But we add a player at catcher with career RC/27 of 5.1, OF with career 5.0, CF with career 3.9 (4.2,4.3 in '13/14) but the career 4.5 of Trumbo cancels all those out? I can see it canceling Aoki. Ianetta and Martin remain huge plusses over the black holes at their positions last year. Maybe Martin is even with Miller?
They're still replacing a big chunk of Zunino's 2.1 and Sucre's 1.1(621 PA total) with 5.1 from Ianetta. Whatever you think of Clevenger, I would assume that improving over last year's offense at catcher in the remaining opportunities is among those things. His career RC/27 is 2.8, but his MiLB career OPS is .796. I've got to think he's capable of more, but even the 2.8 is a huge improvement. Seems kind of like a Russell Branyen style opportunity to reap the benefits of giving someone the playing time they've earned in the minors. Russell had already muscled in MLB platoons, but you get my (and possibly DiPoto's) thinking.
And who is among the likely MLB time guys that you'd expect to have years as bad as Zunino, Sucre, Ackley, Taylor, Hicks, Baron, Weeks, Jones, Castillo, Romero and Bloomquist? That's 1472 PA in the -100 to 78 OPS+ range that I don't expect to see as much of again. 5 of those are gone entirely, having been replaced by better bats. Only Taylor, Romero and Zunino of the remaining 6 currently seem to have much shot of earning even some of that playing time without multiple injuries/trades ahead of them. They're also capable of having better outcomes. The lower end has definitely been raised, pushing most everyone who didn't produce back a spot or 2.
Looking on BBRef team page, by OPS+, the only starters by position that weren't over 100 were:
Catcher (Check)
CF (reasonable chance that's improved)
1b (well, it's only Dec 4th now. Montero might have it in him though.)
And the one goner of the 100+: "DH" Trumbo at 106 isn't that inspiring for DH. Nor fielding at any position.