drewski6

https://www.mlb.com/video/craig-breslow-on-trading-for-caleb-durbin We're excited about getting a good player into the organization. He can play anywhere. We like that because we know we can fit him. Can play 3b, 2b has played some SS. We'll figure it out.

Nope. They will postpone making a decision as long as possible and then finally make a decision when they have to, at that time. The plan is to be flexible. This is your prediction. It may be the likeliest scenario. But its not "the plan", Inflexible plans and high level rules like "never do x " and cliches are just attempts to simplify the complex. I knew Farrell sucked the first time I heard him talk because I heard him use 3 cliches in his first 3 sentences. So I said here we have a regurgitator and not a thinker.

Teams are staying flexible, prepared, and versaile....Decisions are being made on a case by case basis....Its not like teams have this massive depth chart at positions. Its not granular like that. They try to have a mixture of quality ball players that they can move around to withstand the twists and turns.

Yeah, there are a few factors going into this, and one of them may certainly be that Im ahead of myself regarding how fluid/flexible it has become. But like when AROD switched positions cuz the yanks had jeter, that was perceived as a big deal, and it wouldnt be today. Your best defensive infielders is probably your shortstop and those guys dont get displaced that much via trades, bumped by better But every team is staying flexible right now. The red sox liked durbin because he can cover multiple positions. That doesnt mean they dont have a preference of where theyd like him. And I dont think the brewers were like we like hamilton as a SS and think hes going to be great there. I think more likely they liked that he could play SS as well as 2b. Versatility and flexibility is in , rigidity and pigeonholing positions is not. And its effecting baseball, basketball, hockey, and football.

I dont believe that "shortstops" are even a thing in 2026. Everyone is schroedingers cat. They are neither ss nor 2b nor 3b but at the same time they are all 3....And they hover in limbo until the lineup card is announced.

And if I have an elite defensive 2b who is less elite at ss defensively and is playing 2b and then i get a 40 hr, .300 hitting guy who can get by at 2b but no world beater, I move the former 2b(the one I had) to ss and not think twice. The juggling is worth it for a big bat.

I just dont believe that there are guys who go from A+ defensively at 2b to unplayable at SS. Sure the throw is longer, but mostly I think its jsut the minimum im willing to accept is way different. So guys like Romy/Monasterio - these guys I think at like B-/C+ defensive 2b and cant play SS. But its about their level and the higher % of fielded plays at SS....Not about being more suited for one than the other. I believe that any A+ defensive 2b or 3b can play ss to at least an B+ level.

I dont think thats even possible. Whether he should play SS or 2b depends on who else you got. If hes sucking hard at SS, he wouldnt have been a plus at 2b (my opinion). Maybe its a head thing where like he hit a slump adjusting to SS and couldnt ever get out of hte funk. But I dont believe in positional optimization like this.

As long as hes not an ULF as in Samuelsson, as in one of the dirtiest to ever play in the NHL.

well maybe dont have the plumber come over in October. ANd then you wont have to worry about seeing cracks during playoffs.

homerism/optimism?

I definitely never said that a team built around pitching and defense would hit a ceiling and you are stacking the deck against yourself by not building around the bats. Especially not to you in a debate 3-4 months ago that Im now ready to concede and hand you the "w" on your "no specific formula" thesis.

Thats like saying the sox dont need a big bat because they had KC

This is a good "yes and" and a valid contribution to the discussion, but I was thinking more on the individual level. For example, 2 weeks ago you would have asked me who goes down for Story and Roman - and I would have said Siegler and Gasper. Now Im not sure. Monasterio and Sogard appears to have cooled off and Siegler and Gasper seem hot right now. So Im not really a fan of....beginning part of the season, focusing on who is better. Oh we dont need this guy because we have x,y,z. All teh trade Masa's there was a time this season and last that he was useful. So Im kind of a less of a quality over quantity guy than Ive been in the past. And now Im kind of like hoard as many as you can. Have Story, Monasterio, Siegler, Durbin, Arias, Sogard, Romy, IKF, Cheng, Mead....Cuz you dont know who is going to fall out (for injury or bad play) and who is going to emerge as useful...And you can absolutely have a guy who struggled all year but got hot at the right time and now he's hitting clean up for you in the playoffs and at beginning of season he was very far down on list of guys who you would have thought would have been a key part of your playoff team. Im a fan of exploiting hot streaks and maintaining flexibility. So thats moving guys around to fit in the hot bat. Im not a play your SS at SS. And Im not about deciding who your team is and jettisoning the rest to chase max efficiency.

Thank you!

we upgraded hamilton 6x over is my point.

Durbin, Meade, Arias, Sogard, Monasterio, Story, Siegler, Hamilton Monasterio/Story is a near tie and that could easily flip. Story could also catch Sogard, but Sogard just feels like a ballplayer to me. Again , for this exercise you canoot say story at DH or story at SS. YOu have to rank these players as second baseman only in order of you would want at 2b under the assumption that all positions are accounted for. YOur #2 and even #3 can be assumed to be bench players.

Rank these 2b options: Siegler, Monasterio, Story, Arias, Sogard, Meade, Hamilton, Durbin Assume all our healthy and no other position is available to play....meaning no cop outs like well i play this one at 3b and i like this one better as a ss, and this one can be my DH. Hamilton is last, no?

Are you sure about that? And who is ours? You can make a case for Willson or Cedanne. Even Gray.

What about landscaping/lawn-care?

Jones vs White or both? Maybe both when 28 man roster (september)? But maybe not. Playoff roster (down to 26 men) - which one or both? Do we keep both through september and make the decision when the playoffs come? Jones seems to mash vs lefties and can be our refsnyder. White seems to be a plus defensively and on the basepaths, so more of a defensive sub and pinch runner. A lot of balls in the air, I get it. But in a H2H , which one do you think is more valuable....The lefty masher Resfsnyder like Jones or the pinch running, good defensive, can play any OF position White?

I honestly believe were we have reached the point where it doesnt matter as much how good a team is or who someone "really" is. I use to believe that the better teams will find a way to win in the playoffs, but I no longer believe that and now believe that a so/so team that gets in with momentum is more of a threat than a good team who limps in ice-cold. A good team who is ice cold in may/june is dangerous because of all the runway they have to find their talent level. But right now, its not as much about how good anyone is. Its about how they are positioned and how hot they are. WE are well positioned and hot, so yes, dangerous. IN a good way.

Completely redeemed.

If every day you had a 2% chance of dropping dead, you wouldnt make it very long.

i dont think it was ever 1%. I was thinking like 9% at its lowest, maybe 7%. But agree with your main point that people underestimate how often things with low percentages chances happen. Most years one team makes the playoffs whose chance of making the playoffs was very low at a specific point in time.