Tony-OH

Back to weekly despite being off most of the week, decided to make some decent changes. No new draftees are eligible until they play in a game.

1st base can be a fall back position for good players vs trying to find one. Even a lot of outfielders can be converted if needed, but almost all 3B, SS, and 2B can play there if needed. Even catchers can player there. Speaking of that, Rutschman played a decent amount of 1B his first minor league season and was pretty good.

Still waiting for that to all work itself out. So far we have two different numbers.

So there seems to be some confusion between the draft tracker and Jim Callis on his signing bonus. Not sure what the real answer is but Callis is usually not wrong. Callis has him at $1,026,800 which is full slot.

That is weird. I went by the MLB draft tracker.

I would like for people to put the signings in the players threads and in the draft tracker so I can find them and post them there. So far I have three.

Helluva game last night. That was fun!

Maybe. Hard to say. He did turn towards there but who knows? Donaldson is known for bitching to umps.

Bautista was on beast mode that inning. Holy smokes.

Trevino's look after striking out on Bautista's 91 mph splitter was classic. Like WTF was that?

My quick scouting report on one of his starts: FB - 89-92 Cutter- 85-87 SL - More downward movement than horizontal.. Not a left on left BB. CH - Not a lot of them Got swinging strikeout up in zone in FB Pitchability guy who works up in the zone with his fastball despite avg at best velo Will move ball around strikezone and mixes up pitches. Got tired near 80 pitches and walked last two batters.

Holy crap, McDonald just gave the best analysis ever. He says, "If I'm Santander, I'm looking for a slider since Chapman can't get his fastball off. I'm looking slider and hoping he leaves one up." Chapman leaves a high slider up and Santander hits the bomb home run to left. On point analysis!

I don't know all the specifics, but it basically means he players have to give 25% of their earnings back to the Cuban Federation the rest of their career. On top of it, the players made available would be 25 years old with 6 years of playing. That sounds like guys who mostly past their prime to be developed into quality major leaguers. I get why some would think it's at least a start, but no other country in the world would make a player pay 25% of their earnings back to the country even after he's going to get taxed with US Federal and State taxes.

You can find all three episodes here https://www.si.com/search?query=extractor Really interesting little documentary that makes you root for Prieto that much more.

Unless he's traded.

I always like looking over the last 30 days to see how guys are playing of late. In the last 30 days, four players OPS'd over 1.000: Kjerstad: 1.123 in 87 PAs- He's slowed down a bit in Aberdeen but it'll come Aaron Estrada: 1.011 in 73 PAs - Short little 17-year old has out performed all the bonus babies in the DSL Cowser: 1.009 in in 91 PAs - He's been killing since getting out of the Aberdeen Cavern Vavra: 1.004 in 85 PAs - It's time for Odor to go and to give Vavra 2B in Baltimore 12 hitters OPS'd over .800 Worse hitters: Isaac Bellony: .443 in 47 PAs - High-a has proven to be too tough for Bellony Braylin Tavera: .494 in 68 PAs - The $1.7 million bonus baby has been a flop in the DSL so far. Maikol Hernandez: .519 in 76 PAs - The $1.4 million bonus baby has struggled to hit in the FCL John Rhodes: .521 in 85 PAs - It's been a struggle of late for him This link should give you a look at all of the hitting prospects over the last 30 days. https://www.mlb.com/prospects/stats/player-tracker?link=WyI2ODEyOTciLCI2ODEzOTMiLCI2OTE3MjMiLCI2ODEzNzAiLCI2OTM0MDkiLCI2ODMwMDIiLCI3MDMxNzgiLCI2NjkwNjUiLCI2NzYwNTkiLCI2NzcwMDgiLCI2Nzk2MzEiLCI2OTU5MzAiLCI2OTQyMTIiLCI2ODcyMzEiLCI2ODc5ODEiLCI4MDA0MDYiLCI2OTg5NDUiLCI3MDMyMDIiLCI3MDA5MzYiLCI2OTQyMDQiLCI2NjY3ODMiLCI2Njg5NzQiLCI2ODMwNTgiLCI2ODU3NzYiLCI4MDA0MjYiXQ==

On top of it, Rutschman plays a pretty good 1B so on his off days from behind the plate, he could play there as well.

I know people have some kind of love for this guy, but I really don't understand why. In 329 AAA PAs over and a half season because of constant injuries, Dias has slashed .182/.271/.289/.559. Since coming back from his latest injury, he's slashed .137/.279/.216/.494 in 61 PAs over 15 games. Defensively he's probably similar to Santander. He's a below average runner and he still doesn't have a plan at the plate with pitchers after 2025 professional at bats! So someone please tell me why there is desire to give him a look at the major league level? Why are they fools for not giving this guy a chance?

I'm going to disagree. Nevin has slashed .200/.320/.297/.617 in 175 major league PAs which is what you probably expect for a guy who slashed .244/.324/.413/.736 in 559 AAA PAs and .251/.345/.399/.744 in 540 AA PAs. He just can't get to his solid raw power in games and hits way too many ground balls. For corner infielder, he should not be in the major leagues and if he's the option to play first base regularly, Elias has failed.

This is the real key in my mind. I'll trade anyone on the roster (probably minus Rutschman) if the return is right. The return has to be for a young player that we think will be successful from 2023 on for at least 4 years of controllability. I don't think we're going to see Elias trade off guys for DSL lottery tickets anymore. Mancini does not need to be traded. If he brings back value, then great, but I don't see him getting moved for the sake of getting moved. Same for Santander.

Well, lamenting him being released in a year when they were looking for any arms was a failure for the regime. They ended up using non-major league pitchers when they could have had him. When you looked at Rogers statcast info, his stuff with better than Lowther and Wells, and even better than Zimmermann is some areas. So it was strange release. Of course that 5.38 ERA is a better ERA than what Zimmermann did this year before being sent to the minors.

Really interesting to hear from Caleb on how poorly they tried to use him. the one thing that's clear with Elias' regime, they are using analytics to get guys to go with their strengths or develop a pitch that will be better used with their repertoire. Kremer, Akin and Watkins are pretty good examples.

Really great job by the Yankees to "remake" Cortes into an All-Star pitcher. I like watching him pitch but of course I gotta root against him.

I will admit, I saw flashes from Phillips but damn he was inconsistent with the Orioles. it really is amazing how the Rays then the Dodgers have gotten the most out of him. He has to be a bit of a development failure for the Elias regime since he was DFA's over several other pitchers who never made it.

Been a long time since we heard a star player from another team talk about the Orioles like that.