When should the youth movement begin?

[Lefty]

When do you expect guys like Drew, Quentin and maybe even Owings being called up?

 

[PDXChris]

by the end of the road trip if Tampa sweeps us

 

[devilalum]

AS long as they're only a couple of games out of first they'll continue to delude themselves into thinkning they have a shot.

 

[Espo]

I think Owings is a way off seeing as they just called him up to triple-a. With Quentin's struggles at the plate this season i think they are gonna hold off until he works them out but Drew could happen anytime.

 

[AzKarl]

My view

The veterans talk a good game but I am not seeing results. I would consider doing what it takes to get Dontrell Willis. This team is going no where without some additional starting pitching and we have the prospects to get it. The only people in my opinion who are untouchable are Drew and Upton. What has been most disconcerting to me has been the lackadaisical play of Counsel and Gonzo. I think Counsel is the union rep and maybe these drug statements and events have him distracted. He should not be started simply because he's a veteran.

There will be pain with the youth movement but these guys need a learning curve anyhow. What's with Connor Jackson? I don't think we can have a punch and judy/ bloop singles guy batting where he is in the order and playing first base. Is Jackson working hard enough? He seems soft with no emotion. Frankly I am sick of having a team full of wimpy, non-aggressive players(Byrnes excepted) Is this a function of Melvin's personality? Every mild mannered manager needs one butt kicker. Who is ours?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I grew tired of BoMel about two months into his tenure here, but now he's reaching McGinnisian levels of annoyance. After every loss it's the same 'aw shucks' cliches and rhetoric about execution when it's plainly obvious that the clubhouse is lost. Nearly every player on the roster is either overweight (yes, I'm looking at you Papa Fatso), lacksadasical, unfocused, or flat out dumb.

That all cannot be on Melvin's shoulders as he did not create the Grimsley and Kendrick/Gonzo controversies nor did he sign Russ Ortiz, but as manager it's his job to keep the players' heads in the game. Frankly, many managers in baseball cities where the pressure and limelight make Phoenix look like a cow town go through more upheavel every year and they still manage to get by. Since BoMel obviously can't keep his team focused under intense media scrutiny, would this really be the guy we want as a manager should the team make it into the postseason?

 

[az240zz]

Do you really think this team is going to make it to the post season?

Unless we get some starting pitching we are heading to the cellar. Once we get there they will do what they did last year, call up all the young phenoms and throw them to the wolves.

How many will survive and become the players they think they will be is anyones guess.

az240z

 

[overseascardfan]

I think the team is starting to play like we expected. Their early season run was impressive but its a long season. I say we give the young guys some experience but in order to do that we need to get rid of some vets to make room for them. That's the problem, Gonzo & Green are the one we have replacements for but no takers in trade. We could trade Hudson and replace him with Counsell and put Drew at SS. Pitching is still a mess.

 

[Phill11]

I think the team is starting to play like we expected. Their early season run was impressive but its a long season. I say we give the young guys some experience but in order to do that we need to get rid of some vets to make room for them. That's the problem, Gonzo & Green are the one we have replacements for but no takers in trade. We could trade Hudson and replace him with Counsell and put Drew at SS. Pitching is still a mess.

As hard as this is to say I think trading Counsell and keeping Hudson at 2B is more of a possibility.

When we got Hudson many thought he was going to be the 2B for the long haul. But after his awful offensive show many are second guessing and I doubt his trade value is anything near Counsell's...

 

[ajcardfan]

It sure would be nice if we could get a young player to come up and play like Nick Swisher is. I was hoping Conor Jackson would provide that sort of punch this year.

 

[Skkorpion]

It sure would be nice if we could get a young player to come up and play like Nick Swisher is. I was hoping Conor Jackson would provide that sort of punch this year.

Conor is getting yanked around too much, IMO.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

You have to remember Swisher also has one more year of experience at the major league level under his belt. He really did not break out until this year after struggling in 2005.

I'm not worried about Jackson. All signs both statistical and otherwise point to Conor becoming an elite hitter.

 

[ajcardfan]

You have to remember Swisher also has one more year of experience at the major league level under his belt. He really did not break out until this year after struggling in 2005.

I'm not worried about Jackson. All signs both statistical and otherwise point to Conor becoming an elite hitter.

Yeah, I'm probably expecting too much too soon.

Swisher did play a lot more than Jackson last year. And, the A's were in the race until the end. I think that's the attitude we should be taking now. Let's get some of our most talented players up and start getting reps. If it doesn't pay off this year, maybe it will next year.