Elias Mid-Game Interview 5/17

[foxfield]

4 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

What do we need to be patient about?

Well, I think there are many here who would have this 26 man roster look a lot different.  And in time, I think it will.  But there are many here who would have done so in March...and April and while it is impossible to know if the results would have been better or worse, it is undeniable that the results so far have been outstanding.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, foxfield said:

Well, I think there are many here who would have this 26 man roster look a lot different.  And in time, I think it will.  But there are many here who would have done so in March...and April and while it is impossible to know if the results would have been better or worse, it is undeniable that the results so far have been outstanding.

Do you believe Frazier and Vavra give us a better chance to win than Westburg and Cowser do?  
 

Do you believe they give us a better chance as the season goes on?

[deward]

22 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

We’re in a really good spot with the pen. Remember that Perez was filthy last year. He’s starting to show some signs of life but right now he can basically be a middle inning loogy. Baker can flash some nights. Coloumbe has an insane k/BB ratio. Voth and Irvin are innings eaters. We’re rocking and rolling.

The reality is that we need to start thinking about matching up for a playoff run. 
 

We could really shorten the game with a dominant pen the way the Yankees did with Rivera and Wetteland , they way we did with Miller, Brach, O’day and Britton, and what the Royals did as well. 
 

We just need more production from whatever position Santander isn’t playing in RF/DH. Likely Cowser. Then possibly Westburg in the mix as well but Urias is that guy too.

Obviously we need a TOR starter. 

And that's not even factoring in Tate and Givens.

[interloper]

It's much easier for Cowser to make this roster than Westburg. Vavra is only playing the OF right now, and he's poorly suited to do that from an offensive standpoint. So that's an obvious upgrade you can make with Cowser.

With Westburg, it's tough. You already have Ortiz and he's the only other true SS on the 26-man (I like Gunnar at SS, but without Urias he's not moving off 3B). You could platoon Westburg at 2B with Frazier, but you might as well just use Ortiz. You don't lose much offense and you probably gain defense. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by interloper

[foxfield]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Do you believe Frazier and Vavra give us a better chance to win than Westburg and Cowser do?  
 

Do you believe they give us a better chance as the season goes on?

I believe Frazier and Vavra are players that will be replaced.  I also believe they are players who have given us a chance to win every time they have played while giving other players a chance to get abs and reps every day.  

I believe that being able to run Henderson out daily while struggling has been effective for both him and the team.

I believe that the rising talent makes all of Vavra, Frazier, O'Hearn and to an extent Hays, Santander and Mountcastle vulnerable to losing future playing time.

I also understand that inserting Ortiz, Westburg and Cowser are easy if you only look at upside.  And I think that is the plan and always has been...in time.

I believe that time is coming closer and I simply refute the fact that it had to happen earlier.  Hence why I said we need patience.

This is no longer a terrible team.  It is a strong team and it has many weapons that can be deployed.  It isn't a perfect team.   But the results this season and really the last two push back quite harshly on those that would have acted differently.

Of course non of that changes the fact that I wish we would spend money or that we could have gotten more in the offseason.  That is a fact.  But the results over the last two years keep saying that more is going right than wrong.  That's all I meant. 

[25 Nuggets]

Cowser seems like a no-brainer right now with Mountcastle and Santander being Righty-Switch/RH dominant.

Vavra vs O'Hearn - both are lefty, I think positional flexibility is covered and O'Hearn just got his first HR of the season.  I think I'd rather O'Hearn pinch hit as a lefty.

[interloper]

[Sports Guy]

5 minutes ago, foxfield said:

I believe Frazier and Vavra are players that will be replaced.  I also believe they are players who have given us a chance to win every time they have played while giving other players a chance to get abs and reps every day.  

I believe that being able to run Henderson out daily while struggling has been effective for both him and the team.

I believe that the rising talent makes all of Vavra, Frazier, O'Hearn and to an extent Hays, Santander and Mountcastle vulnerable to losing future playing time.

I also understand that inserting Ortiz, Westburg and Cowser are easy if you only look at upside.  And I think that is the plan and always has been...in time.

I believe that time is coming closer and I simply refute the fact that it had to happen earlier.  Hence why I said we need patience.

This is no longer a terrible team.  It is a strong team and it has many weapons that can be deployed.  It isn't a perfect team.   But the results this season and really the last two push back quite harshly on those that would have acted differently.

Of course non of that changes the fact that I wish we would spend money or that we could have gotten more in the offseason.  That is a fact.  But the results over the last two years keep saying that more is going right than wrong.  That's all I meant. 

The offense has been average to below average this month.

They are running inferior players out there on a semi regular to regular basis to what you have, that is ready to come go.

There is never a good time to insert rookies into a contender. You just have to bite the bullet to do it because it makes them and your team better long term.

[25 Nuggets]

4 minutes ago, interloper said:

Welp, that's terrible timing.

[interloper]

1 minute ago, 25 Nuggets said:

Welp, that's terrible timing.

Seriously. Almost feels like the Grayson injury right before he would have been called up.

[a4realguy]

With our depth in the minors\majors, are there any players on the current roster you might move for a starter and bring up their replacement? 

[Tony-OH]

20 minutes ago, interloper said:

Well don't expect him up soon then. 

[foxfield]

15 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The offense has been average to below average this month.

They are running inferior players out there on a semi regular to regular basis to what you have, that is ready to come go.

There is never a good time to insert rookies into a contender. You just have to bite the bullet to do it because it makes them and your team better long term.

The offense is weighed down by Henderson and Mateo recently.  Certainly as much if not more so than Frazier or Vavra.

But again, those guys are of course in line to be replaced.  That isn't a bad thing and calling any of them inferior players is silly even if you base it on the upside of replacements.

Again, my point isn't that Westburg or Cowser cannot lift the team...or Ortiz if Mateo cannot minimize his valleys.  My point is the way it is being managed....slower has not been the problem that many think it is...based on results.

Replacements are ready.  I am not disputing that at all.  I think they are coming soon.  I am just willing to let it play out and they way it has been managed has worked pretty well...so far.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, foxfield said:

The offense is weighed down by Henderson and Mateo recently.  Certainly as much if not more so than Frazier or Vavra.

But again, those guys are of course in line to be replaced.  That isn't a bad thing and calling any of them inferior players is silly even if you base it on the upside of replacements.

Again, my point isn't that Westburg or Cowser cannot lift the team...or Ortiz if Mateo cannot minimize his valleys.  My point is the way it is being managed....slower has not been the problem that many think it is...based on results.

Replacements are ready.  I am not disputing that at all.  I think they are coming soon.  I am just willing to let it play out and they way it has been managed has worked pretty well...so far.

They are inferior players. It’s just a fact.

Even the mere thought of trying to argue that Vavra is a superior player to Westburg or Cowser is laughable.

[foxfield]

16 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

They are inferior players. It’s just a fact.

Even the mere thought of trying to argue that Vavra is a superior player to Westburg or Cowser is laughable.

I don't think that is what I said...but you know that.  I am just going to move on.