moonslav59

Would anyone trade Casas for 2 years of Yandy Diaz (a lefty killer) and Pete Fairbanks (an awesome set-up man?)

6 PM on the 19th of NOV is the Rule 5 protection list date. Dobbins is a cinch. Fulmer is likely. Jh Garcia and Monegro are debatable. Maybe someone else is a surprise. I'm guessing 2-4, likely 3.

I think so, too. Anthony needs to play FT, if he is added to the 26 & 40. If we decide to use Rafaela in a utility role, then we c ould find room for Duran, Anthony and Abreu in the OF. (Rafaela could play CF v LHPs as Abreu sits and be utility vs RHPs.)

Agreed. Expensive for such a role, but fine. He could end up with 400+ PAs as such. He could get many late innings as a defensive replacement, but Duran, Anthony and Abreu are pretty good on D. Rafaela's D at SS is not suited for use as a defensive replacement, but more as an emergency role.

We could see an Abreu-Ref platoon in LF or DH, at least until Yoshida is healthy. We could also see: LF: Duran vs RHPs/ Ref vs LHPs CF: Anthony vs RHPs/ Duran vs LHPs RF: Abreu vs RHP/Anthony vs LHPs or LF: Duran/Ref CF: Rafaela/Duran RF: Anthony DH: Abreu/Yoshida or LF: Duran CF: Rafaela RF: Anthony DH: Abreu/Ref Abreu would be the 4th OF'er, as some shift around when others get a day off.

Ref is a top 15 batter vs LHPs in all of MLB. He HAS TO PLAY vs all LH'd Starters. Our weakness vs LHPs only amplifies that need. Abreu's struggles vs LHPs makes it an easy platoon, whether in the OF or at DH. Also, Duran is no "smasher" vs LHPs. Anthony did well vs LHPs in the minors, but he could struggle vs them in the bigs. Rafaela struggled vs LHPs and RHPs, about the same. Duran v LHPs: Career .632 and .665 in 2024. Abreu: .514/.532 Ref HAS TO START vs all LHPs, no matter what. Only 11 batters in all of MLB has more PAs vs LHPs and higher OPS than Ref at .910. Only 8 have a higher wRC+ (153) and more PAs vs LHPs.

Agreed, but in theory, dumping all of Price's deal would have allowed us to offer more for Betts, but I do not think JH would have done it, anyway.

Yes, maybe we don't have to trade Betts, if we had no Price deal, at all, or even half Price.

Me, too, but with Anthony joining the OF, we need to find a spot for Ref vs LHPs and Abreu vs RHPs. They could play LF with Duran in CF and Rafaela on the bench or AAA, but the DH slot may be open, until Yoshida is healthy, again.

Okay. I'm not so sure $25M is "conservative," as his two arb years might total $16-20M/2. If we assume $20M/2 plus and extension of $90M/3, that would make it $110M/5 at an AAV of $22M. $25M is possible, especially if the extension is for 4-5 years or more.

You are probably right. I always thought Jeter was the best hope for the most value. Dugo was already established, somewhat. Jeter's value was speculative. I really think the inclusion of Price hurt the return, significant;y. I did not like the reported SDP offer, either. It was rather strange that nobody jumped in to offer more, but the cost of Betts + 1/2 Price was just too much.

Only over 130 IP, twice his whole career of 9 years. Only over 129, once since 2018. He's had 2-3, not great but still okay seasons , out of his last 8 seasons. 9 seasons: 6 with very good to excellent numbers when pitching: 2 seasons over 130 IP (180 and 180.2) and 3 seasons between 128 and 129.1 IP. That's 4 seasons under 107 IP, including 50 in 2020. He's a damn good pitcher, but I'm tired of injury risk pitchers.. He turns 32 this December.

I don't want Snell, at all. I hope I never hear our name and his linked in any way. Fried then Burnes, is how I see it. Sign Scott and one from Estevez, Hoffman and Holmes, or two from the next tier of 3-4 RP'ers.

I used to think that some savings here or there was a good thing, so they could spend it elsewhere on a more needed area. Now, that old miser just pockets all savings, what's the benefit to the roster? Yoshida might have a good year. We can trade Abreu for a pitcher and hardly miss a beat on O. I'm not holding my breath on any major changes from JH, but just spending the same as last year could work out okay. I'm wanting better than okay, of course, and maybe we are due for our GM to actually get a few things right, even out of luck.

If he had confidence, he's take the $20M, have a great year and then sign for $60M/3.

Yes. I get that. To me, I'd prefer an Abreu-Ref DH platoon, so saving $3-6M a year and spending it on a better pitcher is worth it. Again, I might wait until he's healthy and hope his stock goes up. (Assuming he does well.)

AP Rankings: 1. ORE, 2. Ohio St, 3. TX, 4. Penn St., 5. IN, 6. TN, 7 BYU, 8 ND, 9. AL, 10. Ole Miss, 11. GA, 12. MIA, 13. Boise St, 14. SMU, 15. TX A&M, 16. Army Coaches Poll has ND 7th.

What does "2.08% under budget" mean? What budget? Does the Crochet $25M assume an extension that begins in 2025? He has 2 arb years that may cost $4-5M and then $6-18M, depending on how well he does in 2025. I doubt he'd be given that sort of extension that comes to a $25M AAV, that buys out 2 arb years.

I'm assuming you mean "more major" than these off seasons: 2021-2022: Signing Story, Wacha, Hill, Strahm, Diekman, Refsnyder & T Shaw. Extended Whitlock and traded Renfroe for JBJ & DHam. ($160M+ spent) 2022-2023: Signing Devers (started in 2024) Yoshida, Jansen, Kluber & Martin (around $450M spent)

$6M a year or $18M total saved, in a trade, right now? I doubt it, but maybe possible. Would he get an $18M/3 FA offer, this winter?

You guys think Pivetta takes $45M/3 over $20M/1?

Next to nothing, except "maybe" $4M in savings to spend on someone or add to a contract to make us the top bidder. IMO, we can trade Yoshida plus $45M ($3M x 3 years saved) for nothing, right now. If he comes back and hits well, maybe we can get $5-6M a year. I'd wait to trade him. I doubt $3M x 3 years makes much difference, unless we get that close to the tax line. (Doubtful, IMO)

I think it's a close call between Burnes and Fried. I think Fried gets less money and years, so he seems like the better bet, but Burnes may be a better injury risk. On decline??? fWAR last 4 years: Burnes 7.5>4.6>3.4>3.7 (I think maybe the 7.5 was an outlier, and we should not punish Burnes for being so great that one year, 4 years back.) xFIP: 2.30> 2.85> 3.80> 3.55 and ERA- 58>73>78>74 shows remarkable consistency the last 3 years. 32-33 GS'd the last 3 years Fried: 3.7>4.9>1.9>3.4 (maybe the 4.9 was an outlier and these numbers seem more up & down. xFIP: 3.45>3.09>3.10>3.33 seem more consistent and certainly better the last 2 years than Burnes. ERA- 71>61>58>78 looks very similar to Burnes. 2023-2024 combined: 7.8 Pablo Lopez (trade fodder) 7.2 Burnes 6.0 Wacha & Kikuchi 5.7 L Castillo (might be trade fodder) 5.4 Ober & Ryan (trade rumors) 5.2 Fried 5.1 Houck & Nate 5.0 Flaherty 4.9 Monty (trade) 4.9 Martinez (QO lost pick) ERA- 62 Snell 72 Fried 75 Martinez 76 Burnes 78 Wacha

We have no more Chris Sale's to trade for 2B prospects.

When you think about all the moves we made with the intention of improving our middle infield, we've failed so miserably, it's not even funny. The Downs trade. The Kike signing, especially the second one (and attempt to play him at SS) The Story signing. The Grissom trade. Even lesser patchwork deals like Buttrey for Kinsler, Marwin, Nunez & Phillips signings and the Josh Taylor for A Mondesi trade, failed badly.