moonslav59

It looks that way, but I would expect the current farm ranking to be a significant part of the rubric. Maybe they link farm with recent grads into one grade.

I think we knew he was hurt, but we expected him to recover, at some point, to a higher level than he ever came close to. He might have been viewed as a dump that allowed us to get Kelly, who had a very good outlook, at the time.

The fact is, we don't get Kelly and Craig (who still had some promise at 1B) without that clause. At the time, I had hoped we'd traded most of our rotation for near ML ready prospects, like we did in the Miller for ERod trade. The Lester trade brought us Cespedes who we morphed into Porcello. Peavy got us Escobar & Hembree. Doubront got us Marco Hernandez.

Yes, and although we need a RF'er, it should not come at that cost in top prospects.

Agree, but one note on the pen: Whitlock and Houck started 13 games, last year, so if Houck stays in the pen, and Whitlock stays a starter, all year, we are just losing half a season of pen work and adding a full season of Martin- a slight gain in numbers but maybe not in quality. Maybe Whitlock pitches more IP and takes some strain off the pen, as well, but yes, I hope we add one more solid arm to the pen. Again, I get a sneaky feeling we will not. I think we will add a SP, SS, RF'er and C and call it a day. We'll save some budget space for the deadline. Just my opinion on what we will do- not what I hope we do.

Glad to not hear Kyle Gibson had a deal with the Sox, but chose the O's.

I'm not saying it will be Reynolds, but I think you have one more splash coming. FA or trade.

Because the Yanks go broke outbidding the Giants for Judge?

The Big 12 is not all that strong, but I think a 1 loss team deserves it over a two loss. TCU did beat Texas and K St- both ranked. Yes, Alabama had a tougher schedule, but I think they should keep it at no 2 loss teams ever making it. Bama is better, so I get it.

I don't think you are done wheeling and dealing. Your window is now.

Will the Mariners try to make sure the Rangers stay behind them by going big splash, too?

With deGrom off the boards, does it mean this... Verlander to Mets? Rodon to Yankees?

I like Houck, a lot, despite the whole no vax fiasco. If he comes back healthy, and we stop jerking him around, I think he has a good chance to be a solid closer, but nothing is certain. That being said, I think his BTV value of 18.5 is pretty accurate. Of all our top BTV numbers, I do think trading Houck and Schreiber might make the most sense, despite our pen being a weak area. If we sign a few more pen arms, it would make up for their loss, but cost more. Since we have budget space, that is doable, as long as we can get a better SP'er for them. Maybe we add a prospect and can get Lopez, Rogers or Luzardo & Berti. Our top BTV numbers: 55 Mayer 41 Casas 35 Devers 34 Whitlock 33 Bello 19 Schreiber 19 Houck 15 Rafaela 14 Bleis 8.7 Romero 8.0 Yorke 6.5 Anthony 6.5 Coffey 6.5 McGuire (BTV loving the Sox deadline deals) 5.9 Duran 5.7 Verdugo 5.6 Walter 5.6 Lugo 5.0 Jordan 5.0 Paulino 4.2 Paxton (Hmmmm....) 3.8 Mata 3.6 Murphy 3.1 Hosmer (Another deadline plus) 2.9 Seabols 1.9-2.6: Bonaci, Wink, Hamilton, Taylor, Jimenez, Abreu & Wong Of our top prospects, it seems like Rafaela is the best one with higher value, Yorke might be a sell low option and Lugo due to a bottle neck at SS on the farm. Duran is the obvious over valued one, and if any GM thought he was worth close to his BTV value, he'd be included in my suggested trade. So, what can we get with a combination of this.... 19.0 Schreiber 18.5 Houck 8.0 Yorke 5.9 Duran 5.6 Lugo Other possibles: 5.6 Walter 5.0 Jordan 4.2 Paxton 3.6 Murphy 3.2 Hosmer 2.9 Seabold 2.6 Bonaci or Wink 1.1 Downs

One trade candidate hardly anyone is mentioning is Houck. Maybe his injury makes him an unlikely target, but including him in a trade would help us avoid giving a top 3 prospect. BTV accepted this (I would not do it): Rafaela, Houck, Romero, Yorke and Walter for Reynolds BTV accepted this one: Rafaela & Walter for Keller (I threw in Duran to sweeten the pot)

Sadly, I agree. The close way TCU lost might help them, but 'Bama is a bigger draw and a money-maker.

Maybe the team offering him 4 had a hard time going from 3 to 4, and 5 was just too much.

I think a lot would get real excited to read we traded for Reynolds, and they don't really keep track or care much about unproven prospects or young players. I would not trade Mayer, Casas, Bello or Bleis for Reynolds. Rafaela, Downs, Duran and Wikelman, yes, but that won't get that deal done.

I wonder if they are bidding against themselves, recently. I doubt anyone else would come close to that, but who knows?

I think it would be the first time a 2 loss team makes the playoffs. 12-0 Georgia (winning as I type) 12-0 Michigan (plays Purdue, tonight) (Both of these teams are in, even if they lose, today) 12-1 TCU 11-1 OH St 11-2 USC 10-2 Alabama 10-2 Clemson (plays #23 UNC, tonight) 10-2 TN, Penn St & Clemson (Hard to justify jumping ahead of AL)

Yup. He's a good one, too!

Bogey (w opt out), Sale, Nate, Pearce, Perez, Kike Nobody real big since Bogey, Sale & Nate.

Assign the weight that is just enough to make SEA come out on top. BTW, 3 years is "distant," too. Almost as distant as 4 years!

Indeed. I'd add Bleis to the list of "only for a controllable ace" return.

Some GM may value Rafaela, Walter and Mata even more than I do. They may prefer Wikelman over Walter. One never knows.

BTV has accepted some very reasona ble trades with the Marlins. One type might be to take on Soler or Garcia's contracts to lessen the return package needed. Now, some here might not call Lopez or Rogers an "ace," but I think both rate to be top 30 SP'ers the next 3+ years- maybe even Luzardo could. We might even be able to get our RF'er and leadoff hitter as part of the deal. This was rated an overpay by the Sox on BTV: Mayer & Wikleman for Rogers, Cabrera & Berti (I might do it for Lopez and Berti alone, and BTV accepted it) I still like taking on Soler or Garcia as the best way to get an ace. It's like their contracts pay for an ace, and both are cheaper than an ace.