Position Battles

[Edgy MD]

These jobs are up for grabsies. Not so bad, as far as drama goes.

Job: Fifth Starter
Guys in the Bag: Noah Syndegaard, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz
Favorite: Robert Gsellman
Other Prime Candidates: Seth Lugo, Zack Wheeler
Dark Horse Candidates: Sean Gilmartin, Rafael Montero, Adam Wilk, Marcos Molina, Chris Flexen
Eliminated: P.J. Conlon


Job: Sixth and Seventh Relievers
Guys in the Bag: Jeurys Familia (assuming he is not suspended), Addison Reed, Jerry Blevins, Hansel Robles, Fernando Salas
Favorite(s): Erik Goeddel, Josh Edgin*
Other Prime Candidates: Seth Lugo, Ben Rowen, Josh Smoker, Zack Wheeler, Sean Gilmartin, Tom Gorzelanny, Paul Sewald
Dark Horse Candidates: Rafael Montero, Chasen Bradford, Marcos Molina
Eliminated: Kevin McGowan, David Roseboom, Corey Taylor, and Logan Taylor



Job: Second Catcher
Guys in the Bag: Travis d'Arnaud
Favorite(s): René Rivera
Other Prime Candidates: Kevin Plawecki
Dark Horse Candidates: Xorge Carillo, Tomás Nido
Eliminated: Nobody



Job: Sixth Infielder
Guys in the Bag: Asdrubal Cabrera, Neil Walker, Lucas Duda, José Reyes, Wilmer Flores
Favorite(s): T.J. Rivera
Other Prime Candidates: David Wright, Ty Kelly, Gavin Cecchini, Matt Reynolds
Dark Horse Candidates: Amed Rosario
Eliminated: Phillip Evans, Luis Guillorme, Dominic Smith



Job: Fifth Outfielder
Guys in the Bag: Yoenis Céspedes, Curtis Granderson, Jay Bruce, Juan Lagares
Favorite: Michael Conforto
Other Prime Candidates: Brandon Nimmo
Dark Horse Candidates: Wiulmer Becerra, Travis Tajeiron
Eliminated: Champ Stuart

[Lefty Specialist]

Well, Nimmo did himself no favors by pulling a hammy while pretending to be Italian. So it's probably Conforto fighting for playing time.

6th/7th relievers, I'd rather see Smoker than Edgin, and Rowen than Goeddel. But they'll be able to carry three of them for a month while Familia's in the penalty box, so they might have a better idea of what they have by then.

Lugo goes to LV to tune up as a starter. Wheeler goes to extended spring Training.

TJ should get 6th infielder.

You're right, no a lot of drama here.

[Frayed Knot]

Kristine Ackert suggests that Montero to the pen isn't such a long shot.

[MFS62]

Why the asterisk after Edgin's name?
Later

[Edgy MD]

It's a vestige from another chart I grabbed him off of, where the asterisk designated him a lefty. I successfully deleted such extranea from Smoker's and Gilmartin's names, but oh, well.

[Edgy MD]

Job: Fourth and Fifth Starter
Guys in the Bag: Noah Syndegaard, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, =#FF0000][crossout]Steven Matz[/crossout]
Favorite: Robert Gsellman, Zack Wheeler
Other Prime Candidates: Seth Lugo
Dark Horse Candidates: Sean Gilmartin, Rafael Montero, =#FF0000]Adam Wilk, Marcos Molina, Chris Flexen
Eliminated: P.J. Conlon, Marcos Molina, Chris Flexen, Adam Wilk
Notes: Zack Wheeler, previously expected to open the season on a rehab assignment, made a big statement today, seemingly moving ahead of Seth Lugo, who faltered. Let's see how he feels tomorrow. Sean Gilmartin is nursing a shoulder injury.


Job: Sixth and Seventh Relievers
Guys in the Bag: Jeurys Familia (assuming he is not suspended), Addison Reed, Jerry Blevins, Hansel Robles, Fernando Salas
Favorite(s): =#FF0000][crossout]Erik Goeddel,[/crossout] Josh Edgin*, Rafael Montero
Other Prime Candidates: =#FF0000][crossout]Sean Gilmartin, Tom Gorzelanny, Seth Lugo, Ben Rowen,[/crossout] Paul Sewald, Josh Smoker, and =#FF0000][crossout]Zack Wheeler,[/crossout]
Dark Horse Candidates: =#FF0000][crossout]Chasen Bradford,[/crossout] Sean Gilmartin, Seth Lugo, =#FF0000][crossout]Rafael Montero,[/crossout] Zack Wheeler,
Eliminated: Chasen Bradford, Erik Goeddel, Tom Gorzelanny, Kevin McGowan, Marcos Molina, David Roseboom, Ben Rowen, Corey Taylor, and Logan Taylor


Notes Rafael Montero has come from way back in the pack to nose ahead of the pack.

Job: Second Catcher
Guys in the Bag: Travis d'Arnaud
Favorite(s): René Rivera
Other Prime Candidates: Kevin Plawecki
Dark Horse Candidates: =#FF0000][crossout]Xorge Carillo, Tomás Nido[/crossout]
Eliminated: Xorge Carillo, Tomás Nido



Job: Sixth Infielder
Guys in the Bag: Asdrubal Cabrera, Neil Walker, Lucas Duda, José Reyes, Wilmer Flores
Favorite(s): T.J. Rivera
Other Prime Candidates: Ty Kelly, =#FF0000][crossout]Gavin Cecchini, Matt Reynolds, David Wright[/crossout]
Dark Horse Candidates: Amed Rosario, David Wright
Eliminated: Phillip Evans, Luis Guillorme, Dominic Smith, Gavin Cecchini, Matt Reynolds



Job: Fourth and Fifth Outfielder
Guys in the Bag: Yoenis Céspedes, Curtis Granderson, Jay Bruce, =#FF0000][crossout]Juan Lagares[/crossout]
Favorite: Michael Conforto, Ty Kelly
Other Prime Candidates: =#FF0000][crossout]Brandon Nimmo[/crossout]
Dark Horse Candidates: Wiulmer Becerra, Juan Lagares, Brandon Nimmo, Travis Tajeiron
Eliminated: Wiulmer Becerra, Champ Stuart, Travis Tajeiron

[Vic Sage]

Job: Sixth and Seventh Relievers Guys in the Bag: Jeurys Familia (assuming he is not suspended), Addison Reed, Jerry Blevins, Hansel Robles, Fernando Salas Favorite(s): Erik Goeddel, Josh Edgin*, Rafael Montero Other Prime Candidates: Sean Gilmartin, Tom Gorzelanny, Seth Lugo, Ben Rowen, Paul Sewald, Josh Smoker, and Zack Wheeler, Dark Horse Candidates: Chasen Bradford, Sean Gilmartin, Seth Lugo, Rafael Montero, Zack Wheeler, Eliminated: Chasen Bradford, Erik Goeddel, Tom Gorzelanny, Kevin McGowan, Marcos Molina, David Roseboom, Ben Rowen, Corey Taylor, and Logan Taylor Notes Rafael Montero has come from way back in the pack to nose ahead of the pack.

Sewald was sent down today. It looks like, if Matz starts on DL, Wheeler may get 5th SP slot, leaving Lugo in the pen. Assuming Familia is suspended (20-30 games?), the pen may be:

CL: Reed
S-up: Robles
S-up/middle inning/RH: Salas
middle inning/LH: Blevins*
LH2: Smoker* or Edgin* (out of options?)
long-man: Montero (out of options)
long-man/spot starter: Lugo

When Familia comes back, Lugo (or whoever is pitching poorly or is hurt) goes to AAA.