Cruz

[scotsman1948]

You are right ... which is pretty much exactly what MLB.com reports as what Wash intends. Which allows Hamilton to stay in LF and Gentry/Chavez to play CF with Cruz bat in play to PH for them any time Wash wants.

Was surprised he didn't PH Cruz for Chavez last night ... but maybe he wanted to give Gentry the chance to grow a bit more. Perhaps envisioning Cruz flailing on 3 pitches with the bases loaded in his first AB return was too much for Wash. Less damaging on Cruz and TEX psychy to have Gentry K in that AB than having Cruz do it.

i was too but like you said maybe Wash wanted to see Gentry in that situation

 

[Windingmywatch]

i was too but like you said maybe Wash wanted to see Gentry in that situation

More I think about it ... that's exactly what Wash was doing. He wants to find out in a pressure situation ... is Gentry a legit PH or is he only a late inning pinch runner and defensive replacement? There was more to learn from that opportunity for Gentry than giving the AB to Cruz ... or letting Chavez stay in there.

Conventional thinking is that TEX will go with an 11 pitchers in the post season ... leaving 14 position players. But what if TEX is undecided and is thinking about 12 pitchers instead?

Position player roster ...

C 3 (Napoli, Torrealba, Treanor)
IF 5 (Moreland, Kinsler, Beltre, Andrus ... plus Young)
UIF 1 (Blanco)
OF 3 (Hamilton, Cruz, Murphy)

That totals 12 position guys we know who will be on the roster ... so a 11 pitchers leaves 2 extra unnamed guys ... but a 12 man staff leaves only 1 extra unnamed guy.

It is easy to assume that Gentry and Chavez might be the two extra guys in the first case ... but if there is only room for one extra guy ... then IMO it is Gentry versus Chavez for that spot for several reasons ... to include his recent performance ... including that AB last night.

If Gentry continues to perform ... that turns the situation around and creates the opportunity for TEX to go with a 12 man pitching staff. And we all know you can never have too much pitching.

 

[jta4437]

Or only carry 2 catchers, a perfectly reasonable scenario as well

 

[DallasMCRSdynasty]

I'm not sure it's necessary to keep Treanor either. We should be fine with just Nap/Yorvi. To be honest Torrealba should play much at all in the playoffs unless Nap is injured.

Pitching wise -> CJ, Holland, Harrison, Lewis as starters with a bullpen of Oliver, Gonzalez, Feldman, Koji, Ogando, Adams, and Feliz. I think Yosh is done and Lowe is a bit unpredictable. Though I could see them keeping Lowe and having one less offensive player.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Or only carry 2 catchers, a perfectly reasonable scenario as well

Can't call them "2 catchers" as three roles and Torrealba two... so count on Treanor being on TEX post season roster ... especially if the only alternative is Endy Chavez.

Read this last week ...

"It's possible Napoli will become a more frequent first baseman or DH, while Treanor becomes Torrealba's primary backup."

http://www.wfaa.com/sports/Rangers-targeting-Treanor-128832168.html

TEX would also have the option of using one or the other at DH and the other at C at the same time. TEX will not go 'naked' without a true backup. Also likely Treanor becomes CJ's full time catcher from here on out ... and if that makes CJ happy ... then not much Chavez has shown he can do lately to top that.

 

[jta4437]

True about chavez, as valuable as he was in being able to keep Hamilton out of CF most of the season, his role is almost redundant come playoff time