Dbacks MiLB Round-Up 5/7: Why Not Nick Evans?

I have to share my frustrations over why the Dbacks won't give a guy like Nick Evans a chance. If there's anyone who compares favorably to what the lineup is missing in Mark Trumbo's absence it's Nick Evans--a below average outfielder who has some pop in his bat. He's so much like Trumbo it's almost comical that the team would defer to Ender Inciarte and Alfredo Marte instead. A possible injury to Mark Trumbo was probably the entire reason for having Evans in the organization in the first place. Evans has some significant major league experience and was not overwhelmed by any means. He's currently 28 years old and is probably as good as he's ever going to get right now. In 159 major league games he has a career OPS of .712. So far in AAA this year he has an OPS of 1.048 with 9 home runs and 9 doubles (out of 31 hits) and a K rate of just 15.2%. Compare that to the bodies taking up left field in the interim. Cody Ross -.286 OPS; Alfredo Marte - .625 OPS; Ender Inciarte - .200 OPS. (SSS on Marte who will be hard-pressed to maintain even that number.)

It just doesn't make any sense. If KT and KG are trying to save their hides, it seems like Evans could help more than what they're trying now. For what it's worth Evans has been playing left field for Reno so maybe they're getting ready to make a move. I'm sure the Inciarte experiment is about to come to an end. I understand Evans is out of options and if they call him up they won't be able to send him back down without risking losing him. But so what? If you're not going to use him in the exact insurance situation you have him for, then why even have him at all. I'm not saying he's going to tear it up if and when he does get the call, but I can assure you he will do more than what they're getting from that position right now. And when Trumbo does come back then you have someone that at least has a little punch off the bench.

Snake Stars
3 Stars: Jake Lamb, Mobile 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 HR (5), 2 RBI
2 Stars: Evan Marzilli, Visalia 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 HR (3), 1 RBI
1 Star: Rudy Flores, Visalia 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 HR (7), 1 RBI
0 Stars: Jordan Parraz, Mobile 0 for 4, 3 K

Triple A: Reno 3 Tacoma 4. Bo Schultz had a pretty solid outing going 7 innings allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and a walk while striking out 2. He allowed single runs in the first three innings, two on solo home runs. But he settled in and kept the team in the game as they tied it at 3-3 in heading into the 9th. But Will Harris gave up an unearned run in the top of the 9th when a passed ball by Blake Lalli allowed Nick Franklin to score all the way from second. Nick Evans went 2 for 4 with a double and Nick Ahmed had an RBI double.

Double A: Mobile 3 Mississippi 5. Andrew Chafin had his worst start of the season allowing 5 runs on 11 hits and 2 walks in 5+ innings of work. Jake Lamb hit a 2-run homer in the 3rd to cut the early deficit to 3-2 and Garrett Webber tied it in the 5th with a solo home run. But 2 more runs off Chafin in the 6th was the difference and there no more comebacks.

High A: Visalia 3 Stockton 4. So-so pitching from John Omahen, Henry Garcia and Kyle Winkler allowed 4 runs (3 earned) in 8 innings and the offense could only answer with 3 solo home runs in reply. Evan Marzilli hit his 3rd home run in his last 5 games, which is amazing considering he had hit 3 home runs in his previous 213 career games before that. is there something in the water? Fidel Pena and Rudy Flores had the other two. J.R. Bradley made his first appearance at High A and pitched a shutout inning with 1 walk and 1 strikeout.

A: South Bend 4 Bowling Green 7. The Silver Hawks made it a clean sweep for minor league opponents as Jose Martinez made his second start and only pitched one inning allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits, a hit batter and a walk. Jose Martinez was removed from the game in the top of the 2nd after throwing 2 pitches for some kind of injury. No information on the nature of that injury. South Bend did well to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the 1st on a Joe Munoz 2-run homer. The defense was sloppy with 4 errors and the relief corps couldn't keep the game close enough. Stryker Trahan continues to struggle at the plate going 0 for 4 and he is hitting .183 with a .526 OPS and 38 strikeouts in 123 PAs (30%).