moonslav59

My choice is E-HERN!

Nobody is talking about Ole Jed.

If we want to keep some budget space for the deadline, he might be the best option. If we float EHern between 2B and CF, we'd basically be deciding who to play: Marisnick or Arroyo/Chavis. Or, if we need offense, we go with Verdugo in CF, Renfroe in RF and Beni in LF, regardless of what handed pitcher is in the game. I could see us starting many games like that, and bringing in Marisnick for late inning defense.

Agreed, but I still think EHern is our best option in CF. The problem is, are there any 2Bmen left out there?

Agreed. I will say that Renfroe's numbers vs RHPs are not horrific. The .216 BA is, but he still hits a lot of HRs and has a slg% of .449 and an OPS of .717. His 162 game averages? 47 HRs vs LHPs 36 HRs vs RHPs In 2019, it was 53 v L and 39 HRs v R.

Apparently, that's what many owners want- deflated salaries. I hope it goes away and is replaced by a floor limit. Teams should be forced to spend a certain amount on player salary.

Maybe teams will try to reset after year 2, to avoid year 3's. If that's the case, and we go over in year 2022, then maybe 2024 is a reset year. BTW, the Yanks are favorites to make the WS, and they are resetting, this year, so a reset year need not be a rebuilding year.

Renfroe averages 40 HRs and 72 XBHs per 660 PAs. He has 41 HRs in his last 633 PAs. Maybe Fenway turns him into a monster. (In 11 PAs at Fenway, he has a 1.455 OPS. TINY SAMPLE SIZE ALERT!)

It's not about waiting until 2024. The plan could mean we win or are highly competitive by 2023 and maybe even 2022, but seriously. do you think we should have a better chance of winning in 2021 or 2024 or 2025? The plan should be to continually improve over 2021 and sustain a better team than the 2021 one in 2024 and well beyond. That's why not going over the tax line, now, can help 3 or 4 years down the line. It also lessens the tax hit each year along the way as our bracket is pushed back 1 more year. I'm not saying we have to stay under in 2021, but there is a good reason to do so.

I agree, the bottom of our roster is full of players I would not miss, if they were traded, demoted or DFA'd. I'd like to keep Whitlock for the future, but if he looks awful, this year, we may decide against hope and prayers and keep someone useful, now. I only mentioned Andriese because he is out of options, not because I think he is our #8 pen guy. He may be better than Taylor, which would place him in the 5 slot: Ottavino Barnes DHern Brasier _____

So, basically Archer & Wacha replacing Snell, Morton, Chirinos & Beeks. Wonderful!

Not much else to talk about, at the moment.

My point was about making room for the Japanese pitcher at #13 NOT for Mazza & Co. 1. ERod 2. Eovaldi 3. Richards 4. Perez 5. Pivetta 6. Ottavino 7. Barnes 8. Brasier 9. DHern 10. Taylor 11. Andriese (no options) 12. Whitlock (rule 5) 13. Brice or Sawamura We could have Taylor start in AAA, but Taylor v Brice is different than Mazza v Brice.

No Morton, either. And Chirinos is out all year.

Having 3 guys at the end of our pen that are out of options (Andriese & Brice) or rule 5 (Whitlock) force other- maybe better- pitchers from being on the 26 man roster, but as we all know, we'll likely have more than just Sale on the IL to start the season. We may also want to send Houck down for a few weeks to limit his IP and gain an extra year of team control. We may end up sending Whitlock back or trading him, but he seems to be worth keeping around. I'm just no big fan of Brice, but yes, keeping as many options in the system makes the most sense, so he'll likely start the season on the 26 or the IL.

If that's the criteria, we'd have next to nobody left.

Exactly, here's the pessimist view of the Yankee rotation. Cole looks solid, which is better than only our 5th starter looking solid, then... #2 Kluber: under 37 IP from 2019-2020 #3 Taillon: under 38 IP from 2019-2020 #4 Montgomery: under 75 IP from 2018-2020 #5 D Garcia: 34 IP, last year. 21 years old (111 IP in 2019 in the minors) #6 M King: 85 IP from 2019-2020 (ML and minors) 27 IP, last year. 48 in 2019 (MLB + minors) #7 D German: 0 IP, last year and 143 in 2019. If you total up those IP of their #2 to #7 SP'ers from 2019-2020, it's less than our #2-#7 starers.

Of course, there's a good chance Eovaldi spends time on the IL. His history suggests he has a much higher chance than most pitchers, but I still feel like it is hit or miss for 2021. One could argue he is due for a full season or near full season. It's not like he's very old or has had a recent injury that makes me think it will reoccur. ERod is a tough one to project. While months of bedrest are not the best thing for conditioning, being in great condition is not really needed to be a great pitcher. Yes, it usually helps reduce injuries or the chances of injuries like those caused by running to 1B (his previous knee injury). There are big questions, for sure, but we've heard some encouraging things about his recovery. Sale seems to have some people like Jacko saying he's toast, while others are hoping for his return in early July and maybe a return to near norm by year's end. The subject has been beaten to death, and nobody can really know. I agree with Jacko on Richards probably being the best hope of the 4 to stay healthy and pitch well in 2021. Perez, Pivetta and Houck may be forced to pitch a lot, although Houck's innings will probably be limited to 140 IP or so. I hope we don't need to rely on Whitlock, Mazza, Seabold, Mata or others for too many starts, unless we are out of it early.

Even DFA'ing Springs and starting Valdez in AAA, there may not be room on the 26 man roster for Brice. Pitchers like Houck and Taylor have options, too. Let's say 13 pitchers and Sale starting on the 60 day IL: 1. ERod 2. Eovaldi 3. Richards 4. Perez 5. Pivetta 6. Ottavino 7. Barnes 8. Brasier 9. DHern 10. Taylor 11. Andriese (no options) 12. Whitlock (rule 5) 13. Brice or Sawamura Now, chances are someone on this list starts the season on the IL, but we also have Houck, Valdez, Bazardo, Mazza, Seabold & Mata pushing upwards.

You act like 28, 31 and 33 are too old for 170 IP. Pessimism abounds on the left coast. If it makes you feel better, take 20-25 IP away from those three and add 15-20 to the next four. Certainly, that is doable. It's not a long shot to think some mix of IP'd from our 7 SP'ers could equal 860 IP- the mean for 2019 rotations. 123 x 7 = 861.

Sox Making Progress on a Deal with Hirokazu Sawamura Looks like it will be a ML deal. Bye-bye out-of-options Brice?

If I'm looking for an innings eater with not much of a ceiling, I'd go with Porcello. If I'm going for talent and the chance at 170 IP and maybe a 1 year deal: Paxton. If I want the best of the remaining SP'ers and am willing to go 3 years and break the lux tax line: Odorizzi. Teheran is not a bad choice. It's not like I wouldn't want him, if the others are a no-go, but I'd say no to Walker. We have enough returning from injury starters already.

So, I guess that's a no. He's NOT an innings eater.

You know me by now. I don't put much value in just the most recent tiny sample size. You know Walker better than any of us. Does "inning eater" come to your mind with him or Paxton? (Yes, Teheran has pitched more than both, but Paxton pitches better.) Also, I'm not the only one ranking Paxton higher than Walker & Teheran.

I'm okay either way with Odorizzi, too. I'm leaning towards thinking not going over the tax line is a very high priority. The only way that changes is if we not only look like we might be in line to make the playoffs at the trade deadline, but that we look like we could advance in the playoffs. I think (and hope) we look at our window as being 2022 to 2024 and maybe beyond. Spend big in 2022 and look to maybe reset in 2025 or 2026. If we go over, this year, we may have to reset in 2024 or 2025 (a year earlier). What year will we have a better chance at winning it all? 2021 or 2024/2025? I can't imagine anyone thinking it's 2021. I know 2024 is a long ways away, but I like our longer look much better than the shorter one.