G54377

I just love that every at bat is a competitive at bat. It sounds so simple yet even some really good players you can't say that about.

I was just about to post that this hasn't been a spot Cowser has done well lol.

I think he could be had for a Kjerstad or Norby + a second tier guy (Beavers/etc). Mayve even slightly less. That vs Mason Miller who'd probably cost Mayo/Basallo, Kjerstad/Norby +.

Bednar has been better in May after that horrendous April. 2.38 ERA in 11.1 May innings. Would the Pirates give him up? They seem on the brink of playoff contention with their young talent. That said, they'd probably be better off with younger higher upside controllable guys than Bednar for the next 2 1/2 seasons. He could be a buy low option for us if the market for the other guys becomes ridiculous.

Even if Soto has to DH he could easily have a back end of his career like David Ortiz or Miggy.

So is CB Bucknor public enemy #1 now?

I definitely feel more comfortable rolling with an OF of Cowser/Mullins/Stowers/Hays next year, assuming all are still on the team. Tony has had some big moments, but I think we can absorb his impending departure.

I will say, I'd 100% trade Kjerstad for Miller. His defense is shaky, and that's enough for me to make him the odd man out. Mayo is the better bat, if we are keeping a guy that may end up at DH (or mostly DH). If we can do Kjerstad + Cade Povich + Horvath? If that gets you Mason Miller you really have to consider it. Even if Miller's arm blows out at some point, we are getting essentially 5 1/2 years. Pairing that with Bautista for our WS window is tantalizing.

I've mentioned it many times but eventually STL has to bottom out. They are 11th in the NL in OPS and 12th in ERA. Ryan Helsley is exactly what we are looking for. We can trade the Norbys and Beavers of the world for him and not have to give up the core blue chip guys.

He's got a big boy fastball, I guess they think they can tweak some things to make it work.

Do my eyes see Dillon Tate throwing 93 and getting swing and misses on his pitches? Where has that guy been?

When was the last time Urias even made solid contact on a ball?

Unless he got a super slow jump on it, but that's not what it looked like with the naked eye.

I think the problem there is Houston is only 4.5 games back of the division, and compared to other teams with similar records (STL/Helsley like I mentioned) are a legit title contender if they make the postseason. Unless they implode I think they will be buyers vs/ sellers if anything.

I'm talking the very end of our upper prospects if that makes sense. Blue chip was probably a bad choice of words. I'm not giving up the top 4 (Holliday/Kjerstad/Mayo/Basallo). For 1 1/2 years of Helsley. Maybe Beavers (fringe 100 guy) as the headliner? I'd consider Norby too? Depends on how the trader market shakes out. I'd have to look back and see what a RP like Helsely requires in a trade. I remember we traded ERod who was somewhere around 60-70 on top prospect lists for 1/2 year of Andrew Miller. But that was a direct 1v1 trade and I think Miller was more highly regarded. I'm not going to pretend to know any more than anyone else. I would say if Oakland is going to trade what amounts to almost Miller's entire 6 years of club control, they will want one of our big 4 at least. Probably one of them AND a guy like Norby/Beavers/Povich/etc.

Ryan Helsley from STL got to be the guy. Mason Miller would cost too much. Helsley is under team control through 2025, so we get another year to bridge into Felix coming back. I think he can be had for one blue chip guy and several lower guys.

Heasley better not see a single game with the Orioles again.

Mateo rising form the dead. I really thought he was at best a long term bench guy. If he puts up even a 700+ OPS with his defense and speed that definitely plays.

We should all put twitter on blast for how crappy this park is because of it.

Diaz may have directly cost us 4 runs. I think Kremer gets out of the inning if he gets the K and I think we'd get one run out a bases loaded 1 out.

Should have been bases loaded 1 out

It's unreal that a year ago this guy was probably thought of by many as our future third best player, and it's not because those people were overrating the other two.

I dont like this, feel like the hitter always gets on base after something like this.

I think Mayo's future position is directly related with what we do with Ryan Mountcastle. We got Mounty for 2 more years, if we decide to keep him. Does the timeline work out that the Adley/Basallo catcher split allows the guy not caching to DH or 1B, and Mayo takes the third (1B/DH) spot?

I think Webb was kind of gassed last year by the time the playoffs rolled around. Dude has spotted a 2.40 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.90 FIP, 44 K's in 41 IP for us. For a guy that's expected to be like our 5th best bullpen arm you take that every day.