I CAN NOT believe that the M's are settled in with Jones in RF. It isn't possible, really. "As structured," it might appear that he has the role, but that assumes Miller doesn't play RF or a zillion other things that may happen. Jones will start in CF in Tacoma, watching Kivlehan get an occassional CF start. Exchanging Saunders for Jones, with no real pedigree, is not the sign of a FO that has a real smart plan.
And I think the Happ language, "He's a #3 or #4," is purely motivational. Taijuan Walker being the target, of course. "OK kid, we've brought in a guy who can (kinda) pitch. The job ain't yours. Get it? You have to earn it. Throw strikes early and throw out pitches late and the job is yours. If not.....enjoy foggy Tacoma!"
Happ just had a season with a WHIP of 1.335, his best since '09. Elias had 1.314 in his rookie season, still learning to throw. Walker has "chugged along" at 1.208 in his MLB efforts. Happ is insurance. Better insurance than E-Ram, in fact, but he isn't penciled in.
The M's desperately want Miller to have a spot. It would be too easy right now to just declare him Zobrist and tell him to have a bunch of gloves. But we haven't decided on the spot we want him to win, I think. I actually think he ends up in CF for the '16 M's. I'll take him at SS, no problem. I think he's demonstrated the glove chops to play that position, but I'm expecting Taylor to demonstrate the bat chops to stick with the M's.
Interesting news about Deej and his "readiness." I like that a lot. I worry about Morrison. He can't hit lefties like he did last year. But he shouldn't be as dismal against RHP as he was, either. Is his fall vs. LHP of greater magnitude than his rebound vs. RHP? If so, Deej or Kivlehan may be here by July. I would still bet, even up, that one of those guys gets the call before July 1.
All that said, Seth Smith's .790-ish OPS vR (over his last three years....not the Colorado ones) will be pretty tempting. He's got an attractive contract, after all. The cost to get him? There's the rub.
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