The rant and vent thread

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=41962:date=Jun 3 2009, 08:52 PM:name=Brock)-->QUOTE (Brock @ Jun 3 2009, 08:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=41959:date=Jun 3 2009, 09:50 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Jun 3 2009, 09:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=41954:date=Jun 3 2009, 08:42 PM:name=Brock)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brock @ Jun 3 2009, 08:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->BENCH SOTO FOR GOOD!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Piniella gave Geovany Soto the day off and said if Koyie Hill plays well the next couple of days "he basically can write his name in the lineup a little bit more."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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Hill's earned more playing time, but "benching" Soto would be absolutely foolish. If he's still hitting .216 in July and it's clear he won't get out of the funk, then fine, but you don't give up on him just yet. He just hit .278 with a .376 OBP in May, that's the hitter he was last year, aside from the power of course. He's hitting a lot of high flyballs and pulling the ball too much. The power will come. You can't give up on a 26-year-old catcher that was an All-Star just a season ago because of one bad month. If you bench him now, that can screw him mentally for a long time.
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I'm with you, just thought it was a relevant bit of info that I just read.
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Gotcha, it was. At this very moment, I agree, Hill's played better and probably give us the better chance to win right now. But you have to be looking long term, Soto's <i>arguably</i> the most important player to the future of this franchise looking down the road. It's hard to find a young catcher that can hit and play solid defense out there. It's frustrating as hell. He's driving me nuts, but we've gotta deal with it. Some guys will respond fine to a benching for a bit and figuring it out in AAA, but what if he doesn't? I just think it's a risk not worth taking this early on.