Pickles

As I was saying in the Westburg thread, it would be uncharacteristic of them to call Ortiz up just to gain a platoon advantage for a couple of days. I think Ortiz is likely here to stay for a while.

Which I acknowledged in my VERY FIRST post, when I acknowledged expediency. Nobody ever claimed 1000% of the time!

Don't be annoying and pedantic on purpose. They transitioned him to the bullpen and immediately brought him back up. Again, if you're using this to argue they're likely to bring up Westburg to gain a platoon advantage for a couple days, you're not arguing in good faith and you're arguing just to argue.

Everybody knows that. They expressly said he would get one start and then transition to the bullpen.

That's five months. There's no reason this team can't win the division this year. The Rays are beastly, but they won't win 120 games.

Yes. I think they believe he is now ready for a major league bullpen role, and there was one available to him last season. I think he is being given a chance to develop as a starter, and if they decide they that isn't happening, he will be given another bp role when one is available.

I think they think he's ready for a bullpen role in the major leagues. But he's getting a final chance to sieze a larger role. They may call up Westburg tomorrow. But if they do, I can guarantee it won't be to gain a platoon advantage for a day or two.

This. Other than expediency, and with Westburg not on the 40 man prettyd much excludes him, Elias has been clear: He will call up prospects when he thinks they are ready to stay permanently in MLB. He's not going to call guys up to "see what they can do" or to gain a platoon advantage for a game or two.

Not everyone is going to hit at the same time. Nobody will avoid slumping at some point in the season. The team scored six runs today. If that's "not hitting" sign me up for it all season long.

Well, I shouldn't have phrased it that way. I guess, people have been saying how are we going to improve if we don't bring up the prospects to displace the young major leaguers? How many people wanted to replace at least one of Urias or Mateo with one of Ortiz or Westburg for instance?

Not unsurpisingly, he's walking far more than he ever has before. His 15 BB is on pace for over 90 BB; 50% higher than his previous career high. People were asking "Where is the improvement going to come from now that all the big prospects are up?" Well, MLs, at 26,27,28- the ages of Mountcastle, Hays, Mullins, Urias, Mateo- often are still getting better and adding to their games. Mullins improved his arm last year, and seems to have improved his plate discipline this year.

This is the only acceptable answer. But if you need an answer based on what we know now, then it's Frazier and it isn't particularly close.

Hays left tonight's game after attempting a bunt and taking a fastball off the hands. X-Rays negative.

Yeah, I probably wouldn't extend him, but I know I wouldn't at anything over five years.

I wouldn't be interested in anything longer than 5 years with Cedric.

Should add for the record the broadcast said tonight he was leading the major leagues in average exit velocity allowed. That seems fairly significant.

This guy has been an amazing pick-up. Great job of scouting down there in Florida.

Well, to me, he doesn't even come into the equation.

They're going to have to play around with the bullpen, but there are no real changes that need to take place right now.

Do you honestly think Jackson Holiday could beat out the six guys ahead of him right now?

Correa. Springer. Verlander. Cole. Keuchel. ETC. They've let a lot more guys walk than they've extended. In fact, Altuve and Alvarez are their only notable extensions.

Houston has watched most of their "best" players walk as free agents.

I advocated signing ERod as a FA a few years ago. He and Correa are the only two guys I advocated to sign to multi-year deals. But it doesn't make sense with the opt out.

No Bueno.

Anything is possible. The curve will not invert. However, becoming an outlier might become more likely.