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I want to see Thames for the rest of the year, but, watching his actions in the field, I want to see him next year after an off-season working not on strength-building lifting, but on Dr. Elliott's rotational strength program. Watching him make the back-hand catch in left makes me think if he was more limber and "Elliott-strong" he could improve his ability to catch and throw considerably (he obviously has good coordination). And a bit of Mike Bard's help (his swing looks an awful lot like 2010-2011 Saunders) wouldn't hurt, either. He comes across as smart enough and determined enough to put himself through an off-season like that - and a more limber fielder and another lefty that can hit lefties pitching inside would be a great find.
On the same theme, I hope Dr. Elliott either has on staff or knows someone whose expertise is running mechanics. Montero runs so poorly and so gingerly I have to think he's never really had any instruction on how to run since his body got man-sized. Even a bit of improvement would unclog the basepaths enough that Saunders or Wells could hit behind him more successfully. Even Olerud-speed or Edgar-speed would be a marked improvement. I also think loosening up his legs would help his pop co-ordination a bit also.
Switching to MarinersTalk-type stuff - does Jack Marder seem to anyone else to be the perfect utility guy (a la what Gimenez might have been) to put with Zunino and Montero in future years? The idea of a good utility infielder that could hit like Jaso (albeit right-handed, but with a very low split) AND catch a few games a year is really something to look forward to. Jaso probably has a few good years ahead, but slotting Marder in when the time comes looks great.

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