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No way he is a starter on a good team. Burleson is a platoon player on a bad team. On a good team he is at AAA. Occasional injury replacement.

I like Burleson.
Solid at 1B and plays adequate corner OF.
It remains to be seen if he can become a viable hitter vs. LH pitching?
If not he probably projects as more of a platoon player,
I do think he catches more grief than he deserves.
While he is no speedster he catches what he gets to in the OF and is improving.
It’s also not his fault that the team lacks stronger middle of the order bats.
He’s forced to hit 3rd when he probably should be hitting 6th.

kscardsfan wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 19:41 pm No way he is a starter on a good team. Burleson is a platoon player on a bad team. On a good team he is at AAA. Occasional injury replacement.

Burleson would be playing LF, probably batting 7 in the lineup for the Dodgers, if the Dodgers could have gotten him at the trade deadline.

Cusecards wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 19:54 pm I like Burleson.
Solid at 1B and plays adequate corner OF.
It remains to be seen if he can become a viable hitter vs. LH pitching?
If not he probably projects as more of a platoon player,
I do think he catches more grief than he deserves.
While he is no speedster he catches what he gets to in the OF and is improving.
It’s also not his fault that the team lacks stronger middle of the order bats.
He’s forced to hit 3rd when he probably should be hitting 6th.

You are correct of course but there is a rub.
IF you are a player that D is a priority and you bring D
then for the most part it is all good.
Burleson needs to be assessed equally. He will play a position
that needs to be judged mostly on his offense. His speed is a small
part of that offense as well is whether he can fulfill certain
lineup demands when there are just 2-4 such openings after C, CF, 3B, SS, 2B
that AB cannot play.

renostl wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 20:42 pm

Cusecards wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 19:54 pm I like Burleson.
Solid at 1B and plays adequate corner OF.
It remains to be seen if he can become a viable hitter vs. LH pitching?
If not he probably projects as more of a platoon player,
I do think he catches more grief than he deserves.
While he is no speedster he catches what he gets to in the OF and is improving.
It’s also not his fault that the team lacks stronger middle of the order bats.
He’s forced to hit 3rd when he probably should be hitting 6th.

You are correct of course but there is a rub.
IF you are a player that D is a priority and you bring D
then for the most part it is all good.
Burleson needs to be assessed equally. He will play a position
that needs to be judged mostly on his offense. His speed is a small
part of that offense as well is whether he can fulfill certain
lineup demands when there are just 2-4 such openings after C, CF, 3B, SS, 2B
that AB cannot play.

Again, Contreras or Herrera catching solves the issue. From what I've read, Herrera wants to catch.

Shady wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 20:45 pm

renostl wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 20:42 pm

Cusecards wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 19:54 pm I like Burleson.
Solid at 1B and plays adequate corner OF.
It remains to be seen if he can become a viable hitter vs. LH pitching?
If not he probably projects as more of a platoon player,
I do think he catches more grief than he deserves.
While he is no speedster he catches what he gets to in the OF and is improving.
It’s also not his fault that the team lacks stronger middle of the order bats.
He’s forced to hit 3rd when he probably should be hitting 6th.

You are correct of course but there is a rub.
IF you are a player that D is a priority and you bring D
then for the most part it is all good.
Burleson needs to be assessed equally. He will play a position
that needs to be judged mostly on his offense. His speed is a small
part of that offense as well is whether he can fulfill certain
lineup demands when there are just 2-4 such openings after C, CF, 3B, SS, 2B
that AB cannot play.

Again, Contreras or Herrera catching solves the issue. From what I've read, Herrera wants to catch.

Most RP's want to SP.

Both of their value is higher, IMO, at catcher.
To a point that they too can be considered in trade talk if they're
not going to catch.

What I've seen is IH is not a everyday catcher and WC isn't either
as time goes by. Certainly both can not be full-time catchers so AB needs
to bring what they cannot in their secondary positions. Does he do that? does he
need to immediately do that?
100% opinion here. His 2026+ does not depend on them as much as the
future direction on the infield and the outfield. That determines AB
future in StL. Walker/Nootbaar/Donovan/Herrera.

renostl wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 20:42 pm

Cusecards wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 19:54 pm I like Burleson.
Solid at 1B and plays adequate corner OF.
It remains to be seen if he can become a viable hitter vs. LH pitching?
If not he probably projects as more of a platoon player,
I do think he catches more grief than he deserves.
While he is no speedster he catches what he gets to in the OF and is improving.
It’s also not his fault that the team lacks stronger middle of the order bats.
He’s forced to hit 3rd when he probably should be hitting 6th.

You are correct of course but there is a rub.
IF you are a player that D is a priority and you bring D
then for the most part it is all good.
Burleson needs to be assessed equally. He will play a position
that needs to be judged mostly on his offense. His speed is a small
part of that offense as well is whether he can fulfill certain
lineup demands when there are just 2-4 such openings after C, CF, 3B, SS, 2B
that AB cannot play.

Right now he is clearly a better hitter than Nootbaar, Gorman, and Walker.
And they can find him a spot.
However as Herrera progresses and is able to handle LF that squeezes a spot.
Then you have JJ on the doorstep along with the Catchers.
He could wind up in a platoon/utility role?
But you are correct....if defense and speed become the factor he’ll probably take a back seat although I don’t think his overall defense at Corner OF has hurt up until now.

Cusecards wrote: ↑08 Aug 2025 10:15 am

renostl wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 20:42 pm

Cusecards wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 19:54 pm I like Burleson.
Solid at 1B and plays adequate corner OF.
It remains to be seen if he can become a viable hitter vs. LH pitching?
If not he probably projects as more of a platoon player,
I do think he catches more grief than he deserves.
While he is no speedster he catches what he gets to in the OF and is improving.
It’s also not his fault that the team lacks stronger middle of the order bats.
He’s forced to hit 3rd when he probably should be hitting 6th.

You are correct of course but there is a rub.
IF you are a player that D is a priority and you bring D
then for the most part it is all good.
Burleson needs to be assessed equally. He will play a position
that needs to be judged mostly on his offense. His speed is a small
part of that offense as well is whether he can fulfill certain
lineup demands when there are just 2-4 such openings after C, CF, 3B, SS, 2B
that AB cannot play.

Right now he is clearly a better hitter than Nootbaar, Gorman, and Walker.
And they can find him a spot.
However as Herrera progresses and is able to handle LF that squeezes a spot.
Then you have JJ on the doorstep along with the Catchers.
He could wind up in a platoon/utility role?
But you are correct....if defense and speed become the factor he’ll probably take a back seat although I don’t think his overall defense at Corner OF has hurt up until now.

If Burleson ends up in a "platoon/utility role". It would mean the roster was vastly improved by acquisition, tremendous contribution from the minors and/or the improved play by the likes of Walker and Gorman.

Shady wrote: ↑08 Aug 2025 10:24 am

Cusecards wrote: ↑08 Aug 2025 10:15 am

renostl wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 20:42 pm

Cusecards wrote: ↑07 Aug 2025 19:54 pm I like Burleson.
Solid at 1B and plays adequate corner OF.
It remains to be seen if he can become a viable hitter vs. LH pitching?
If not he probably projects as more of a platoon player,
I do think he catches more grief than he deserves.
While he is no speedster he catches what he gets to in the OF and is improving.
It’s also not his fault that the team lacks stronger middle of the order bats.
He’s forced to hit 3rd when he probably should be hitting 6th.

You are correct of course but there is a rub.
IF you are a player that D is a priority and you bring D
then for the most part it is all good.
Burleson needs to be assessed equally. He will play a position
that needs to be judged mostly on his offense. His speed is a small
part of that offense as well is whether he can fulfill certain
lineup demands when there are just 2-4 such openings after C, CF, 3B, SS, 2B
that AB cannot play.

Right now he is clearly a better hitter than Nootbaar, Gorman, and Walker.
And they can find him a spot.
However as Herrera progresses and is able to handle LF that squeezes a spot.
Then you have JJ on the doorstep along with the Catchers.
He could wind up in a platoon/utility role?
But you are correct....if defense and speed become the factor he’ll probably take a back seat although I don’t think his overall defense at Corner OF has hurt up until now.

If Burleson ends up in a "platoon/utility role". It would mean the roster was vastly improved by acquisition, tremendous contribution from the minors and/or the improved play by the likes of Walker and Gorman.

Correct!
How about we sit back and let it run it’s course?
Still a lot of season left. Watch and enjoy the ride!
No need to address the same points every other day!