Is It Time To Send Down The Phenom?

Now, I want to start off of by saying that this is not a panic move, out of frustration. It has been carefully thought over.

Maybe it is time to send Snider down to AAA for a month.

Pros:

• Snider will get to hit in the PCL, which is a very hitter friendly league.
• He will get to hit in Vegas, which is a hitter's ballpark.

and the most important pro: it will stop his clock to allow the team to gain control for another season.

Cons:

• It could effect his mentalilty, damaging him long-term. (Unlikely, as Snider has dealt with more serious things than getting demoted.)

That's all I can think of for cons, as there really isn't a negative thing to be had.

Travis Sniders currently hits 9th in the order, so anybody who replaces him full time won't have huge expectations.

Now, onto who I think should get the call-up and how the line-up will look as a result.

I think that by making a roster change like this, it allows Cito a reason to shuffle the line-up a little as well. I'll get to that in a minute, after I list the 2 (maybe 3) guys who should get the call.

1. Brett Harper. Harper has been awesome down in AAA (and I know that is a hitter's environment, so back the fuck off) and deserves a shot anyway, so why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone? He has a .324 BA (.358 OBP) with 10 HR in 34 games.

2. Howie Clark. Long time minor leaguer, and former Jay, Howie has been really good so far in AAA. He has hit .308 (.366 OBP) with 22 RsBI in 32 games.

3. Randy Ruiz. This one is more far fetched (would really only make sense as a replacement for Millar), but I feel he deserves a mention. Ruiz is hitting .282 (.352 OBP) with 17 xtra base hits in 35 games.

I would prefer Harper, because he gives you the closest to the potential of Snider for this season. Harper is only 27 and really isn't enshrined as a AAAA guy yet, as last season was his first in AAA.

The line-up.

1. SS Marco Scutaro

2. RF Alex Rios

3. 2B Aaron Hill

4. LF Adam Lind (DH vs. LHP)

5. CF Vernon Wells

6. 1B Lyle Overbay (Millar vs LHP)

7. 3B Scott Rolen

8. C Rod Barajas

9. DH Brett Harper (Bautista in LF vs LHP)

So really, not much changes. Just a couple flip flops.

I believe that Rios' struggles are more mental, dispite the obvious mechanical problems. I think he puts too much pressure on himself to be "the guy" when he hits 3rd. I think we saw that when he led off, and hit much better. His career numbers are pretty stellar in the 2 hole, so he goes there (he could lead off though, moving Scutaro to #2).

Well, that is where my mind is at right now after another 0-3 for Snider.

Oh yeah, Fuck Brad Wilkerson