

Gamel getting the start again. Hope he's productive and forces their hand. While Gamel hasn't been playing 3rd, he said he felt more comfortable there after Weeks helped him with his footwork in Spring Training. If this is the case, what in the heck has Don Money been doing the last 3 years? Don Money is 1 of the many problems in this organization, he needs to go.

 

Also, if Gamel can steal away 3B, I hope they let him play fulltime. Let McGehee go to AAA and try to find himself. Gamel doesn't need a platoon partner.

[TooLiveBrew]

Also, if Gamel can steal away 3B, I hope they let him play fulltime. Let McGehee go to AAA and try to find himself. Gamel doesn't need a platoon partner.

 

Don't you go getting my hopes up. Obligatory video link.

[wibadgers23]

Ah, I remember that play. Didn't Gamel also hit a homerun in that game?

[TooLiveBrew]

Yep, the first of his MLB career.

[TooLiveBrew]

Awesome, awesome knock for Casey today! Great to see him step up with a huge hit, & hopefully a sign he can get himself back on track.

[jmeks23]

Well now what if Casey continues to struggle after this HR? Now the excuse is going to be "well he just hit that clutch HR the other day..."

 

Hopefully he does actually break out of the slump because we need a 3B at this point.

[Thurston Fluff]

He's actually been pretty clutch all season. His OPS with RISP and 2 out is .791, bases loaded it's .917, man on third w/less than 2 outs it's .753. I can't find it now bu twill look but I believe he's doing well late in close games as well. His problem is non clutch situations.

[logan82]

That is clutch? That isn't much better than his career MLB numbers other than the bases loaded OPS. I wouldn't call those numbers clutch. Looks like a bunch of random splits to me.

[Thurston Fluff]

If his numbers match his career numbers and the rest doesn't it seems to me to be the one area that isn't a problem. Yet he was losing time to others despite that. So why on Earth would anyone think this one time event would be any more significant than all the other events just like it this year? If he continues to get playing time it will be because he's been pretty danged good the only two years he's been here. That should trump half a season's worth of stats or what he did in one game no matter the results. He will be given every chance there is to regain his form and should. If ha can't the same thing that has been happening to his playing time will continue to happen. And that should as well. What should not happen is a complete banishment to the bench forever because he had a tough couple months.

[RockCoCougars]

Hart has been showing signs of life again as well. Maybe he and McGehee will get hot at the same time.

[logan82]

I never said he should be benched, not since the season started. I said he should lose some playing time to Taylor Green. I didn't think he would sustain his numbers from previous years and was probably more the level of a platoon type guy to begin with. My opinion of him hasn't changed.