Well, here we are a week into spring training games, and I
think it's time to ask two age-old questions: Can some would-be rookies earn a
spot on the team? And even more interesting: is it possible for an incumbent STARTER
to be unseated?
In an age of options, waivers, major league service
requirements, and the like, it’s not clear that a hot youngster will make the
major league roster. There is also the question of whether such a player would be
better served by getting more playing time in the minors.
Case in point: Matt Hague. He has, as most of us know, torn
it up every year in the minors. He is having a great camp and has seen action
at AAA. There may still be things for him to learn at the AAA level, but if he
continues to tear up the camp the rest of the spring, the Bucs brass will have
a decision on its hands.
