moonslav59

The issue was more about 1B than OF/DH, but as it turned out, Dalbec remained on fire through AUG and into SEP.

I think I did what I often criticize others for doing: reading too much into recent stats. Rizzo 2014-2019 (per 162 games) .284 32 105 (70 XBHs and .901 OPS) Rizzo 2020-2021 (including time with NYY) .240 27 69 (53 XBH and .775 OPS) While 819 PAs seems like a large enough sample size, it often is misleading. I'm not sure anyone projected these numbers for 2022 (per 162 games) .281 39 94 (65 XBHs and .827 OPS) but it's not really all that extreme a jump, even at age 32 and about to be 33.

Maybe manager of the last 19 games of the year award.

Double what!

I think Bogey walks and it's 50-50 on Devers.

Did it work?

Neither Vaz or Wacha will get a QO. I don't think it's even close.

The list of Yankee and Sox free agents-to-be is sizable and eye-opening. If many end up back with their current clubs, no biggie, but there is a chance for some serious make-overs.

I guess we are destined to an eternity of MVP griping.

When none can catch a pop-up, how can Cora be blamed for choosing the wrong one?

How many more wins would we have had we played Dalbec at 1B FT, played Cordero in RF everytime Arroyo did, and gone with another crappy RP'er instead of the one he chose?

Not me. I'd sign Devers forevers, but I'm not sure this management team will ever go larger and longer than about what Story got. They did offer Betts a ton, so who knows. I think we need to "bite the bullet" once or twice a decade. As much as I knew the Price deal was too large and way too long, I felt it was needed, at that time. I feel like, this coming winter will be a time like Price's was. I suppose we could go with 2-3 Story type deals or $20-24M x 4-5 year deals, but I don't see a stud coming out of the minors anytime, soon, so a big one may be needed.

They jumped Rafaela from 19 to 8, but Bleis only from 8 to 7. Would you put these two ahead of Yorke, Walter & Mata?

Great news. He might get enough PAs to give us an idea about how much we might count on him for 2023 and beyond. (I think we find a 1 year 1Bman over the winter.)

There are no longer one game for WC match-up. The 3rd best division winner joins the 3 WC teams for a 3 game series at the higher record's home field, but yes, 2 teams will be sent packing in the first round, in b oth leagues. The 3rd Div winner & 3 WC teams have a much lower chance of winning it all that the teams with first round byes. Having to win 3 series sure beats having to win 4.

I agree. In 2021, Cora got credit for sticking with guys like Dalbec, Kike and Renfroe, who struggled early, but then he should get dinged for sticking with players like Dalbec, Diekman and others, this year. Our 40 man roster is way stronger than 2020 and significantly stronger than 2021. This is the area Bloom addressed right out of the gate, and it shows. Given a larger budget, Bloom was finally given the chance to address the top of the 26 man roster. So far, Story has been a letdown, despite his RBI total keeping him from being a total disaster out of the gate. Wacha & Strahm carried us for a while. Last spring's waiver wire pick-up of Schreiber is looking like the type of "gems in the rough" finds the Rays were famous for making, when Bloom was there. Refsnyder is quickly proving to be a similar type find. So far, we've seen 20 players get 3 or more PAs and 14 with 80 or more. The bottom 5 of those 14 have done much better than the bottom 5 of 2021. PAs Player OPS 203 Cordero .713 127 Arroyo .640 101 Duran .763 91 Plawecki .487 80 Refsnyder .957 2021: 271 Marwin .567 173 Plawecki .737 136 Cordero .497 127 Santana .597 112 Duran .578 (+82 Chavis .549/ 75 Arauz .643) The biggest gains have come from the SP'er pick-ups as compared to 2021's: IP Pitcher ERA 2021 137 Richards 4.87 114 Perez 4.74 73 Whitlock 1.96 2022 71 R Hill 4.20 70 Wacha 2.69 36 Davis 2.48 (much pen than starter) Pen 2021 62 Ottavino 4.21 53 Sawamura 3.06 37 Andriese 6.03 (DFA'd) 2022 36 Davis 2.48 31 Danish 4.02 31 Diekman 3.48 29 Schreiber 0.62 28 Strahm 3.58 25 Robles 5.84

It seems to go in waves.

I'm not convinced this team has totally sworn off large and long deals, forever. I see the logic in that philosophy, but sometimes biting the bullet is needed. To me, if it's not for Devers, I can't see it being anyone else, at least for a while. I'm wondering if the Story deal is as large and long as they dare go.

We have too many ML bubble RPers to fill the 8 slots for the pen. At some point, Bloom will have to go with quality over the desire to keep as much quantity as possible. The returning IL pitchers will force his hand, and the return of Barnes might be the one that forces Bloom’s hand. I think Diekman goes. Unless someone else gets hurt we can’t have 3 of the 8 slots filled with Barnes, Davis and Diekman- all with no options. We already have Sawamura for low leverage situations.

Long awaited!

A blind man reading braille can see the light of day on Diekman.

Me, too. Coming after losing Betts & Bogey will compound my misery.

I was dead wrong on him, last deadline and last winter.

I've never wanted anyone DFA'd over one game, and I've suggested Diekman be DFA'd days and maybe weeks ago, but I'm done with that guy. I know we have a bunch of guys on the IL, but when one of these guys return, Diekman has to go. The sooner, the better.

Is it safe to say, Bello is demoted after, tonight to make room on the 26 for Sale?