On the field, would you say it's our top priority to upgrade the starting staff?

[oriole]

Absolutely 100%
 

Right now the 5th starter is a toss up between Irvin and Wells. Considering how shaky the bullpen is, I think Wells is necessary to help navigate through the season. He might be a pretty good starter for half a season, but I think he could be a well above average bullpen arm for an entire season. 

Irvin is a good mop up guy and emergency starter. I can’t imagine things are going well if he is getting regular starts. The goal should be formulating a rotation that keeps Irvin out of the rotation all summer and only use Wells as needed. 
 

Kremer is good enough as a 5th starter (though I wouldn’t be opposed to upgrading his spot either). I think he is good enough that we could entice a club to part with a higher ceiling SP for him as a major league piece in a larger trade package. What type of SP could be had for Kremer and a couple prospects outside our top 5? 
 

[DirtyBird]

24 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Yes, seems like the biggest weakness when you compare us to playoff level teams. 

Not True

Altuve .915 OPS, 151 OPS+
Tucker .886 OPS, 142 OPS+
Alvarez .990 OPS, 170 OPS+

Seagar 1.013 OPS, 170 OPS+
Semien .826 OPS, 122 OPS+
Garcia .836 OPS, 123 OPS+

Adley .809 OPS, 128 OPS+
Gunnar .814 OPS, 125 OPS+
Santander .797 OPS, 121 OPS+

Edited December 29, 2023 by DirtyBird

[DirtyBird]

28 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

 I'd rather have Grayson and Bradish be solid 2-3 guys that are capable of pitching like 1's rather than feel like they need to pitch like aces.

This is funny. Bradish was about a top 5 pitcher in the league last season, but let's have the expectations of him being a number 2 or 3 starter.

[Aristotelian]

7 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

This is funny. Bradish was about a top 5 pitcher in the league last season, but let's have the expectations of him being a number 2 or 3 starter.

You quoted me and then ignored/misstated what I said. As I said, they are both capable of performing like #1's. Bradish absolutely had a #1 level year (and I have argued that point in previous threads). However, until he backs that up I don't think it is a good idea to depend on him being our #1. Worst case scenario we end up with a rotation of three #1's. Who doesn't want that?

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, Aristotelian said:

You quoted me and then ignored/misstated what I said. As I said, they are both capable of performing like #1's. Bradish absolutely had a #1 level year (and I have argued that point in previous threads). However, until he backs that up I don't think it is a good idea to depend on him being our #1. Worst case scenario we end up with a rotation of three #1's. Who doesn't want that?

I don't think you know what worst case scenario meeans. 

[Pickles]

43 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

That’s priority #2, not #1.

Obviously trading your 3rd best starter is the best way to upgrade your starting rotation.

[Greg Pappas]

49 minutes ago, btdart20 said:

I think many would vote yes as well.  I mean it’s the simple, easy answer given the rotation and results/options at other positions.

But I also think framing it as “on the field” tilts it even more toward the 26 man roster decision vs. a more wholistic process.  

I explained in the follow up post that, "I titled it this way so that some would not get into off the field stuff, like ownership." If you wanted to vote no and explain your reasoning, such as you have, that's perfectly acceptable.

[Moose Milligan]

Bullpen for me, but it’s really neck and neck depending on the day. 

[Satyr3206]

We need another starter.

[Spy Fox]

33 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

Not True

Altuve .915 OPS, 151 OPS+
Tucker .886 OPS, 142 OPS+
Alvarez .990 OPS, 170 OPS+

Seagar 1.013 OPS, 170 OPS+
Semien .826 OPS, 122 OPS+
Garcia .836 OPS, 123 OPS+

Adley .809 OPS, 128 OPS+
Gunnar .814 OPS, 125 OPS+
Santander .797 OPS, 121 OPS+

This is compelling and I do think adding another elite bat is a bit underappreciated as a way to improve the team, because of the spotlight that has been put on trading for a SP. 

But, I would still rank the rotation first for a couple reasons. For one, the top half of the starting rotation has an outsize impact on the playoffs, and that's less true for the offense (the relative importance of each hitter 1-9 isn't much different than the regular season). For another, basically half of our current AAA lineup is already deserving of MLB playing time. I wouldn't say the same about the AAA pitching staff. 

[Sports Guy]

17 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Obviously trading your 3rd best starter is the best way to upgrade your starting rotation.

Means is better than him and Kremer as your third best starter is pretty awful if you have actual WS hopes…of course, if you don’t care about winning I can see why this doesn’t bother you,

[RVAOsFan]

18 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Bullpen for me, but it’s really neck and neck depending on the day. 

I feel like a solid SP addition pushes Wells / Hall type guys into the pen solving any question marks we still have there. 

[Pickles]

22 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Bullpen for me, but it’s really neck and neck depending on the day. 

I think the starting pitching argument is stronger because if you upgrade the rotation you simultaneously upgrade the bullpen.

[Pickles]

11 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Means is better than him and Kremer as your third best starter is pretty awful if you have actual WS hopes…of course, if you don’t care about winning I can see why this doesn’t bother you,

Yes, the old "caring about winning" by making your team demonstrably worse.  You've been making those arguments for a couple of years now.  They do not gain in persuasion.  

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

I feel like a solid SP addition pushes Wells / Hall type guys into the pen solving any question marks we still have there. 

I think we still have them.

I would still like to add 3 pitchers…Stephenson, one starter that is a #3 or better and a young starter with high upside.

Some kind of combo of Stephenson, Cease/Valdez/Bieber/Luzardo/Burnes and ECab/Woo/Miller/giants ML ready pitching prospect, etc…

For me, that’s ideal.