That's Romero. I think the M's have settled on that, indicated by the fact that he's going to get some 1B work in practice, too.
Ideally, you would think he would get about 50 starts a year as a 4th OF (currently). But with a 2B/1B/3B glove he gives you have some in-game flexibility. All that win a guy with some pop in the bat. If he had to start 10-12 games in a row, due to an OF injury, you wouldn't have to shield your eyes, I think. We missed a multi-positional guy like Romero or Tenbrink last year. Were we not so LH oriented, I think I would like Tenbrink even more than Romero because he beats up RHP. heck, I might like Tenbrink more than I like Morrison. In the AL you get 4 bench bats. Bloomquist, Romero, Tenbrink and Buck would make you pretty flexible, if two of your three OF's could play CF and if Franklin were destined for points east (or Tacoma).
Anyway, flexibility is good. Romero doesn't have to be a star to be helpful. If he can get on base at a clip of .300, or so, AND slug in the .425 range, he'll do. ST has so far indicated that he can do those things.
We’ve never doubted that “next in line” among the in-house options for a RH bat was Stefen Romero.
What we have doubted, contrary to other voices, is that Romero is ticketed to an everyday role in the majors as an impact hitter.
Put differently: I would not project Romero as an impact hitter in the majors without a plateau-leap that is exceedingly rare for players over age-23.
More here.
===
Suddenly, everyone’s talking about Roenis Elias.
And that’s a good thing, because he’s a good pitcher and a better story (sneaking out of Cuba on a raft despite marginal prospects of a baseball career — he’s not a sought-after Cuban bonus guy).
More here.
===
All at MarinerBrainstorm.com.
Comments
1