OnlyBucs

This is a lost season already. Cruz would be badly overmatched right now. Stick with Newman and Gonzo and maybe Tucker until someone else forces the issue.

I've always operated on the assumption that the team knows its business a lot better than I, as a casual fan, could ever possibly. There are times, though, when I wonder -- they bring up players but don't play them (do they want to see them work out up close?), and with players like Cru, where the odds of him being a shortstop aren't much better than mine of someday being a batboy. Cruz could be learning to play the outfield, for example. I just wish they'd explain their logic at some point.

3B39232533560 wrote: I've always operated on the assumption that the team knows its business a lot better than I, as a casual fan, could ever possibly. There are times, though, when I wonder -- they bring up players but don't play them (do they want to see them work out up close?), and with players like Cru, where the odds of him being a shortstop aren't much better than mine of someday being a batboy. Cruz could be learning to play the outfield, for example. I just wish they'd explain their logic at some point.


Cruz hais committed a lot of errors this season but it's a small size.  The rule of thumb I guess is to let a player play the premium position as long as he can, and he probably won't have a hard time transitioning to outfield anyway so they can wait to the last minute and do that.

232621272F253C21283B3D30490 wrote: I've always operated on the assumption that the team knows its business a lot better than I, as a casual fan, could ever possibly. There are times, though, when I wonder -- they bring up players but don't play them (do they want to see them work out up close?), and with players like Cru, where the odds of him being a shortstop aren't much better than mine of someday being a batboy. Cruz could be learning to play the outfield, for example. I just wish they'd explain their logic at some point.


Cruz hais committed a lot of errors this season but it's a small size.  The rule of thumb I guess is to let a player play the premium position as long as he can, and he probably won't have a hard time transitioning to outfield anyway so they can wait to the last minute and do that.




Manny Sanguillen doesn't agree with this. Although I think you are right for most players. Still, unless they think he can stick at short at least a year in the outfield should help him if the switch is made.

The Bucs need to move Oneill Cruz to the OF yesterday!



Cole Tucker needs to show a decent average at AAA for me to take him seriously. I like Newman a lot more than most, and predict that he'll be hitting above .250 by the All Star break. Defensively, he reminds me of Jody Mercer: steady, not spectacular. I agree with everyone about Erik Gonzalez. He's a MLB utility man.



All in all, I think the "problem" at SS will slip away as Hayes and Moran return to the lineup. We have too many guys hitting in the .100's to win games.

I don't even see there being any question that Gonzalez is the way to go. He's an excellent defender at SS and 3B, makes him way more useful than Newman.



Still have to question what the point of bringing Tucker up though. I thought it was to make SS like the OF merry-go-round, keep throwing something out there hoping something sticks.

436562777E7265737B100 wrote: I don't even see there being any question that Gonzalez is the way to go. He's an excellent defender at SS and 3B, makes him way more useful than Newman.



Still have to question what the point of bringing Tucker up though. I thought it was to make SS like the OF merry-go-round, keep throwing something out there hoping something sticks.

I don't like Gonzo he's the perfect utility guy but not a answer. He sure handed and makes excellent plays but sometimes has lapses. He's not fast, no power, just okay, the utility guy.

042E251522343438570 wrote: The Bucs need to move Oneill Cruz to the OF yesterday!



Cole Tucker needs to show a decent average at AAA for me to take him seriously. I like Newman a lot more than most, and predict that he'll be hitting above .250 by the All Star break. Defensively, he reminds me of Jody Mercer: steady, not spectacular. I agree with everyone about Erik Gonzalez. He's a MLB utility man.



All in all, I think the "problem" at SS will slip away as Hayes and Moran return to the lineup. We have too many guys hitting in the .100's to win games.


Before they move Cruz to the OF they need to see if he can become a better all-around hitter than Pooplanco. So far this season in Altoona he is hitting .241 with 2 HR, 9 RBI and 28% K percentage in just 24 games. Let's get his hitting up to snuff and then worry about him defensively in the OF.

Gonzalez is not the answer. He has a career on base percentage of .277. He has garnered all of 33 walks in 729 major league ab's.



I am not advocating that Newman is a precious gem, but he is 2 years younger than Gonzalez and is still just a season (2019) removed from hitting .308 with an obp of .353 and an ops of .800. Those are decent numbers for a shortstop. Perhaps he still has a higher horizon in him, but it sure hasn't looked that way last season or this season.



In looking at Newman's stats, I note that his strike-out rate this season and last is more than 50% below his rate in 2019, however, his walk rate has not risen much even though his strike-outs are down. It appears that Kevin has not benefited from reducing his strike-out rate, except for picking up a hit or two on some weak infield tappers.



Perhaps Kevin needs to be more willing to swing away in an effort to drive the ball a bit more, and just accept that he will strike out from time-to-time. His current inability to get on base (hits or walks) is not helping anyone, particularly when he is in the 2 hole in the line-up.

It's quite a contrast from his strong 2019 and his weak 2018, 2020 and 2021. If he hadn't been a pretty solid hitter in the minors, I would think 2019 was just a fluke. Maybe it's a matter of pitchers adjusting to him and him not adjusting back.