Who do you think will/should be the Opening Day LF?

And how do you see it shaking out? Think Rivera gets the majority of the playing time or do you see Sands hitting well enough to get regular starts. Also Tony Gwynn Jr probably had the best season out of the three of them last year, how much you think he'll play?

 

I'm pulling for Sands to have a red hot spring and take the position by force. Rivera and Gwynn make reasonable utility OF'ers if they hit their stride - if they suck then they will be expensive DFA's.

 

I want Sands to be everyday LF.

Rivera will be because Ned is a moron.

 

What everyone else said

 

For anyone on the fence:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=19850991

 

Anyone but Rivera

 

^I would be surprised to see Sands play in any rotation. He's a young power hitter who's top priority is to develop his timing. I think he's got to play everyday. If he doesn't make starter for the LAD, then he's off to New Mexico. I'd also ignore the stats vs L/R handed pitchers - he needs as many major league ABs as he can get. This is a player in development.

 

I see what you did there.

 

Yeah I nominate Sands as well.

Really though, Sands demonstrated the ability to hit for extra bases and get on base in his initial call up. Then when he got re-called up he demonstrated all of the aforementioned abilities as well as hitting for average. Granted the amount he has played is only a small sample size, he did accumulate ~1 fWar in 60 games and has shown he can be an everyday LFer.

 

Rivera most likely will be... unless Sands just goes off in ST. Gywnn will be our 4th OF/ 8-9th inning defensive replacement

 

I am hoping on hope that Sands is our starting left fielder. That means he had a good spring. Rivera is not a long term solution and probably not a whole season solution. Sands has upside potential Rivera has none. If Rivera is in left that is not a good outlook moving forward.

 

Sands. I believe that he proved he should play this year when he had that red hot September. He should be hitting 2nd behind Dee. Instead, we'll probably have that guy we signed to play second base with an OBP below .300 to hit 2nd.

 

Hopefully if Mark Ellis hits second there will be some kind of justification for it. I was thinking I'd like to see AJ hitting second -

But you might be right with Sands being a great fit to hit second... Jerry takes pitches, hits the other way, and has power to take advantage of extra fastballs and protection in the lineup.

 

Sands 2nd would mean the 6-8 of the order would be Uribe and the Ellis's, that's too terrible. I think you have to spread it out a little, bat an Ellis 2nd and then Sands/Rivera 5th and Loney 6th.