moonslav59

Of course a K bothers me in situations you mentioned, and maybe a little more than a weak pop up to the infield or short OF or a ground out that fails to score the run. Yes, putting the ball in play sometimes advances a runner, but give me a .390+ OBP and .390+ SLG, and I'll take a 100% of all outs as Ks.

I understand why they are playing him. I agree he still has .770+ potential, and in this league, that's 50 points above average. It could just be rust, but why wasn't he DHing with WOO all summer? We still have never gotten an answer to that mystery. We are in the race, now. There can be no pulling punches. I've listed all of the long stretches of slumps Cora has allowed to continue, this year. Some, such as Story's and Rafaela's have paid off. (Maybe Wong will be the 3rd example as he has begun showing life, after a long death-like stretch.) With Abreu out, the pressure on playing all 4 OF'ers was lifted, and the need to play Rafaela at 2B further lessened the bottleneck, but when Abreu returns, I don't care if Yoshida hits .770 or even .800: there is no place for him in the starting line-up, even versus RHPs. I guess one could argue for playing Rafaela at 2B FT, so Anthony, Duran & Abreu-Refsnyder can all play everyday, but I have to think that weakening of our defense is counter to putting our best team on the field and in the line-up. I'd rather DH an OF'er- mostly Duran, and play DHam-Romy at 2B than keep Yoshida at DH. If that means DFA'ing him, okay, but I'd keep him in the system at Woo for the reasons you mentioned. If he can ever get back to .770+, he could have value in 2026. Let him prove it in Woo, first. We can't afford to rehab him on the big club during a pennant chase. Plus, he can play FT at Woo and not platoon.

I could be wrong, but these three things seem to be the biggest criticisms of Breslow's choices made (not in any order)... 1. Deadline deals being underwhelming. (This year: Matz and May. Last year: Garcia, Sims, Jansen, Priester & Paxton) 2, The Sale + cash for Grissom trade. 3. The Buehler signing. 4. The Priester trade (The Giolito signing was top 4, but there is not much criticism, recently on this one.) On #1: I like the idea of saving major deals for the winter, when gross overpays are not usually needed. On #2: It's been beaten to death, but I still maintain there was logic to unloading a player injured for 4+ years for a promising solution to our 5+ year 2B issue.) On #3: While his cost was double that of Kluber's and Richards, he seemed like a better gamble, at the time. On #4: the trade looks bad, now, but our end is TBD. Maybe Holobetz emerges as a good pitcher. Maybe YRod improves. So, 4 bad in hindsight and the Gio signing kinda breaking even. I guess I could count the Hendriks deal as #5, since it was $10M, so okay five bad -in-hindsight deals. I'll put Sandoval in the TBD category. Now, the good to great: 1. Crochet trade. 2. Crochet extension, 3. Chapman signing. 4. Chapman extension. 5. Bregman signing. 6. Narvaez trade. 7. Slaten trade (Rule 5.) 8. Romy off waivers 9. Lowe off waivers 10. Tolle drafted & Promoted quickly 11. Fitts & Weissert for Verdugo 12. Tyler O'Neill for Robertson & Santos 13, Criswell signing Pretty good & TBD: 2024 & 2025 Drafts look very good on paper (see Tolle at #10.) IFA signings are too early to grade. Fajardo & Sandlin Trades In short, the 26 man roster is light years better than 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and I'd argue better than 2021. The 40 man, including all those on the 60 Day IL is way better and deeper than any roster since 2018 or 2019. The farm, before the 7 promotions in 2025 was better than any farm in a long time, and arguably better than the one DD used to make so many great trades with. One could argue we should be bowing to Breslow, not him taking a bow.

This post seems to be evidence that it's more Breslow's fault when Yoshida does or does not play. He could pull the plug on Cora's choice, anytime he wants. Brez must be okay with Yoshida as the platoon DH, right now.

Too bad we didn't call Anthony up within the first two weeks of the season: we'd be looking at gaining a draft pick through the PPI clause.

Brez is doing everything we wish Bloom had done (or would have been allowed to do..)

If it's not a pressing issue, then why mention signing Giolito? We will go into 2026 with only Crochet & Bello as sure bets to be ready and good starters. IMO, we need Giolito and a Ryan type. I'd settle on Keller. Since I doubt we spend large and long on a FA pitcher, and I'm not super thrilled about Cease, King or Framber, I think a trade is in the winter plan. It will likely have to be an overpay, since all deals for proven SP'ers with 2 years of control seem to be, when made, but I do agree we should no grossly overpay for one. Our OF depth seems like the likely spot to centerpiece the suggested trades: Anthony, Rafaela, Duran & Abreu Campbell, Jh Garcia, Refsnyder (retire?) & Yoshida Far away: J Gonzales, Taylor, YRod & Bleis, then Azocar, Rivas, Fermin & Turner/Martin I like the idea of moving Casas to DH. He sucks at 1B and is injury prone. If that happens, it takes up a slot from our 4th and 5th defensive OF'er depth chart (Duran/Campbell/Garcia) I'll be shocked, if we don't trade an OF'er to fill another great need like SP 2/3 or 1B/2B.

We already have an OF'er hurt (Abreu.) I'd still rather see Garcia & Romy or Garcia & Ref DH over Yoshida. When Abreu returns, we could DH Duran or rotate OF'ers to get them some rest.

The Dodger dump was bigger, when you factor in inflation.

I have called it that, and it was the highest amount of salary dumped in any trade in MLB history... maybe all sports. I also wanted to stress the point about the return not mattering. As with the Devers trade, it wasn't really about high expectations for anyone we got back in the trade, although some hopes were present in both trades. Webster and de la Rosa both had promise. Webster made it to #3 on sp.com's site. We've already traded away Tibbs, but Harrison probably had the highest promise of anyone in the return. He has yet to pitch for the big club. I had expected us to spend more, that winter after the mega dump trade, but the mid level guys we got: Napoli, Victorino, Dempster & S Drew did well enough to help us win the 2013 ring.

I've always felt like I'd take a 50% K-Rate as long as the guy produces. Anthony gets on base nearly 40% of the time and hits enough homers to average about 18 per 650. He'd also hit about 40 doubles at this pace. The K's don't bother me, at all.

Although high K rates never bother me, as long as the batter produces, there is a big difference in this area. Anthony's sample size is small but he did K a lot in the minors, too: 82 Ks in 295 PAs (27.8%) and a .397 OBP/.466 SLG In 1975, Fred Lynn K'd 90 times in 605 PAs (14.9%- just over half Roman's rate) with a .401 OBP (nearly the same) and a .566 SLG (100 pts higher.) The fact that both came up and helped their teams become instant contenders is the major similarity.

Maybe Abreu can DH. We have too many OF'ers. Ooops, I forgot. Yoshida must DH.

Houck is out until 2027. Giolito will likely be a FA. Crawford may be back and may be in the pen or a 5th starter- maybe. Witherspoon may not rise as fast as Tolle. 2027 might be too soon to expect him. Ryan is tied for 14th in fWAR- a clear All Star caliber pitcher and an ACE on 18-20 teams. He's 20th in ERA and 21st in ERA-. He's 17th in xFIP. Those numbers are better than Bello and better than 2024's Houck. If you trust Brez, then trust there was a reason he tried to get Ryan at the deadline.

Wilson has not been too good for a month or two. Bernardino has 49 IP. He should be fine.

Wow!

Yup! It was the greatest no valuable return trade in MLB history.

MN might demand Mayer

I was hoping the Yanks would add the risk.

Here are some players who may be traded, non-tendered or are coming off injuries and may not be ready by opening day: The injured: Houck: Out until 2027. Crawford, Sandoval, Dobbins, Fitts, Criswell & Perales Winckowski & Guerrero Mayer & Casas Trade candidates/non tenders/ salary issues Yoshida & Hicks Lowe ($10-12M arb?) Grissom, Eaton & DHam Kelly, Moran & Guerrero OF'er (Abreu or Duran?) That's a lot of injured, questionable and borderline players on the 40.

Keller's contract is pretty high. He's not as good as Ryan. They are about the same age. I'd like to see us get both. Abreu Campbell or Garcia and 2-3 from Clarke, Early, Sandlin, Mullins Add DHam, Grissom, Wink or Kelly, if wanted. Maybe sub in Valera or Phillips, if they insist. Romero or Arias are options, but we need to hold our everyday prospects. Would anyone give Mayer & Clarke or Early for Ryan?

I think we'll get Ryan, this winter. We have the pieces to offer. It's up to Brez on how much he'll offer.

Minor league deal.

Tibbs & Ehrhard for D May Brasier released & signed by LAD Kike for Justin Hagenman & Nick Robertson (later traded for T O'Neill) Betts & half-Price for Downs, Wong & Verdugo (later traded for Fitts, Weissert & Judice) AGon, Beckett, Crawford & Punto for Webster, de la Rosa, Sands & Loney (The "Quarter Billion Trade.") Manny & C Hansen for Jason Bay (3 team) Stephen Fife for Erik Bedard & Josh Fields (3 team) Henri Stanley for Dave Roberts Did I miss some?

He's been stunning. A 100% high leverage no-hitter, plus.