moonslav59

Climb aboard the Leon Express!

Good points. I do like Poyner, but his sample size is puny. If he can pitch well for the next 3 weeks, I'm fine with him squeezing in, but I'm still hopeful that Thornburg will straighten out. He's great vs LHBs- normally. I'm still not counting Barnes, Hembree and even Kelly out just yet, but they are bubble pitchers now due to performance or injury issues.

Good one! I've said all along, I'd like Bogey 2nd... maybe something like Beni-Bogey-Betts-JD, but the numbers show the 3rd slot is not the place for your best hitter (or second best).

Where did I ever say I based this on 4 IP. You know me better than that. I've always been a big Wright fan (as a pitcher not a family man). He has proven he is a very good pitcher time and time again. Yes, his recent 4 IP sample size has helped me determine he is healthy, and that's all I really need to know. Even if he lets up 3 ER next time, I'm still thinking he's our best middle/long man (or at least second to Eovaldi, who needs to prove himself more than Wright, IMO).

I've been suggesting a move might be best for Devers, eventually, but even I think he deserves at least another year to show improvement at 3B. I'm only looking at 2020 as a possibility.

I'll bet Cora has it boiled down to 4 starters and 8 or 9 relievers and his effort now is to decide on which of the remaining 1 or 2 to drop. If Barnes can make a quick recovery he is in. If we take 7 relievers, I see Kimbrel, Barnes Brasier as sure things and also Wright and Eovaldi as long relievers. - Oldtimer I totally agree, but things might shift a little over the next 3 weeks. That leaves either 2 or three spots depending on how many we take. (I am assuming E-Rod may wind up in long relief, at least in the first series.) Poyner looks to be going the best for left handed relief as Johnson and Pom look weak. Henbree, Kelly, Thornburg and Workman all stand a chance. I think it will be Kelly and/or Thornburg. You can make a case for or against any of the 4 righties. Cora can take his time in reaching a decision. I see ERod as a lock for the playoff rotation, and he may even steal the 3 slot from Porcello. I'm hopeful that Thornburg will step up. He kills lefties more than we can ever hope Poyner, Pom or Johnson can do. Thornburg's career splits: .556 vs LHBs .744 vs RHPs While Poyner has looked very good vs LHBs this year (.454) the sample size is just 17 PAs. Pom is .614 vs LHBs career and .683 this year. Johnson is .624 vs LHPs career and .681 this year.

There was also some shoddy D that played into some of the runs scored against us. We almost handed them the Altuve run, errr, I mean out at home, too.

Yes, Moreland was signed as insurance or to platoon with HRam. We picked up Pearce to take HRam's placevs LHPs. If Devers hit LHPs well, he might be at 1B already, at least part-time. Moreland's deal runs out after next year- Pearce's this winter. I seriously doubt we move Devers to 1B next year, but if he doesn't improve his defense at 3B, we may do so by 2020. Pedey's return and how well Nunez is doing might play into the decision. If JD bolts on his opt out, we might end up moving Devers to DH/1B, if things stall at 3B/

Maybe, if Betts didn't belt 30 HRs, Beni would have 100 RBIs. It's all on Mookie- so damn selfish!

He will be strong in October. Book it.

Maybe just 3.

He's not that far from your projection, and it seems like his defense and base running has improved.

Great point!

My two are Pomeranz and Kelly. I expected Devers to struggle and Vaz to decline.

I'd like to see Wright go 3-4 innings every 3rd day, unless we think he can go 2 innings every other day.

No, I firmly believe JF had a warped sense of doing what he felt made the players happy but the team worse. This wasn't the only time he did this. His failure to demote struggling stars in the line-up was another major blunder. I seriously doubt Sale went to JF and asked for the chance to get 300. (I could be wrong.)

No, Farrell did.

That very well might be the ones. If these guys keep doing poorly, I may start agreeing with notin on the idea that with such a weak pen, maybe we should carry 8 RP;er not 7 as I have been suggesting for weeks... just so we can have a quicker hook, if needed. Of the three you mentioned as questionable, I see Hembree with best chance. I see Velazquez and Johnson as still having a chance. I agree that Cuevas and Scott are almost totally out of consideration, and Poyner might squeeze in. Barnes is a wild card with the hip. I'm wondering if using pitchers who can got 2-4 innings might be a better choice, so as to lessen the need for 7th and 8th inning set-up guys- our weakest area. This might give a slight edge to Eovaldi, Wright, Pom, Velazquez & Johnson. I'm wondering why Cora has not used Wright as the first guy in and leaving him in for 3-4 innings.

Our defense has been shaky, of late. The JD-Betts mix-up, Bogey's throw, Pearce at 1B, Devers throws, and even JBJ having a ball hit off the side of his glove. I am at a loss for who makes the pen roster for the playoffs. It's almost as if everyone is doing their best to prove the DON'T belong.

Bogey is no longer quiet about anything. He has arrived! He's nearing the .900 mark this late in a season. Awesome!

They knew. They signed Nunez, which was about the most they could spend on 2B/3B without going over the max penalty line. In all fairness to DD, much of the major salary issues were Ben's fault. I think DD felt we'd be strong enough at other positions, which we have been, to absorb a possible net loss at 3B or 2B. Pedey's non return coupled with Nunez's struggles have made the choice look worse than it might have been. Let's see what DD does with HRam, Pom & Kelly's contracts coming off the books next winter.

Not only is he so young, but it shocks me that people are worried that in his first 672 PAs in MLB, he has put up these numbers: .255 26 85 (.750 OPS) No doubt, his defense needs a lot of work, but his offense has been better than expected- lots of ups and downs but overall very good for his age and experience level.

Devers did not get the majority of innings at 3B in 2017. He had more than anyone else, but not the majority. 2017: 508 Devers 364 Marrero 213 Pablo 139 Rutledge 77 Holt 72 Hernandez 57 Lin 47 Nunez 4 Selsky 2 Vaz Devers played 36% of the 3B innings last year.

Nice win. Bogey's throw almost blew it, but getting on base all 5 times makes it hard to be too critical. Good to see Moreland get some love. For those who didn't think it was OVAAAH, do you now?