moonslav59

I think we go after Eovaldi first and Morton may be our fall back. I wouldn't sign Ryu to more than 2 years, and only then, if we can't sign Eovaldi or Morton. I could also see us not signing a starter and hoping we can score another Eovaldi-type next summer, then use all (most) our resources on the pen.

If we don't add a closer, I'll be surprised, but DD may acquire two solid set-up men to add to the mix fighting for (or sharing) the closer role. We got Uehara this way.

It might be Chavis' time to show what he's got. If he doesn't work out, finding a 1Bman mid-season is one of the easiest positions to fill.

Yes, good add. To me, this is what makes the Porcello deal look good: Pay Lester: $95M/4 & still owed $60M/3 at ages 35-37. Porcello: $74M/4 & still owed $21M/1 at age 30.

I'm sure DD is well aware that there are a lot of good players out there to be plucked via signing or trading, not just Eovaldi, Kelly and Pearce. It wouldn't surprise me, if we don't bring any of those three back but still get some fine talent to fill our biggest needs. Of all the needs we have, DD will likely choose 1-2 to wait it out and see if an in-house solution can be found, and if not, leave enough budget space to go out and get a couple players we need mid-summer. He's done a great job on those types of deals. Here's a look at our in-house solutions to some key need areas this winter: Starting Pitcher: Sale, Price, Porcello & ERod are locks Johnson Velazquez Wright (had surgery) Cuevas Walden Shawaryn Shepherd (D Hernandez AA) Relief Pitchers: Barnes, Brasier, Hembree, Workman are probably locks Thornburg Poyner (Johnson/Velazquez/Wright) Scott Walden Lakins (Feltman AA) Maddox 1B (platoon) Moreland is a lock Swihart (Holt can play 1B in a pinch) Chavis (move to 1B?) Ockimey Travis 2B Pedey (big question mark) Holt Nunez (Knee needs to improve to play 2B) Lin Quiroz M Hernandez (injury history) To me, DD might let 1b & 2B ride, until mid-season and available spend resources on SP & the pen.

All clubs should seek out similar sponsors! (lmao)

When Mookie smiles all is good.

I knew a girl named Anita Humphrey. I worked with a guy not named Harold Butts, but literally (birth certificate) Harry Butts.

Cost wise, the better comps are probably... Kelly vs Pearce Eovaldi vs Keuchel or Morton

I'd still have preferred Moose at $6.5M x 1 over Moreland for 2 years. look, I'm not complaining. Moreland did what we signed him to do and allowed us to dump HRam (maybe the real reason all along). I'm extremely happy with what DD did.

Again, you miss the point (LOL, like that?) It's not just the tax, it's the contract plus the tax. While another team (under the limit) might sign a guy to $30M, we'd be paying (assuming it's over the $40M limit $30M + $15M (50% tax) +$3.6M (12% surtax). It's not just the $18.6M in taxes Henry pays the guy he signs after we're $40M over, it's the $30M contract as well. $30M more becomes $48.6M more. Is Betts worth $49M a year?

Nothing I said disputes any of this. In hindsight, one could argue DD jumped the gun on Moreland as the market fell on just about everyone not signed right away and after Hosmer. I realize nobody foresaw this, but GMs are routinely criticized for not foreseeing things.... like Ben not foreseeing the collapse of Pablito and HRam.

MLB reports... Eovaldi's right arm gets clean bill of health Nov. 15: While some front offices may be wary of free agent Nathan Eovaldi's health, especially after the right-hander just went through a taxing postseason, his doctor gave him a glowing review following a routine visit Tuesday. "To me, he's over Tommy John surgery and he's over revision Tommy John surgery," Dr. Christopher Ahmad, the Yankees' team physician who operated on Eovaldi's elbow and forearm in 2016, told NBC Sports Boston. "And I would consider him in the same category of somebody who has a healthy arm, and whatever worry I have about that player, I have the same or less for Nate." As Ahmad noted, Eovaldi has undergone two Tommy John surgeries during his career, the second one coming in 2016. This past season was his first since that second procedure, and he threw 111 innings during the regular season. Eovaldi possesses incredible velocity, averaging 97.2 mph with his four-seam fastball in the regular season and nearly 99 mph in the playoffs, getting it as high as 101.6 mph, per Statcast™, which puts extra stress on his arm. The 28-year-old was used in a variety of roles during the postseason, and he made three appearances in the span of four days during the World Series, the final one a 97-pitch outing on one day of rest. However, he appears to have come through no worse for the wear. "Sometimes subtle features can be picked up that the ligament's acting a little weak, like small bone spurs forming often can be a sign that the ligament is a little loose or acting weak," Ahmad said. "Bone spurs form to compensate. No bone spurs. And even coming off an extended postseason, he didn't have any muscle problems like muscle strain patterns. So essentially, his elbow checked out as well as it could be after having a second-time Tommy John surgery."

It was a lock all along. 28 out of 30 first place votes. The other two had him second (one for Trout & one for JD). Yelich won 29 out of 30 with one second.

There's no way, DD was thinking Moreland and nobody else. He wasn't going to start the season with the roster we had minus JD. If he thought we'd miss out on JD, he'd have gone large elsewhere. I really doubt the Moreland signing meant as much as some seem to think it did. I'm pretty sure about one thing: we don't win with just Moreland. Plus, we knew the Yanks and Dodgers weren't in on JD pretty early, so DD knew he could outbid anyone else.

Once the Lester re-signing was botched, the Lester>Cespedes>Porcello deal worked out fine, especially after the extension. I'd have rather had Lester, but within the context Ben was in, we came out alright. Here's a look at Lester and Porcello from 2015-2018. Remember, Lester is in the no-DH league. Innings Porcello 790 Lester 770 fWAR Lester 13.6 Porcello 11.7 ERA- Lester 81 Porcello 95 WHIP Lester 1.19 Porcello 1.23 Pay Lester: $95M/4 & still owed $60M/3 at ages 35-37. Porcello: $74M/4 & still owed $21M/1 at age 30.

You're losing me, Kimmi. Just killing me!

There was no rush, because there were no other bidders. DD was not going to let JD slip away- Moreland or no Moreland.

Let's see how Johnson does next year, then we can think about how to replace Porcello. $20M is a lot, but Porcello's innings pitched have a lot of value, even when he is kind of mediocre at times.

..and he started eating many innings at a very early age.

Yes, I did my study a few years ago, and I think I went back into the 80's or 70's. I was amazed at how many were known for being top defenders, however, most hit well, too.

Much is well hidden like most businesses do.

Careful! I almost busted my gut again!

I did some research one time, on all the WS ring winners and how so many had very good to great defensive 1Bmen. I think the position is under-rated defensively by many, and maybe myself included. I will say, I thought Pearce looked pretty dandy on defense for us, too.

1B certainly wasn't what it used to be. You'd think in the era of the HR, 1B would be loaded with big mashers all over the place, but this year was a down year at that position.