moonslav59

We've been conditioned to expect no large and long deals, but maybe this is the winter we pounce. I seriously doubt we go L & L on two highly-skilled players, but I do hold out some hopes we do one L & L and one large and short deal, plus a major trade. We need 3 major additions to improve the team, IMO. Minimum. That's still relying on in-house solutions to a few problem areas, either by seeing better health (Casas, Mayer, several pitchers and more games from Anthony, Abreu, Narvaez +++) or some of the younger players making major progressions.

I like Brez a lot, despite some mistakes, and the mistake trades he made had merit when made. I'll leave it at that. Some of his FA signings have been horrible, and when you try to go short on SP'ers, you get what you expect. (Hell, evenmost long deals have bad track records, too.) He's made some very good to brilliant trades and signings, and I think they outweigh the bad ones, but overall he has not been superb. I've mentioned trading KC, too. I don't think his stock fell by as much as some seem to think based on a couple bad months in his rookie season, but I do worry about "selling low" on him. I do feel like we have to move beyond the "worry" and make some tough choices. I worry about trading Duran or Abreu, too. I think back to the Sale and Priester trades, but we can't let some bad trades put up a barrier to being bold, this coming winter. I really respect the idea of building a strong farm and letting it play out, but when you get to an open window like this one, which may be 3-5+ years long, I think trading some (NOT MOST) of the future for the now is called for. I also want to point out that trading for the "now" doesn't have to be and should not be trading for one and done stars like maybe Skubal. I'd prefer trading for 3+ years of controlled players, but 2 years, like Ryan or Lodolo and trying hard to extend them is fine by me. I'd look at making 2 big trades and 2 big signings, but 3 mega deals would be fine, too. Trade Duran for Lodolo. (If we have to include DHam or sandlin, fine.) Trade Campbell and someone like Crawford, Fitts, Harrison or even a better and younger pitcher for Ryan is another option. Doing both would be great, but only if we sign 2 big bats. Trading this sort of package for K Marte may work, too.

If we did trade for Yandy and B Lowe, which would save a ton of money over an Alonso signing, then maybe we could afford Schwarber or Bregman. If we went to the second line, we could afford both, but no way JH does this. IMO, if we go to the second line, one of the major deals will be a one year signing, so we can reset the tax in 2027 (which would be year 3 with major penalties.) I'm not sure who this winter's Bregman will be, but I have read maybe Gleyber Torres. I'm wondering if Polanco might want to prove 2025 was no fluke, have another big season in a hitting friendly park and then go for more money in 2027. Maybe we'd just trade for Yandy and a solid #2 SP'er, then sign Bregman or Suarez at 3B (multi year) and Torres or Polanco at 2B (1 year) 1. L Anthony LF 2. R Y Diaz 1B 3. S Polanco 2B (L Mayer) 4. R Bregman 3B (L Mayer) 5. L Abreu RF 6. R Story SS (L Mayer) 7. L Yoshida/ R Romy DH 8. R Narvaez C 9. R Rafaela CF Bench: Wong, Mayer, Romy, Eaton (Duran, Sandlin & DHam traded) SP: Crochet, Ryan/Lodolo, Bello, Sandoval, Dobbins/Early/Tolle/Harrison/Perales/Crawford/Fitts/Criswell RP: Chapman, Whitlock, Slaten, Weissert, Crawford, Fitts, Bernardino, Hicks/Criswell/Wink/Murphy/Kelly/converted SP'ers

This point was made as a response to those who say trade only if we can extend. Well, extending him will cost what it takes to sign him in 2027, anyway, so why not just wait a year and keep Duran or the other packages suggested. I agree, JH will not pay Skubal the money Yamamoto made, and he might get more... AAV for sure.

I think Cora likes DHam more than Sogard, and that may matter more than anything. Story's improved health probably kept of from seeing who Cora prefers at SS as the back-up, and since DHam was on the 26 man roster more than others, of course he played more innings at certain positions than Sogard and Eaton. The wildcard is now Romy. He advanced himself mightily in 2025 and has to be viewed as the first back-up at several positions, even if he's not as good on D at most. The first base play may have warped the numbers at 2B, SS and 3B, which could change in 2026, if we have an actually FT 1Bman. Romy started 41 games at 1B and was second in innings (368) to Toro. Sogard had 94 innings at 1B, and it's not clear he'd have played somewhere else in those games, if he was not needed at 1B. With Romy, I think he'd have played 2B, DH or somewhere else, if he wasn't at 1B. 1B: 509 Toro, 368 Romy, 241 Lowe, 235 Casas, 94 Sogard (ZERO from Devers) 2B: 472 Campbell, 402 DHam, 288 Romy, 165 Rafaela, 65 Sogard, 57 Mayer Since Romy bats RH'd, he would not have played 2B much vs RHPs, because Cora likes DHam vs RHPs, despite his poor 2025 numbers vs righties (.618,) but he may have played more innings at 2B, if not needed at 1B. It's interesting that Romy only started 1 game at 3B, despite Bregman's injury. DHam played 1 inning at 3B. 3B: 972 Bregman, 249 Mayer, 102 Toro (Romy played 1B when Toro was at 3B many times) 73 Eaton (same 10 GS as Toro) 39 Sogard, 12 Romy, 1 DHam Cora seems to be okay playing DHam at SS, while many of us cringe at the idea. He blew other back-ups away in innings at SS in 2025 and previous years, too- except for Kike & Rafaela in specific seasons, for obvious reasons. SS: 1371 Story, 69 DHam, 5 Sogard, 3 Mayer I think it safe to say that Romy will be the primary infield utility player in 2026, and he will almost certainly have a platoon role at DH, 1B or 2B, depending on who we add, next year. The second guy will likely be DHam, but I'd be fine with the switch hitting Sogard over the LHB DHam. Since Eaton can play OF, and we will likely not have Campbell or Garcia on the 26 to platoon rather than play FT in AAA, maybe he beats out Sogard. (If Ref comes back, I think we take Sogard over Eaton, but still DHam is #2.)

Abreu is now better vs LHPs than Duran. Let's see how that pans out. If we don't bring Ref back, maybe Abreu plays FT. (I doubt we use Garcia or Campbell as strict short side platoon players.) IMO, Duran will be traded and Abreu becomes a FT player. If Ref comes back, he may share platoon with Masa at DH and Abreu or Duran (or both).

.618 vs RHPs is not too healthy.

We could trade for Yandy and a #2 SP'er AND spend a lot on 3B and 2B....maybe DH.

Big NO!

Just sign Skubal next winter.

I'd start Criswell over Uberstine and Drohan. Dobbins may start the season on the IL. Fitts should be in the pen to start the season, IMO. I do think Early and Tolle should be better options, but let's see how they look in ST'ing. I agree that cheap depth is good.

I would not spend large or long on Gallen.

To me, we can be a top contender with 3 major additions: SP2, 2B/3B (Mayer plays the other) and 1B. Since we can and should trade for one, we could easily fill the other two slots by free agency. If it's $45-50M (1st line) it might be a little difficult, but not very difficult. Estimates show we could maybe sign Alonso plus Polanco or Suarez. If we spend to the second line, we could easily do it, or even sign 3 major players. We are in good shape, if JH just spends to the first line and Brez makes a good trade.

I doubt we sign even Suarez & Polanco.

The Domers won big over 7 and 1 Navy, who were ranked 23rd before losing last week. They should pass BYU, who lost to TEX Tech. My guess is the top 12 will be... 1. OSU 9-0 2. TX A&M 9-0 3. IN 10-0 (almost lost) 4. AL 8-1 5. GA 8-1 6. Ole Miss 9-1 7. TX Tech 9-1 8. OR 8-1 (almost lost) 9. ND 7-2 10. TX 7-2 11. OK 7-2 12. Vandy 8-2 ____________ 13. UT 7-2 14. GA Tech 8-1 15. MIA 7-2 16. USC 7-2 17. MI 7-2 18. BYU 8-1 19. VA 8-2 20. PIT 7-2 __________________ Big games next weekend: 12 OKL at 4 AL 11 TEX at 5 GA 10 ND at 24 PIT Other top ranked teams: UCLA at 1 Ohio St WI at 2 IN So Carolina at 3 TX A&M FL at Ole Miss MN at 8 OR (Friday) UCF at 8 TX Tech 13 UT at Baylor

Trade for pitching.

I'll trust DRS and OAA. if you're below avg on both...

No doubt, but many are not ready. He signed for just over min wage.

It's 2 years of Duran for one of Skubal. Pretty close to fair, but is 2 years of Lodolo or Ryan better?

Kim is below avg in DRS and OAA on D. Nope.

I think the $38M is counting Lowe's $10-12M.

That would be a dream come true. I'm thinking Alonso and Polanco 2b or Suarez 3B with Mayer playing 2B or 3B.

It's damn near impossible for Brez to accept Mayer not having a slot.