On February 13th of this year the Guardians traded Will Benson to Cincinnati for 2022 draftee outfielder and RH hitter Justin Boyd and a player to be named later.
This trade was similar to the Nolan Jones trade in which the Guardians traded a former top prospect who had problems making contact but who was right on the cusp of making it to major leagues.
Benson's skill set was different than Jones'. Benson is a good defensive outfielder capable of playing center field and right field. He will take a walk and has good speed so could be a pinch runner or defensive replacement.
Why am I rehashing a trade you already know about?
It's because of the current roster situation. Right now it appears, unless we make a trade or get a waiver claim, that Roman Quinn has a legitimate chance to make the 26-man roster when the season opens. As I have seen Quinn play 3 times in person this year and other times on TV, I am shocked. He looked horrible in the field and horrible at the plate. He will turn 30 in May. He has a .226 BA and a .303 OBP in his career. Plus he has struck out 183 times in 535 ML ABs, meaning that he offers no contact advantages over Benson and less power potential. Benson has a chance to get better. Quinn, who turns 30 in May, will never be more than he is now.
So why would we TRADE a guy who fits the role of extra outfielder with speed and then bring in a AAAA player like Quinn as our ONLY free agent outfield signing this winter and then consider giving Quinn the same roster spot? Especially when we already have a right-handed hitting outfielder, Richie Palacios, who showed good ability as a pinch hitter last year and is already on the 40 man roster. Remember, as well, that adding Quinn to the roster would cause us to have to either DFA or trade someone on that roster or place someone on the 60-day DL as our 40-man roster is full.
It seems like poor planning by the Guardians' front office to put us in this situation. You have a 4th outfielder with potential. You trade him and then do a poor job in signing a good potential replacement who brings you no more positives than the guy you just traded AND the negatives of poor performance this spring and having to be rostered. Organizations who have to take care of every asset just can't do stuff like signing and then rostering guys like Quinn. It just shows bad planning.
Hey, it may not happen and then this is just a tempest in a teapot. But the thought that it is even being considered is just real head-scratcher to me as the circular argument of trading Benson because he has contact issues and then bringing in an older and arguably much worse verson of Benson and gving him a job is almost beyond my belief, not even considering we have other options.
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