It doesn’t sound as though the Braves’ decision on an everyday third baseman will come until the final days of camp. Austin Riley and Johan Camargo are vying for that spot, but manager Brian Snitker told reporters today that both players have impressed so far and he’ll “wait until the last couple of days” before making up his mind (Twitter thread via David O’Brien of The Athletic). Snitker has previously suggested that whichever player doesn’t get the Opening Day nod could head to Triple-A Gwinnett for everyday at-bats, as both have minor league options remaining. The skipper again implied as much today: “[A]ll things being equal, one guy’s not going to be real happy with the decision.”
Camargo is hitting .308/.333/.500 through 10 games thus far, while Riley is hitting .320/.346/.600 in the same sample. Obviously, we’re talking about a minuscule number of plate appearances (26), and the Braves’ decision will be based on more than the pair’s surface-level production at the plate.
A bit more from the National League East…
- There’s still no clarity regarding the knee injury that’s limiting Mets infielder Jed Lowrie, writes Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. The 35-year-old is still wearing a sizable brace on his ailing leg, and neither he nor the organization have been forthcoming about the exact nature of his knee troubles. There’s still no timetable for Lowrie, who tallied just eight plate appearances with the Mets during the first season of a two-year, $20MM deal in 2019. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that with Lowrie unable to participate in Grapefruit League games, fellow veteran Eduardo Nunez has impressed the Mets in camp — perhaps positioning himself to snag a utility role. Nunez is playing on a minor league pact and would need to be added to the 40-man roster. He’s hitting .321/.387/.464 with a pair of doubles and a triple through 31 plate appearances so far in Spring Training and has experience at second base, shortstop and third base in addition to some more limited work in left field.
- Outfielder Nick Martini was outrighted off the Phillies’ 40-man roster last month, but the news that Andrew McCutchen will open the season on the injured list once again has him in contention for an Opening Day roster spot. Standing in his way are former Phillies top prospect Nick Williams and fellow offseason acquisition Kyle Garlick — both of whom are on the 40-man roster. Nevertheless, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic writes that Martini has impressed manager Joe Girardi, who praised the “professional” manner in which Martini “grinds out” all of his at-bats. Martini does indeed have some of that “professional hitter” feel to him — at least based on his career numbers in Triple-A, where he’s slashed .305/.401/.435 with a hearty 13.5 percent walk rate against a 16.9 percent strikeout rate in more than 1400 plate appearances. Both Garlick and Williams have minor league options remaining, but the Phils would need to make a 40-man move to bring Martini north when camp breaks.
I hope Garlick becomes a really good player
I hope my mailman gets a raise.
I hope he finds love
Why not both?
Word!
Since someone’s gonna say it, I might as well point out that the Mets are in the Grapefruit League
Clearly, that was precisely what I was getting at. Can’t possibly play in Cactus League games when he’s in Port St. Lucie!
Haha, thanks for pointing that out. I’m good for at least one of those per spring — surprised that I went this long without one.
That one could be a thorn in your side for a week or two.
Which is why Lowrie is unable to play in Cactus League games.
This is the Mets we’re talking about…he may have that same Arizona thing that ruined Ine Davis a few years ago…
So you’re saying Lowrie isn’t ruined already?
Ine Davis was by far my favorite mets player
…might be why they are “unable to participate in Cactus League games”…..
Braves desperately need a manager who knows how to manager a roster. Sending either Riley or Camargo to AAA because the manager doesn’t know how to get players at bats is silly.
So who is he gonna sit to get them at-bats? You gonna sit Acuna and Freddie to help them get them? It makes more sense to have both of them getting regular playing time and staying sharp.
He’s got two players who can play multiple positions. This was an issue last season. Multiple players never got rest unless they were injured. The manager doesn’t know how to rest players so they’re not dead by October. He’s so bad at it he’d rather have a washed up Culberson keep the guys happy from the bench with a -59 wRC+ in high leverage situation.
I think the issue is that Snit doesn’t want to use either as a backup pinch hitter because both need regular playing time. Camargo didn’t do well last year in that role and Riley needs ABs. So there’s nowhere else to play them UNLESS they can trade Ender, move Acuna to CF and then use Ozuna/Riley as corner OFers. Problem with that strategy is that neither Ozuna nor Riley are ideal in RF.
My guess is that Camargo gets the start at 3b, Riley goes to Gwinnett. If Camargo struggles and Riley does well at Gwinnett, change will occur.
I agree with most of what your throwing down except the fact camargo needs to accept the reality of what his long term role is if he is going to be a brave. Riley has way more upside and will eventually overtake him, once that happens camargo better be ready to be a Swiss utility knife because he won’t get starting time over the rest of the team
I’m not sure Riley has much more upside. His career K rate suggest he’ll be passable player who runs into mistakes but he’ll chase too many pitches to be good player. That’s been the book on him for years and I don’t expect a change. It can happen, but it’s not likely.
True that let’s not forget that Camargo had a .800+OPS in 2018. I do think Riley should start the year in Gwinnett and work on plate discipline
Riley has huge power potential and was an elite defender in the minors with solid number across the board. Camargo has one season he’s had a solid bat. Riley definitely has a much higher ceiling.
Where are you playing them for regular at bats? Outfield has a logjam and I dont see either displacing or playing the position better than Swanson or Albies. So where o where great wizard of lineups do you get them regular at bats without sending someone down?
The question Is not whether he can get them at bats or not. The question is can he get them enough at bats. Would you rather 2 young players in need of as many bats as possible get as many as possible or not?
History suggests that the Braves manager is very bad at managing platoons and resting players.
That wasn’t an answer to my question.
MLB teams have been employeeing successful platoons for generations. It’s even easier with players like Riley/Camargo who can play multiple positions.
Camargo stunk last season in a bench role. There’s no real way to sugarcoat it. A lot of his supporters point to the lack of regular ABs, which is fair enough. If he’s not starting at 3B though, it’s the same rabbit hole.
Hot streak out the gate aside, Riley was abysmal. If the rationale for not keeping Donaldson was Riley is capable, they’ll probably want to see it.
Both guys can’t start at 3B. So yeah, AAA does make sense for one. Culby may not have the ability of either, but he’ll handle the bench role better. There’s nothing to really bash Snit for here.
So sending a guy up or down is ultimately the GM’s decision, not manager although I’m sure the manager places a roll. And Riley is super young, so if he doesn’t win the starting roll he needs consistent AB which will only be done in the minors, not enough room in the pros to get him the AB’s he really needs
Martini reminds me a bit of Jose Miguel Fernandez who did very well in the KBO last year.
Nick Williams is a good guy and I really appreciate his effort, but if I have to see him on the Phillies roster again hitting way below the Mendoza Line, I may just vomit.
Braves could had Kris Bryant. a few months ago…….but now the price went up……and more NL East teams in the hunt.
And what was the offer that the Braves turned down?
How could the price have possibly went up? The rumoured ask was already bloody insane. They want part ownership of the new park too now?
I mean in all seriousness, Riley plus a pitcher not named Anderson or Wright oughta have been enough. If not, the Cubbies can keep Bryant. He’s a really good ballplayer, but not one you mortgage the farm for.
Because Wright has looked like a stud at the MLB level right?
Wright looked pretty good toward end of last season and he is having a good spring, so is Touki
If Riley and Camargo are both playing well heading into opening day…why is Riley in LF, Acuna and Ozuna in CF/RF and Camargo at 3rd not being considered an option? Obviously means Markakis becomes 4th outfielder but is that such a bad thing necessarily?…
Ozuna has not been a good defensive OFer in the past. They want to hide him in LF as much as possible. Riley is a 3bman, so if they move him to OF, one would prefer LF. So your idea would mean that someone would be in RF who probably should not be there.
gotcha…I thought Ozuna was pretty good defensively when we saw him so much with the Marlins…I guess not
Because Inciarte is our Center fielder at least when righties are on the mound. And Ozuna can barely play left field.
honestly forgetting about Inciarte as well….we truly have good problems to argue about
Why don’t they just use Riley as a utility man and occasional pinch hitter on the day offs? Split him between LF, 3B and 1B. Give him two starts at a week at 3rd and one start a week at each 1B and LF. Could even start Camargo occasionally at shortstop maybe.
I don’t think it’d be ideal to have his head everywhere, defensively, while he’s trying to put it together at the plate.
Now that would be too easy wouldn’t it?.
But you’re right. Camargo and Riley offer positional flexibility so getting each player 400 PA’s shouldn’t be that difficult. Snitker can play whoemever the hot bat is at the time more than the other.
That’s not how snitker manages unfortunately
I think Camargo versatility should be the everyday ‘super utility-man’…he reminds me sooo much of Omar Infante if given the chance. Infante was so good and it seemed like he played every single day but all over the place giving other guys rest. Bobby Cox stuck with everyday players to a fault at times, but Infante was one he forced into the lineup regardless of who he was replacing…
Something had to have happened with Lowrie that the Mets aren’t sharing. That being said, I think it can be ruled out that he didn’t try to combat a wild boar.
Of the pair, it will be Camargo and it should be Camargo if all things are close. I’d like to see Riley get a groove in Triple-A because there’s no reason not to. Camargo had a solid 2018 and, whether it was his fault or not, did not commit himself physically or mentally last year because he had his job taken from him. Realizing that he’d have real opportunity to win it, he showed up slimmer and ready to play. He’s looked good, so for his mental I feel it’d be better to establish himself with regular at-bats and then mix and match with both Riley and Camargo capable of playing multiple positions.
Again, you can say an MLB player shouldn’t be treated with kid gloves or that if Riley is the better option you’ve got to play him and you wouldn’t be wrong. I just think realistically, that’s the best course of action the Braves can take to ensure you get a good Camargo and Riley for most of the season (if they’re both effective, of course).
Just about ever deep dive metric indicated that Camargo was extremely lucky in 2018 and basically played over his head. There was nothing he had done in the minors to indicate he was capable of that type of production. I seriously doubt that he could repeat that type of performance again. There were many reasons all the “experts” projected him as an utility player.
I’d take Riley in a heart beat and put Camargo on the bench.
If the Mets have to start Eduardo Nunez for an extended period of time, all I can say is good luck with that. He was absolutely brutal for the Red Sox the past 2 years with 2019 being his worst. He seems like a nice guy and all but his glory days have long passed him by.
Camargo and Riley are having a good spring, both hit doubles yesterday. Pache is having a pretty good spring too, which is great to see. He had a HR yesterday. On the pitching side, Wright and Touki have pitched well. Hopefully they are turning a corner. On the other hand, Waters has struggled in spring (too many stikeouts) and Bryse Wilson has had problems.
Pache will undoubtedly be at Gwinnett to start the season, but Ender better hit or the foot steps will get louder sometime during the season.