Schwarber off market, Steven Matz is now a Ray and Edwin Diaz is a Dodger

[drewski6]

30 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

ST results don't do a lot for me. Many of the games are against MiLB pitching or guys just running through the motions. He could really use a full season in AAA to work against LHP and offspeed stuff. 

Could use? Maybe. Probably.  But guys are usually not complete when they break in.  They'll have to work him against lefties and offspeed between games or as part of offseason programs.  Next year, if he can play the position and hit over .730 against righties, its hard to see us doing better that that at 2b when we are already upgrading 3b and 1b. Or if youd rather , its hard to see us doing better than that at 3b when we are already upgrading 2b and 1b.

[drewski6]

45 minutes ago, Hitch said:

The context was us getting Marte over the line, then adding both Bregman and Alonso, too.

At that point, Mayer is just depth, and I think if the industry is still high on him, there's more value getting in pieces for him than keeping him as depth.

Moot, really, either way, as there's as much chance of Scarlet Johansson sliding into my DMs as there is us getting Marte, Bergman and Alonso. 

Wow, Marte , Bregman AND Alonso. Hmmm. On that team, Im assuming an OF'er has gone in the Marte trade (lets assume Duran). So the OF is Cedanne/RA/Abreu.  

In this hypothetical: Mayer plays 3b, Bregman first, Alonso DHs. Marte plays 2nd. And id love it.

[drewski6]

2 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Wow, Marte , Bregman AND Alonso. Hmmm. On that team, Im assuming an OF'er has gone in the Marte trade (lets assume Duran). So the OF is Cedanne/RA/Abreu.  

In this hypothetical: Mayer plays 3b, Bregman first, Alonso DHs. Marte plays 2nd. And id love it.

This may be the most common used, but obvs Bregman would play some 3b and maybe even some of, alonso wouldnt always DH.  You would use your versatility rather than same alignment every night. Guys would get days off, get dinged up....You would maybe not run same alignment out there against lefties and righites.

So just wanna caveat - that this is the default not the set in stone positional alignment.  I embrace versatility.

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Wow, Marte , Bregman AND Alonso. Hmmm. On that team, Im assuming an OF'er has gone in the Marte trade (lets assume Duran). So the OF is Cedanne/RA/Abreu.  

In this hypothetical: Mayer plays 3b, Bregman first, Alonso DHs. Marte plays 2nd. And id love it.

In that scenario, Mayer is in AAA working on hitting against LHP and offspeed stuff. 😎

[drewski6]

13 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

In that scenario, Mayer is in AAA working on hitting against LHP and offspeed stuff. 😎

With only Yoshida between him and MLB, so maybe for a month or 2, I can give you that.  But this team will be pushing for byes and have its eyes on winning it all, and as soon as Mayer can help that , he'll be up.

[UtahSox]

Was just in car listening to MLB Network Radio. They were saying the Red Sox have serious trepidation about going more than 3 or 4 years on Alonso. I swear if we lose him, and it’s over year 5 or 6. I’m gonna lose my sh*t. He fits so perfectly. 

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

Was just in car listening to MLB Network Radio. They were saying the Red Sox have serious trepidation about going more than 3 or 4 years on Alonso. I swear if we lose him, and it’s over year 5 or 6. I’m gonna lose my sh*t. He fits so perfectly. 

He isn't a great fielder and doesn't pull the ball enough. I don't think he's a "perfect" fit. He's adequate. 

[mvp 78]

19 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

With only Yoshida between him and MLB, so maybe for a month or 2, I can give you that.  But this team will be pushing for byes and have its eyes on winning it all, and as soon as Mayer can help that , he'll be up.

There would be an injury somewhere and he can play 2b, ss, 3b. There'd be room. I don't think they are adding that many guys this offseason though. I think it's not going to be a game of musical chairs. 

[drewski6]

10 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

Was just in car listening to MLB Network Radio. They were saying the Red Sox have serious trepidation about going more than 3 or 4 years on Alonso. I swear if we lose him, and it’s over year 5 or 6. I’m gonna lose my sh*t. He fits so perfectly. 

Yeah, my first question is who specifically. Some poeple go by their gut feel and theres not a lot of real time fact checking on the radio. I dont doubt it.  But I can also see this being something that has gotten twisted by the ole game telephone.  Heard from a guy who heard from a guy who heard from an insider type of thing.

I dont doubt it, but I also dont fully buy it.

3-4 years is not going to get it done. I think its going to take 6. I think we should go six.

Schwarber had multiple 5 yr offers on the table.

[drewski6]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

There would be an injury somewhere and he can play 2b, ss, 3b. There'd be room. I don't think they are adding that many guys this offseason though. I think it's not going to be a game of musical chairs. 

Agree , here we are debatin what we are going to do with Mayer if they trade for Marte and ink both Bregman and Alonso.  Lets table this until that happens, haha.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

He isn't a great fielder and doesn't pull the ball enough. I don't think he's a "perfect" fit. He's adequate. 

That's about right.  He's averaged 3.1 bWAR over the past three years, and FG projects him at 2.6 for 2026.  If someone wants to give him a retirement package, we shouldn't follow.  And I like Alonso.

And just looking at the marginal gains,  our biggest 'projected' gain would be at 2B.  Both BR & FG project a ~ .820 for Alonso.  Both project Casas for .792.  The improvement to Alonso is only 28 points.  The improvement at 2B, with Marte, might be 140 points.

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, Hitch said:

So, then he's just a bench piece? In the outlined scenario I mentioned above? 

If that's the case, trade him now and cash in. I imagine he's worth a lot more than being a bench piece in trade talks. 

That's how I see it: open a slot for Mayer or mayer/Romy at 2B or 3B or trade him.

[moonslav59]

I agree on Marte, and if Duran or Campbell are part of the trade, the net AAV add is only about $12M. (Rafaela, instead, bring it to $13M or so.)

This is probably the only way we get two big bats without going way over the tax line. Marte and 2 big FA bats would likely put us over the second tax line, even if it's Polanco, Suarez & KMarte. (Who plays 3B, if Suarez is at 1B?)

[mvp 78]

It's NOT going to be 2 bats, unless the 2nd bat is Hoskins or similar. 

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It's NOT going to be 2 bats, unless the 2nd bat is Hoskins or similar. 

That's what I am most afraid of, and why I want the best possible first bat, now.

[drewski6]

17 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It's NOT going to be 2 bats, unless the 2nd bat is Hoskins or similar. 

You really cant see Alonso and Paredes? You are this confident? To put NOT in caps?

[drewski6]

to me: its not going to be 2 bats = 80% confidence (or greater)
its NOT goin to be 2 bats = 90% confidence (or greater)

the capitalization of not matters to me, and its where you lose me.

I think the chance that we get a big bat and a second bat that is not hoskins level is about 60%

unless you are putting paredes and that tier in the hoskins tier, i dont think thats fair though. hoskins finished 2025 in AAA

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

You really cant see Alonso and Paredes? You are this confident? To put NOT in caps?

Baltimore is getting Paredes? 

[mvp 78]

10 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

That's what I am most afraid of, and why I want the best possible first bat, now.

We've already heard the "can't go over the 2nd line" argument. Schwarber and Alonso have already signed. 

FA option is basically sign Breggie with a backup of Suarez (distant backup IMO). They would then have to do a trade that seems harder to pull off TBH (DBags want Tolle/Early, pieces not lining up, etc.). 

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

Baltimore is getting Paredes? 

You are the one who taught me not to let the bloom years jade me on the breslow years.

Maybe ill give you your line right back to you

Yes, bloom would let orioles outbid him for alonso.  But breslow and his recent glow up (yes, hes having one, and it started when cora gave him the voice of support vs early breslow when him and cora were passive aggressive digging at each other through the media)....Breslow gives polar bear the sixth year.....and my prediction

those of us who are anti six years for polar bear will find themselves surprised that they are happy

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

We've already heard the "can't go over the 2nd line" argument. Schwarber and Alonso have already signed. 

FA option is basically sign Breggie with a backup of Suarez (distant backup IMO). They would then have to do a trade that seems harder to pull off TBH (DBags want Tolle/Early, pieces not lining up, etc.). 

wait, did i miss something.

[drewski6]

my apologies, mvp. I thought you were being cynical. Didnt realize it had happened. I was on a work call

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

You are the one who taught me not to let the bloom years jade me on the breslow years.

Maybe ill give you your line right back to you

Yes, bloom would let orioles outbid him for alonso.  But breslow and his recent glow up (yes, hes having one, and it started when cora gave him the voice of support vs early breslow when him and cora were passive aggressive digging at each other through the media)....Breslow gives polar bear the sixth year.....and my prediction

those of us who are anti six years for polar bear will find themselves surprised that they are happy

Bro....................................... 🫢

[drewski6]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

Bro....................................... 🫢

Not matching 5 yrs / 155 when we were his first desired designation is pretty unforgiveable.  Im legit sad.

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Not matching 5 yrs / 155 when we were his first desired designation is pretty unforgiveable.  Im legit sad.

Wonder if $168M/6 was even thought of.