=== Prospect Insider ===

I/O:  We all figured that the M's were lacking in AAA options to help out in the infield.  Chris Crawford does a tremendous job in documenting the specifics.  No need to assume that the Rainiers' infield can't help us; Chris demonstrates it.

Scouts opine that Vazquez was always somewhat questionable defensively -- and that now, you can add to the equation the fact that he has slowed down.

PI's sources also are quoted, interestingly, that Hannahan's swing does not allow for AVG or line drives -- that it's "worm burning or cloud crashing," LOL. 

The mind's eye, now that he brings it up, seems to agree.  Hannahan has one of those swings that goes from high to low to high, as though he weighed 225 lbs.  Great 'put.

And at the moment, Hannahan is hitting .100-and-something in AAA.

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CRUNCH:  The angry little cyber-undercurrent about "roster flexibility," it says here, is more about trying to push Griffey out of town than it is about WAR, .

The analysts who spend all winter analyzing e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g by WAR, the whole WAR, and nothing but the WAR, now we ignore WAR once it's time to push Griffey out?  C'mon.

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If this 115-ERA, 78-OPS M's team needs anything in terms of "roster flexibility," it needs Earl Weaver bats on the bench.  Both to pinch-hit, and to platoon the lineup.  Not Lou Piniella switch-hitting middle infielders designed to keep the manager out of an embarrassing substitution in the 9th.

The Mariners did that:  they brought Griffey and Sweeney with them out of Arizona, to bolster the offensive options on a game-to-game basis.  Whether those guys actually provide offensive support is a tactical question, not a strategic question.

Last thing this ballclub needs, is additional glove-only players.  That's not going to increase the WAR and, more to the point, it's not going to increase the W's.

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CRUNCH:  If you could legitimately add offense in Griffey's and/or Sweeney's places, that would be great. 

If you could find, let's say, a Broussard/Perez type platoon someplace, one that slugs over .500 as a tandem, then you bet.  Swap out for them.

But swap out your bench bats for the purpose of adding more multi-position defensive specialists?  I got two words for that.  Fuhgeddaboudit.  That's just more griping about Junior.

Tell you though, if that's what you're going to do, what would be so hard about finding a DH or two who could hit?  They're around.

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My $0.02,

Dr D