moonslav59

Well said. Vaz could hit for a 2.000 OPS, but if we are allowing 2-3 runs more a game with him catching, it will not outweigh the defense.

Is it any worse that trotting Barnes out there?

This was an area we gained a lot of our top prospects from. When I warned of the steep rocky terrain we were headed towards, I emphasized how the IFA rule changes and restrictions on high spending and winning teams would make re-stocking the farm very difficult. Here we are.

Endorsements were probably rare and low paid as well.

These 3 days off sandwiched around 2 horrific games is killing me!

I think we've had 13 pitchers not 12 all season long. That helps a little but when 2-3 of those 13 are scrubs we are suffering the affects in the middle of games. Also, too often our starters are putting us in deep holes- sometimes very early in games. Adding Eovaldi to the closer role could help a lot, if he is effective, but we still need to acquire another quality set-up man or two, and soon. Push Workman, Barnes and Brasier to the 7th and 8th innings, and Brewer, Walden? and Wright to the 5th and 6th innings. Johnson or Velazquez, whoever is not starting, will have to be the long man. Some Numbers as RP'ers only: IP Pitcher ERA 21 Velazquez 4.29 19 Thornburg 7.71 13 Taylor 5.68 13 Shawaryn 8.53 11 Smith 2.45 9 Lakins 5.79 8 Weber 1.13 6 Johnson 13.50 4 Poyner 15.75 4 Wright 4.50 3 Ramirez 12.00 2 DHern 0.00 Granted, these guys have not pitched all that much, but even if you take away Velazquez, Johnson & Wright, it's over 80 IP. That's 80 too many. Last 28 days: 13 Shawaryn 8.53 11 Walden 8.18 11 Barnes 9.00 11 Taylor 5.91 3 Poyner 15.00 3 DHern 9.00 1 Weber 13.50 12 Brewer 0.73 10 Workman 0.93 10 Brasier 1.86 8 Johnson 2.16 6 Velazquez 1.50 4 Wright 4.50 3 Hembree 0.00 (IL)

Is this sample size big enough? Starter ERA since May 11th: 2.97 Price (8 GS) 3.30 Sale (9 GS) 5.00 ERod (9) 5.05 Porcello (10) ERA 2016-2018 2.56 Sale (0.74 lower than above sample) 3.81 Price (0.84 higher) 3.99 Porcello (1.06 lower) 4.22 ERod (0.78 lower)

I totally agree, but again, my point is about how the rest should have helped them do better of late, and all 4 have bad numbers their last 5-9 starts.

Um, I also listed some pretty bad 5-9 game sample sizes. My original point was about the pen imploding but that not being the only thing going south the last 3-4 weeks.

This explains why DD hasn't traded for as closer already, but we have needed another set up man for weeks, now.

Thus Spoke Henrithustra!

ERod: 5.30 ERA last 3 starts (5.00 last 9 starts) I guess one can find a sample size that suits any argument. Why hasn't all that rest helped with this? Sale: 5.29 ERA last 3 starts (3.30 last 9 starts) Price: 6.57 ERA last 3 starts (4.38 last 5 starts) Porcello: 7.43 ERA last 3 starts (6.03 last 7 starts) ERod: 5.30 ERA last 3 starts (5.00 last 9 starts)

Yes, that, too.

It's hard to prove, because team payroll budgets were not public knowledge, but I'm pretty sure the Yanks were one of the biggest spenders for a long time. I guess buying Babe Ruth for cash was something all teams did back then, right? I think the numbers went public in 1998. Here are the numbers since then: Yankee ring years: 1998: 2nd highest to the O's 1999: 1st by $7M ($88>81) 2000: 1st by $4M ($92>88) 2009: 1st by $76M ($201>135) Anybody know where to find payroll numbers from 1920 to 1998?

The question is, can we turn it around? (Can we regain the mojo of 2018?) It's not really about hitting better. It's about hitting when you need it. It is about pitching better but mainly about pitching better when it counts. These kinds of things just kind of happen or they don't. I'm not sure there's anything management can do, except to hope the players pull together and bring on the transformation.

Tonight: Nothing of note at AAA. AA Houck 7 IP 0 ER 4 H 3BB 4K Dalbec 2 HRs (16 & 17) Chatham & Duran with 2 hitys each A J Diaz 7 IP 0 ER 1H 2BB 7Ks

They were probably the top paid team for most of their rings and top 3 or 4 in almost all the others.

He was something like our 24th try! We've tried 10 starters, and he has yet to get a start. He was the best of the ML ready heep on the farm.

It's not as bad as 2017, but there certainly is a marked difference from last year in this area. I blamed JF for the lack of "fire & desire," so I should be blaming Cora for this as well. It just doesn't feel like he's more to blame than DD for providing him with this pen, and injury-plagued 4th starter and a merry-go-round of 6th starters. If someone had said Vaz would be over .800 with 11 HRs, Devers near .900 and Bogey over .900, you'd have predicted we's be on pace for another 118 wins. I'm just not sure how a manager can inspire timely hitting and lessen untimely pitching meltdowns late in games with this pen and starter who can't last 5 innings.

His year 3 and 4 may become a drag. He will certainly help in 2020, but my point was about how much his addition plus Richardson will be equal to losing Butler & Reddick.

We've already spent more than all other teams and won more rings than anyone this century. It's not anti-elitism to plan a reset.

Maybe DD should learn that the prices drop. 2 years ago, he signed Moreland when other similar players went for a small fraction of what we paid him. Last winter, he jumped on Pearce and (IMO) over payed for him. I do think others wanted Eovaldi, so I'm not sure he paid more than others might have offered, but waiting for Keuchel or Kimbrel, in hindsight, looks like the way to have gone.

Al Horford is still good, no doubt, but he'll be 34 next June, and 4 years is too long. I still think Philly will be worse with Horford & Richardson over Butler & Reddick.

We can't expect ML'ers, but we can expect something like the Chris Sale deal.

I liked the signing, but I knew there was a higher risk with him. I still think he's a better gamble than what we thought Kimbrel would end up costing. Now, in hindsight, Kimbrel was cheaper not more expensive.