Hasn't been announced, but I do wonder what they have told him Yesterday on the radio they were interviewing him and he was talking about how cool it was going to be Thursday being in the lineup against guys like Lindor and Soto The kid thinks he is going to be in the lineup but no idea if that means anything or not Honestly my take on Cam Smith is this Some guys come up and are overwhelmed by the big leagues at first. It's just such a different environment than ANYTHING they have been a part of. Doesn't both many of them, but some of them mentally it takes a while. I do not think Cam Smith will bill overwhelmed in any way on the mental side of things. He will be able to live in the shoes of "i'm a big leaguer" without issue But, he is going to face pitching WAY better than anything he has seen in his life, including during spring training. Will he be successful facing that for the first time? None of us know, including Dana. But when I watch his approach and listen to him talk, I don't think a couple of months of AAA baseball is going to make the difference for this kid. He is the full package. He has the approach. He has the eye. He has power. He certainly seems to have the "it" factor also. Only one way to find out if he can hit the best pitching in the world.....
Are there any roster cuts left to make? Caratini, Diaz C Walker, Dezenzo 1B Rodgers, Dubon 2B Pena SS Paredes 3B Altuve LF Meyers, Chas CF Cam RF Alvarez DH
I think he is ready. But aren't he and Zach D both trying for the same position. I know Zach has some versatility in other positions though. Zach has played better than anyone in ST.
Technically, Short and Hummel are also still in camp. Short is very likely to be reassigned. There is still a chance Hummel will be kept over one of Dezenzo or Smith (or Rodgers). 5 guys for 3 spots.
Yep. His approach is better than anyone on the team other than Alvarez. The only way he's going to learn how to layoff a big league slider low an away or split finger is by seeing them regularly.
Rodgers is going to be our opening day 2B. Too much upside to not give him a chance there (gold glove when healthy that has the potential to be an above average bat). Short is getting sent down, so it's really only 3 guys for 2 spots. I don't see Hummel's upside so I would rather have Dezenzo sit on the bench than Hummel. Dezenzo has nothing left to prove in AAA.
There’s only a certain amount of ABs to go around. Might not make sense to keep Dezenzo if he won’t play. If Rodgers is the everyday 2B and Smith the everyday RF, you’re looking at one full time player’s worth of available playing time as the backup (not including catcher), to spread across Dubon, McCormick, and the 13th guy (and even that assumes Caratini is ok being only used as the backup C and pinch hitter). It might make way more sense to save Dezenzo until a spot opens up. I was hoping there’d be a Chas trade to open things up. I can’t imagine he’ll be happy sitting on the bench even if he’s playing 40% of the games as the primary back up at all 3 OF spots plus DH.
Got to love how Cam Smith is forcing a decision on something we had all assumed was going to be typical routine Cam Smith spring at bats, before being reassigned to AA. But woah Nelly, now the Astros have a dilemma, as who makes the team if Cam Smith keeps raking. I personally feel that Cam gets sent down, and the Astros try and work a trade for Chaz down the road. Chaz had a down year last year, but he’s a legit MLB player. Cam Smith likely keeps tearing it up in the minores and they bring him up for the super 2…
I think if Walker is ready to go Cam gets sent down and Dicenzo is the starting RF. Rogers will be the starting 2b. If cam and Dicenzo continue to rake then Cam will go to 3B and parades to second. If Rogers rak Love it. I think Dezenzo gets time all over the field. Including 1b, RF, and LF. As long as he gets starter AB’s I’m happy. Smith is going to be awesome, but I’m almost as excited about Dezenzo. He is ready.
The problem in trading Chas (or Meyers) is that the majority of this roster is limited to the infield and/or corners. Dubon can play CF, but he's the only backup for 2b and SS so both Chas and Jake are needed for CF. . . For now.
This roster currently has exactly two proven MLB outfielders on it (and Dubon, who fills in all the IF spots). I don't think we're in position to trade either Chas or Jake until we get clarity on defense from guys who've barely played any OF. In the meantime, hopefully both get enough ABs to assess whether they've recovered from their half season 2024 swoons.
Proven is pretty subjective. A guy who is coming off of a negative war season is hard to label “proven”. I would say Meyers is “proven” but only as a really good defensive OF with middling offense.
I honestly think both are auditioning for the 4th OF/CF platoon spot for the 2nd half. If Melton or even Cole, Sullivan, or Gomez have a standout 1st half and either or both Jake and Chas don't, I can see the team giving up on one of them. A deadline deal for a guy like Robert is another possibility. Barber had a good ST and with a good 1st half could replace one of them as a LH 4th OF who can play all 3 spots, even if he's iffy in CF (like Tucker was)
I agree about Dezenzo. A more offensively effective Dubon. I was just putting them in their primary backup position so I could count the spots.
