With or without the Lee suspension the M's will soon go to a 12 man staff....if they don't open with one. So speculation about 14 glove/bats should look at short term numbers only.
Versatility still counts. Which is why Willie Bloomquist stays in the league.
Tui seems to be versatile. And the M's are certainly playing him that way.
Tui has played himself into the lineup on a semi-regular basis. Heck..he's getting semi-regular SS innings right now in ST. I don't believe that is a "tryout." It is a warmup. He will see some SS time...probably some 2B time, 3B time (considerable) and even some left field time. Heck, he might see some 1B time...although we seem to have a bumper crop of guys who can play that position. OK...not really a "bumper" crop...but a bunch of guys can play over there. (I would still rather see Carp than any of them, other than Sweeney)
Sweeney is a lock to stay. One of Garko and Kotchman is not making the team...and may be headed elsewhere other than Tacoma. Even if Sweeney's back explodes, then the fall back is Carp, and that is only a bit worse than Kotchman/Garko (well..I would argue no worse than Kotchman and, in fact, considerably better). But Sweeney offers way too much upside bat to let slip to another team. And Lopez can play 1st if needed. With Lopez around and assuming Sweeney is kept (PLEEEEEZE) then Kotchman or Garko goes bye bye.
Byrnes is in. He'll play vs. lefties. That puts Bradley at DH vs. lefties Bradley plays left vs. righties and Junior DH's. With such a bench is looks like Tui might get some OF time, even. Has anybody seen him play there? I would love to see Langerhans kept...I don't see how that happens.
If we don't see some Figgins time at 3B in the next 5 days or so...then I think the 2B move is no longer "experimental" (if that label hasn't been dropped already).
And I stand by my earlier predictions. Mid-May is the outside for the first Bradley implosion.
Keith
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