moonslav59

Certainly, some player's contracts are more "underwater" than others, but I think the term is useful. We'll probably never agree on how much underwater Eovaldi's contract is. The BTV has him at -10.2, so they basically are saying he's worth $11.9M x 2- not $17M x 2. ($17M salary- $11.9M value= -$5.1M per year). I'm not saying they are the foremost authority on projected value, and I actually think he's worth more than that, speculatively thinking, but I doubt any GM would give him more than $11-12M x 2, this winter. Injury prone pitchers have gotten more than that, selectively here and there, so I don't know if there is one GM out there who would offer more. I'm fine with keeping him and hoping he can give us one full season or even moving him to the closer role to try and improve the chances he can stay healthy, but when you look at ways we can free up some salary space to add more or better players, his name is near the top of any list for doing so. What is the "break even point" for JD? Half his salary? 2/3? 3/4? There's usually not a big rush to sign DH's, but maybe he could attract someone who thinks he can play corner OF, perhaps with a short home field OF. Sale won't be traded. Trading Bogey might make sense due to the opt out, but if we are looking at winning in 2-3 years, it's hard to see that without Bogey.

Good summary of where you guys are, right now. You certainly should be a major contender, next year, if injuries don't keep popping up like they have for multiple years, recently. You don't have a lot of gaping holes to fill and your 40 man roster is deep. You even have some players not on the 40 man roster that look very promising- both now and down the road. I think you really need a durable and near ace-like SP'er. That can be costly.

I have been suggesting trading Eovaldi, getting a player back that essentially pays half of Eovaldi PLUS another player that fills a gap in CF, 2B or RP. I think he has more value than $8.5M x 2. I would pay $17M of his $34M in a trade that brings back great defensive CF'er who can hit over .725, a plus defensive 2Bman that can his over .750 or a very good set up man in the pen. I take those savings and instead of signing a pitcher for $40M/4 of $60M/5, I get a better one at $48M/4 or $78M/5. We'd be, in theory, upgrading Eovadli's slot and filling another high need area. Before Eovaldi's decent 2020 season, I might have said I'd hand him away at half the cost for a bag of balls, but I don't think I have said that since last winter. (I'm sure someone will correct me, if I am wrong.) Also, I've never been one to place value on any player based on just one season, and certainly not a 60 game season like Eovaldi just did well in.

I'll take our last 17 year's postseasons over any other team in MLB. Except for maybe combing STL & SFG, we're probably better than any other two teams combined. Checkmate!

It's very hard to build a contender without a few solid and durable pitchers in the rotation- not to mention a decent pen. Unless, we suddenly and magically start producing solid pitching from within our system, how do we become "contenders first?" I know Bloom is supposed to be the master of finding hidden gems and the Rays have a history of developing good pitchers in their system, but that takes a long time. I'm not saying your point is mistaken. I do think we can become playoff contenders without going large and long on one great pitcher, but unless Sale comes back to form, I doubt we win a ring without a true ace or two. Pedro & Schilling (+Lowe/Wake/Arroyo- all with 29+ GS'd) Schilling & Beckett (+Wake/Dice-K/Lester) Lester & Lackey (+Buch/Doubront/Dempster) Sale & Price (+ Porcello/ERod/Eovaldi)

A happy day for us all!

Would any GM sign Eovaldi for $34M/2, this winter?

Here's a 3-way: TB: Vazquez, Brasier SD: Eovaldi, Gomez BOS: N Anderson, Kiermaier, Mejia, Myers

Makes the 2020 season much more bearable.

This is just like big Sox win.

It accepted my deal without those 2 pitchers.

Another one: Vaz, Covey & Shawaryn for Kiermaier & Nick Anderson (Anderson would be a major get. Kietmaier is a top rate defender who is owed $24M/2 but the lux number is just $9M x 2.)

This deal was accepted by BTV: Eovaldi+ Beni to MIL Cain (CF), Sutter (RP),Nottingham © & Vargas (SS). Cain is still an excellent defender in CF. He's owed $35M/2 but the lux number is $16M x 2. Eovaldi+ Beni=$22M/yr. We save $6M a year and fill the CF slot, a RP'er slot and help the farm out a little. The Brewers break even on actual money spent. Maybe we could pry Hader, Williams or Peralta, instead of Suter, but Suter is pretty good.

Another great one.

I was talking per year. ($16+8.5=24.5). Actual money saved was $48M Price and maybe $17M Eovaldi= $65M total.

Well said. Look, I'd love to have a healthy Eovaldi for 30 starts or even 24 starts and a healthy post season, but I'm tired of broken down starters. I loved Buch, but he drove to be like this.

With the $16M and & $8.5M "saved" by not paying Price & Eovaldi, we could just about get Bauer. I'd trade price & Eovaldi for Bauer in a heartbeat- same cost.

Again, it's not about Odor.

Again, it's not about Odor.

Again, it's not about odor. By taking Odor, or just paying $8M a year for two years, we sweeten the return players. I've said it numerous times. It's not about Odor. We could cut him, and the deal still could be a big plus for us. There are other players out there, better than odor, who play CF, 2B or RP'er and are paid more than their team wants to pay them. The idea is to take back a lesser salary dump, so the other team will give us something else of value PLUS we use the savings to get a better pitcher than we otherwise could not have afforded. You guys keep harping on the Odor-type players I bring up. IMO, it's better to take back a player and their salary than to just pay equal in cash. The worst that can happen is we cut Odor, and it's the same as paying $8M x 2 years towards Eovaldi's deal- like we are now paying half of Price's deal.

Unless he flops, gets hurt or COVID kills player salaries, he's going to opt out. Yes, it hurts!

Odor has hit 30+ HRs three times and averages 28 per 650 PAs. Yes, he averages 150 Ks per 650, but here's Chavis: 27 Hrs per 650 215 Ks per 650! (His OBP is about 15 points higher, but his SLG is about 15 lower.) Again, I'm not gah-gah over Odor. We may end up cutting him or trading him elsewhere. The main part of the deal is to... Cut $9M a year from our tax budget Add another 2 players to fill a current gap (CF, SP, 2B, RP?) Dump an unreliable pitcher Add a more durable pitcher with the savings We will be signing 1-2 SP'ers. Adding $9M/yr to their salaries may greatly improve their quality and/or reliability.

I'm not loving on Odor, but he might be our best option at 2B. The point is this- rather than just pay half of Eovaldi's salary, take on Odor's. The plus is this: We get someone else besides Odor, maybe just a prospect or someone like Taveras, a pre-arb CF'er, who fills another high need area at viryually no added cost. Now, we have 2 slots filled: 2B and CF. Now, we have $9M more to spend in 2021 and 2022. Add that "saved Money" to the spending budget we already have and upgrade your signings at SP and RP, our two highest need areas.

My bad on Upton. Yes, the guy from the Rangers with mixed defensive metrics as a possible add on to an Eovaldi-Odor deal.

We finished 5 games behind the Astros. That being said, we are better off by the deal.