jsnpritchett

Hey, guys, don't worry: Jake Lamb is in the game now. Victory guaranteed.

At least Rengifo didn't get picked off...

Ugh, Phillips got picked off 2nd. Terrible.

Ok, Neto. This would be a great time for your first hit.

Yes, I believe we has.

Just an off-day. He's fine.

Good comeback inning by Detmers! Struck out the side.

That honestly feels like it was 15 years ago.

Two-run HR for Turner. Detmers scuffling a bit this inning. As the announcers talked about, he also really needs to work on controlling the running game.

Neto looks so smooth at SS. Impressive for someone who didn't play there full-time until last year.

Hey, Rendon's first extra-base hit! Nice.

I'm not disagreeing with you on the defense part. Wouldn't surprise me at all if Rengifo botches a play out there today.

Phillips hit .144 and struck out 94 times in 201 AB last year, so even as bad as Rengifo has been, yeah, he's a better hitter. (I wouldn't mind seeing Phillips starting today, either, btw...but he truly is an awful hitter.)

Other than Ward being out, this is a regular lineup.

I also thought it was an...interesting choice to put Rengifo in left today, but Phillips says it's not that big of a deal:

He can't hit in the majors, either, though. So if he can't hit and either "isn't ready" to catch or simply isn't talented enough to do it at the major league level, there's still not much of a reason to keep him around at this point. Again, he's about to turn 28. What is his upside at this point? And he's out of options, so if you still think he can develop as a C with more time in the minors, then you have to hope he goes unclaimed (which he very well might). But it's clear at this point that he has no business as a C at the major league level.

Live tally:

6th. The only starter with a loss is Suarez.

.500 isn't doomsday, but they also haven't exactly played a Murderers' Row of teams so far. Blue Jays are solid and the Mariners will likely be pretty good (though not top tier), but the rest of the teams (A's, Nats, Red Sox) are mediocre to flat-out awful. I think you'd ideally be comfortably above .500 against that schedule. Hopefully they can right the ship and win the next two.