Nyjer Morgan (and others)

[pacopete4]

I wasn't exactly sure what forum to put this in as it is a little bit of a rant more than anything.

 

 

BUT...

 

 

How can a guy like Logan Schafer make our team when there are guys like Nyjer Morgan out there who actually give you a good AB and can play multiple OF positions? Honestly, how? How rosters are put together never makes sense to me. Granted, your 25th guy on your team probably doesn't hold you back (Counsell hit under .200 in 2011 and we won 96 games) but when there are guys out there who could actually make your team better, what's the hold up? I know Parra is a gold glove corner OF guy but for $6 mil you could find guys like Nyjer for almost league minimum and get the same type of production. I only used Nyjer because he is not on a team, had success for us, and is a decent example of how you can do well in your MLB career but not hang around.

[jerichoholicninja]

Schafer being cheap is the only reason I can think of that he is still on the team. But, yes, he is a terrible player and has no business being on this or any team and for some reason every year there is one terrible player that management absolutely loves and refuses to give up on.

[JohnBriggs12]

I've posted this before but there are plenty of players comparable to Schafer with major league jobs. He's by no means unique or "terrible" by comparative standards to 5th OF who's main attribute is defense. Do I really need to list them again? Look at the offensive production from 5th OF who are defensive players first. More than half the league has a guy not unlike Schafer offensively. A bunch hit under .200 last year.

 

Logan Schafer makes $511,000. Making him the scapegoat for last year's collapse or this year's ineptitude is ludicrous.

[pacopete4]

I've posted this before but there are plenty of players comparable to Schafer with major league jobs. He's by no means unique or "terrible" by comparative standards to 5th OF who's main attribute is defense. Do I really need to list them again? Look at the offensive production from 5th OF who are defensive players first. More than half the league has a guy not unlike Schafer offensively. A bunch hit under .200 last year.

 

Logan Schafer makes $511,000. Making him the scapegoat for last year's collapse or this year's ineptitude is ludicrous.

 

 

 

But my point is that they shouldn't have these guys. What's the point? Honestly.. what is the point of these players being in the league? There are many better options to have on your roster and it just makes zero sense to me. It's almost like they are saying, screw it, we'll pay some crap guy league minimum to be on our roster.

[superfly]

I don't know about anybody else, but I could really use some Tony Plush right about now, and maybe the rest of the team could too so things would lighten up.

[logan82]

I would hate to see Plush. He was an annoyance during a good season. He would be pretty unbearable now.

[brewcrewdue80]

I've posted this before but there are plenty of players comparable to Schafer with major league jobs. He's by no means unique or "terrible" by comparative standards to 5th OF who's main attribute is defense. Do I really need to list them again? Look at the offensive production from 5th OF who are defensive players first. More than half the league has a guy not unlike Schafer offensively. A bunch hit under .200 last year.

 

Logan Schafer makes $511,000. Making him the scapegoat for last year's collapse or this year's ineptitude is ludicrous.

 

 

 

But my point is that they shouldn't have these guys. What's the point? Honestly.. what is the point of these players being in the league? There are many better options to have on your roster and it just makes zero sense to me. It's almost like they are saying, screw it, we'll pay some crap guy league minimum to be on our roster.

 

Read above your post...JohnBriggs said why. Defense.

 

I'm with you though, I think the Pinch Hitter role...especially in the NL requires more of an Offensive apt player than the defensive Backup. Maybe it's the idea that defense won't diminish if a player doesn't see playing time vs the offensive player? We could have Matt Clark up to bat. But, him seeing 5PAs in a week, will that stunt his offensive potential?

Then you probably look at a .500 team and figure 50% of the games won that the pinch-hitter plays in, his bat doesn't matter in the outcome. So you're looking at 81PAs on the season where it does.

 

Whereas, Schafer can pinch hit lousily in the 7th inning, stay in the game for the next 6-9outs and provide the higher defensive output. Of course that has it's limitations. A pitcher Ks batters, not needed. Ground balls in the infield, not needed. It's the amount of flyouts then that would account for potentially Schafer's defense. 35% or 1out an inning? approximately? Then it's situation specific. What if that flyball was with 2outs nobody on in a 3run lead game? Hey Schafer makes the play that Davis or Braun wouldn't be able to. But how much of an effect does it really have on the outcome?

 

I'd just rather save my best pinch-hitter to use in the best pinch-hitter needed situations. Team needs a run down 1. Runners on 1st+3rd base 1out. A long flyball scores the run...Vs Schafer's weaker hitting ability leading to more concern of the inning ending double play.

 

You as a manager can control that 25th man's effectiveness imo if he's a bat first player vs the defense first player. But stats/sabrematrics or whatever must show my opinion to be wrong and that the defensive players adds more value to the backup role. Providing reasons why MLB rosters are filled with these types.

[reillymcshane]

Logan Schafer was a good minor league hitter (.812 OPS at AAA). He's considered an excellent defensive CF. Speed guys like Schafer often develop later than other prospects. He's 28 and has a year of before he becomes arby eligible. I don't think it's crazy to give him another season to see if he can translate his minor league success to the majors. He's cheap, and quite frankly, the club isn't going anywhere. I'd much rather give him a chance than an aging vet who's twice the price and not in our long term future.

 

Schafer's defense brings immediate value. It's time for him to show he can hit better than .200. But even if he can get up to .250-260, he's has value as a back up (or a minor trade chip).