Ripken

So Elias trades for Fuji again?

Umm... not great. Double, walk, single with a few ground outs.

Yeah, in the bad case, with Burnes and likely Means gone, we'd have GRod, Kremer and lots of hope that some prospects turn out. I surely hope the team spends some money going forward with new owner(s).

Sure. You don't make the roster decisions. This is about service time and nothing else. Elias can't say that so it's fine. I never thought JH or Mayo would make the team. Actions speak louder than words. The part that we might keep Nevin over Wong because the team needs a RH bat though it silly. They both stink.

So, Elias thinks Nevin is a better hitter than Mayo?

Shocked. Shocked, I tell you. We're quickly approaching a time where it will be harder to sign kids if they think they'll be denied an MLB opportunity.

Called that a long time ago. I sure hope Rubes opens up his wallet so these roster games can end.

Elias is not making roster/position decisions based on what Cal wants.

That's, uhh, it?

No, but they very much need to. Probably even two (or just release someone like McKenna).

All of this. He doesn't know what he's talking about. I coached travel baseball for five years with my oldest son and it was a great experience for all of the kids. You want to get better you have to play a lot and do so against good competition. I had one kid who's about to make the majors and a couple others that eventually could (going to major D1 schools). It was a very tight group of families, all of whom enjoyed the time together. Of course, we started traveling way before high school, too. I get constant emails to this day about camps, clinics, tournaments, etc. from many places.

Nope. We're gonna keep sending MLB worthy players back to Norfolk.

Only so many pitches in those arms. No reason to work him much early.

If they are both ready, keep Mayo and JH and trade Urias. If only one is ready, Urias stays. If they send both down, Urias and some 4A OF sticks around. For me, Mayo is ready for Baltimore but I still don't think Jackson makes the team.

Many of us have been saying he could be good this year and have an important role.

I really like Irvin. I think he's gonna be more Means than Means. If Bradish were healthy, the Irvin/Kremer 4/5 might be the best around. If we could name more than one player... Kjerstad's power is real. He'll be tough to keep out of the lineup. I think there's a chance Charles becomes an importance piece of the pen. Grayson and Westburg keep getting better. Mountcastle has a career year. Holliday looks legit when he gets to Baltimore but that won't be in April. Chayce McDermott comes up late and shows some exciting stuff.

Pretty much everything about their careers is very similar. They're even the same age (DK is 3 months older). I always wonder what a guy will do the season after throwing way more innings than he's ever thrown before. Keller cleared 194 innings last year and [SSS alert] two of his last four starts were brutal.

Cole Irvin pitches with his left arm. The least he could do is give his right elbow to Bradish.

They will have a really nice all left handed lineup soon.

I'm not feeling good about this at all but 12 weeks from the middle of January is the middle of April. He's soft tossing now. In other words, while I expect TJ surgery, killing his '24 season and a big chunk of next, my concern isn't the PRP recovery timeline itself; it's just whether it works or not.

I like Irvin and think he'd be okay as the 5. Means is more talented but I never want to count on him. Wouldn't surprise me at all if Irvin ending up having more value this year. Bradish, on the other hand, ugh.

More or less. Beyond that, I was concerned about the bullpen before the Burnes trade. Now, Hall is gone (which, hey, great trade... but Hall is gone) and there's a greater chance that Irvin and/or Wells are starting. So, since the trade, that's 2-3 more guys out of the pen, before mentioning the enormous role Felix played last year. They did add Kimbrel but he doesn't inspire much confidence in me. Suffice it to say, I am very much worried about the bullpen now.

Yes.