LouisEly

There has been a fair amount of criticism of Murphy and his decisions, but I think that Murphy realizes that it's very different to manage through a 162 game season - especially with 11 players on the IL - than to manage a 5-7 game series in the playoffs. There is no need to win every game. Give up one today to win two later and ensure that as many players are healthy in October as possible.

For the most part, but there is one big thing that's different this year - his walks are way down. In the 2023 AFL he walked 5 in 8.2 IP, which followed 3 in 2.2 IP in his very limited 2023 season, which followed 5.1/9 in his prior AA season in 2022. This year - 2.2/9. The walks perhaps scared teams away more last year than the injury. This year, no high walk rate or injury. He's not major league closer material, but in a season where Jacob Barnes was give 46 appearances by his 9th team, I would not at all be surprised if he was taken.

Russell Smith and Justin Yeager get no love around here. Russell Smith gets the benefit of being a lefty, and has only given up 1 HR in 37 IP this year; walks are a little high, but down from last year and tall lefties take a while to harness control (and despite those walks only has a 1.168 WHIP). Yeager is the forgotten part of the Contreras trade after missing almost all of 2023, but has taken the closer role at Biloxi to the tune of 14 saves and, IIRC, has a pretty big arm (and a 1.066 WHIP). Maybe the minor league mavens @Joseph Zarr@Spencer Michaelis@wiguy94 can update me on Yeager's scouting report. I'm also excited about Crow, but with his FB sitting in the low-90's before TJ and with Rule 5 picks having to stick in the majors, I don't know that a team is going to pick him and make him do essentially his "rehab assignment" at the major leagues. His first go-around in AA wasn't great, even if it was aggressive placement, but he only has four good games in AA in 2023 to demonstrate he can handle the jump to AA, much less the majors. I just don't see another team taking the risk on carrying him the whole season. If I'm ranking them, it's: Henderson Patrick Shane Smith Yeager Russell Smith Crow Collins My 2-5 are all very, very close to each other. The odd thing about the Rule 5 is that relievers are more likely to stick with the drafting team than starters, so a big part of me wants to put Yeager at #2.

Erick Feede: 16 IP, 5.63 ERA, 5.86 FIP, 16.4 K%, 10.1 BB%, 2.3 HR/9 Jack Flaherty: 16.2 IP, 3.78 ERA, 4.13 FIP, 33 K%, 6 BB%, 2.2 HR/9

The whole hybrid is the way to go thing recently is a knee-jerk reaction to a news story from a year and a half ago that went viral about a bunch of Teslas in Chicago that wouldn't charge at outdoor public charging stations during a 3-day stretch in January when it was 15 degrees below zero. Electric isn't for everyone (right now), and if you need to use outdoor public charging stations in northern climates you need to prepare for a couple of days a year where it may be too cold to charge. For those 3 days a year or whatever you need to plan ahead and charge in advance or anticipate that you may not be able to use your vehicle, but in general, you shouldn't be relying on outdoor public charging stations during the winter in certain northern climates. This is part of a larger thing I don't understand, which is why someone would buy a nice vehicle if they have to park it on the street.

This is why I'm glad they didn't go all-in on a couple of rentals and just picked up a few fringe pieces to take their chances. Give the kids the year to learn & adapt, and then get Yeli, Woody, and Gasser back next year.

Cardinals lose, now up 8.5

The Brewers just beat the Dodgers with Montas starting. Baseball.

When they can go up and out of the zone to hit fastballs, you just tip your cap and move on.

Probably the same reason the Rays, A's, Padres, and White Sox did.

Finally remembered who Montas reminds me of: Wily Peralta Bigger guy, plenty of arm talent, trouble putting it all together.

Banda throwing 98. And he was purchased from Cleveland back in May.

Could be worse - they could have given up 2 actually valuable pieces for Fedde.

I could easily see legislation that would require batteries to have a certain amount of life left in order for dealers to sell them, just like dealers cannot sell cars that have tires with less than a certain tread depth left or less than a certain brake life left. That cost will be ultimately be eaten by the person who trades it in, not the person who buys it, as dealers will test the battery before giving a trade-in value to know if they will need to replace it. And, if it gets to that point, the continuing demand for ICE vehicles coupled with the depleting supply will raise the price of ICEs and eventually make EVs, even with a battery replacement, the cheaper option. And, yes, batteries are going to get cheaper.

So, what should the lineup be? Put your ideas out there for all the world to see.

Neither, unless it is an emergency due to injuries. Neither need to be added to the 40-man this offseason, thus adding them both creates a bigger roster crunch AND, if they don't make the team out of spring training next season, they will need to use one of their option years. And, while I love the long-term upside of both, rookies usually don't set the world on fire right from the get-go. I would expect some adjustment period to major league hitting needed for each, and thus, for this year's playoffs I would not expect either to be significantly better than who they already have.

Yep, because they can bring him up for the doubleheader on 8/30.

You can't manage to win every game - you have to manage for the season so that your bullpen doesn't get worn down. Sometimes that means giving innings to not your best guys so that your best guys will still be at their best come playoff time. Would have been a good spot for Hudson, but he's on the IL. Next man up. Beating the Dodgers is more important than the Reds right now.

Between 1982 and 1983, Slaton was credited with a combined 24 wins despite starting only seven games. More prominent in 1983, when he was credited with 14 wins despite not starting a single game. That 1983 season was something looking back. Zero starts, 112 innings pitched, 14 wins, 56 walks, 38 K's. The best "vulturing" Suter did was 12 wins in 2021 despite starting only one game.

How does he have options when he was optioned in 2021, 2022, and 2023?

PIT now 8 back and staring down a 6-game West Coast road trip with 3 @LAD then 3 @SDP. They finish with 10 of 13 on the road with the only 3 at home vs MIL. STL about to embark on a 8/9 to 9/8 stretch with all but one series against teams with winning records.

Stole this from another board, but it was just too good not to share. From Drew Magary, formerly of Deadspin, now at Defector: In each of the past three years, the Vikings have had a late-season game against Green Bay that had major playoff implications. They lost those games by a combined score of 111-37. On national television.

Every party needs a pooper

I could be wrong, but is this the first comment about Rea in what is one helluva start so far?

In football most players kind of know they're not going to be playing much their first two years. But that gives the helmet schools two years to figure out which recruits are going to pan out, and they get 20 more recruits to figure that out with.