Who or What is a Carlos Rivero
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Q. What are those 3 a.m. commenters on ESPN saying, if they think a poker player is "representing" a hand?
A. You're playing Hold 'Em, and the first three cards on the "flop" have two diamonds... a guy pushes into the pot. He's "representing" an Ace of Diamonds, or two diamonds, in the hole ... here comes the fourth up card, it's a diamond. The guy pushes in a big stack! He's "representing" the flush whether he has it or not.
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Q. You think that a big fat hairy 40-man slot, given to a guy who is the definition of No Prospect represents ... what? To the other 29 teams?
A. Well, the M's have two demonstrably good 6-year shortstops starting already. And $3M going to the Willie Bloomquist Emergency Fund. And Ketel Marte being rushed to AAA last year - whereupon he immediately delivered a cross-face elbow to the bridge of its nose.
The 40-man roster issues ... those slots aren't real easy to come by in Seattle. Now you're giving a slot to a 3B/SS to a guy whose career minor league line is .699 OPS+ ?
Let's charitably say that the M's are "representing" a trade of Miller or Taylor. Perhaps this lights a fire under the Dodgers' keisters, and all y'all get a good close-up look at Scott Van Slyke. And, trust me, that'll be for the full ride, 550 AB's, baby. s' your funeral.
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Q. Well, Rivero can't be all bad. He was just traded for Franklin Morales. By Boston.
A. Ya, when Rivero was 25 and the Red Sox had some authentic 3B issues. The Mariners' 3B problems seem relatively contained. Even if Van Slyke were to trip and fall on Seager, then after the funeral "The Mariners' Very Soul" is currently backing up at third.
Hey, wait! Rivero's a natural 3B .... of course. So the M's are representing a Seager-Kershaw deal. Or :: speak it in hushed tones :: Seager for Aroldis Chapman. Now, show down your hole cards like that and Dr. D is all too willing to forgive and forget.
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Q. What does BaseballHQ say about Rivero?
A. He isn't in their minors book, obviously. They can only cover the top 1,500 or so bushers who project to ML FRINGE.
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Q. Can Rivero play a big league shortstop?
A. Ax the scouts. How should Dr. D know? He didn't know who Ketel Marte was until Friday.
The last two years, Rivero's minors range factors were way below average at SS, way above average at 3B. (Short innings.) He's got a rifle arm, by all accounts. :: shrug ::
All kidding aside, the M's are indeed "representing" that they want no part of Ketel Marte any time soon. Caissa (the patron goddess of chess) knows that the Mariners could never tolerate a 60 OPS+ from a 21-year-old; that kind of parasitical base drain is left for 27-year-olds to manifest. Rivero, at age 27 or whatever, is ready to blast away at full guns -- .230 with outfield-grass power.
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Q. C'mon. There's nothing wrong with depth.
A. No, but why do you both spend $3M on an Org Spear Carrier for SS and grab a career minor leaguer SS to push out Jesus Montero / Humberto Quintero / Yoervis Medina / Ty Kelly (gasp!) whoever? When you had three young SS's and Willie to start with?
Dr. D is fully confident that somebody will be able to explain this whole maneuver to him, in terms other than "We need an MLB(TM) stoploss out there if Willie's knee is gimp." ... in the meantime, one good thing: Rivero is #1 in major league history in OPS, minimum six AB's (yes, he is). A 1900 OPS in Fenway is 900 in Safeco, minimum.
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Q. I know somebody who cannot be serious. Panning such a small decision.
A. I'm not above a little sublimation, you know. Must still be bitter about the AB's and IP that didn't go to Saunders and Paxton and Taijuan and John Buck and those guys. All too easy to visualize somebody deciding that Rivero has better plate coverage than Brad Miller, I guess.
Rivero doesn't cost you anything. Except one of your own players. We've been chattering all the day long about buying insurance when the cost is considerable and the risk is nebulous.... I know, that was uncalled for. But then, so's the website. Doesn't stop you.
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Q. Is there going to be anything worthwhile this morning?
A. Hmmmmm.... scraping the mayo jar, we notice that Mike Morse is pegged (by Fangraphs denizens) to be signable at 1 year, $7M. He just finished up a 130 OPS+ season, 482 PA's. If Kendrys Morales and Billy Butler are in the discussion, why not him?
In a neutral park, I'd probably roto-bet on Morse next year ahead of Cuddyer, much less Butler and Kendrys. (The Giants just passed on the Qualifying Offer to Morse.)
The Fangraphs crowd sez 1 year, $5M for Chris Young. Sign me up. Def. They've got Hammel at 3/$27M.
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Q. This is SSI. We know there's a good dollop of Pollyanna Pie in here somewhere.
A. Well, the Surprise Saguaros scored 19 runs on Monday, although Kivlehan went hitless. D.J. Peterson is ripping along at .164 with a .273 SLG.
Bah humbug,
Dr D :- )