When we "lift off", who should they be trying to acquire?

[clapdiddy]

1 minute ago, Aristotelian said:

For sure, 1B is not optimal for Urias, but neither is pushing him to the bench. Yes, he could be traded but you'd have to get value back. Bell is interesting but I still have PTSD from Davis. I just don't think 30 yo 1B is a good use of dollars.

I kind of like Bell, but I wouldn't go more than 2 years.  I'd do a longer deal provided there's a mutual option at the end of year 2.

[foxfield]

1 hour ago, RarityFlaherty said:

Who else hates us besides Buster Olney? I don’t pay attention to much media, but he’s the only one I see consistently hating on us. 
 

Either way, I’d rather they hate us for Elias’ rebuilding the team, than bringing in a guy like Bauer. I really don’t care about their opinions on the rebuild. The more successful we are, the more they look like idiots. 

Connolly on the beat for Athletic is no fan of Elias.  Ken Rosenthal does not seem to be a fan.  Buster for sure.  And Baltimore in general got lots more negative pub while losing.  More than the Pirates do....or KC...or the Cubs and Astros who also lost while rebuilding.

Edited August 5, 2022 by foxfield

[Sanfran327]

I'm not sure you invest in a major position player FA with the crop of young talent we have. No need to block someone and pay through the nose to do it.

We all remember grow the arms and buy the bats. I think Elias is going to go the opposite direction. Exhibit A: he made it friggin' impossible to hit a HR in LF at OPACY. 

Who will be his Verlander/Greinke/Scherzer/Cole acquisition? Whether via trade or FA signing. 

Signing a true #1 doesn't block anyone. It simply strengthens the slot everyone trickles down to, including the bullpen. 

I think you probably want a better backup C because we DH Adley so often, so that would be another point of emphasis for me. But I'd leave the other position players alone, assuming Henderson and Westburg are up to play 3B and SS. Only way I'd go after a Correa (or similar) is if you're okay with making Mateo and Urias your utility IFers and you think Holiday needs a considerable amount of time to fully develop. 

[Aristotelian]

11 minutes ago, Sanfran327 said:

Who will be his Verlander/Greinke/Scherzer/Cole acquisition? Whether via trade or FA signing. 

Signing a true #1 doesn't block anyone. It simply strengthens the slot everyone trickles down to, including the bullpen. 

What if we already have him - Grayson? Did the Rays need a Scherzer/Verlander?

[Moose Milligan]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

My dream for Aaron Judge is that some team (not us) goes nuts and pays him WAY more than he’ll be worth.   He’s a great player having a career year at the perfect time (for him).  He’ll end up getting 3-5 years more than his actual productive life.  

My dream for Aaron Judge is that the Yankees give him a metric ****-ton of money and his performance craters to Chris Davis/Joey Gallo levels.  I'm not wishing for injury, I'd never do that...I would just like him to wake up one day and forget how to play baseball after signing a record-setting contract that would hamstring the Yankees for years to come.  

[RVAOsFan]

44 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

What if we already have him - Grayson? Did the Rays need a Scherzer/Verlander?

This team is going into next carrying no significant payroll, I can't think of one downside to spending on a big TOR pitcher.  Sure he may break or decline but those are risk you have to take.  Not to mention with the data tools Elias uses to find recycle bin projects I am excited what he can find with some real money.

[nvpacchi]

I'd love to go one reasonable mid-tier option this year - a Manaea/Clevinger type and then go big for Aaron Nola at the end of 2023 for a rotation of:

Nola

Gray Rod

Manaea

Hall

Means/Povich (I kid kid!)

[Aristotelian]

15 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

This team is going into next carrying no significant payroll, I can't think of one downside to spending on a big TOR pitcher.  Sure he may break or decline but those are risk you have to take.  Not to mention with the data tools Elias uses to find recycle bin projects I am excited what he can find with some real money.

I'm absolutely on board with a Clevinger/Nola type. I don't have them in the same category as a Scherzer/$300M guy. The downside would be committing 1/3 of your payroll to one guy and making it very tough to pay Adley and Gunnar the $30-40M they are going to ask for.

[Jim'sKid26]

I wonder if they stick to short term, but high dollar contracts for free agent starting pitcher. Something like what the Scherzer looks like. There are a few very good but older SPs, headlined by Verlander, available this coming off season.

Would anyone go 3/124 for Verlander? Given his production post TJ surgery, he's likely to be effective at least 2/3 years. He might be just the guy to top the rotation.

[RarityFlaherty]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

I'm absolutely on board with a Clevinger/Nola type. I don't have them in the same category as a Scherzer/$300M guy. The downside would be committing 1/3 of your payroll to one guy and making it very tough to pay Adley and Gunnar the $30-40M they are going to ask for.

I’m not entirely sure of all the rules for MLB contracts, but I wonder if we could sign some starting pitchers to front loaded contracts so the hit is bigger now while our payroll is low, but cheaper later so we will have room in the payroll to resign guys. 

[NCRaven]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

...making it very tough to pay Adley and Gunnar the $30-40M they are going to ask for.

They scoff at such a low ball offer. 

 

[MijiT88]

I get discouraged by signing any FA when only 13 of the players on that list are under 30 and most of those 13 are not top of the line FA. Keep or core and let them push them selves harder and higher, maybe trade for someone a little younger. But I wont start complaining about MLB FA rules until the offseason

[Just Regular]

Anything from the group Carlos Correa, Shohei Ohtani, Bryce Harper, Zach Wheeler and Aaron Nola.

The depth being assembled argues in favor of getting a lot of WAR from the few roster positions not capably manned with what is at hand, and all 30 Teams can easily afford a couple of those type players.

[Just Regular]

8 hours ago, backwardsk said:

Machado can opt out after 23.  Just saying.

That has been a pleasant contemplation, but gotta admit him getting a Soto to go with his Tatis for 2024 makes the paths to his team failing in the medium term (and hence him needing a new vehicle for his special talents) look much fewer.

 

[Just Regular]

7 hours ago, jamalshw said:

Given Means had Tommy John, I don't expect him back until midseason as the earliest and usually the first year back isn't quite the same level so I've more or less written him off for 2023 and he can be a bit of a boost midseason if he is back and performing (there will undoubtedly be injuries anyway). 

I think even midseason optimistic.    Now that Means is still here, three guys I am watching this month and next are Tyler Glasnow, James Paxton and Kenta Maeda, a trio of significantly good AL pitchers who like Means had their procedures "a little bit" into the previous season.

Maeda a bit different as he wasn't until ~September 1, 2021, and he opted for the "light beer" version of TJ.    That one may not be apples to apples at all.