10 days left in ST. Here are the battles:

[sportsfan8703]

The only real battles are,

1. Holliday versus Elias and service clock games. 

2. Cowser versus McKenna for the 4th OF spot.  Mullins health is a factor here.

3. If Holliday doesn’t make it then it’s Wong versus Maton as to who will be the temp place holder until Holliday is called up.

4. Who wins the initial bottom 2 BP spots behind Kimbrel, Cano, Coloumbe, Perez, Webb, and Baumann. Will Terehan win one? $2 million gtd salary if he does.

Moves to watch for…

- Waiver claim/trade for a reliever at the end of ST ala Coloumbe last year.

- Would we consider signing Lorenzen?  Reports are that he’s turned down offers in the 1yr $5-7 million range in hopes for a two year deal. Could we split the difference with him and go 2yr $12 million and let him know that over the next two years that he’s going to start some, and relieve some. With a possible player opt out after season 1. 

- Could we trade some of O’Hearn, Mateo, and Urias, to free up cash for Lorenzen?

Edited March 16 by sportsfan8703

[wildcard]

7 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

The only real battles are,

1. Holliday versus Elias and service clock games. 

2. Cowser versus McKenna for the 4th OF spot.  Mullins health is a factor here.

3. If Holliday doesn’t make it then it’s Wong versus Maton as to who will be the temp place holder until Holliday is called up.

4. Who wins the initial bottom 2 BP spots behind Kimbrel, Cano, Coloumbe, Perez, Webb, and Baumann. Will Terehan win one? $2 million gtd salary if he does.

Moves to watch for…

- Waiver claim/trade for a reliever at the end of ST ala Coloumbe last year.

- Would we consider signing Lorenzen?  Reports are that he’s turned down offers in the 1yr $5-7 million range in hopes for a two year deal. Could we split the difference with him and go 2yr $12 million and let him know that over the next two years that he’s going to start some, and relieve some. With a possible player opt out after season 1. 

- Could we trade some of O’Hearn, Mateo, and Urias, to free up cash for Lorenzen?

2.  Last year Elias signed Hicks over playing McKenna in CF when Mullins went down.  Cowser has more range in CF than Hicks did.   I don't think McKenna makes the team on OD.

Elias has yet to give a 2 year contract to any player except Bautista for 2y/2M.   I can't see him signing Lorenzen for 2/12.   The starter/long man shortage only exists for 4 starts in April.   When Means comes back in May what are they going to do with Lorenzen?

My bet is Elias finds a cheap purchase of a pitcher that can be a starter/long man.   Someone like Teheran but a little better.  He could trade Stowers or Norby for a starter/long man with options.

Edited March 16 by wildcard

[sportsfan8703]

38 minutes ago, wildcard said:

2.  Last year Elias signed Hicks over playing McKenna in CF when Mullins went down.  Cowser has more range in CF than Hicks did.   I don't think McKenna make the team on OD.

Elias has yet to give a 2 year contract to any player except Bautista for 2y/2M.   I can't see him signing Lorenzen for 2/12.   The starter/long man shortage only exists for 4 starts in April.   When Means comes back in May what are they going to do with Lorenzen?

My bet is Elias finds a cheap purchase of a pitcher that can be a starter/long man.   Someone like Teheran but a little better.  He could trade Stowers or Norby for a starter/long man with options.

We want the same things with Cowser on the roster over Mckenna, and I too draw the comp to Hicks being on the roster over Mckenna last year. However, to start the year with the Mullins injury, will Elias want to risk losing CF depth so early on in the season?

I like what Daniel Johnson has done, but I think he’s more of a feel good AAA story than someone you want to trot out there if Mullins is out 3 months like last year. Same with Haskin. Fabian and EBJ really aren’t in the mix this year. Of course Elias could sign a Michael A. Taylor or make a small trade to bring back Daz Cameron if he really needs too. However, just to cover our bases, and be risk adverse, I don’t think we risk losing McKenna right out the gate. 

Lorenzen is an option, but unless someone gives him the big 2/20+ deal, then I think he’s going to take a 1 yr deal with a team that is going to guarantee him a rotation spot. I think the best we could offer is that he could earn his way in if Wells or Irvin falters. 

There’s trades to be made for RH relievers with options. We’ve see Justin Topa get traded from SEA to Minn. Steven Wilson get traded from SD to the CWS. However, what would those types cost on their own if similar pitchers exist, and would that type be enough of an upgrade over our current RH MR options in Webb, Baumman, Tate, Baker, and McDermott?  Enough to give up something of value other than cash or a low level player?

I think Elias is going to keep and trust his depth to start out the season. Depth wins over 162. He’ll only risk losing the minimum to start out with. Maton and Nevin. Keep McKenna. Maybe even keep Maton over Wong. Which will give us two open 40 man spots at the end of ST for Elias to work the waiver wire and small trade market. Those two spots could quickly go away if Holliday and Terehan make the OD roster. 

Overall, I worry about Mullins health. The back of our rotation and the impacts that will have on an already shaky middle relief core. 

Edited March 16 by sportsfan8703

[wildcard]

10 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

We want the same things with Cowser on the roster over Mckenna, and I too draw the comp to Hicks being on the roster over Mckenna last year. However, to start the year with the Mullins injury, will Elias want to risk losing CF depth so early on in the season?

I like what Daniel Johnson has done, but I think he’s more of a feel good AAA story than someone you want to trot out there if Mullins is out 3 months like last year. Same with Haskin. Fabian and EBJ really aren’t in the mix this year. Of course Elias could sign a Michael A. Taylor or make a small trade to bring back Daz Cameron if he really needs too. However, just to cover our bases, and be risk adverse, I don’t think we risk losing McKenna right out the gate. 

Lorenzen is an option, but unless someone gives him the big 2/20+ deal, then I think he’s going to take a 1 yr deal with a team that is going to guarantee him a rotation spot. I think the best we could offer is that he could earn his way in if Wells or Irvin falters. 

There’s trades to be made for RH relievers with options. We’ve see Justin Topa get traded from SEA to Minn. Steven Wilson get traded from SD to the CWS. However, what would those types cost on their own if similar pitchers exist, and would that type be enough of an upgrade over our current RH MR options in Webb, Baumman, Tate, Baker, and McDermott?  Enough to give up something of value other than cash or a low level player?

I think Elias is going to keep and trust his depth to start out the season. Depth wins over 162. He’ll only risk losing the minimum to start out with. Maton and Nevin. Keep McKenna. Maybe even keep Maton over Wong. Which will give us two open 40 man spots at the end of ST for Elias to work the waiver wire and small trade market. Those two spots could quickly go away if Holliday and Terehan make the OD roster. 

Overall, I worry about Mullins health. The back of our rotation and the impacts that will have on an already shaky middle relief core. 

IMO Mateo is close to as  good as McKenna in  CF and Mateo hit lefties last year.   I think McKenna is DFA'd before OD.  Neither McKenna nor Mateo are on the team for their bats.

The 40 man roster is at 39 since they put Bautista on the 60 day IL.   I think Elias will DFA Nevin, Maton and McKenna and tries to get them to AAA.    Nevin is the only one of the three that I see getting claimed.

Edited March 16 by wildcard

[Too Tall]

WC - Think you mean Maton? You DFA Mateo and he WILL get claimed.

[wildcard]

3 hours ago, Too Tall said:

WC - Think you mean Maton? You DFA Mateo and he WILL get claimed.

Right, Thanks, Changed it.

Edited March 16 by wildcard

[sportsfan8703]

11 hours ago, wildcard said:

IMO Mateo is close to as  good as McKenna in  CF and Mateo hit lefties last year.   I think McKenna is DFA'd before OD.  Neither McKenna nor Mateo are on the team for their bats.

The 40 man roster is at 39 since they put Bautista on the 60 day IL.   I think Elias will DFA Nevin, Maton and McKenna and tries to get them to AAA.    Nevin is the only one of the three that I see getting claimed.

Again, I agree with you, I just don’t think with Mullins “banged up” that we can take any chance of losing McKenna. The injury matters. No, we don’t trust Mateo out in CF other than an emergency situation. So if we lose McKenna, you’re CF depth is then Cowser and Daniel Johnson. 

CF and C are the two spots where we have the thinnest depth. 

It’s a shame for Cowser, but losing Hilliard on waivers, and Mullins getting hurt, likely cost him his OD spot.

 

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Again, I agree with you, I just don’t think with Mullins “banged up” that we can take any chance of losing McKenna. The injury matters. No, we don’t trust Mateo out in CF other than an emergency situation. So if we lose McKenna, you’re CF depth is then Cowser and Daniel Johnson. 

CF and C are the two spots where we have the thinnest depth. 

It’s a shame for Cowser, but losing Hilliard on waivers, and Mullins getting hurt, likely cost him his OD spot.

 

I really think this is key. Elias is not going to want to risk losing McKenna with Mullins already nursing injuries. Also in terms of resting Mullins, McKenna as the RHB is the more natural platoon partner.

However, Cowser can make the roster with McKenna if Holliday starts in AAA. 

Adley, McCann, Mountcastle, O'Hearn, Gunnar, Westburg, Urias, Santander, Hays, Mullins, McKenna, Mateo is 12. 

Last guy could be Cowser, Kjerstad, Maton, or Wong. With Mateo's versatility we could carry an extra IF or OF and be OK defensively. I think Cowser could play a lot to allow Santander to DH and Hays to rest.

If Holliday makes it, then you're picking between Cowser and McKenna. If you think Cowser (or perhaps Hays?) is OK as CF, maybe he makes it and Elias takes the risk of passing McKenna thru waivers. 

 

[DirtyBird]

18 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I really think this is key. Elias is not going to want to risk losing McKenna with Mullins already nursing injuries. Also in terms of resting Mullins, McKenna as the RHB is the more natural platoon partner.

However, Cowser can make the roster with McKenna if Holliday starts in AAA. 

Adley, McCann, Mountcastle, O'Hearn, Gunnar, Westburg, Urias, Santander, Hays, Mullins, McKenna, Mateo is 12. 

This is absolutely awful roster construction. You have a 4 man bench and 3 of them are Mateo, McKenna & McCann. Mateo and McKenna are guys you don't want starting more than 20% of the games and McCann about 25%. 

This puts the team in position where guys like Mountcastle, Hays, Mullins and Santander are required to be in the lineup more than they should be to stay fresh and productive.

[Aristotelian]

4 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

This is absolutely awful roster construction. You have a 4 man bench and 3 of them are Mateo, McKenna & McCann. Mateo and McKenna are guys you don't want starting more than 20% of the games and McCann about 25%. 

This puts the team in position where guys like Mountcastle, Hays, Mullins and Santander are required to be in the lineup more than they should be to stay fresh and productive.

McCann has to start sometimes. He is a lock and there's nothing we can do about that. They decided to pay Mateo so he is making the team absent a trade. 

If you don't want Cowser/McKenna for the last two, what is your alternative? 

Holliday is my top choice (with Urias to the bench) but of the choices above I don't see a better alternative. If you have Cowser in the last spot then all of the guys you listed would get plenty of rest. 

[wildcard]

26 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

This is absolutely awful roster construction. You have a 4 man bench and 3 of them are Mateo, McKenna & McCann. Mateo and McKenna are guys you don't want starting more than 20% of the games and McCann about 25%. 

This puts the team in position where guys like Mountcastle, Hays, Mullins and Santander are required to be in the lineup more than they should be to stay fresh and productive.

I think you are overlooking Cowser who is likely to backup CF/LF/RF.

[DirtyBird]

1 minute ago, Aristotelian said:

McCann has to start sometimes. He is a lock and there's nothing we can do about that. They decided to pay Mateo so he is making the team absent a trade. 

Yes, McCann obviously needs to be on the team. That takes up 1 bench spot. And yes, Mateo has one ++ tool that it appears they really want on the roster.

McKenna has no plus tools and there is no reason to be scared of losing him.

Cowser belongs on the roster and should start about 75-80% of the games, across all 3 outfield spots. 

[DirtyBird]

Just now, wildcard said:

I think you are overlooking Cowser who is likely to backup CF/LF/RF.

I am not overlooking him. There is no reason to have McKenna on the roster if Cowser is.

[Philip]

Can someone explain why Wong would make the team? He does nothing we haven’t already got in younger and better players.

the idea of carrying a veteran is fine unless the veteran sucks. Frazier sucked but we carried him all year, and he wasn’t the only bad veteran we’ve given meaningful time.

I just don’t see any valid reasoning for that, even if one is playing the silly calendar game.

[sportsfan8703]