Pickles

And .300 avg.

A spring training invite is not a ML appearance. I personally would not sign Harvey to a guaranteed deal. I really don't see anybody else doing it either. That means he's going to fight for a job in spring training. It's a fight he could lose. I'm not really averse to him being brought back. But I don't want to guarantee him a contract.

Do you think anyone really signs him to a guaranteed ML deal? I'm torn on it, but I could see it not happening. And if he's in Spring Training next year on a non-guaranteed deal- well just that, nothing is guaranteed.

Not surprising. Have to give the guy credit for hanging on this long. You wonder if maybe he hasn't pitched his last ML game.

I think this season has to be considered a successful one for Rom. A fairly successful one at that. He reached AA at 21. While his ERA there doesn't look great, his peripherals have some encouraging signs. I know the game has changed, and I know Rom isn't a power guy, but he's still King over 9 per 9 at AA. He K/BB is still over 3:1. He also seems to be making improvement on keeping the ball on the ground. This kid has a chance.

Harvey served his purpose. He ate innings. Maybe we could have moved on a little early, but plenty of "the future" was here this year- and it looked awful. I really think it's hard to make a case he was blocking somebody who deserved it.

Harvey bought himself some time by pitching acceptably in the 2nd half.

Does your wife ever eat in Baltimore city?

I've never been to Kansas City. I'd stake my life on the fact that it has less rats than Baltimore.

You're telling me it is acceptable to you to watch a crowd full of Baltimoreans- who should know about rat handling better than anybody- being outclassed by some goob from the midwest, whose city surely has far less rats than our own? Have some civic pride, man!

Did I miss this thread? How is this possible? https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/hes-scaling-the-chairs-for-the-rat-fan-catches-rat-with-bare-hands-at-orioles-game Anyway, a rat was running through the stands during the last Royals game, and a man dressed in Royals gear eventually picked it up by the tail and stuffed it in a box. We got to do better, man.

Hitting is like sex. It comes in waves. Or not at all.

Ok, I googled it. If I understand what I am reading and if google is correct- neither is guaranteed- no team in the NL would have put a claim in on Mateo, or they would have received priority. I don't know why no NL team claimed him but it seems that is the case. I don't think it's all that amazing. There's probably only 2-3 teams at any given time in any league where it makes sense to be scouring the wire, particularly the time of year.

Oh, ok. I don't know the answer so I was confused.

Does that prove exactly what jammer said?

I don't have a ton to add but I'll say this: You hear about a guy like Mateo with all his tools and a lack of success at the MLB eventually exposing him to waivers, and you assume he must have a bad approach. I found the opposite to be true. He has a solid approach, and has been having good abs almost every plate appearance. Likewise, in the field, you kind of expect to see some poor fundamentals. He made an E last night, but he looks a solid ss to me. He's not Shawon Dunston. I want him to get 500-600 abs next year.

Sorry, this year and next.

I don't think I've heard this discussed: But shouldn't insurance cover a certain part of Davis' salary- one would suspect for this year and last? I know the Rangers got significant relief when Fielder Jr. retired early.

I've seen him hit some bullets and have nothing to show for it the last few games. IMO, he doesn't look bad and he's not having bad ABs. Yesterday, for instance, he hit a 113 mph screamer that missed being homerun by about 3 feet. Next pitch he grounds out to the third baseman.

We're good, man. I personally feel strongly that Wells should get a chance to start next year.

Just so we're clear: I don't disagree with you because I have a "loser's mentality." I don't disagree with you because I can't "understand." I disagree with you because what you're saying is fundamentally wrong. Worrying about the bullpen before the rotation is ass backwards. That's all. I'm not angry about it. I'm not trolling you. I'm not being disrespectful. Saying that Wells shouldn't get a chance to start next year because contending teams need good bullpens is bad logic.

How do you not understand that I am too. We're not speculating about Wells' past, are we?

It's pretty funny and it is entirely accurate. Worrying about not blowing leads when we have- sans Means- the worst starting staff I think I've ever seen, is putting the cart before the horse, to say the least.

Thank Christ, we're not a contending team then.

The Texas Rangers miss out on a couple of World Series with this attitude. A starting pitcher is so much more valuable than a relief pitcher that if there's any reasonable belief the pitcher can make the transition- and I think there is plenty of that with Wells- you almost have to give it a shot.