moonslav59

No love for the best of 'em all? WONG!

I was thinking more about trading some lower redundancy- like Lugo, Bonaci or Downs. We need a young catcher and OF'ers more than 7th sting SSs. That's not to downplay the need to have depth at 2B/SS.

Indeed. We also have Mayer down the road, so Story, Mayer and Yorke up he middle. (Maybe Yorke changes positions.) I realize many players begin at SS and move off position, but we seem to now have a backlog at 2B/SS, even if Bogey moves on from Boston. Maybe we trade one, perhaps with other pieces for a good young catcher. (Maybe we just extend Vaz.) SS/2B in system Bogey Story Arroyo 2. Mayer 3. Yorke 5. Downs 21. McDonough 22. Bonaci 24. Rafaela 25. Paulino 26. Hamilton 28. Lugo (higher in many team rankings) 31. Kos 38. Fitzy (may make ML club)

...and satellites to the satellites.

AGon certainly "handled" Boston, well. His exit might have been slightly related to the whole crapola thing that went down in the clubhouse, but you are right on AGon.

Now, some will think we are the same poster!

Are you being sarcastic?

If they were losing money, every year, they wouldn't be selling them at enormous profits. I know this is not always true or a real bell weather, but the money these guys make when the decide to cash it all in, is usually incredible.

Spoken by the master, himself.

"The market" (media & fans) soured on these guys, and not just because of injuries.

Yup, and there are satellite companies owned by team owners that make tons of money off the team. (Like ownership in the cable company showing the games, concessions and memorabilia, etc...)

Both spent like maniacs, this winter!

Price did have issues with the "market," too. Pablo sucked, here. AGon did well, but was thought to be part of beergate. Renteria was hurt that one year that cost us about $40M. CC did not come close to what he did in his recent years with the Rays. HRam did okay, but that injury messed him up, and he petered out at the very end. Our last biggest deals have largely been failures to varying degrees. It's easy to understand the uneasiness with wanting to go large and long on anyone.

Worm can re-opened.

They'd sure like to think that.

Eovaldi had exceed expectations, after his signing, despite missing sometime that first contract season. Not only has he pitched more games and innings than most thought he would, he'd done as good or better than at any time in his career. He wasn't over the hill, when we signed him. His contract years run from age 29-32, so that is basically prime. ERA+ by team 96 LAD (age 21-22) 1.440 WHIP 93 MIA (age 22-24) 1.363 94 NYY (25-26) 1.387 97 TBR (28) 0.982 115 BOS (28-31 with age 32 to go) 1.280 His 127 ERA+ since 2020 is right up there with the best. In 2021, he led the league in GS (32) and FIP (2.79).

Sale runs with scissors in each hand and in his pockets.

No doubt, but like I said, nobody is happy about needing to replace Eovaldi with some one who projects to do what he has just done at just $17M/yr going forward.

Close to Moncada money- more with inflation figured in (same with Dice-K, who also had an enormous posting fee/bid)

Yes, it's just one, and as a RHB, he'd likely get more action than Duran would. I doubt the A's take Downs for Manaea & Piscotty, let alone adding Trivino, but they might take Jordan for the 3.

Who is happy about that $17M coming off the books? He is mentioned when we say how much money is coming off the books, but replacing him and Bogey for $17 and $20M will not be easy.

Indeed, and the systm has changed to not allow for that anymore. I mentioned that, too, but there are still cases like Suzuki where we keep missing out. We paid Dice-K.

It wouldn't be to expect great things from him, but as a 4th OF'er playing only vs LHPs, he might still be an upgrade over JBJ, Duran and even Verdugo. My idea was that maybe we trade Duran and others for Montas or Manaea or a catching prospect plus Piscotty, so we don't have to give much else to the A's. They would love to dump his salary. BTV accepted these deals: Downs (or just Gonzalez or Jordan) for Manaea, Piscotty & Trivino Duran, Seabold, Bonaci & Wong for Langeliers, Picotty & Trivino Duran, Dalbec, Bello, Downs & Gonzalez for Montas, Langeliers, Piscotty and Trivino

Leyt's hope his velocity returns. Without it, the change-up has little affect.

I've certainly lost my higher hopes for him, after hearing all this and watching him try to get just one out, yesterday. My point was he was probably not "horrible" in AAA last year, and he certainly was not as good as his numbers indicated- which had kept my hopes up for him, until recently. I also was going off of some soxprospects reports: 5/5/21 Connor Seabold got the start in the last game of the series and was solid, throwing six shutout innings, striking out five, while allowing five hits, walking two. The Mets lineup featured several former major league players, so it was a good test for him and he passed easily, even though he lacked feel for his best pitch. Seabold came out throwing 93-95 mph in the first before settling in at 91-94 mph. His control was plus, but his command was a little off and he lost it at times, especially in the second inning. Whenever it went, however, he was able to pitch through it and work out of trouble. Seabold’s best secondary is his changeup, but he only threw it a few times of the course of the outing. It was clear he lacked feel for it until his sixth inning off work when he threw a few good ones—both parts of that statement confirmed by Seabold in his post-game press availability. With his changeup lacking, he instead relied on his slider, which flashed solid-average potential. It ranged from 81-86 mph and had short, 10-to-4 break. He showed confidence in the pitch, which is an encouraging development as our previous reports had it as a clear third pitch and more on the developmental side. If that pitch can get to average, along with his increased velocity and plus changeup, that gives him three at least average pitches in his arsenal. Seabold also showed a fourth pitch, a curveball, that he has used sparingly before. It came in 75-79 mph with longer, 11-to-5 shape. He did not consistently snap it off and it seemed like a fringe-average pitch at best. Overall, it was an encouraging look, as Seabold was able to control a veteran lineup without his best pitch. 10/27/21: Not so flattering, but not so dismal either. Coming into the 2021 season, Connor Seabold (#SP60 no. 8) was seen as one of the top pitching prospects in the system and potential major league depth should the need arise. The need did arise, but unfortunately, Seabold missed the first two-and-a-half months of the minor league season with right-elbow inflammation and only threw 62 2/3 innings between the minors and one MLB start posting a 3.59 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 64 strikeouts and 24 walks. In April, prior to his injury, Seabold was sitting 91-95 mph at the Alternate Training Site. His slider looked better than it did last year, but he did not have feel for his changeup, which was his best pitch coming into the year. He also had added a curveball as a fourth pitch. After his injury, Seabold put up good numbers, but his stuff was inconsistent and his velocity did not return. He sat 89-92 mph and topped out at 93, a grade below what he was before. His feel for his changeup was still inconsistent, to the point where scouts saw his slider as having replaced it as his primary secondary. Scouts still have confidence in his feel and command, but the decreased velocity and regressing changeup create a wider range of outcomes. Seabold still has major league potential, but he looks more like a number five starter or swing-man type rather than the potential number four starter he looked like before. In the AFL, I will be closely watching reports on his stuff to see if his velocity and changeup come back. If they do, his projection could return to what it was heading into the season, but if not, it adds another data point and further questions about whether his pre-injury stuff will ever come back and lead to more questions heading into 2022. Their summary evaluation: Potential number 5 starter. Ceiling of a solid 3-to-4 starter. Lacks a plus pitch right now, but will show three at least-average offerings. Strong pitchability and advanced command and control profile allow his arsenal to play up. At his best, can generate whiffs with three pitches. Not the highest ceiling, but command/control and feel/pitchability, combined with proximity to MLB, give him a high floor. Needs velocity and feel for changeup to return to reach his ceiling. With diminished velocity projects more as a spot-starter or low-end number five type.