Featherston

[stormngt]

Obviously the Angels see something long term that the rest of us don't. It really isn't a big mystery.

[ELEVEN]

Not a BIG mystery. No.

[Docwaukee]

He's not blocking anyone.  His defense is good enough to justify his role on the roster.  His bat isn't ready for the show but some of that could be related to getting limited chances.  He'd be in AAA right now if he wasn't a rule 5, but he's brought more value than several other players we've kicked the tires on.  

 

Ryan Jackson is probably a better choice at this point, but it's not like he'd be making us forget about Aybar either. 

[Oz27]

Remember all last year people were bitching about McDonald, he won us games with his glove last year.

In between the fact that McDonald played less than 300 innings last year and brought a substantially negative offensive contribution, any assessment that says he was worth multiple wins is incredibly generous.

[Stradling]

In between the fact that McDonald played less than 300 innings last year and brought a substantially negative offensive contribution, any assessment that says he was worth multiple wins is incredibly generous.

Sorry I wasn't using stats when I made that claim I was using my eye balls. His hands were insane and he made a few ridiculous plays. I think there was a game where it looked like the pen was going to blow it and he turned a crazy double play to end it.

[Stradling]

I want everyone's opinion here. Your utility infielder, would you rather they be all glove, all bat, or a balance of the two? I'm not really thinking of Featherston when I ask that, I'm thinking more of McDonald.

[arch stanton]

I want everyone's opinion here. Your utility infielder, would you rather they be all glove, all bat, or a balance of the two? I'm not really thinking of Featherston when I ask that, I'm thinking more of McDonald.

I think it's great to have a guy who doesn't expect a ton of playing time but can be trusted to make the plays wherever you put him. With a sinkerball guy like Smith and a rangy infield defense a team has to work pretty hard to put runs on the board. You can add the bench bat at a different position.

[Angel Oracle]

Featherston is no McDonald, not yet anyway. 

But I guess since we're already halfway through the season, and September roster expansion is just some 55 days away, it doesn't hurt to keep him. 

[ELEVEN]

He's not even Hanley Statia.

[Angel Oracle]

Question:  If the Halos make the post-season, do they have to keep Featherston on the post-season roster in order to keep him going forward? 

[totdprods]

Question:  If the Halos make the post-season, do they have to keep Featherston on the post-season roster in order to keep him going forward? 

No. I asked Fletcher earlier in year and he said it didn't apply anymore then.

[disarcina]

Angel Oracle said it as well as it can be said:

 

Featherston isn't McDonald.

 

Last season I went from wondering why the guy even got an ST invite to being very impressed with John McDonald last year. His first half of the season defensively (and for the first two months of the season he actually contributed a bit offensively as well -- I also remember him being called upon to advance a runner in the late innings and laid down a perfect bunt nearly every single time) -- he was a great glove out there at 3B, 2B and even some SS -- he tailed off at the plate  the second half of the season to get to the point by July/ August that he was pretty much an automatic out at the plate.

 

But McDonald was a huge reason as a utility MIF as to why the Halos in 2014 DID NOT replicate their 2012/13 terrible season starts (April-May records) which got the team so deep in the hole, they could not dig out and get back into the race.

 

Featherston isn't doing anything close to that -- although he did have that game winning hit the last home stand (which was Featherston's first home game hit of the season at nearly the Game 81 mark!) .....I'll say it again, keeping Featherston as a Rule V guy was a mistake but might as well keep him now that it's almost mid-July.  Perhaps we can hope he turns it around the way Kolten Wong has done in St. Louis.......

 

as to the question what sort of utility MIF do you want: an offensive oriented player or a defensive whiz.........I side on the defensive side first, priority on the glove combined with some speed so the player can PR in the late innings as well as play defense -- and, like McDonald did last year -- I want a guy that get up at the plate and lay down that sacrifice on the first pitch to move the runner(s) over.

[Mark68]

And for that we keep him on the 25 all year?

Two words:

 

John McDonald

 

Two more:

 

Jeff Mathis

 

 

Keep him on the 25 the rest of the year, and next year, have him play in SLC.

 

As for what I'd prefer, it would be a glove-first MIF who has positional flexibility and doesn't embarrass himself (or the organization) at the plate.

 

Speed would help.

Edited July 8, 2015 by Mark68

[tomsred]

Think of the glory, if we win the World Series we will be the only team to win it with a 24 man active roster.  Sosh would deserve another MOY award just for that alone.

Edited July 8, 2015 by tomsred

[Jeff Fletcher]

Featherston is a lot better defensively than Rutledge.

I don't think the production you get out of your 25th man is significant either way. May as well keep a body then.

Featherston probably has a better chance of being a long term Izturis than anyone else in the system.