Dojji

Just heard it on the radio, I don't have a link, I'm sure one will emerge soon EDIT: there we go http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-verge-hiring-former-red-sox-gm-ben-cherington/

If either Quintana or Kluber changed hands this offseason I's wonder what the Guardians/White Sox knew that we didn't. It isn't very common at all for aces to change hands in trade while they're still aces, especially with years of team control left on their deals. If either of those 2 names were traded this offseason, I'd personally suspect it was the selling team cashing in on past value before the facts caught up with them -- if you take my meaning.

I think the nerves were a factor in some of his sloppy play. He's come a long way in a short time and may just need some seasoning before he can settle in.

Carson Smith is going to come in handy once we get him back. And Miley's numbers are actually worse than Buchholz' on this year.

Not sure the age thing is as relevant as you're hoping it is. As we've seen with a number of fat pitchers over the years, and speaking as a very fat man myself -- having that much extra weight ages you and creates extra wear on your frame. CC Sabathia was never the same again after age 32. Bartolo Colon, before his "miraculous recovery" *coughPEDcough*, hit the skids at 31. Lotta fat players start seriously declining a few years early and Pablo's fatter than most.

Because potential. Do you need another reason?

You're seriously overthinking the analogy at this point a700, the overall point is that we have seen nothing from Moncada that will allow us to judge anything about his long term success or lack thereof.

Neither is Moncada.

This would be a fantastic time to buy low on Zimmermann who has gotten rather unlucky this year. Better him than Buchholz For the record -- I just looked up Pomeranz' numbers. After a clear adjustment period in July, he's really settled down, and his overall numbers since coming to Boston are pretty reasonable. It's beginning to look like we have a fair chance to get our Espinosa's worth out of the guy.

Not sold on a real improvement at 1B being available, unless Moncada pushes Shaw off the hot corner. But Shaw as a 1B has problems offensively, he's picking up some value playing at the harder position and his offense is only adequate. I know Sam Travis impressed us last Spring but he followed that up by putting up mediocre numbers in AA and getting hurt -- not exactly an auspicious sign. Personally I suspect our DH next year will either be Mr. Blake Swihart, or a mix between Young and Shaw as we get a little squiggly trying to find places for all our infield talent to play. Dealing with Hanley at first might be a necessary evil to maximize the at bats of the best available talent, especially if Moncada breaks into the team early next year, which he easily could..

There's really nothing wrong with HanRam's performance. People expecting brilliant defense at 1B are really laughable considering this is the first time the guy's ever played there. He's not great but he's not a disaster either, and 22 HR and 92 RBI tells me he's doing the REAL job of a first baseman pretty well, especially given the tough start he had at the plate this year. Can we do better? Yeah, probably, but we're stuck with this guy, and he's put up about 2 WAR at the first base position between offense and defense. We have too many other areas we also have to upgrade, to spend a lot of time sweating about an above average player playing first base. Just think -- it's within Hanley's power to improve his value just by putting in reps at first in the offseason. I hope he does so, because if he can get that defense up to average level, he'll earn himself another contract with some team or another after this one's over.

I agree with this. People waiting for Clay to magically be consistent at this point in his career are kidding themselves. He's a littery ticket, a 1 in whatever chance of a great player, but most likely to leave you wanting. We can do better.

Great news that we're getting Benintendi back soon.

We are going to have a ridiculous bench next year if Moncada cracks the roster, which there's no reason he can't. If Shaw is sitting on the bench because there's no better place to put him, then our 4 man bench is probably one of Vazquez, Swihart or Leon, plus Holt or Hernandez, plus Young, plus Shaw. Most likely as follows: C: Leon (he's earned the right to at least start next year as the presumptive starter, whatever happens) 1B: HanRam (I'm satisfied with his performance, if he loses that job it will be to Shaw) 2B: Pedroia 3B: Moncada (I think he's ready, the question is, can Shaw make a case for making Moncada wait?) SS: Bogaerts RF: Betts CF: JBJ LF: Benintendi DH: rotational, probably mostly Young and Shaw Bench UT: Holt Bench C: Vazquez (Swihart, with the higher offensive potential, gets his swings in in the minors until he's needed) Bench IF: Shaw (if we crowd Shaw into the bench role with Moncada and Hanram starting, we'll have the best depth at the corners we've had since 05 when Kevin Youkilis was on the bench) Bench OF: Young If we don't make a big acquisition to play DH full time, then we have 2 opportunities that could both be worth our time 1: HanRam as full time DH. He's our biggest defensive liability, replacing him in the field with a defensive asset (Shaw) might be worth our time 2: Young/Shaw platoon at DH. If HanRam feels he needs to play defensively to be effective, and this is a stunt I feel he might pull, running a platoon of our best platoon hitters might be the best way to go. Neither Young or Shaw should be given the DH spot on their own, but a platoon of the two has potential to be highly effective Of course all that fancy schmancy overthinking goes out of the window if Ortiz decides to play another year. I don't think he could have expected to play this well, I'd love to have him back if he's willing to come back.

This thread will be interesting to read in 5 years or so

On pure field tactics? Never has been yet. If a manager can't get his players to perform to spec, it doesn't matter how good a field tactician is. If he can get his players to do their jobs on the field, it doesn't matter how bad a field tactician he is. Field tactics is a tiny piece of a manager's job description.

That's a bit of a leap of logic, to put it mildly, don't you think? Kimmi's point is that there are very few managerial decisions that are cut and dried until after they succeed or fail. Criticizing a coach from hindsight, when no coach ever has the benefit of hindsight when making the decision in the first place, is ridiculous and stupid.

Oh UN was being polite, I agree. He was also out of line. VJSmoke's post didn't rate that level of pushback at all.

Nothing Moncada has done to this point is indicating that he is a waste of money. There's being realistic, and then there's being a negative Nancy. I'd say this reply is clearly over that line.

There isn't a FO in history that doesn't have plenty of boondoggles. The only FO that doesn't have expensive failures, is the FO that doesn't take big risks to improve its team. That kind of FO is generally content with years of losing to build up a roster through the draft. We should be grateful that our ownership is as willing to write the checks and eat the failures as it is, it's the willingness to fail in the drive to succeed that leads to the team being as good as it is, as often as it is.

VJCsmoke's position is also valid to that discussion and does not need to be belittled or contradicted.

If he's good, I don't care. Beating the market for talented young players is why baseball teams have money.

But which is the pound-foolish decision? Bringing him back for postseason impact and risking further injury and a reduction to his career? Or saving him from the long haul, and risking falling back into an uncompetitive state after this year, squandering the chance for glory?

I didn't say she was great at wearing a shirt. I'd say she's maybe just above replacement level.

I actually like the new one better. At least this one knows how to wear a shirt. She seems inordinately proud of that fact, but hey, we have to celebrate life's little accomplishments right?