Frobby

Trivia question related to today’s grid: name the five batters in Seattle Mariners history who batted .300 or better in at least four seasons.

“There’s a popular misconception that any professional baseball player who spends even one day on a major league roster will receive free health care for life. In reality, that’s not true. Instead, what one day of service gives you is the right to buy into a healthcare plan, which isn’t really the same as free, comprehensive coverage. A player’s eligibility for health and pension benefits is tiered, and depends on how much time the player spent on a major league roster, how much service time he accrued, and can even be a matter of which years he played, as different benefits are available to different eras of players. Different plans carry different co-pays and have varying coverage maximums.” https://blogs.fangraphs.com/micah-bowie-player-benefits-and-another-front-in-labors-fight/

Put it this way, Elias is not going to spend a lot of money on a move that he thinks is an inefficient use of funds, even if he can. That doesn’t mean he won’t sign anyone to big contracts, but he’ll be highly selective IMO.

My big problem with Kremer is that sometimes he falls in love with the cutter too much. It’s a good pitch but he can’t throw it six times in a row like he does sometimes. I’m hoping he’ll learn some stuff watching Burnes, who obviously throws a lot of cutters but mixes his pitches very well.

Well, I wouldn’t assume changes in pitch mix from game to game are entirely on Kremer. He goes to the mound with a game plan that has been developed by the coaches and front office and the catcher is heavily involved as well. I don’t think Kremer just goes out there and says “I think I’ll ditch what worked last time.”

He’s always walked a lot, so that doesn’t surprise me.

This. We have zero chance of signing Burnes before free agency. And I have very mixed feelings about signing guys like Burnes as a FA. They’re ticking time bombs, no matter how good they are.

From your mouth to God’s ear.

I think I heard the remark, and it was something like “practically still a rookie.”

I really hope Volpe is just having a great early season run. Trouble for us if he’s actually that good.

Well, if his FB was the same today, probably not very well. But if it was the same relative to the league as it was then, he’d probably be very good. Very heady pitcher.

Just answer the question. Where do you think he should play, and how often? Whose time are you cutting to make room? This would be a lot easier if Ryan O’Hearn had a sub-.600 OPS. But he’s hitting the snot out of the ball.

I don’t think Gunnar’s a good benchmark. He was 18 months older, had more minor league experience, had been better in AAA, and had already spent a month in the majors. At the same time, I do expect Holliday to start hitting better very soon. Not sure I’d expect him to “break out” soon but I’d expect him to start looking respectable.

Even for spring training, it’s been pretty dismal. He was much sharper in last year’s rehab starts. Hopefully he’ll start sharpening up next time out.

Interesting that the OH poll would be more pessimistic. But you did a good job setting the O/U.