Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:57 pm Posts: 57848 Location: New York, NY
Quote:
• Andres Torres, who has been on the disabled list since reinjuring his left calf on Opening Day, will not start testing the muscle by sprinting for another week, according to Collins. Torres worked on outfield drills in Port St. Lucie today, but is not going full throttle. "I told them, 'This guy is not leaving there until this guy has absolutely sprinted at top speed,'" Collins said.
Asked if Torres would be handed the center field job upon his return, Collins didn't precisely answer, calling him "still an important part of the puzzle" and saying "we got him for a reason."
Bottom line: Unless Kirk Nieuwenhuis is performing at an ultra-high level, he's likely ticketed back to Triple-A Buffalo at that point. Collins is not going to want Nieuwenhuis riding the bench at the major league level as only a part-time contributor.
Post subject: Re: TC not really open to Kirk platoon
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:24 pm
NYFS Staff
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:39 pm Posts: 19079 Location: Jersey City
I don't miss Torres at all and have enjoyed Kirk in the majors.
But it's pretty conventional that you send down a kid and let him play every day instead of having him sit on the ML bench.
I think we can take heart, though, that this regime isn't likely to waste a lot of time on Torres if he doesn't produce.
_________________ "You come to play the game right. I don’t care what the situation is, I don’t care what the standings say, I don’t care about pitch counts. I only care about playing the game correctly."--Terry Collins
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Post subject: Re: TC not really open to Kirk platoon
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:25 pm
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Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:14 am Posts: 3084
Send Kirk down if you have to. I'd imagine he'll be back up to platoon with Bay soon enough.
_________________ "If Sandy Alderson drank five 4LOKO and punched Adam Rubin in the face and then declared Ruben Sierra the pitching coach, I'd have a problem with it." - chinabox
Post subject: Re: TC not really open to Kirk platoon
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:26 pm
NYFS Staff
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:15 pm Posts: 29996 Location: The District
Basically, the only way Kirk gets normal AB's up here after Torres is healthy is if Mike Baxter gets sent down and there is some kind of arrangement where the 4 OF's take turns sitting to the point where Duda and Kirk get a functional about of AB's.
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Post subject: Re: TC not really open to Kirk platoon
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:28 pm
Legend of NYFS
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:56 pm Posts: 41194
We'll see when push comes to shove.
Also: if Mike Baxter's batting average is still hovering around, oh, say .000, be tough to see him hanging around as the 4th OF. There should be enough playing time to go around, and thats assuming getting Andres Torres regular ABs is a priority (TC didn't REALLY comment on this; his words were "We got him for a reason" and "Still an important piece to the puzzle" when asked about him regaining his starting job).
Post subject: Re: TC not really open to Kirk platoon
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:29 pm
NYFS Staff
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:15 pm Posts: 29996 Location: The District
Yeah, that's about as non-answery as you can get from TC. And -- as we have noted -- TC says all kinds of crazy stuff when speaking in hypotheticals, so this could be a tell that he's not in love with the idea of Torres playing full time.
_________________ I LIKE THE METS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Well, this year I'm told the team did well because one pitcher had a fine curve ball. I understand that a curve ball is thrown with a deliberate attempt to deceive. Surely this is not an ability we should want to foster at Harvard." -Charles Eliot
Post subject: Re: TC not really open to Kirk platoon
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:31 pm
Legend of NYFS
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:56 pm Posts: 41194
Worth noting that our current starting OF (Bay, Kirk, Duda) all have shown significant platoon issues. With a strong defender who switch-hits (not that you'd be really using him expecting big-time offense) technically designated as the "4th OFer", there should be plenty of PT for everyone without anyone sitting for too long that it would hinder development or whatever.
Nor would there be an obvious "This guy sits against all ____ [insert RHP or LHP]" candidate, since you would rotate around, unless its Bay against RHP.
I am actually looking forward to seeing a hungry, healthy Torres. I've always loved his defense, but would like to see how the speed at the top of the lineup might change the dynamic.
Not sure I wouldn't bat Tejada second and move everyone down a bit, either...
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Post subject: Re: TC not really open to Kirk platoon
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 6:11 pm
Legend of NYFS
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:01 am Posts: 14287 Location: Atlanta
jdawginsc wrote:
I am actually looking forward to seeing a hungry, healthy Torres. I've always loved his defense, but would like to see how the speed at the top of the lineup might change the dynamic.
Not sure I wouldn't bat Tejada second and move everyone down a bit, either...
Meh, I like Torres, but I'm pretty sure Kirk can out-OBP him. Speed at the top of the lineup is interesting, but significantly less so when your OBP is under .320. Given a choice, I might prefer Kirk leading off.
_________________ I named one of my students Isaac after the great Ike Davis.
Post subject: Re: TC not really open to Kirk platoon
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 6:33 pm
Legend of NYFS
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:01 am Posts: 14287 Location: Atlanta
jdawginsc wrote:
They are paying Torres to play. Kirk will arrive (or not) soon enough anyhow.
I should have been more explicit: I'm great with Torres playing, I'm just not crazy about him leading off. I'd be all for Torres coming back and bay subsequently losing playing time. I'm very much not a fan of young guys coming up to sit on the bench, but I think there's enough of a lack of talent in our outfield that a four man rotation could work pretty well.
_________________ I named one of my students Isaac after the great Ike Davis.
Post subject: Re: TC not really open to Kirk platoon
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 6:41 pm
Franchise Player
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:14 am Posts: 3084
Well, hopefully TC leaves Ruben in the leadoff spot when Torres comes back. He's certainly having some success now.
_________________ "If Sandy Alderson drank five 4LOKO and punched Adam Rubin in the face and then declared Ruben Sierra the pitching coach, I'd have a problem with it." - chinabox
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