Could Alford Be Recalled This Weekend
Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2021 8:19 pm
7E585F4A434F584E462D0 wrote: Ka'ai Tom starting again tonight in LF. I can't even understand how he gets to much playing time over Ben Gamel.
I can only surmise that Gamel, Alford, Difo are all in the fold in one way or another right now, and that they have a pre-conceived amount of AB's they want to give Tom.
I don't know what he does well. He doesn't walk much anymore, he doesn't hit, he plays a scary bad LF, he looks fast but really isn't.
The issue with rule 5 guys is always whether or not it's worthwhile to sacrifice a roster spot for someone who isn't ready for MLB in order to gain control and then put him in the minors the next year for more seasoning. Usually such players had not gone beyond single-A because if they had showed promise at AA or AAA the would have been protected instead of being exposed to the rule 5 draft.
But Tom is a little different. He had 202 games, 827 PAs at AA during which he hit .261 with 26 HRs in a little more than 1.5 seasons. He also has about a half season at AAA, 51 games, 211 PAs hitting .298 with 9 HRs. But despite some pretty good AA and AAA stats, the Indians chose not to protect him and Oakland took him in the rule 5 draft. 18 players were chosen in the major league phase of that draft. Tom went 16th of 18. So although he had played at AA and AAA and put up decent numbers, his own team didn't protect and other teams did not seem very interested.
The Pirates are giving him a lengthy look but he shows no reason to keep him in the organization. He's not someone who only played at single-A and needs to be kept in order to get him AA and AAA experience. He should be MLB ready by now and is failing miserably against MLB pitchers while also being weak in the OF. It's hard to imagine why they want to continue with this tryout.
I can only surmise that Gamel, Alford, Difo are all in the fold in one way or another right now, and that they have a pre-conceived amount of AB's they want to give Tom.
I don't know what he does well. He doesn't walk much anymore, he doesn't hit, he plays a scary bad LF, he looks fast but really isn't.
The issue with rule 5 guys is always whether or not it's worthwhile to sacrifice a roster spot for someone who isn't ready for MLB in order to gain control and then put him in the minors the next year for more seasoning. Usually such players had not gone beyond single-A because if they had showed promise at AA or AAA the would have been protected instead of being exposed to the rule 5 draft.
But Tom is a little different. He had 202 games, 827 PAs at AA during which he hit .261 with 26 HRs in a little more than 1.5 seasons. He also has about a half season at AAA, 51 games, 211 PAs hitting .298 with 9 HRs. But despite some pretty good AA and AAA stats, the Indians chose not to protect him and Oakland took him in the rule 5 draft. 18 players were chosen in the major league phase of that draft. Tom went 16th of 18. So although he had played at AA and AAA and put up decent numbers, his own team didn't protect and other teams did not seem very interested.
The Pirates are giving him a lengthy look but he shows no reason to keep him in the organization. He's not someone who only played at single-A and needs to be kept in order to get him AA and AAA experience. He should be MLB ready by now and is failing miserably against MLB pitchers while also being weak in the OF. It's hard to imagine why they want to continue with this tryout.