Brad Mills Explains Jason Michaels Playing Time

The hot button issue for Houston Astros fans this past month has been the amount of playing time Brian Bogusevic, converted pitcher and light-hitting outfielder turned King Beastmode, has been receiving. With Jordan Schafer and J.D. Martinez getting most of the starts in CF and LF respectively, Bogusevic has been limited to right field. 

While Bogusevic is getting the lion's share of time against RHP, Brad Mills is automatically sitting Bogusevic against LHP and playing Michaels, even though the former has only seven at bats in the majors against lefties. Considering Michaels should be gone at the end of the season, Bogusevic should be getting all the time Mills needs to see what he could do for the Astros in 2012.

In Zachary Levine's notes, he quotes Mills as saying this:

"With the expanded rosters and we want to see what (Jason) Bourgeois continues to do and Jason Michaels on the ballclub - these guys are on the ballclub because they're major league players - we want to give them the opportunity to swing the bat and play as well. If we don't utilize those other guys on the bench, when we do need them to pinch-hit or whatever, they're not going to be ready at all."


(sbnation.com)