1984Echoes

Well.... Currently we're tied for the 10th spot but we're winning games and I expect this team to continue winning games (at a +.500 rate) in September so I see us finishing somewhere's around 15th in the league... How is it that we pick ahead of the White Sox next year...?

Look at that SMILE!!! on that first timer!!!

Which was ONLY about the announcers slobbering all over Mahomes... for beating up 2nd & 3rd teamers on Saturday. And had NOTHING to do with Mahomes prior history, which YOU brought into the conversation. Show me where I stated that he can ONLY do things against scrubs. Oh wait, that doesn't exist. Do you want me to spell it out for you next time? Will that help you?

Which has absolutely ZERO to do with the game against the Lions on Saturday.

That and "Superstar Mahomes" did ALL of that against 2nd/3rd teamers. WOW... such an accomplishment...

And I keep forgetting SGL who ALSO should be in the mix next year...

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

If we say no rotation FA signed this offseason... Then we're looking at/ deciding in Spring Training: who comes after Skubal-Olson-Jobe (IMO), between Mize, Maeda, Montero, possibly Manning again? To fill in two spots. I'm not certain who else will toss their hat into that ring... But I think we could get some decent rotation pitching out of that mix. I would just feel a whole lot better adding a Flaherty into the mix. Not just Harris deciding on whether to bring him back or not... But I think the Dodgers will really want to keep him and LA will look so enticing to him... But if it were up to me (yeah.. obviously not...): I would sign Flaherty and trade for Mason Miller and Andrew Nardi.

I can't believe I left him off as I also think he's on the 2025 Opening Day Roster... My Desired 2025 Rotation: Skubal-Flaherty-Jobe-Olson-Mize.

PS: He's 28 next year... It's "put up or shut up" time... Yes?

Mize pitching in AAA tonight. So far: 3 Inn's, 3 Hits, 2 BB's, 1 run, 5 K's. I think 2025 Mize tells us who he is. He's either a mid-rotation guy, or a bottom of the rotation guy. I won't mind it if he ends up as the #5 starter (Skubal-Flaherty (hopeful FA signing) - Olson-Maeda-Mize). But that WOULD be a disappointment. Can he do better than that? We shall see.

Gage Workman hit his 13th HR today... I speak of this in relation to Javier Baez. For the next year or 2... as long as Baez is still on the team... I see his role as a RH'ed McKinstry. Meaning... I'm going to guess that Sweeney is the big LH'ed bat at SS, at least until someone better comes along (McGonigle? Ranier?)... and that Baez will then be pushed into a defensive SS replacement/ RH'ed platoon at SS/ backup-utility wherever else they can squeeze him in. That's just my guess. And I don't see the team dumping his salary... Unless... Someone can push him out of that job description and the team decides (finally), whenever that may be... to eat his salary. And it would still be a bandaid/stopgap position, again, until something comes along that's better. I think Workman is a guy who has a chance to push Baez out. Not Kreidler. Not Navigato. Eddys Leonard? Maybe, but I don't see it. Trei Cruz? Maybe, but he's much further aback of Workman. Workman was drafted out of college with a subpar hit tool. That hasn't really changed much in the minors it looks like. But he was supposed to have a great glove, range enough for SS, power... just not much of a hit tool/ contact to get to that power. But he's not a zero either. He's at (almost) .260 this year in Erie which is... not great, but not terrible either (.790 OPS... good enough for utility...). More than I thought he'd ever reach... I believe he's played 2B-SS-3B in the minors as well so positionally, he's a fit for that type of job. I'm interested to see who comes out of Spring Training next year as the RH'ed SS. Baez? Or is the team willing to give Workman a shot and move on from Baez... Or is Workman still a year of AAA away from even having a shot? We shall see...

"28-Out Perfect (imperfect) Game". Sounds even better.

They could call it a "28-out no-hitter". I'm good with that.

Sign or trade for two late-inning dominant closer/ set-up types and push Foley down to the 6th/ 7th innings where he'd fit better. IMO.

I like that... "H2O" Hendon Hooker = Offense.

Rodon at 85 pitches and I think they pull him before the 4th... Dingler & Baez of all people wore him out by fouling off a dozen pitches (virtually) each.

OBVIOUS to keep Baez as the Right-Side SS. Sweeney is LH'ed. And I believe capable at SS (per the scouting reports), but not spectacular. It would seem OBVIOUS (since he's under contract next year for big money...) to keep Baez as a defensive replacement SS, RH'ed SS in a platoon with Sweeney, and as a defensive utility guy that has also played 2B and 3B (IIRC). Now there's a reason to keep his contract on the books (after trading-for and promoting Sweeney)... at least until someone PUSHES him out the door. And it will harder to do that now. At least that's what seems obvious to me. IMO.

Same here. But I get what's being said here as well... and it probably makes more sense. But Tork needs to make a LOT of improvements before spring training 2025... IMO. Or it might be time to move on.

Mason Miller from the A's; Andrew Nardi from the Marlins... Make it happen Harris!!!

Or a similar bottom feeder where we can make a trade for a high-end stopper...

PS: I would look more at a team like the Marlins (who ain't winning anything) and work a trade for Andrew Nardi maybe...

Probably near-impossible to entice a guy away from the Yankees and the real possibility of playing in World Series (multiple)... IMO.

Despite the two HR's, Hurter pitched really well tonight for 6 innings. I give him credit for facing down the Yankees' Murderers Row and surviving...

I don't know if he's a "real" SS. I think Baez may be converted to next year's McKinstry. Which makes Navigato more of an Urshela... I think...