I think most come up to the majors and sees what it like and then goes back to the minors to work on the things that they need to work on, and come up permanently later. There exceptions like Alvarez and Altuve, but most are like Tucker.
My ideal scenario would be Paredes at second. Smith could play third and in theory Matthews can play center. It feels like it maximizes bats positionally. That still leaves a space in the outfield.
If the youth-movement is ready I'm all for that. Why not stick Melton out there too? Matthews-Melton-Smith OF?
Holy ****! It's even better than I thought. I didn't even notice the box score from the game posted on that website. Here's the lineup: Boyle 3B Vollmer 1B Risberg SS Jackson LF Standard C Adams RF Cicotte P Reynolds 2B Kipling CF Kipling is my grandfather's brother! He played Centerfield next to Shoeless Joe Jackson in RF! This is a huge discovery for me. Holy ****. He batted 9th and went hitless, but who f***ing cares. Unbelievable
That and Dire Straits "Walk of Life" were on a VHS tape and got played until the tape literally wore out.
Well, he had been facing major league pitching for 15 years. He was probably better than the local farm boy Kipling hitting last in the order.
CF/2B Brice Matthews LF/2B Jose Altuve DH/LF Yordan Alvarez 1B Christian Walker 3B/2B Isaac Paredes C/1B Yanier Diaz 3B/RF Cam Smith RF Zach Dezenzo 2B/CF Mauricio Dubon Maybe after 1 month this Lineup, Cam Smith and Brice Matthews get called up quickly after around 20 games.
I don’t think they’ll call up a young prospect and have them play multiple positions. But I like your lineup. Bummer there’s no SS. CF Matthews LF Altuve DH Alvarez 1B Walker 2B Paredes C Diaz 3B Smith RF Dezenzo SS Pena
https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/st...2025-breakout-players-scouts-buzz-jeff-passan Cam Smith, 3B, Houston Astros The main return for Houston in the Kyle Tucker trade has taken advantage of the few at-bats he has gotten this spring and at least made the Astros consider breaking camp with Smith as their third baseman. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound slugger, taken No. 14 overall out of Florida State in the 2024 draft, has continued the heater that saw him ascend to Double-A within weeks of signing with the Chicago Cubs last year. It's not just the two home runs and a triple in seven at-bats thus far. Smith also has walked four times against one strikeout. Power is great. Good swing decisions are imperative. Both together is a rare combination, and while the Astros' infield defense would be questionable with Smith at third and Isaac Paredes moving to second, it's going to happen at some point.
At this point, there is way Cam starts the season anything lower than AAA. I don't think he starts on the 40 man roster just because of flexibility even if he deserves to, but he will get called as soon as there is an opportunity and they don't notice a huge hole in his swing. He needs to get as many at bats as possible. I really want to see what Brice Matthews can do. If he cut down his K's to acceptable levels, he's going to be called up this season for sure.
I like Smith as much as the next guy, but I feel like it needs reminding that he has had eleven (11) plate appearances this Spring... only 3-4 of which were against established MLB pitchers... and most of which were against pitchers making their first or second pitching appearance. Maybe we shouldn't crown him juuuuust yet.
I am not so sure that the infield defense would be shaky. I have heard mostly good things about Paredes at second from people around the Astros - but I will freely admit that I have not seen him play there so I am only going off of what I have heard. As for Smith - he has been getting practive in the outfield as well. Mostly I have heard that he will be good enough at third to not need to move off the position --- but I also think it is very possible Smith is ticketed for RF where he is expected to be average or better.
He is an exciting player and doesn't seem to be just hot or a product of a gimmick the game hasn't caught up to. Having said that - there have been other players that have done this and came down to earth, at least for awhile. I remember watch Kyle Schwarber when he first came up with the Cubs and he looked like he would be Mike Piazza. Ultimately he has become a very productive player, and could hit 500 career homers --- but he his not the guy he looked like in the minors and in the playoffs for the Cubs. The same could happen with Smith - the one positive thing I will say for Smith is that he is working counts, taking pitches and doesn't seem to have any real issues picking up pitches -- he then uses a very simple swing and his natural power to drive the ball. I don't think he will have the type of career that Derek Lee had, but he does remind me of him in some ways
