Roch wants us to lower expectations

[bpilktree]

My biggest complaint has not been the ability to spend money but the willingness to make trades even if they are not huge trades.  The Braves had the best team in baseball they are keeping their core but also have moved a fair share of major league pieces that they think will improve their team.  I was for trading Mullins last offseason to the Marlins for one of their pitchers Yes it would have been tough pill to swallow but you had a guy like Cowser who looked close to ready by mid season this year.  You could have signed a veteran CF like Kiermier until Cowser was ready.  I think the Marlins would have made the trade of Lopez for Mullins over Lopez for Arraez.  
 

This offseason I am moving one of Westburg/ortiz/Norby and some lower level guys that are still good prospects  and finding a pitcher I like that has two three years left for free agency at a decent cost.  Then moving Santander/Hays for guy they think will become a nice prospect maybe in AA to fill in for Ortiz type and Urias/Mateo to swap with another guy traded for the pitcher.  

[deward]

8 minutes ago, dystopia said:

The problem is there's just no room for all of these infielders on the big league ballclub. One of two of them simply have to be traded or they will just rot away in Norfolk all decade.

I agree, but I can't say that Elias does. 

[Just Regular]

I'd guess on Padres Hangout Wacha is near the top of the wishlist for redeploying some of the Soto-Grisham money.

There's interesting optics with John Means and whoever they end up getting.      Burnes-Glasnow-Cease, maybe even Bieber, they could do a victory lap.

I don't really feel much roster need for pitchers about the same in overall quality as Irvin-Wells for the SP5/Swing roles.

I still think with a sharp enough spring there's a veteranosity chance Means gets the OD gig to let it breathe one more year whether 0, 1 or 2 of Bradish/Grayson are that guy for keeps.

[deward]

2 minutes ago, bpilktree said:

My biggest complaint has not been the ability to spend money but the willingness to make trades even if they are not huge trades.  The Braves had the best team in baseball they are keeping their core but also have moved a fair share of major league pieces that they think will improve their team.  I was for trading Mullins last offseason to the Marlins for one of their pitchers Yes it would have been tough pill to swallow but you had a guy like Cowser who looked close to ready by mid season this year.  You could have signed a veteran CF like Kiermier until Cowser was ready.  I think the Marlins would have made the trade of Lopez for Mullins over Lopez for Arraez.  
 

This offseason I am moving one of Westburg/ortiz/Norby and some lower level guys that are still good prospects  and finding a pitcher I like that has two three years left for free agency at a decent cost.  Then moving Santander/Hays for guy they think will become a nice prospect maybe in AA to fill in for Ortiz type and Urias/Mateo to swap with another guy traded for the pitcher.  

I'm not sure Elias has the gambling gene in him to wheel and deal like that.

[interloper]

I think it's pretty clear Elias is simply not budging from how he values his prospects and he will wait until either the other team blinks first or he just doesn't make a trade.

That said, teams are getting multiple players back for iffy outfielders and the like, so it seems like you can at least flip Urias somewhere for a speculative AAA bullpen arm who you think might pop. 

[bpilktree]

15 minutes ago, deward said:

I'm not sure Elias has the gambling gene in him to wheel and deal like that.

It isn’t a gamble though if you trust your scouts and analytics people.  He drafts a fair share of players who are not rated as high as the draft position he takes them in.  I am sure there are guys they really liked coming out of these last few drafts that other teams scooped up so now you can get some of them in trades.  It seems we draft guys we like or have in organization and just refuse to ever move them.  I am not saying make it like MLB show and trade everyone but we can make some trades of surplus and improve the team without having to spend 140 million a year.  

[ofan239]

At the beginning of season it was stated we we were looking for a top of the rotation starter . That means a 2 or 3. Michael Wacha  is not that and he’s injury prone 

Edited December 9, 2023 by ofan239
Adding to message

[Roll Tide]

28 minutes ago, ofan239 said:

At the beginning of season it was stated we we were looking for a top of the rotation starter . That means a 2 or 3. Michael Wacha  is not that and he’s injury prone 

Once again they’ve adjusted expectations 

[O's84]

I never really expected to get an ace, but a #3 starter should be the bare minimum.  A Gibson type player would be a failure of an offseason.

[Roll Tide]

1 hour ago, HakunaSakata said:

Sure they do. Just because a flipped coin comes up heads the first ten times you flip it doesn't mean the law of averages won't eventually apply. And Wacha's sub par K/9 rate and inability to go deep into games (actual stats/facts) suggest that's going to happen sooner than later because he's doing very little to help his cause. 

Wacha has pitched 260 innings over the last 2 years. That includes a K/ 9 of 8. His era over that period has been 3.27. He goes 6IPs. So I have to say your opinion is off. And he gives up 1.3 & 1.0 HR/9. So he’s not killing himself with HR or Walks (BB9/3.0). 
 

With our defense there is no reason to think he can do that here. Going deep isn’t his issue, it’s only being able to start 23 or 24 games.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Roll Tide

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, TradeAngelos said:

Johnny Angelos is the pimp and the fans (that are left) are the prostitutes that keep coming back for more. He beats you up, you still give him your money. He spits in your face, you still give him your money. He keeps promising you the world without delivering a darn thing,  you still give him your money. Then he throws a few dollars at you and tells you to clean yourself up and you say yes daddy. You have been so conditioned at this point there is nothing he can't do without you crawling back. He knows you don't have anywhere else to go. Just the way he wants it. 

Oh, screw it.  I like watching baseball.  It’s very good value for my entertainment dollar so far as I’m concerned.  I’m not going to stop watching or going to games because I’ve got some bug up my ass about the owner.  Sue me.  

[sportsfan8703]

On Thursday night’s episode of Hot Stove on MASN… Elias said we were looking for a starting pitcher to slot in behind Bradish and Grayson. So a #3. 

I’d say Cease is a #3 in the AL East. 

[HakunaSakata]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Oh, screw it.  I like watching baseball.  It’s very good value for my entertainment dollar so far as I’m concerned.  I’m not going to stop watching or going to games because I’ve got some bug up my ass about the owner.  Sue me.  

At the end of the day aren't we just rooting for the coaches and players (not the ownership) anyway? Kind of a like the the fans of the Cleveland Indians in the movie major leagues. Let's just hope the team isn't counting their wins by removing articles of clothing on a carboard cutout of John Angelos wearing bikini briefs. 

[HakunaSakata]

1 hour ago, sportsfan8703 said:

On Thursday night’s episode of Hot Stove on MASN… Elias said we were looking for a starting pitcher to slot in behind Bradish and Grayson. So a #3. 

I’d say Cease is a #3 in the AL East. 

I've been questioning Cease's upside in the other thread for the better part of the week, but labeling him as just a #3 seems like a stretch. I think he'd be our #1. At least until Bradish proves that the gains he made last season are sustainable. 

[Malike]

6 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

 

Roch must be new here. We've all had lowered expectations for like 20 years now.