Spring Training Battles - Update

As ST winds down, here's where the battles we outlined in our What's at Stake series stand.

Bench
Backup catcher: Clement and Johnson are back in Tacoma, and Burke wins the job as predicted.

Backup OF: Jimerson, Reed and Morse are all still alive. Morse has hit the snot out of the ball (.519 BA, 788 SLG) while Jimerson has not and Reed has shown no power. Morse is still pretty brutal in the OF by most accounts. Balentien was sent to Tacoma. Either Morse gets the job or they find someone on the waiver wire at the end of the spring.

Last guy: Cairo and Norton have hit decently this spring. Cairo's getting guaranteed money, so I still think the job goes to him. This is an absolute waste of a roster spot.

What they should do: Burke, Reed, Morse, Willie.
What they will do: Burke, Waiver bait, Cairo, Willie.

Bullpen
Huber, White, Jimenez and Rohrbaugh all got sent down. HoRam was released (yay!).

O'Flaherty gets the LH setup job, so he, Putz and Morrow are all in and Dickey looks to be a lock for the long man.

That leaves 3 spots for Rhodes, Reitsma, Lowe, Green, Rowland-Smith and Baek. Pretty good chance that Rhodes and Reitsma both start the year on the DL, leaving those last 3 jobs to Lowe, Green and RRS. Baek is the odd man out despite having a good spring.

What they should do: Putz, O'Flaherty, Morrow, Lowe, Green, Dickey and Baek. Rhodes and Reitsma Released, RRS to Tacoma as a starter.

What they will do: Putz, O'Flaherty, Morrow, Lowe, Rhodes, Green and Dickey. Reitsma on the DL, Baek waived, RRS to Tacoma unless they DL Rhodes as well.