Having your best reliever available for "fireman" situations and your second-best guy as the closer is a pretty similar approach to hitting your best hitter 2nd instead of 3rd or 4th.

Mathematically, it's advantageous.

Estevez's velocity is still down. Hopefully that bounces back. With the timing of his spring, it wouldn't be unusual for his velocity to be down.

Re: Jac Caglianone, I don't think this season could be off to a better start for him.

I would probably give him at least another week in AA before going to AAA. But he is forcing their hand quickly.

With the way the minor leagues have adjusted over the past few years, AA and AAA are not the tests they have been in the past. Caglianone might be advanced enough at this point that AAA won't be the next "real" test, either.

He might be as finished as he can get until he sees MLB-quality pitching on a regular basis.

If Caglianone could learn to play OF at an acceptable level, he would be a boon to the Royals IMO. Adding that bat AND getting rid of either Melendez or Renfroe would be the way.

I think that is wishful thinking at this point. It's a square peg and round hole situation regarding Cags and the OF problem.

Well, that's kind of exactly what it is. For Jac to be promoted and play, he's going to need a position, at least until Salvy hangs them up (I don't want to see this but it will happen eventually). 1B and DH between 3 players, not to mention the occasional "someone else" DHing.

It would be one thing if you had a park with a corner where a guy who doesn’t run super well could be hidden.

But the K is cavernous. It has more OF real estate to cover than any OF except Coors (I forget which is bigger, but they’re 1-2 and by a decent margin).

It would be an incredibly challenging ask to put someone who has pitched and played 1B his whole life in a corner like the K and cover ground.

But maybe he can handle it. IDK. He’s a present 40 run grade guy, and that’s doesn’t scream “I can handle corner OF.”

Can Vinny play outfield?

That's pretty slow alright, for teh K outfield, maybe ANY outfield.

Eric Logenhagen addressed the Jac Caglianone position situation in his Fangraphs prospects chat.

Thanks for the responses sith and Duncan.

You've watched Vinnie run from home to first at least once right?

There we go, Vinnie, Salvy, and Jac in the OF!! ROFL

I'd pay to watch that.

It would be quite the spectacle I'm sure. :D