AnythingO's

Cool so our "odds" of making the Playoffs have risen to 50%, lol

OK, but to each, his own. Whatever happened last summer is the only bit of controversy I see out there and there is no talk about it with the DET writers covering the team. If, (AND IT'S A BIG IF) he can't be QO'd a second time (can't tell), or doesn't have to tell DET within 5 days of WS he will opt out (can't tell), then DET's position is weak. They "seem" to have pitching depth but lack offense. They have Nevin and Schoop playing regularly, Cabrerra at DH and Greene and Tork struggling. If we could negotiate to clear the opt out, (maybe sweeten the pot with option years) he doesn't go FA. Does DET say no to Urias/Vavra (3B), Norby (2B), Stowers COF/DH, plus Irvin as a cheap short term SP? That cost is minimal to the current team but you get a guy for 30+ starts, around 4 ERA in 180+ innings, for 3+ years (age 30 now) for the price of Frazier and Gibson.

Does it matter that ERod turned down Boston's QO before going to DET? Is it true you can only be QO-ed once?

I went looking to see what compensation they might be entitled to and never saw anything about QO. My bad

He has 3 yrs @$49M ($18M, $16M, $15M) left after this season. If he opts out DET gets no compensation other than saving salary. He has a 10 team no trade agreement, don't know if we are on the list. My question is, if you traded for him now or at ASB, would/could you get the option to negotiate with him prior to the trade? If yes, then you could sweeten to pot with extension options, signing bonus, etc for him to agree NOT TO exercise the opt out. Is that possible?

Only if EdRod DECLINED the opt out first.

EdRod has an opt out after this year and Det isn't competitive. If he exercises the opt out I don't think Det gets any compensation. Trade Irvin to Det at ASB and assume the contract if opt out declined for an option year??????

Re: Gunnar, IMO he should not be rotating around defensive positions. Pick one and leave him there to settle in. He is already having sophomore slump issues at the plate as the pitchers adjust to him based on last year. Take 1 thing off his plate and let him settle at 3B

Maybe EdRod is auditioning for a trade. If memory serves he has an opt out after this year and would have 3 yrs at $18 M left on his contract. Is he worth that (or more) on the open market? If he opts out Det gets nothing correct? If so it shouldn't take much of a prospect expense in a trade if we take full contract, maybe add an option or 2.

They better play fast, another band coming through in about 1.5 hours.

Agreed, McKenna has a defined role that is needed. Whether he is the right guy is another matter. That's not where I was going anyway. After the starting 9 we have McKenna and a Util If (i.e. Urias) and backup catcher. That's with OHearn at DH. So Vavra is 2nd Util IF or 5th OF or backup DH, none of which he is a good choice for. Then Santander is forced to play RF very day which is not good for him staying healthy, he should play the field maybe 50% and DH the rest. Playing O'Hearn anywhere but DH is not a defensive upgrade. This lineup construction is NOT more versatile, it is limiting Hyde's options to unsuitable players.

I'm in Leesburg VA and it cleared out about 30 minutes ago. The radar for Baltimore shows most bad stuf passing and not much after 6 pm. I defer to GU as he has other sources that have proven accurate.

But so is O'Hearn as well so we have 2 dead spots out of 13 with limited functionality, 3 counting McKenna.

And Urias and Ortiz and Westburg and Norby

I think you are right about O'Hearn ABs but that keeps Santander in RF which isn't a good way to keep him healthy. We have the collection of AAAA 1B-DH types in AAA but ME is converting Heston to 1B in AA. We have Heston, Cowers, Stowers, with Beavers rising but ME is converting Westburg to COF. We have Ortiz ready and he is a better version of Urias but has no place to play unless there is injury. Vavra is also redundant with Urias. The bottom line is we have no idea what ME and the Sig bot are thinking because the the current puzzle pieces don't fit any discernable pattern,

Vavra is batting .190, OPS .482 and just had a 2 pitch AB last night resulting in a DP. When Det went to a leftie they subbed McKenna for him. Vavra is not a good defensive 2B, had some good results at 3B in ST, but has no business in RF at all except in emergency. So much for versatility. He is redundant with Urias who is a better hitter and the reigning GG at 3B who is basically a Util IF because of Gunnar. We are playing a man short every day Vavra is on the roster. Imagine an actual RF that can hit lefties in that spot.

Vavra and Frazier both looked overmatched tonight, and Vavra doesn't look very fleet of foot. He handled a few pretty routine chances but didn't look comfortable in RF to me. The outfielder in AAA who hits lefties and is on the 40 man isn't named Cowser, it's Stowers. If anyone thinks Vavra is the answer, they are asking the wrong question.

I was there tonight and Mounty drilled 2 line drives to RF but right at-ems. He had a 7 pitch AB to single in the 9th, advanced to 3rd on Santander's single, and broke for home to score the winning run. Before his single to advance Mounty, Santander had hit fly balls to all 3 fields. Neither is hitting for average but Mounty's OPS is almost 100 points higher.

Didn't know the option piece when I posted so scratch Voth as first off the island. Then Akin to get more consistent work and then whoever else with options that isn't getting it done.

This bears repeating: "Cal Jr.‘s first 41 games that were a struggle. .118 / .127 / .178 with only 1 BB and 17 K’s, a HR and 4 RBI." We are talking about the unanimous #1 prospect in MLB at age 21, so yeah "solid"

For me, Voth goes first to AAA to start, the second one is whoever of the rest of them, not named Bautista, is not performing or needs an IL break to recalibrate.

Yeah, that struck me as well, kinda like "I dare ya to hit it".

Haha, haven't been back in decades but that was a corner bar when I was a kid. I used to walk down the alley with a bucket to get a bucket of beer for my dad. I was maybe 8 years old. Grew up at 1128 E. Fort Ave. The park across the street was abandoned land that once had row houses. the Coca Cola bottling plant was next to the vacant lot. Memory lane.

This may not be the right place but I have never started a thread so here I go. PLAY THE KIDS , those that came up thru the ranks and had the chance to build bonds. I was working and only casually following GRod's recent first IP on Gametracker, I remember thinking about Stowers comment, that after GRod gets knocked around he just bears down and locks in. Henderson, Mateo, Rutschman all play roles in clawing back, then winning the game. These guys have each others back and the mental aspect is real. Get Stowers up here, he is at least as good in RF as Santander and Vavra and he is dangerous. Drop O'Hearn. Stowers splits RF-DH with Santander to keep AS bat in lineup. Vavra backs up 2b, 3B, DH. Bring up Hall to be RP like last year, the BP needs a live arm, drop Gillaspie. After ASB, fish or cut bait (Santander/Stowers, Hall/Cano/Tate/Givens, Hays/Cowser, Vavra/Norby/Westberg). Let the dogs out!

To me , that's a very good comp. We have Means for age 29 and 30 now, Assuming Means comes back as himself this summer, do you offer a 4-$68 extension in the off season? Is Taillon a good comp for Means?