moonslav59

DFA'ing would work, too. Protect Ward and sign another RP'er or add Sheriff.

Excellent points. While Varitek did have his first season over .800 at age 27, it took him until ages 31-33 to do it 3 years in a row. I don't believe, his defense was not all that highly regarded, at first, but maybe catching Wake early in his career hurt his numbers. He had 57 PBs from 1998-2000, including 2 seasons leading the league, there. He also allowed 58 WPs in those 3 years for a whopping 115 PB+WP. His CS% was never great (23%,) but to me the most telling improvement came in the CERA area. I normally frown upon just using overall CERA by catching tandems, since most of the time, they tend to catch different SP'ers almost exclusively, but I will list the year by year CERA numbers to show VTek's improvement occured mostly in his early 30's: 1998: 4.10 Hatteberg/ 4.29 VTek (age 26) 1999: 3.13 Hatteberg/ 3.98 VTek (age 27) 2000: 3.96 VTek (age 28)/ 5.02 Hatteberg 2001: 3.00 VTek (age 29)/ 4.60 Hatteberg/ 4.75 Mirabelli (generally regarded as + on D) 2002: 3.74 VTek/ 3.83 Mirabelli- essentially tied 2003: 4.46 Mirabelli/ 4.49 VTek- essentially tied 2004: 4.18 VTek/4.26 Mirabelli- same 2005: Ooops! 3.73 Mirabelli/ 5.02 VTek (Mirabelli, basically caught only Wake) 2006: 4.54 Mirabelli/ 4.84 VTek/ 5.58 JLopez/ 5.26 J Bard 2007: 3.80 VTek (age 35)/ 4.09 Mirabelli/ 3.95 K Cash 2008: 3.66 VTek (age 36)/ 4.81 KCash 2009: 3.87 VTek (age 37)/ 5.22 VMart/ 5.36 Kottaras 2010: 4.05 VTek/ 4.28 VMart (VTek was no longer the starting catcher at age 38)

There are so few catchers, these days, who get over 400 PAs as a catcher only. Last year, Vaz got... 390 as a catcher 21 at 1B 11 as a PH'er 4 as a DH He is widely viewed as a FT catcher for several years.

We might get more help from AA, but maybe Valdez or Bobby Dee give us something. D Hamilton might bring only speed to the big club, this year. The WOO rotation looks to be more promising: Whitlock (opening day SP on rehab), Mata (6), Walter (8), Murphy (13) and Gudino.

Since all our catchers have virtually no experience with our staff, nobody should have an advantage when compared to each other. One would expect McGuire to do better with the same pitchers Alfaro would catch, and since Wong's defensive and CERA-related skills are largely unknown, it's hard to no what to expect on that comp. I'm not sure will have a firm idea on how good McGuire or Wong are in this area, even by season's end.

I've heard he is supposed to be very good on D, but it is something very hard to quantify. His MLB sample sizes are not all that large. He has never started more than 70 games as a catcher in a MLB setting. One major area of concern, to me, is how he relates with the staff, and what his abilities are at bringing out the best from pitchers on the staff, especially those he catches the most. Since Wong and Alfaro are also new to the staff, it may be hard to evaluate this area, until an adjustment period is reached and sample sizes are large enough to meaningfully evaluate.

Good observation and something that needs to be tweaked. It also makes me think a runner has an advantage when there is 0.5 to 1 second left, I suppose, although the pitcher can still throw to 1B at that last millisecond, too.

Whitlock not on IL, but starts today for WOO. Is Bello ready to pitch live games?

I see 4.32 over his last 23 GS'd in 2022. It was 4.18 over his last 9. The last 16 of his 31 starts? 4.70 with a 3.54 FIP. (Not far from Nestor's 3.34 FIP over his last 16 GS'd.)

Now our true ace and #2, #3... will be facing other team's lesser pitchers.

I'd rather we be 1-0.

How can this team ever lose again? We have 6 guys with an OPS at 1.000 or better!!! 1.200 Verdugo 1.100 Turner & Yoshida 1.000 Devers, McGuire & Tapia (3 guys not on this list had 5 of the team's 8 RBIs, today.)

We proved we can come close!

Parity is here... 30 Teams 11 teams within 4 wins or losses of .500 14 teams with 6 15 within 8 5-6 games left to the season: 5 teams have clinched a playoff slot 4 teams are eliminated and 26 games are in it or within range. Only 1 team is one loss from elimination.

Tough loss. Let's make it 1 and 1, Saturday.

Without hope but not hopeless.

True, but one has to think it can't be enough time to determine, if he's worth keeping a 40 man slot open, once the time is up, right?

It was great that we saved our best RP'ers for tomorrow's day off.

I predict we will not win 162 games.

A different point, but way more meritorious.

At the risk of being called a cherry-picker, how about career? 46 OF'ers have 2400+ innings in CF since Kike entered MLB. He ranks... 10th in UZR/150 at 7.8 (JBJ is 11th at 6.6) top 25% 18th in DRS with 21 top 40% DRS/innings: I figure he passes 17. Straw, 12. Pillar, & 13. L Martin to place 15th (Top 1/3)

Only if he falls in a forest (and hurts himself.)

That DP with bases jacked did NOT help. (Same ole-same ole.)

Where is he ranked 18th?

But, we are the cherry-pickers.