AnythingO's

I don't disagree that the team/owners have income streams outside of what is accounted for in the Forbes data, not for one minute. However, the Forbes data does show losses in 3 out of 5 years and had 2 years with payroll of $110 M and $119M when they made about $40M in profit. I think assuming they can support $135M each year is just hope, wish, delusion.

I was just making a joke because I didn't think you were serious. Yes, they did average $136+ for 5 years and lost $35M in 3 out of those 5 years. JA has pocketed $150M the last 2 years so there "should" be some workable middle ground though short of $135M. PA had the law firm also making money and attendance was also higher then. JA doesn't have those supports although, attendance is up considerably this year so far. I don't see ME pushing in lots of top talent for a moldy SP and I don't think JA will eat much salary, ever.

JR, you just put Scherzer, MASN, and Angelos in the SAME sentence, with a semi-hopeful spin, lol! I'll have some of whatever you are drinking but pass on any JA hope!

I was thinking of Rodgers as BP help in the playoff run like Hall was last year. He could be a SP option next year as well. Help us now and help us later.

As for BP help, is there any update on Givens going for more checkups this week? What about Hall's outlook? Maybe Urias to MIA for Rogers? If we pickup another SP lilke ERod then some SP needs to go to the BP for middle relief. Is Hader still himself now? He wasn't good in 2022 but appears to have rebounded, WHIP is good but K/BB below career norms. Going to be a sellers markey, somebody will overpay, I hope it isn't us.

I see some talk about ERod, he has his first rehab start Thursday which is just about a month from his injury (May 29 to IL). If the pulley was ruptured the recovery would have been 6-8 weeks supposedly. Now they project his return July 9 to MLB. DET plays MIN this weekend so we will see how that goes re: selling or going for it. I have been suggesting ERod since the offseason as a trade candidate. He has 3/$49M on his contract and an optout he would likely exercise. As a rental coming off injury DET won't get much. Maybe 1-2 of Norby, Stowers, Prieto, Vavra and Irvin as a replacement SP. If ERod is successful here, maybe we could renegotiate and add $5M to the current contract so AAV of $18M. Maybe add an option year @$20M. Is ERod going to get more than 3/$54M or 4/$74M even in this market? Who is a comp to ERod from last offseason and what did they get? He should be good for 150 innings and ERA 3.5-4.0 over ages 31-33/34

I agree with all of what you say but I believe they give Hyde the option of where and how to play the less obvious choices. I am incapable of believing playing Vavra over Stowers in RF was a ME-SigBot analytical based decision. Likewise for McCann at DH, or O'Hearn in RF or Stowers in LF or Ortiz getting little PT. I believe those decision were made by Hyde and that's why I think ME is sending a strong message about the Westburg promotion. JW will play. Just my strong opinion, worth what you paid for it. lol

Gunnar gets 30 games (15@3B, 15@SS), Westburg gets 20 games (10@3B, 10@2B), Urias gets 15 games (5@3B, 10 @2B), Mateo gets 15 games @SS, Frazier gets 10 games @2B. That's 90 games at 2B, SS, 3B, more or less can be had for Urias at 1B or anyone hitting well at DH.

Yes and no, IMO. Everyone agrees on the Adley, Gunnar level and Hays, Mullins, Santander are the vets. When you get to Vavra, Stowers, Ortiz, I don't think their usage is dictated by ME or the SigBot. I believe they left that to Hyde and we saw Hyde play vets over them. I think ME is sending a message to Hyde with the Westburg hype saying he expects Hyde to play JW regularly. JW is versatile enough to play any IF position and has 6 games in OF this year. I don't know if ME sees JW as a better prospect than Ortiz but Ortiz benefits by playing FT at SS in AAA. He has many hundreds of ABs to get close to JW level of seasoning. That ME is driving this promotion and that Frazier, ME's $8 M man, is likely to lose the most PT is a significant endorsement and out of character for ME.

Maybe a reference to Davis?

HK has been on a mission since going to AFL and he isn't slowing down at AAA: .333 .410 .685 1.095 He now has passed Cowser: .328 .459 .539 .998 15 games, 54 ABs, 22% SO rate. In 2 months he will be approaching the 200 AB mark. The bat is special once again, see you in September HK.

I don't think he can go .759 over the next 90 games or so but I wouldn't bet against him throwing off another 4 week spell of .850+ to get to .700 before fading. To me it's impossible to predict where he settles in. He worked hard last summer to change his approach and had his 6+ week heater before fading in Sept. Then he worked on approach in offseason and was scorching in April. Now he is colder than ever, seems to be pressing, and is opening up. What he is now as a hitter is not what he was before last summer, it's worse production wise. At the same time I think he is close to another surge. That would be 3 heaters within 1 season worth of games while he tries to remake himself at the MLB level, I am with ME, he keeps getting regular ABs for another 1-2 months. They need to look at another position to fix at the moment like COF.

OK, PLEASE don't construe my comment about ME as in any way supporting that logic or being OK with it, patently not true. Westburg should have been the 2B in ST, Cowser should be up by now, I know injury, but soon. Mateo, I'm still hoping for another hot streak. At least he appears to be trying to change his bad approach, Mounty not so much.

Well I didn't mean that comment positively. Ortiz will get the same half-assed chance as Vavra and Stowers got. I just hope Ortiz does more with it.

I think that might be true but that Ortiz is n the 40 man probably means as much or more. I think ME doesn't want more than 1 rookie struggling at a time on the MLB club. It's Ortiz's time in the barrel, I hope he gets the chance to show his glove plays at all 3 positions at least, even if his bat doesn't so far.

I think ME is auditioning Ortiz as a super utility player with an eye to next year. Ortiz is a line drive hitter, any offense he provides is a bonus. As long as his glove plays at 2B, SS, and 3B he will stay up. The problem with getting enough consistent ABs is that Hyde won't do it, Urias and Ortiz are redundant and he will favor Urias and Frazier. However, Urias shouldn't be used at SS unless in an injury emergency, advantage Ortiz. Regular ABs for Ortiz need either Frazier or Urias to be traded. Ortiz has until trading deadline to establish his defensive chops. I still think Urias to MIA for Rogers is fair, they don't need his arm but they need offense. The one to bring up now is Cowser, after he plays FT another week or 2 to show he is fully recovered. He has 170 ABs and OPS over 1 this year and had 105 ABs last year with OPS .768 if memory serves. Lester isn't going to play up here, he is not a prospect. Use his spot to start Cowser's transition. If he fails, bring up somebody else like Cameron. We can't go into second half without a second, viable COF. ME needs to keep Hyde from playing the likes of Vavra, O'Hearn, Lester in RF and McCann at DH. IMO we should start removing black holes from the lineup (offensively and defensively). Besides Kjerstad needs a COF spot to play in AAA while he continues his assault on minor league pitching. That leaves 1B open for Mayo in AAA as he has largely proved he has mastered AA pitching.

I don't think the weight lifting program has gone lone enough to build the strength back. Back in the day it was said you needed 6 weeks after you increased intensity to reach that next plateau. I think it has only been 4 weeks so far. IT is also possible after 6 weeks they might need another 6 weeks to get to where they want him to be. I'm just spit balling here, we have no info. At least he is still throwing.

Montgomery is a rental right? Irvin is younger and under control next year as well. StL as a history of fixing pitchers. The prospect list is everyone under Ortiz, I actually meant to include Ortiz as well but was rushing before going offline. So 1.5 yrs of a MLB pitcher and some prospect or 2 that fills a need of theirs. Might not be of interest to them but it isn't embarrassing for a rental.

Perez has no options. Why not try returning him to the role he and Baker were good at last year after Lopez trade??? Why did Cano hot ST override his career stats and demote guys from setup role? Sigbot wouldn't do that IMO, just Hyde wanted a shiny new toy.

What about Irvin plus a Stowers or Norby, or Vavra, or Prieto?

No to Hall for Montgomery, I haven't given up on his lefty power arm as a RP. What does StL need in OF, IF where we have prospects? Yes to trade with MIA for Roger's, even if he is their Hall.

I'm pretty sure "inherited runners score" is most likely

I don't think Mayo has the foot speed to be a COF although he surely has the arm for RF. With his experience on the dirt wouldn't it make more sense to groom him for 1B and Heston for RF/DH??

Heston was 0.17 on is 3B at AAA. Is that percentage of a minute?

Heston moves very well for a big man. I don't kow what his routes or reaction times are like as a COF but he runs hard. He had 3 triples at AA and now this one at AAA. Who was it with the inside the park HR a week or so ago Beavers maybe who was gassed and stumbling around 3B. HK just pops up and sheds gear. At AA per Fangraphs, his speed on the base paths was 5.2 where 6.0 is great. Prieto (3.7) and Mayo (3.5) for comparison. At AAA Cowser (5.9) and Ortiz(5.8) are not much ahead of HK.