Dojji

I'm not talking about longterm. I'm talking about what he did when he got called up in 07. Besides, KG was pretty talented. He was a smart pitcher who knew how to pitch his way out of trouble, and before he got hurt his change was a legit elite pitch. His sinker was also pretty good, high 80's is about where most sinker pitchers live and he could tempt hitters to swing on his terms consistently. There was a couple months when the kid was absolutely insane. Then he hurt his elbow, lost the edge off his change and his command (which was average at best) just completely disintegrated. I've always thought it was kind of a pity.

I'm in a wait and see mode on Crawford. Apparently we haven't seen him yet while he was healthy. I'm more interested in seeing how Daisuke does now that he's FINALLY gotten the surrgery he's needed for the last 3+ years. if the 96 mile an hour fastball returns, we could be looking at the pitcher who wowed us all back in early 07. Good points, and I hope you're right.

Fantastic post.

I don't want Crawford to sniff the top of the order until he's proven he's past whatever was in his way last year and is hitting more consistently. He breaks in 8th in my lineup and when he proves he can set the table, then I make him a tablesetter.

And if the topic question was the same thing I wouldn't be complaining. A large number of people are coming in here wanting to vote "none" and having no place to put it.

Poll needs a "no one" option. And no they shouldn't. But if they do? Pedrioa.

Strip away the bickering and name calling and emotion, and this is a 30 page thread.

Obviously the right situation didn't come along. Who would you have spend on this offseason? Edwin Jackson? Prince Fielder? The only guy I really wanted that we didn't get was Jose Reyes, and the Marlins seriously overpaid him.

Thank GOD. I haven't hated a poster here quite that much since Dipre. And at least Dipre brought facts, intelligence, and good logic to the table. He was a jerk, but he was a jerk who made sense a lot. This guy? Good riddance. Excuse me while I go wash my hands.

Indeed. Consistency? From Muggah? Child please.

We tried for Kuroda. He fed us a BS line about wanting to stay on the west coast and then signed with the Yankees.

Nava regressed a bit in AAA last year. Perhaps that's not the right word though. His batting average went through the floor, and he took three times as many walks as he'd ever taken in his life. Is this kid more in the mix than we think he is? Because that looks like an organizational directive heard and responded to to me. Honestly if he's still with us I'd put him in the mix in spring training for competition's sake. He has very good contact skills and switch hits, which makes him a very interesting bench candidate for a team that is hurting for righthanded offense. He proved a couple years ago that he could work big league pitching and at least get on base, and he does have good line drive power to go with that if he can get established. We have the room to do some mixing and matching in the first few weeks with Crawford out, I could see Nava getting a shot at that point.

We tried for Oswalt. He wasn't interested. You can't bring in a guy who won't sign with you.

Yes they were. I remember the arguments. Garza is not loved here.

C+. He made some moves, and we are a little better, but the Yankees are pulling ahead.

It's a good sign. I still think we'll be starting the season without a left fielder. I'm crazy enough to advocate kicking the tires on Johnny Damon as a stopgap. I wouldn't expect him to finish the year with the team, but I'd see what he had in those first couple weeks, assuming no medical miracle marvels happen with Crawford, and then see where it goes. you rarely lose by adding talent to the team. Best case scenario he makes himself useful enough that it pushes Crawford to perform, and even could become trade bait at the deadline. Worst case scenario you've sunk maybe a few hundred K in a stopgap with ability, not the dumbest move you'll make in any given year.

Leave all the issues aside -- there will always be plenty to worry about, we all know that. I'm just glad the winter's almost over and we'll see baseball soon. I almost don't care how the season goes, it's always worse to have no baseball at all. Just shelled out $20 for Gameday Audio, which is probably the only baseball-related expense I'm going to be able to afford this year, and I am pumped just to hear baseball on the radio again.. Actually I can't quite shake this persistent, nagging sense of optimism. It feels like good things are going to happen this year, can't explain it better than that. Didn't feel this good about the team in '07. I think we have a lot of players who are going to do better than they did last year and I wouldn't even be surprised if Daisuke came back and shocked us at some point. He's due, he's a talented pitcher when his shoulder is healthy. Anyway, point being, I'm excited for the season to start and can't wait for things to get going. I'm hoping you guys aren't too much swayed by the overbearing negativism in the media and can start to feel the old eternal hope as well.

Well we can hope that he could become a Manny Declarmen type and we can squeeze some good years out of that.

He's got to have minor league options left, but as for gaining command, that's rare at 25YO. It happens, but not frequently. Usually if it's going to happen, a guy has enough command to handle a big league lineup by then.