Seems like lately it's been more park related than pitcher Altuve didn't see any time in LF in Pittsburgh regardless of the SP with Pitt having one of the larger LF in baseball
Yes that’s another factor. Bottom line is moving forward Altuve is likely to have fewer fielding opportunities per inning played in the field than any player in baseball. He will still get 600+ pa in a season and play <40 games/yr at DH. There’s room for both him and Alvarez on the roster, it just requires a deeper/more defined bench.
Solid: Caratini Dubon Chas ...TBD Melton Whitcomb ...totally replaceable Rodgers That's not a terrible bench
Except Dubon is a starter and Chas is injured. So the bench is Salazar, Rodgers, Whitcomb and either Caratini or Melton.
I think you are joining the party a little late. As long as Alvarez is out, Altuve should be at DH and Melton should be getting almost every start in LF. Whitcomb and Dubon can play 2b. If Melton has proven himself to be a major league hitter by the time Alvarez is back, then he is the left field starter, Altuve goes back to second, Alvarez is DH. Now is the perfect time to find out about Melton and Whitcomb, we already know what Dubon is. Dubon is one of the best utility players in MLB, he is one of the worst starters.
I must have underestimated how hard it is to play LF. I assumed Altuve could adapt to that role easily, but he might be the worst I've ever seen out there. I wish they would just leave him at 2b.
Did that article say anything about the fact that Christian Walker is in the infield now instead of old man river Singleton? That's probably an even bigger reason that the infield is so much better this year than last year. What does opportunities even mean for Altuve in left? If he gets a bad jump, take a bad route and is too slow to get within 10 feet of the ball does it not count as an opportunity?
