HandsomeQuack

Hell yeah!

Somewhere, Buck is smiling at that perfect left-right alternation. Good luck, Rocco!

Until Means or Bradish is ready

When they first came out with the city connects, I hated them. Now that I've had some time to get used to them, I still hate them.

How can you not be romantic about baseball

I don't see Cowser starting vs a LHP. Probably Santander and Hays in the corners and some combination of Urias, McCann, and Mateo in the lineup as well.

So this is what, three straight non-starts for Hays? I don't disagree with it, but I do find it surprising.

What a hilarious inning

Last year's protocol was to wear the uglies for home Friday games, with the exception of some divison games. I don't think we will be spared on Friday.

Grab that ROY, king.

Yes, everyone wants a good play-by-play person, even if you're watching on TV. What an odd thing to say.

Technically if they call him up early enough to get the full year of service, he is still eligible for a PPI pick.

Hell yeah!

This team has a guardian angel watching over them

Now let's beat these chumps

vs RHP I would rather have O'Hearn, but fair enough

I will tell myself that this is because of Canning's reverse splits and overall profile, like others have pointed out. This should not be the norm. Mountcastle should be viewed as more of a platoon bat.

Darell Hernaiz has made the A's roster. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/darell-hernaiz-makes-athletics-opening-day-roster.html

I'm hardly breaking new ground in saying this but Montgomery would be a wonderful fit for this rotation. Solid number 2/3 LHP who will come off the books before anyone needs an extension.

My point was that a "rich" team would be weighing the same pros and cons with the Holliday situation that the Orioles are. That you are the Dodgers or Yankees doesn't mean that you assume that an extension is a fait accompli. But I agree, the way they handle the Super-2 deadline could be an indicator of how cheap they are feeling. Of course, there is also the meta-game of top 2 in ROY, and trying to avoid that if at all possible, while also wanting him to be good. I don't know that they would hold him down just to hurt his chances at top 2 ROY, but if we get into that mid-to-late May, Super Two time of year, I think that will be a consideration as well.

You would not catch me complaining if they extended any of the youngsters. But until that happens, service time is a consideration, and that is not exclusive to the self-proclaimed poverty franchises.

It's not my money, I hope so too, I just don't see how that issue is relevant to this discussion.

Yes, and the Holliday decision has nothing to do with spending. Every club in the league would be weighing the service time options in the same way the Orioles are. Just because a team spends a lot doesn't mean they don't value a control year for the number 1 prospect in baseball.

Part of me wonders whether they would call up Jackson after the first two or three series. Otherwise, they seem primed to get Adley'd as far as service time goes. And you know who operates like the Rays? The Dodgers.

Yanks are the co-favorites along with the O's, but they have their own Bradish situation with Cole. There is no question they have the talent to win 100 games but they have very little pitching depth to deal with any more injuries, and Rodon and Cortes both feel like they have a wide range of outcomes. Their defense might also be a little questionable with Judge in CF and Soto in RF. Jays are largely the same group minus Chapman; they always seem to underachieve their potential but they could probably make a run at the division if things click for them. Rays seem to be at their lowest point in a while, but they're the Rays and you can never really count them out. Red Sox would probably be in the mix in the AL or NL Central, but they don't much talent outside of Casas and Devers and they seem to be playing this as a transitional/retooling year. That's my order. Gun to head, I would probably put the O's first, just because of Judge's injury risk and New York's lack of SP options if guys get hurt or struggle.