Finisher

He must just want to go back to Korea. Someone here would give him more than 3-4 for a year. Probably figures less stress/taxes.

Rays are about to sign Phil Maton. So there are still some solid vets out there. I think we'll sign one soon.

We have a real owner now who, y'know, can just sign a big arm. This is the type of move you just have to if you're serious about winning a WS. You need this type of arm in the playoffs. Now having said that, you're giving up a lot of years of control for one year. Also, Burnes was diminished last year whether we want to admit it or not. Velocity down, strikeouts down. Did make changes and course correct in the second half. This is a Houston in their prime type of acquire slightly diminished Ace and get them back to peak form. Also better stadium, defense, Adley handling.

Think it's pretty obvious it was sitting on the table and needed an owner who isn't a cheapskate scumbag to greenlight. So it took David Rubenstein one day to greenlight landing a legit Ace. Angelos family hadn't done that in decades.

Seems like a repeat of last year: good at home and completely horrendous on the road. Just really missing Hart's offense and Martinez's defense. Don't understand how you let those guys get away? The freshmen look like duds. Still, you would think they'd improve almost by default considering how bad they've been. But don't remember a Maryland team being this paper thin basically ever. Real issue is next year when you lose almost everyone (especially if Reese moves on). Doesn't look like recruiting is getting anywhere. Will need to work the portal but Willard failed there this season.

What an absolute disaster. Willard's teams are godawful on the road. Willard already looking like the wrong guy. I don't get what happened in the offseason. Brought in nobody from the portal and lost Hakim Heart. The freshmen look terrible. Also why are you heaving up endless threes when you can't shoot? Turgeon's teams used to do this nonstop and it drove me crazy.

What he can do and what he wants to do are two different things. I think it's obvious he cares more about money. Look, we obviously needed to add a TOR last offseason and they cheaped out. It's pretty clear cut at this point, sign or acquire a TOR or you're not serious about truly contending.

Rangers lineup has no easy outs and their manager has won 12 of his last 13 playoff series. Can't believe people here actually preferred to face them. Anyway, we didn't sign a single difference maker during the offseason then doubled down on the stupidity by not adding anyone proven at the deadline. They gambled on pure hopium that Flaherty's good July wasn't a mirage, but it was. They gambled they could fix Fuji in time. Like, why are you gambling and not simply adding proven vets who might cost slightly more but would be far more reliable?

Yeah, never passed the smell test for me. Like this guy is going to flush a NINE figure contract for what ...

Yeah, Tampa got a guy pitching like an Ace and we got an arsonist who has been mostly lousy the past two seasons. That swing right there could easily be the difference.

Guy just likely cost himself hundreds of millions.

He's given up 12 runs in his last 9 innings.

Cease is trash this year. It's amazing how good we've been considering how godawful our offseason was.

Yeah it's cost us a few games now. Stop babying the guy.

I mean the guy had a bad year and a half. A hot July didn't really change anything.

Feels like we were still in tanking mindset with that move. Like that's totally the type of guy you'd take a shot on if the games don't matter and you think you can tweak some things and if it works out, great. And if not, oh well.

Absolutely moronic. Instead of getting some lights out reliever which is what was needed let's get some arsonist to pour gasoline all over close games.

So John Angelos has gone viral twice this year for sheer idiocy. Funny how he only came out of his hole once we started winning. My takeaways here: Kevin Brown will bolt as soon as his contract allows. Whether that's next year or the year after. Mike Elias similarly is as good as gone. There is no way in hell he's going to stay and work for this cheap moron. As magical as this season has been, I've not allowed myself to fully buy in because it will not be sustained long term and full measures will not be taken as long as we're owned by an Angelos.

Flaherty prices himself out of our reach if he finishes strong. Still young and TOR stuff .. he's probably already near 20 mil a season. Really strong finish could bump him up to, what, 25 a year? BTW Houston's MO was going after discounted Aces. Then unlocking something and taking them to the next level. Kinda seeing that happening here with Flaherty.

Flaherty's been coming on strong lately but don't fully trust him. Wild you have to send 3 prospects - one raking in the minors - for a rental of a guy with a 1.55 WHIP. Feel like there's some paying for he name there. And for the love of God sign some actual front line pitching in the offeason or we'll keep finding ourselves in this predicament.

Urias and Sonny Gray will get too much. Some decent mid tier guys having nice bounceback seasons. Kyle Hendricks, James Paxton, Cobb. But even this level may be too expensive for us. Could see us going after Michael Lorenzen.

Welp, Alabama was there for the taking but Reese early foul trouble cost us a chance to be ahead or even at the half. 5 point deficit isn't insurmountable but they'll probably start hitting threes or just heat up at some point.

Young looked awful. Probably nervous. WVU's top big fouling out was the difference.

KenPom has WVU at 17. 15 in offense and 52 in defense. But they only won 2 conference road games. So this seems pretty even. Issue lately is Reese getting into foul trouble. I think he's our most talented player and when he's forced out there's a dropoff. Indiana took the lead in the second half with him out of the game. So that plus Young being on offensively are really the keys. Young is really our only consistent scorer.

Yeah I'm thinking you might be right on that. There's gotta be SOMETHING to this home/road split. Can't lose at home, can't really win on the road. Like what the hell. And whenever they get ranked you KNOW a letdown is coming. Probably should've been betting hard all season on this home/road split but hate betting against my teams. Anyway, so are we screwed in the tournament by virtue of it not being at home? Young/Reese/Scott/Hart is too good a foursome to not at least make the Sweet 16. "Bipolar" really is the best word to describe this team, Tony. Don't think I've seen anything this severe ever.