Pheasants

OK, I figured out that what we often refer to as AAAA is a 35-40 Up/Down; would you define the meaning of Top 1-2 and Top 5--better than All-stars but not Hall of Famers? One of the top 1-2 or 5 players at that position in the majors?

If that becomes the norm the rule on who gets the win will need to be changed. Probably only after its been the norm for ten years, but eventually.

I'd prefer the 5-man rotation with every pitcher knowing they were only going to pitch 5 innings. Then have 4-5 relievers planning to pitch 3 innings and a closer or two. I think with the planned shorter outings, you could even go back to a 4-man rotation if pitchers were taught the rhythm of preparing for it in the minors. This would be like the piggy-backing our minors do at times, and one could shift the reliever and starter if desired. It would be nice to see scientific evidence of the effect on arms of pitching with different lengths of breaks between maximum stress. Does it help or hurt the muscles, etc., to have more or less time between max use. It would seem reasonable that rest helps, but would connections be stronger with more common use? (and, yeah, I know pitchers don't just sit around between starts.)

I am concerned about it from a player development standpoint as well as the loss of local baseball. Not player development for the top guys added to the system each year but for the guy drafted in the 24th round. Teams will have to make quicker judgements on who is going to be great. With fewer minor league teams, a late draftee will have essentially one year to prove he's better than the team thought or he's done. We've all heard the stories of the guys who used to come out of nowhere or the 42nd round. Good scouting has already reduced that number considerably, but now they would be taking away chances to prove oneself. Wasn't it just a couple of months ago, we were wishing we had Bluefield back so our players had an extra opportunity above Florida? Personally I enjoy minor league ball more than major league--smaller crowds, sitting closer to the field, cheaper prices, travelling 30 or 50 miles instead of 500 to get there--so I would oppose any effort to cut the minors. Heck I even enjoyed it when Frederick came to the local stadium even though I didn't see anyone on the field that I thought would ever make the majors. And I used to be spoiled, having seen Palmer, Belanger, Etchebarren (sp?) and Bumbry go through my home town on the way to Baltimore.

I might be interested in a one-year, very good defensive catcher. Both of ours seemed to get worse defensively as the season progressed and I don't think we have anyone great defensively in AA or AAA.

I think Severino has to improve his catching to keep playing as much so I think his production will slump.

Nah, they'll just trade him to us when he's in A ball.

Was Mancini bad enough last year to be in the running for national comeback player of the year?

So by September 2020 we should have 6 outfielders fighting for time. Our cup overfloweth...

I wonder how the guys who won their way to the playoffs feel about this. If they win, will they even feel they won?

Looks like they've decided the coaches were the problem at Frederick. Personally, I didn't think there was much talent there.

I'm lazy; how many of the 23 have been 5 inning appearances? It's not like 10 of 27 outs; it's 10 of 15 in some cases I think.

Until his promotion, I was wondering if Ripken was being trained to be a coach and just playing when needed.

I'm not surprised by Delmarva's loss. Counting it, they've played .500 baseball since August 1. Bowie has been .500 since mid August. Are the pitchers tired? Have opponents figured them out? I have no real idea.

I don't understand why t he comparisons (also rans) were not in the same year. How is Mussina and Sabathia a head-to-head comparison?

Once the game starts I don't think anyone is trying to lose. If ever I thought Hyde was giving up in his pre-game choices it was yesterday with Ynoa. He was on my list of the six people on the 40-man who could be DFA'd without a second thought (as opposed to the group we'd have to think about in relationship to who we were adding.) Instead of blowing up in the 4th or 5th like normal, he pitched well, so Hyde must be wondering if he needs to start one of the Scotts if he wants to lose.?

I could see him matching Vlad Jr.'s rookie average ane power.

And to think I've seen demands here recently for us to pick up an outfield veteran(s) to get us through the bad years.?

At this point I'm not sure many are worth a shot if we have to put them on the 40man. Is there enough time to evaluate them before we have to add all the new people and start cutting? Of course, if he was released, we don't have to put him on the 40 man do we--unless we want to use him in Baltimore.

A double, two walks, two hits batsemen, 2K--could it be that playing conditions were the cause? Was he slipping on the mound? Unable to fully extend with his legs? The umps may have looked at how bad it was and used his inability to pitch under the conditions as the reason to postpone the game. I don't like his Frederick season, but I think that start should not be seen as the real him.

Except it would be planned that they only go a scheduled 5 or 6. The starter walks on the field knowing his innings instead of expecting to pitch until they are in trouble. Of course they could be pulled early if needed, and it could be agreed to make exceptions for perfect game starts.

I'm still rooting for a decision to change the system to 9-10 guys who can all do 5-6 innings. Start 5 for 5 innings, have another do 3 innings of relief and have 1-2 guys like Alvarado at the end as closers. The starters can switch off if need be. No one faces a third time through the lineup. Other than Baumann it looks like most of our starter prosopects are good for 6 and we have a few relievers throwing 3 at a time. We could put together enough guys in a couple of years for the Os.

Reyes to Bowie finally, but would they jump him over Encarnacion?

But you got to see Wojo outpitch Verlander; something to tell your grandchildren. (unless the only thing that counts is strikeouts--a "true" outcome.)

What is McInturff's reputation? A good scout or a repeater of what others say? (I noticed the agreement with Law on Rodriguez--so is he basically copying Law or stating an independent opinion?)