moonslav59

The build confidence in the minors. Maybe the system weeds out those who can't handle pressure in the minors.

Much of baseball is based on confidence, especially with pitchers on certain pitches. I do think it's only a very slight risk of over-throwing. I doubt that is a factor. If no harm can be done, hey Bogey's out- call up Mayer. He's got the hot hand. Call up Yorke to take the place of the clowns we've had at 2B the last few days. No risk, right?

I was speaking to the point he needs to play everyday. Is "the man" ready to oust Verdugo, Kike or Renfroe from an OF position even by September of next year? I said I was fine having him as our 4th OF'er, but when the discussion turned to having a defensive 4th OF'er, so maybe Schwarber can be moved to 1B in late innings, I asked about where that leaves Duran? I am not down on Duran. I have been maybe Dalbec's biggest supporters on this site. Duran and Dalbec are "men" in terms of age and maturity. My issue with Duran had nothing to do with an age or fragile emotional level: it had to do with thinking maybe his defense was not ready and that he just made a major change to his batting approach. My position on Duran was to call him up when Bloom & Co. deemed him ready. (I'm not for demoting him, despite his slow- small sample start.) Groome is a whole other case. The guy has barely pitched in the minors. Age is not everything, and his numbers don't even warrant a call-up over others with better numbers- some even older than him- like Seabold or Crawford. I'm not against calling anyone up, but I do think it can do the team and the player harm to call them up too early, especially way too early. Again, if Bloom calls Groome up tomorrow, then I trust he's more ready than Seabold and Crawford. I'm just speculation like everyone else.

No, but do you believe no harm can be done? No harm will likely be done? Totally not sure?

Many seem to feel like it can't hurt to call anyone up too early, let alone way too early.

If that's the case, then a trade is the only way he plays everyday, unless is at WOO.

This also begs the question: why Duran as the 4th OF'er in 2022?

I remember that game. I think Papelbon went 2 or even 3 innings. I also remember Price getting the save in game 7 for the Rays.

7 out of 11.

In reality, the choice is just $8.5M, since his buy out is $1.5M on the team option of $10M. I'm not sure what the 2022 lux tax number is, since they counted the $1.5M on his 2021 lux tax cost. I know, more dollar signs.

To me, the game 7 loss in '75 was the worst. I was a teen, and after game 6, it hurt the most. The '78 play-in game with the Yanks was probably #2, but game 6 of '86 is close. While the 2003 loss was very bad and just added to the long-standing grief, somehow the fact that I expected us to lose made it easier to handle than the other.

The narrative was false to begin with and was based on 1 or 2 years where he had one or two awful late season games that totally skewed his numbers.

I think Ottavino has been a plus. He may barely be worth his contract. I've always liked Kike in the OF, but I also wanted Marisnik as our 4th OF'er. I would not pay Richards $10M to be in our pen, next year, unless he keeps this up (or nearly as good) to the end of 2021.

So was not benching JD for 3 games.

2-3 innings every third day with no others used, unless needed. Actually, I still trust Ottavino more than Valdez.

Pens that have been lights out always continue to be lights out?

It's the ole "what if" argument. Maybe the pen gives up 3HRs in a row. One sure wrong vs one possible wrong, is how I see it, but if the call was a lose-lose, how can the manager be blamed? (Note the "if.")

Ottavino is not overpaid, IMO, but he's not bargain basement, either. Neither is Perez or Barnes.

He's ideal for Yankee stadium, where a strong arm is still important but range can be hidden.

Why mess with my messing with the stork?

Actually, we may not have been "wrong." We'll never know what the pen would have done instead of what Pedro did. It might have been a lose-lose choice.

How about Espinal to Boston, you know the pitcher of the month in AAA? Oh, yes, we tried that.

His defense was why I was very high on him, when we traded for him. I guess his lack of offense, this year, should not have surprised me. Maybe he just needs to be a .720-.750 OF'er to stick around.

Agreed, and since he'd play half is games in Fenway's LF and 9 or so in RF at NYY, maybe the defense can be hidden a bit. 1B is highly questionable, but if Dalbec's defense does not improve at 1B, how much of a drop off can he be there? With JD likely gone after 1 year, assuming no opt out, we'd have to live with poorer D for a year, then he DH's, but again, how much should we pay a DH-only guy? Is Schwarber any better than JD on defense? He may also be an injury risk the more he plays D- just like JD.