Playoff Roster

You're going to need an additional bat or two for the WS where we will have to have a deeper bench due to pitcher hitting.

 

With regards to your alternate scenario, they're not going into the postseason without a lefty in the bullpen. Liriano will make the roster.

 

You don't see Fiers or Martes getting any consideration? I mean Fiers is our innings leader. Also, our catchers can't seem to stay healthy. How would you factor that in?

 

Until McCullers shows something in his return, McHugh has to be the #3 pitcher - he's been outstanding thus far. If McCullers doesn't get back into form, then Morton or Peacock has to be the #4, I would think.

There's absolutely no reason for Liriano to be on the roster unless he demonstrates he's any good. If they have no lefties, so be it.

 

C (2): McCann, Gattis
IF (6): Gurriel, Altuve, Correa, Bregman, Marwin, Davis*
OF (5): Reddick, Springer, Maybin, Beltran, Marisnick

SP (4): Keuchel, Verlander, McCullers, McHugh
RP (8): Morton, Giles, Harris, Devenski, Peacock, Liriano**, Clippard**, Musgrove**

*The 13th position player will almost certainly be someone who can play 3B/1B; it will come down to White, Moran, or Davis, and I think for now Davis is the favorite. However, I could see them also keeping a 3rd catcher instead, which would probably be Centeno.

**Some tough choices here. Fiers, Martes, and Gregerson all make some degree of sense.

 

C McCann, Gattis
IF Gurriel, Altuve, Bregman, Correa, Marwin
OF Reddick, Springer, Marisnick, Maybin, Beltran (DH)

Rotation
Keuchel, McCullers, Verlander, McHugh

Pen
Giles, Harris, Devo, Peacock, Morton, Musgrove, Gregerson, Liriano, Clippard

Martes is my toughest omission

 

With 3 for sure starters, and 10 other arms, I'm of the opinion that nobody besides those 3 starters should ever see a hitter more than once in a game.

McHugh, Peacock, Musgrove, Devo and Morton are all capable of going 2-3 innings, and they should do just that and no more. I would have McHugh start game 4, and unless he is absolutely dealing I would just go to the pen after the 3rd. Obviously that could change depending on how taxed our pen was through the first 3 games.

 

Pitcher usage:

Game 1:
Keuchel 1-6
Devenski 7-8
Giles 9

Game 2:
Verlander 1-6
Peacock 7-8
Harris 9

Game 3:
McCullers 1-5
Devenski 6-7
Harris 8
Giles 9

Game 4:
McHugh 1-5
Morton 6-9

Game 5 same as Game 1, Game 6 same as Game 2.

Game 7:
McCullers 1-4
Keuchel 5
Devenski 6-7
Harris 8
Giles 9

Extra pitchers: Musgrove, Clippard, Liriano. Good news is Liriano and and Musgrove can go multiple innings. I would not mind at all if Martes replaced Clippard, as that would mean all 3 extra arms can go multiple innings but also have the stuff to serve in specialty or late inning roles.

 

Also keep in mind that they may change the roster with each series... so the construction may be different for a 5 game and 7 game series. Back in 2015, we essentially left all the starters except Keuchel off of the one game playoff and had all the extra bats.

 

With you all the way; there'll be 13 position players and I think the 13th will be a catcher to give them a little more flexibility. As for which one.... Stassi looks better (he'll draw a walk) - but it'll probably come down to lefty or right and what they think they'll need.

Assuming Marwin's in LF, your bench is Gattis (R), Marisnick (R), Maybin (R) - that would favor Centeno.

ETA: I HOPE they keep three catchers because I'd like for them to commit to hardline Beltran/Gattis platoon in postseason. Beltran has been dreadful v. LHP.

(I'd actually be OK with Gattis replacing Beltran full-time but.... I also have very fond, sweet memories of 2004 and can't go there.)

 

While DK is a lock if he maintains his recent command, the 2-4 guys are all in play depending on how September unfolds. Morton or Peacock could easily displace one of those listed.

 

What about Rico Noel? No chance of making postseason roster? Does the Maybin signing make him obsolete?

 

Yes.

Edit: Given we already have to make a 40 man move for Verlander, I can't see another one being made for Noel after the Maybin acquisition.

 

Interesting note - Moran did play in a rehab game at Quad Cities yesterday. 0-2 with a BB (and he was pinch run for).

 

I'm not sure they need a 3rd catcher. If your catcher gets hurt, Gattis just moves out of DHing and you have the pitcher batting (or pinch hitters) for that game. I assume you can still replace an injured player during a postseason series, yes? The odds of needing a 3rd catcher just seems so remote - it would only been needed if both catchers got hurt in the same game.

 

That's the exact reason why you need a 3rd catcher. You want a pitcher getting significant at-bats late in a postseason game? Don't want to burn PHers because of poor roster management. And at this point, there's no offensive difference between Centeno/Sassi/Davis/Fisher.

 

That's what PHers are for. Our lineup, when healthy, is deep enough that you should never be pinch hitting for basically any of them:

Springer, Correa, Altuve, Bregman, MarGo, McCann, Reddick, Gurriel, and Gattis should never really be pinch hit for. If Beltran is in the lineup, he's the only guy really potential PH-worthy, but that means Gattis is on the bench to come in and catch. So the only purpose of your bench guys are injury replacements and PH hits (with Marisnick being a late-inning defensive sub). Unless your catcher gets hurt early (SP wants to stay in game) OR the game goes into extra innings, you'd never have a pitcher batting - it seems like an extreme use of a roster spot that 99% chance will never play. Guys like Davis at least have the advantage of being able to play more positions in case of injury. I would take a Fisher type that has speed if you need to pinch run instead for a slow baserunner.

 

This needs to be added to the OP...I was going to post the same thing.