Fangraphs crowdsourcing: Markakis 3/$33 mm, Cruz 3/$45 mm, Miller 3/$24 mm

[Frobby]

At the end of the season, he was bad. I watched him. He was not the same.

He ended the season with three straight shutout appearances, and five K's in 3 innings. Before that he allowed runs in 5 appearances out of 6. He could be great in 2015, or not. I agree that 2/$18 mm sounds high.

[JayThomas]

If a 40 year-old Koji Uehara deserves a higher AAV than a 30 year-old Andrew Miller then everything I know about baseball is wrong.

Yeah, this got ugly in a hurry.

[weams]

If a 40 year-old Koji Uehara deserves a higher AAV than a 30 year-old Andrew Miller then everything I know about baseball is wrong.

Can I get an Amen.

[weams]

Yeah, this got ugly in a hurry.

Guys who can strike out batters are suddenly amazingly valuable. Even if they are delicate flowers.

[Can_of_corn]

Guys who can strike out batters are suddenly amazingly valuable. Even if they are delicate flowers.

They have been for a while now.

A lot less of them are walking 6/9 like they used to.

[weams]

They have been for a while now.

A lot less of them are walking 6/9 like they used to.

Koji walks very few hitters. Very few.

[cacavolante]

If a 40 year-old Koji Uehara deserves a higher AAV than a 30 year-old Andrew Miller then everything I know about baseball is wrong.

I don't recall saying a word about who deserves what. I wouldn't pay Koji what he got and I sure as hell wouldn't be paying Miller 4 $36. Maybe some team will, but until they do Miller is still a middle reliever who had one great year. I'm stunned that so many people seem to think he is worth crazy money. I'd like to see a list of non closers who ended up getting the type of deal people are talking about. This team needs to remember what got us to this point. It wasn't signing aging power hitters to long term deals. And it wasn't paying relief pitchers $9 million a year.

[Can_of_corn]

I don't recall saying a word about who deserves what. I wouldn't pay Koji what he got and I sure as hell wouldn't be paying Miller 4 $36. Maybe some team will, but until they do Miller is still a middle reliever who had one great year. I'm stunned that so many people seem to think he is worth crazy money. I'd like to see a list of non closers who ended up getting the type of deal people are talking about. This team needs to remember what got us to this point. It wasn't signing aging power hitters to long term deals. And it wasn't paying relief pitchers $9 million a year.

What difference should it make if he is a closer or not?

[cacavolante]

What difference should it make if he is a closer or not?

Nothing. Except how teams have historically paid relief pitchers.

[JayThomas]

What difference should it make if he is a closer or not?

I would be fine paying the man to be the stopper, or the closer if we decide to give Britton another shot at the rotation.

[weams]

I would be fine paying the man to be the stopper, or the closer if we decide to give Britton another shot at the rotation.

Why would we consider Britton as a starter again?

[JayThomas]

Why would we consider Britton as a starter again?

Why wouldn't we? Our starters don't average much more than 6 innings per game anyway. Could Britton get us 6+ per game with stuff almost as good as he throws as a closer? Well, he certainly couldn't maintain that velocity throwing 80% sinking fastballs. (But) then he shouldn't be throwing that high a percentage as a starter.

It would give us even more depth from which to trade for other needs/prospects. It would give us another lefty in the rotation (Eduardo where are you?). It would allow us to justify paying up for Andrew Miller.

[Can_of_corn]

His shoulder.

Plenty of other reasons but mostly his shoulder.

[Reboulet'sStache]

Why wouldn't we? Our starters don't average much more than 6 innings per game anyway. Could Britton get us 6+ per game with stuff almost as good as he throws as a closer? Well, he certainly couldn't maintain that velocity throwing 80% sinking fastballs. (But) then he shouldn't be throwing that high a percentage as a starter.

It would give us even more depth from which to trade for other needs/prospects. It would give us another lefty in the rotation (Eduardo where are you?). It would allow us to justify paying up for Andrew Miller.

Britton was at his best as a closer when he was working in his breaking pitch. If he did that as a starter, I think he could make it.

[weams]

Why wouldn't we? Our starters don't average much more than 6 innings per game anyway. Could Britton get us 6+ per game with stuff almost as good as he throws as a closer? Well, he certainly couldn't maintain that velocity throwing 80% sinking fastballs. (But) then he shouldn't be throwing that high a percentage as a starter.

It would give us even more depth from which to trade for other needs/prospects. It would give us another lefty in the rotation (Eduardo where are you?). It would allow us to justify paying up for Andrew Miller.

His shoulder.

Plenty of other reasons but mostly his shoulder.

You know I do not believe in his shoulder health.