Spring training 2026

[sutz]

Starting to look like Rivas may be starting the season at short, pending improvement of JP's shoulder.

 

[Sperrydogg]

No way man, he doesn't have 7 home runs already, he sucks, trade him, bust.

Today's amazing Criz take in 3.....2......1.......

Wow that was impressive

 

[Blazenhawks]

Hopefully both Cole and Colt.

I say keep Colt down in AAA this season that way we don't have to resign JP and Colt gets another year under his belt in the minors

 

[Crizilla]

Starting to look like Rivas may be starting the season at short, pending improvement of JP's shoulder.

Rivas weighs 150lbs. They should just start Emerson if JP can't go.

 

[IndyHawk]

I saw keep Colt down in AAA this season that way we don't have to resign JP and Colt gets another year under his belt in the minors

If Emerson is deemed ready, I'm all for him starting now.

 

[Chapow]

Rivas 35 AB's in ST, that's a lot. Only batting .200. Maybe Bliss gets the back up 2nd base spot.

He also has a very good .378 OBP, .778 OPS, and 28.57% walk rate in ST this year. I mean, I get it. Batting .200 isn't very good or very encouraging, but again, I thought we wanted fewer strikeouts and more on base? Because getting on base basically 38% of the time is very, very good in baseball.

And it's not like his OBP is an outlier. He had a .387 OBP last year in the regular season. Kinda starting to look like he's just pretty damn good at getting on base even when he's not hitting very well.

Rivas weighs 150lbs. They should just start Emerson if JP can't go.

Not sure what his size has to do with anything. He was 150lbs last year too, and had by far the highest OBP and walk to strikeout ratio on the team.

Look, I'm not saying Rivas is some amazing player or anything. I just don't get why so many seem to just disregard the guy. M's fans claim to want fewer K's and more on base. Yet here's a guy that's literally exactly what M's fans claim to want, but apparently nobody wants the guy to play. We could do a lot worse than a guy at the bottom of the order reaching base nearly 40% of the time.

 

[Crizilla]

Career .230 avg, .670 OPS hitter and bro hasn't bulked up at all. I don't see the point when you have Emerson waiting. Bro should be coming off the bench. I don't get why they have so many smaller guys on the team when they aren't playing small ball. They ain't gonna bunt or lead the league in infield hits so what's the point.

 

[Chapow]

Career .230 avg, .670 OPS hitter and bro hasn't bulked up at all. I don't see the point when you have Emerson waiting. Bro should be coming off the bench.

Well I thought the point was fewer strikeouts and more on base?

If Emerson is ready, then yeah, that'd be great. But he's only played in 6 games at the AAA level, and 34 at the AA level. That's not much experience at the higher levels of the minors (and pitching in the bigs is sooo much better than even the highest minor league levels).

Personally, I just don't want to see another Young/Williamson situation where they decide to stick with a young guy for 3 months that clearly isn't ready and needs more development, and ends up hitting .210 with a .600 OPS, strikes out a lot, and doesn't get on base much. I'd rather go with Rivas than see that again.

But again, if Emerson is ready, that would be ideal.

I don't get why they have so many smaller guys on the team when they aren't playing small ball. They ain't gonna bunt or lead the league in infield hits so what's the point.

 

[sutz]

Career .230 avg, .670 OPS hitter and bro hasn't bulked up at all. I don't see the point when you have Emerson waiting. Bro should be coming off the bench. I don't get why they have so many smaller guys on the team when they aren't playing small ball. They ain't gonna bunt or lead the league in infield hits so what's the point.

You do know that "small ball" really doesn't have anything to do with the size of the players, right?

 

[Crizilla]

Emerson and Thomas sent down. Looks like ST stats aren't factoring into the 26.

 

[Chapow]

Sounds like Garv-diggity beat out Knizner for the backup catcher position.

 

[bileever]

Sounds like Garv-diggity beat out Knizner for the backup catcher position.

I'm a little surprised to hear that, but I think familiarity with the pitching staff might be a plus? I just wonder how much we'll get out of him at age 35 this year. I'd like to see Cal get a lot of games at DH to avoid injuries and to keep him fresh for the stretch run.

 

[Crizilla]

Last ST game today before opening night. See y'all in the game thread.