Memo to Dave Littlefield: Don't Stop Developing

Memo

To: David Littlefield
From: Bucco Blog
Date: March 28, 2007
Subject: Don’t stop developing

Dearest Dave:

Humberto Cota needs to be this team’s backup receiver – you know it, I know it, and the fans will immediately know it if Doumit or Maldonado has to receive for any length of time.

Consider Doumit in the trade instead, if you have a choice.

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While you have to give Duffy his 50-75 ABs, nothing in the rule book says it has to be from day one. Matos has earned a shot, he has the momentum which could translate early on, and while he is inexperienced, he can’t possibly be worse than Duffy right now.

Give Chris a week or two of coming off the bench and see if he doesn’t find the fire again. If not, reassign him and get rid of the problem. You can only try so much. Handing him a silver spoon each year you break camp isn’t working.

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Bayliss — if you think he can throw first pitch strikes, he is the obvious choice for the pen. You groomed him for the role now let him take his shot since it’s a developmental year. Move aside Matt Capps if/when Torres fails.

Kolb – why? That’s PR fodder. Continue the push to develop, and McLeary and his tight slider is the obvious choice until you can replace him with a wire pickup or trade. Can McLeary continue to repeat? Only you know, but maybe working with Colby can help take him to the next level?

Wasdin – who?

Chacon – trade him now with his +/- value from the spring, knowing full good and well he does not perform out of the pen. Rosario? Yates? Durbin? I’m sure you know much better options out there.

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The bench — Cota has to backup Paulino, Matos has to break camp to keep him, it’s hard to pass on Hernandez unless you can sign a Walker (he should continue to hit for good average at PNC, if he has any fire left, and we can stand him at 3B, or 2B with Freddy at 3B) type of utilityman (is that really Kelly??), and Eldred in RF, if he can actually cover the ball, is scary to think about in all the small NLCD parks – perhaps a platoon with Nady and use him against RHP since his splits aren’t as dramatic as Nady’s are? Boras would love you for that too.

Pack off McLouth and Doumit to open the year.. they are just a flight away.

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Get Bay into the 3 hole for more AB’s over the year, then either LaRoche or Eldred depending on the hand of the starter. If you want to forget small-ball and mash (as I would), then Sanchez #1 and Paulino #2, even with his higher GB rate hoping he puts up a 35% hit rate again. Matos/Duffy #7 and Wilson #8.

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After all, the conservative approach has not worked. Take a chance and continue to think 2008.

End Memo

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