jay87shot

I would think at least to start the year they go straight platoon which would allow Mitchell a few days of rest here and there. Maybe after a couple weeks if one guy is clearly hitting better they start gaining more pt.

He is way overdue for some luck in the health department. I am setting my hopes low (and high at the same time) at 100+ games, if the defense can be what it always has he should be able to make up at least what we got from Collins last year. Add in the likely better defense of having Chourio in LF over Collins and Mitchell in CF over Chourio and that will be a great group.

I would be 100% ok with Ashby starting, even if it is a little bit shorter outings to start. I would think maybe a role like Nick Martinez has had the past 4 years wouldn't be a bad idea. He starts 10-20 games, occasionally pitches multi inning relief, or sometimes late innings would be great. He could throw 100-125 innings and have huge value to our team giving as many quality innings as possible.

I would love for Black to get a chance to prove himself in the bigs, the problem is where does he play? He is probably is 3rd on the depth (and that is with Adams and Burke right on his heels) at 1st and 6th or 7th in the OF. The really only path I would see is if Yeli goes down and he gets a little run at DH, which wouldn't be ideal.

I think Rengifo does ok the first month or so, but Hamilton slowly gain PT over him as he get better and better defensively at 3B. At some point, Jett will get a call up at SS or 3B (maybe both) and push Rengifo out of the platoon. Maybe a little like last year but not as much struggles as last year. Rengifo=Dunn/Capra Hamilton=Mone Jett/Wilken/Pratt=Durbs I would love to see Brock Wilken destroy AAA and be ready by say July but that one is may more hoping than what I think will really happen.

Good point on the cut players lessening the value of our depth, I like Tauchman, but there probably is more than 1 team that could use an OF in the near future.

None of them are long term answers I fully agree, but with Sal and Chourio and then 2 of the 3 CF options the overall depth is good enough that keeping the 3rd CF isn't needed. Yeli and Bauers aren't full time as you mentioned but I would expect each to play 10-20 games in the OF. To get Bauers into the lineup when he is hot and to move Yeli in the OF to give Contreras the occasional day off. Baddoo is essentially Daz Cameron last year, he really will only need to play in an emergency but for a week or two would be passible. Black, Lara, and Jett aren't options at the beginning of the year but if there are a few injuries they all could be upside OF options by say mid-season. My general point is that if you consider Sal and Chourio play like 150 games, Yeli and Bauers play 30 ish in the OF that leaves like 150 for Perk, Mitchell, and Lockridge. If there are injuries there is more than enough depth and upside in the minors to weather the storm. I wouldn't just trade Perk (or Mitchell/Lockridge) away for nothing I would want at least a reliever in the Casey Mears style or better or a top 15-20 prospect in our org. (might be a top 10 in some other orgs.)

I do think that we will need more than 2 guys to help the OF but we also have Bauers, Yeli, Baddoo, Black, Lara, and Jett who can play a decent OF. If we could get a top 20 prospect or cheap quality bullpen arm I think the improvements/value would be warrented.

I think over the course of 162 you are bound to have a few lucky games and a few unlucky. I think at least recently (going back to around the CC hiring time) we have create our own luck. When you have a team that is fast, runs out ground balls, plays matchups well, and plays defense you put pressure on the opponent and some of our "advance" stats will say we got lucky. Last year we had 10 players with a sprint speed 28 ft/sec or better, this year we likely add improvements of Hamilton over Mone, Mitchell/Perk/Lockridge or Collins, even more Vaughn over Hoskins is an athletic improvement. With Jett and some other potential prospect who could even add to that team speed more when they debut.

Are there any players that we could deal away or possible for as roster shrink. I think the last bullpen spot is really the only question mark. We are still a little away but I would imagine there will be some decent right handed bullpen arms available that could interest us. I've brought it up a couple times but with Lockridge playing well I would be ok with trading Perkins for a decent prospect or bullpen arm. I would guess there are a bunch of teams that would give up something decent for a gold glove caliber semi-light hitting OF with cheap control left.

I agree keeping Rob Z makes to many lefties. However that is with Gasser and Drohan going to AAA as well, we just have an overabundance of lefties. I don't see us keeping McGee or Yoho. The front office just seems to like to keep as much talent as possible. Keeping Rob Z at least for a couple weeks would seem to fit that build. I personally would cut ties and go with Yoho or McGee. I just dont see the org. doing that.

I think the position players are pretty straight forward. Contreras, Vaughn, Turang, Ortiz, Hamilton, Sal, Mitchell, Chourio, Yeli, Sanchez, Rengifo, Bauers, Perk Lockridge is deserving but Murph likes Perk to much. I just dont see anyone else overtaking anyone. I am going to guess Woody is good to go at this point and Henderson goes to the IL or AAA from injuries. Woody, Misi, Patrick, Harrison, Sproat Megill, Uribe, Ashby, Koenig, Zerpa, Anderson, Hall, Rob Z I think Rob Z gets the nod just because he is out of options. Sproat and Harrison get the starting nod over Gasser based on stuff.

10 days away from opening day, who do we think is on the 26 man?

If we could get even 1 or 2 of the Domimican guys from the past 2 signing classes on big time prospect status our system will be insane. I do suppose we will have a good amount of guys losing prospects status this year so maybe it will just be needed replacements.

It wouldn't make sense to make American players wait until 20 and foreign players who sign sign when they are 16 but really agree to contracts at like 14 some times. I think if they dont allow HS players to sign they should make foreign players wait at less until 18 and ten do a foriegn draft. Don't make it so the worst team gets the 1st pick though, make it some form of a rotating schedule. How long would a US born HS player have to live abroad (say Japan or Australia) to be eligible as a international free agent? If I was the parent of a 15 year old who threw 90 I would consider moving for a year if it meant they got signed at 16 instead of waiting 5 years to get drafted.

Great to see Koenig getting the velo back, I feel like we need to come up with a sweet nickname for him.

It's good know what it is. T.O.S is scary so I would say this ranks in the bad news category, hopefully the non surgery rehab goes well.

I can see Misi not wanting an extension but do you think there are any of the current young arms who would be a good candidate for a Freddy/Ashby style contract by say mid-year? Patrick would be the most likely in my mind as slightly older rookie who could find the security important. Obviously all of the young guys have some risk. I could see any of Harrison, Henderson, Sproat, Priester (if healthy) possibly being open to a team friendly deal as well.

I don't think you do a long term deal until next offseason. I would really like to see him split the year in AA and AAA if he plays well the 1st half. That way he could be ready for a callup the last couple weeks of the season if SS is a weak spot. Made and Chourio should get 4-6 years together, it would be nice to sign both long term. Yeli should be off the books by the time Made would be making decent money so an extension should be doable. However that would make keeping current mlb players on extensions a bit harder (Misi, Sal, Turang, other young pitchers).

Agreed, they got my hopes up for a week or two and then have imploded in the most glorious way. I am excited to get rid of Doc. Hopefully we can find a taker on Turner and AJ Green and just stink for a year. I really hope that the Thunder and Spurs meet in the conference finals and one team just destroys the other, like a sweep. That would hopefully trigger the losing team to go hard after Giannis. I would say Rollins and Jericho would be the only guy I would guarantee to keep. If they don't cost to much Dieng, KPJ, Thomas, and Nance would all be ok at the right price.

I really like the signings so far. Hargrave 2/23. With Wyatt that should be a dynamic inside, especially with Karl Brooks and company giving them breathers. Moore. 1/2.5. As a 5/6 WR and returner there is good upside. He also provides decent insurance if Reed gets injured as a slot guy. He was one of my favorite draft prospect the year he was drafted. St. Juste 2/10 Is great value for a guy who ranked well last year by pff. Sounds like he is great in zone and iffy in man. I like him as much as when we signed Hobbs last year and at less than half the price. Gary for a 4th. Awesome value here to save some money and get something useful. Wooten for Franklin. I will admit I didn't know much about Franklin but he seems like a great tackler and makes a lot of big plays. With Hargrave I feel like the front 7 should be better even losing Gary, Wooden, and Walker. If we can add a solid Oline vet I would be over the moon at this point

With the starting pitching depth would it be best just to move Birchard to the pen now? I get that he has more value as a starter but even if he takes a step forward with control he is still likely a reliever down the road. With the stuff mentioned and his likely path to the bigs as a reliever shouldn't we just learn into the curve.

Forgot Ashby. 2.60 73 inning 90/24

Contreras .278/355/.438 26 HR 101 RBI 4.6 WAR The wrist issues behind him lead to more consistency Vaughn .262/.337/.400 13 HR 52 RBI 1 WAR Bauers .256/.340/440 15 HR 53 RBI 2 WAR Vaughn starts of hot but cools off (or hurt) and Bauers takes over a majority of playing time Turang .292/377/455 28 HR 88 RBI 32 SB 7 WAR Turang finishes top 5 in mvp, wins GG. Ortiz .233/301/388 7 HR 30 RBI 1 WAR Jett .227/.333/.400 11 HR 2 WAR Pratt play 15 games in September Ortiz is a little better but Jett tears it up in AAA and gets some run at SS and 3B Rengifo .251/301./.388 6 HR 9 SB Jett (above) Hamilton .249/360/.370 27 SB Rengifo/Hamilton is ok but unspectacular, Rengifo gets pushed out to utility by Jett but a late year hot streak and continued defense improvement make Hamilton the guy at the end of the year. Chourio .291/342/480 36 HR 93 RBI 22 SB 5 WAR Chourio takes the next step and aviods any major slumps, he finish top 10 mvp Mitchell .266/.355/.423 7 HR 12 SB 2 war Lockridge .243/.298/.366 5 HR 12 SB Lara .277/.366/.370 10 sb 2 WAR Mitchell plays well but gets hurt, Lockridge (Perk traded in April) gets a shot but shows to just be a decent 4th OF. Lara takes over in August and shows to be the real deal. Sal .312/.399/.401 6 HR 27 SB 4 WAR Sal is an allstar and major leader, however he runs through a wall making a great catch and misses the last month. Yeli .292/390/.455 19 HR 90 RBI 27 SB 3 war Yeli has a great year but the power starts to fade a bit. 1 DL stint that costs him a couple weeks but no major setbacks. Rotation Patrick 3.31 era 171 inn 172/38 k/bb 4 WAR Misi 3.66 era 142 inn 188/52 k/bb 3 WAR Woody 2.92 era 110 innings 122 k/27 bb 3 WAR Sproat 3.88 era 128 innings 142 k/45 bb 2 WAR Harrison 3.36 era 125 innings 139 k/36 bb 2.5 WAR Henderson 3.53 era 102 innings 112 k/20 bb 2 WAR Preister 5 era 34 innings Drohan 3.70 era 77 innings 99 k/20 bb Gasser 4.10 era 100 innings (some relief) 88 k/32 bb Lots of ups and downs, no major injuries other than Priester who takes a month to get going, isn't quite right and is shut down for the year. The young guys start to come together by the end of the year and the team takes off in August. Megill 2.32 56 inning 70/18 Uribe 1.92 71 innings 100/21 Koenig 3.31 60 innings Yoho 1.72 40 innings 61/11 Anderson 4.11 30 innings Zerpa 2.91 70 innings Hall 3.60 52 innings Crow 2.71 25 innings The bullpen is solid Yoho takes over for Anderson in June and shines. Brewers go 102-60. Beat the Dodgers in games 7 with a Contreras 2B that scores David Hamilton. We beat the Mariners in the World Series 3-2.

I wouldn't demote Megill by any means, however I would "baby" him a little bit more and just give him more predecided days off so Uribe can close more. No 3 days in a row, no 3 of 4, etc. that way Uribe get his toes a little deeper into closing experience. Maybe by September is Uribe is in the 1.5 era range you just make him the guy but I wouldn't demote Megill unless he legit struggles.