A brief preface
A friend of X-Rays Spex penned the piece below and was gracious enough to let me re-post it here. Let me predicate things by saying there hasn’t been a need for Wil Myers on the 25-man roster, nor has there been room. However as the season progresses, and the offense ebbs and flows, holes have opened up (at least on paper) showing where he could benefit the Rays at the plate. That still doesn’t detract from the fact to that you’d have to shuffle players around, or release someone from his contract in order to make room for Myers. That said, in light of Luke Scott’s 7-for-59 woes at the plate, the call for Myers has ratcheted up 10-fold. Perhaps it’s time to end the Scott experiment, and bring Myers to the bigs? Ian touches on all things Wil Myers below.
By, Ian Welsh
That time Rays fans have been looking forward to all season is fast approaching. The deadline the Rays have waited for, Wil Myers Major League debut. But it isn’t as simple as bringing him up and giving him a uniform. The Rays have been on the positive side of the offensive coin the last month and a half. And the pitching is starting to settle down a bit. A groove is being hit and the team has started to meld. And there is a bigger issue than chemistry. There is ZERO room for Myers. He was converted from a catcher to an outfielder. And the outfield is packed. He has no where to go. He’s played several games at third base, including 13 last season. So baring injury, the only possible solution is to make him a bench player. But who gets sent down?
Well there are four candidates immediately, all of them bench players.
Sean Rodriguez has options left, and has been sparingly used this season as a platoon player. But even in platoon situations he hasn’t been platooned. He’s hitting .250 over 79 plate appearances. At his best clip at 33 games in his career. He’s cut down his strike outs and raised his OBP. He comes with the ability to play multiple positions in the infield and outfield, and he’s able to play them well. He also provides speed as a pinch runner. I would count on him staying.
Sam Fuld would be a candidate but he’s too valuable for his defense and speed that Maddon would never expose him to waivers. He has no options left and team would definitely pick him up. He won’t be moved.
Luke Scott is a factor that could get sent down or released. He has been very streaky, and on the bad side of it. He started off spring training on a positive note. But after his stint on the DL that changed. He would also most likely be picked up on waivers. But the Rays could make up for that if he does with Duncan and Anderson if Myers finds a spot elsewhere. Because I doubt the Rays would use him straight out of the gate as a DH.
Ryan Roberts also has options left. He has the ability to play a few positions in the infield, especially fill in for Longoria, but he doesn’t do any of that exceptionally well. He also is less than appealing offensively. So he seems like the weakest link. And he has options left. He would be my candidate to get sent down.
The team could instruct him to catch a few games in Durham and see how that plays out. If anything they could release Molina or some other move, but this is highly unlikely seeing as Myers has sat behind the plate since 2010.
But none of this makes any room for Myers in his specific position. Unless Zobrist or Johnson is moved back to the infield. Myers can’t play second, and it wouldn’t be worth bringing him up to platoon him. So the chess game that is Myers will continue until Maddon can find his checkmate.
Noteworthiness
- “MYERS MYERS MYERS MYERS MYERS -PLS GET @wilmyers ticket from Durham IMMEDIATELY – Let’s Win AL East!” Dick Vitale on Wil Myers via Twitter. Granted I think he could ditch a couple “MYERS” so he’d have more characters to play with, I get what old Dickie V is saying.