Who Do You Bump?

[Edgy MD]

Which two players get to Johnson and Uribe take the largest part of their playing time from?

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Will Conforto's stay be short-lived?

[MFS62]

Muno (Uribe does when he does, only better) and Mayberry. (lefty/ righty, I don't care. Clemenza, I don't want to see him around here again, capisce?)

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Muno for sure, and probably Campbell.

[Edgy MD]

Will Conforto's stay be short-lived?

It may well be.

Me, I'm a little Muffweary. And Duda, of course, is barely hitting anything.

Muno (Uribe does when he does, only better) and Mayberry. (lefty/ righty, I don't care. Clemenza, I don't want to see him around here again, capice?)

I'm not sure you read my question. (You too, FK.) I asked which two players they'll take the bulk of their playing time from. And you chose two players who play once a week.

Those two may get knocked off the roster, but I'm asking which two will get knocked out of the lineup.

[Zvon]

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: Will Conforto's stay be short-lived?

He made contact every time up. We need contact. Give him a weeks look/see.

[Zvon]

The only one I can get behind unseating right now is Flores.

[Edgy MD]

Perfectly viable candidate. But we need two.

[Frayed Knot]

Flores deserves to sit more than Tejada right now.
Uribe is pretty much confined to 3B these days so that probably means Murphy back to 2B and Wilmer to the bench. Or maybe my two years long prediction of a Murphy trade is finally going to go through.
I see Kelly Johnson spelling guys at 2B & LF mostly.

No reason to send Conforto down. Now that he's here he'll play near everyday unless and until he looks like he's in over his head.

[MFS62]

Uribe to take Campbell's spots and Johnson to reduce Kirk's playing time.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Wow. Really?

I hope they get about five times as much playing time as those two.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: Wow. Really? I hope they get about five times as much playing time as those two.

Yep, the "bulk" works for me, and five times is really bulky.

Later

[Zvon]

Frayed Knot wrote: Uribe is pretty much confined to 3B these days so that probably means Murphy back to 2B and Wilmer to the bench. Or maybe my two years long prediction of a Murphy trade is finally going to go through.

Didn't want to see Muffy traded earlier in the season but if he can get us what we need then adios muchacho. I figure it's just Danny to 2nd and hold.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

As difficult as it's been watching Campbell hit of late, it's been excruciating watching Murph's approach in the last few weeks, grounding out repeatedly in favorable counts (including 3-1 and 3-2 off-plate pitches) instead of taking, in one- and two-run ballgames where every baserunner matters. He's never been a big walk guy, but now it's like he absolutely refuses to take what the pitcher is all-too-willing to give him. Give me Uribe or Johnson instead of both of those two; at least when they're taking ill-advised swings, they're often swinging for the fences or gaps.

Johnson's versatility also opens up a number of interesting pinch-hit/double-switch pastabilities, do it not?

[MFS62]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Johnson's versatility also opens up a number of interesting pinch-hit/double-switch pastabilities, do it not?

It do.

Later

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think we should be looking to move Muffy -- in a trade -- but if only a matter of moving positions you might want to try him at first base.

I can't believe I'm advocating benching Doodoo but I think I just did.

[Edgy MD]

It's been a while since they've had a guy quite as old school as Juan Uribe. Lumpy ass. Gooey midsection. Way too much tobacco. And little goatee to catch the juice in. Not pretty on hi-def, but whatever.

He's a tough guy with a fast bat. A really useful guy to a good team. But only a not-so-good team would be looking to play him every day. Which one are we remains to be seen.

[Guest themetfairy]

Whom do you bump?!?!?!

There, I feel better....

[Edgy MD]

Indeed. Good work.

It'll certainly take a few more games to suss out, but it looks like what Terry has done is he's installed three platoons.

POS	vs. LH	vs. RH
2b	Flores	Johnson
3b	Uribe	Magadan
cf	Lagares	Nieuwenhuis

Not sure that's how I've played it, but I can't argue with this. At least for now.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

themetfairy wrote: Whom do you bump?!?!?! There, I feel better....

I've been trying to be more polite/forgiving about that sort of thing. But, yeah, it was killing me.

The results of this trade so far, though? Not killing me, so much. Bump everyone a little bit, and give the at-bats to these two scrappy old dudes.

[Edgy MD]

Sorry, I had Bo Diddley in my head.

[Vic Sage]

Edgy MD wrote: Indeed. Good work. It'll certainly take a few more games to suss out, but it looks like what Terry has done is he's installed three platoons. POS vs. LH vs. RH 2b Flores Johnson 3b Uribe Magadan cf Lagares Nieuwenhuis Not sure that's how I've played it, but I can't argue with this. At least for now.

They'll certainly be sharing time but it doesn't have to be strictly L/R platoon, since neither Johnson nor Uribe have much of a platoon differential. It may depend more on matchups and on whose hot. Nieuhy and Legares, on the other hand, have significant differentials (as do Murphy and Duda) so that may be a more traditional platoon, at least until Captain Kirk cools off.

[Edgy MD]

Sure, nothing's permanent. I'm not even sure if this arrangement exists even temporarily. Just speculating.

Sometimes, though, platoons happen even though not all guys have splits that argue for it. Sometimes only one half of the platoon has a meaningful split (Flores and especially Murphy 2015 in the two infield cases here). Sometimes, it's just a way to get multiple guys in the lineup.

Swapping U-Ribbie in for Murphy sure worked yesterday, even if he did ultimately get his game-winning hit off of a righty.