Pickles

I'd like to see a video montage of whoever made the most "good plays." That must be quite the highlight reel.

Several comments left on the fangraph article by fans of various teams praise Mateo for "passing the eye test" and being "the best they saw." One Cardinals fan claims he has more range than Ozzie.

Ooops, I made a thread on this as well. I'm happy for Santander, though I don't expect he will win.

The nominations were just announced. Rutschman nominated for catcher, and Santander in the outfield.

Good clarification.

Well deserved.

I agree. Obviously, this team has to improve, but a lot of that is going to come internally. Or it better, or they're screwed either way. However, I guess it just depends on what you're definition of "big" is. This team/organization doesn't need to make huge personnel changes, or sign huge nine figure FA contracts to do it imo. We just improved by 31 games and the biggest acquisition was roundly criticized and not all that "big." I'd like see them retain Lyles, or replace him with some they prefer in the same role/money, and go after the best starting pitcher they can get in addition. I'd like to see them add a bat that made sense. But I don't believe they need to hand out 100 million+ contracts, trade multiple prospects, or even more absurdly imo, trade 4-5 ML contributors.

Sure, but it kind of belies their original point.

So are several division winners.

I haven't heard that one, but I'm not surprised.

I hear a lot of talk about making "big moves" to compete in "this division." And how we're "really far away." And need "massive talent upgrades."

It will be harder but not impossible. I should say I'm not against signing a FA reliever, but I'm against a multi-year contract, or a salary above a few million. But I'm much more interested in improving the top of the rotation, and then pushing arms down the ladder.

This all seems like Taylor Teagarden redux.

I think they should just do what they did last year: Pull a bunch of arms off waivers and coach them up. Transition starter prospects to the pen. Spending money on relievers is one of the worst ways to spend money. A trade, like the Miller trade, makes a lot more sense imo.

There's not really much to say other than the possibilities for the O's are wide open, and we don't know which path Elias is going to forge. Which is essentially what the article says.

I'd rather have Mateo in a back up role than to trade him for some middling return. I don't care about maximizing his trade value; I care about maximizing my major league wins. He would be an amazing super sub; he'd probably still play 140 games a year, but he'd get about 350 abs. He could still be worth several wins in that role imo. As a defensive replacement and a pinch runner he would be a real tool to a team. He's my starting SS next year, at least to start, but if I had to pick and choose between trading one and using one as a bench player between Mateo and Urias, I'd trade Urias, because Mateo would be more valuable in the utility role. And to be a little more on topic considering this is Ortiz' thread, I am greatly enthused to hear the reports in this thread, and if he's as good as some believe, he will soon be the starting shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles.

Ain't that kind of the issue too?

F-ing travesty. Mateo's trending on Twitter. I don't think we're alone.

It is what it is, man. Talk about what you want, fair enough. But we've all heard it before.

I think most Asian players are going to prefer to sign on the West Coast all things considered equal. There are always, of course, exceptions. Good thread. I didn't realize he was a FA this year, and only vaguely remember his name. I won't say anything particularly wise, but we have seen: Japanese pitchers can be effective in the Majors. I should expect the Os have scouted him and have a number for him.

He wasn't held down at the beginning of the season because of his status, he wasn't playing because he was injured. And in regards to 2021, it's over. Let it go.

Adley was hurt. You don't get to make up facts in your bs Ceasar Chavez routine.

If this season was an example of "blowing up in Elias' face" then let's hope he keeps having things blow up in his face so much we mistake him for Wile E. Coyote.

I guess that's kind of my point: He's 27 or 28, but he's stunted with the emotional maturity of a 15 year old and will be for a long time most likely. It's kind of funny but it brings up an interesting question: What's more off-putting? The athletic diva with the "Aww, shucks, I'm just lucky to be here" facade that completely hides their narcissism, or the athletic diva who leans into it and embraces their narcissism, like Kobe Bryant? Who exactly is the bigger sociopath?

90% of these guys have a sense of entitlement that is difficult for a mature adult to understand. Remember how entitled and clueless you were when you were 17? Now imagine someone handed that 17 year millions of dollars, and they spent the next ten years being told how amazing they were. That's what most of the pro athletes are, at least the ones like Correa, the prodigies.