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You mentioned everyone in the Griffey in LF scenario, except who you'd drop from the roster. As it exists, after the 9 starters, there are 4 bench guys:
CA - Quiroz - (if Clement cannot catch, Quiroz goes nowhere)
IF - Cedeno - (only backup for the entire IF)
OF - Wlad - (hitting worse than Endy of late)
DH - Sweeney - (was he mentioned above?)
I've gotta believe that you'd be more likely to axe Sweeney than Endy, as Sweeney barely brings a bat - and no glove. Endy, at the very least, brings a glove.
Honestly, my picture of why Griffey is not playing LF, is the SAME reason that Clement was bypassed for Quiroz. Playing the field was too hard on Griffey's knees during ST.
Regardless of what he did last year or the year before, Griffey IS a year older. If standing for 3 hours in the sun is going to render him inactive for the next game, then all you've really done is swapped out a platoon at DH for a defensive situation no different, (Sweeney ain't playing anywhere regularly and neither is Clement any time soon).
I personally NEVER got the sense it was Griffey's defense that was at issue, it is his health. The club was already put together with a shaky bench in that the DH platoon are BOTH guys with major health issues. Has everyone forgotten the insanity that ensued when Cedeno got a muscle tweak for a few days?
Clement is not down because they don't want him. He's in AAA because he's not healthy enough to fill the logical roster spot for him, (catcher). But, I REALLY like the fact he's DHing in AAA, and doing a swell job -- because his major league DH numbers were beyond dreadful. They are letting him LEARN to DH - in a safe environment - and also removing any pressure to get healthy quick.
The previous regime was miserably awful at developing talent -- the first 2-week hot streak, and a kid was in the majors. And when he flopped he was sent down. The fact that the old paradigm is gone is a MAJOR plus in my mind. Considering the development track in Milwaukee, I'm perfectly will to cede to Captain Jack's sense of proper timing for prospect development.
Personally, I think Clement is being groomed for the LH side of a DH platoon for 2009, and may well get to be backup catcher, too. But, it's only June 1st. That gives the club two months to look at possible deals that do NOT revolve around dumping guys for no gain.
If you DO view Clement as a DH primary and CA secondary, then it just MIGHT be wise to let him get healthy enough to get used to the flopping back and forth between the two positions while still in the minors -- instead of doing what Bavasi did, and try to force the kid to adapt to 437 different new dynamics simultaneously.