1984Echoes

PS: And not just the hitting. He needs to be more motivated to improve himself in the field. IMO.

Or maybe he needs to take a look at his own motivation (part 3). Clean up his head space and that cleans up his swing by being more aggressive in the K zone? I do think it's more than just the K zone, IMO. I absolutely believe he needs an attitude adjustment/ motivation adjustment and that's on him. Whether he is willing to do that or not... we'll see.

How is FRANYERBER!!! doing in the FCL (he's in FCL, right?)?

It will primarily be tough because we're "on the cusp" as well. A LOT of learning curves and rookie/ 2nd year struggles for us. But we still have more guys coming up, and to be a strong playoff contender, this year and next year and in 2026, we have a high degree/ desire to keep Skubal. I don't think Harris/ Hinch even want to consider trading Skubal. That's why it has to be a "Godfather" offer. It has to be something that Harris just can't refuse. It has to be big. It may not quite approach the Soto trade... but it has to at least be (IMO) the kinds of trades that I and a couple other Motowners on here have indicated will be the trade cost. Or more (none of us knows EXACTLY what would make Harris pull the trigger...). It will be... a lot. Harris won't budge otherwise. That's what will make it too tough to get this done. Pay a huge price, or there's no deal to be made. And also, remember... We can play your Orioles off against the Dodgers. Quick question: You and your buddies will be really, really, pleased when we send Skubal over to the Dodgers. Yes?

They're not eligible.

Bingo!

I actually prefer Mayo & Basallo... I don't know why... But there it is...

Well... He did... Olson, Candelario & Paredes, SGL... But it was on a "minor-trade" basis... not on the "BIG" trades. I think he got burned on JV and JD and then became too scared to try anything too big because it was too much for him. So he stuck with minor trades and... I think he did OK there.

I think we're fine with DPJ and Green there, plus other 3rd/4th/5th candidates. If some problem develops because we need another receiver (our #3 is struggling too much) they can make a trade deadline move for someone that is NOT out of reach or too expensive like Aiyuk. They just need a 3rd guy to make good catches when they're spreading it around a bit... I think we've got what we need though, IMO.

Hell... I'll Vote for, over Trump: - A dead Biden Corpse with a broom handle stuck up his back. - A younger Democrat, ANY Democrat, AT ALL - A Monster pile of Horse ****. - Myself, obviously. - If the Dems put Kanye at the top of their ticket... **** it, I'll vote for Kanye over Trump. - Did I leave anything out? Any other suggestions? The floor is OPEN:

I vote for YOUNGER DEMOCRAT!!!

I think it would be cool if Biden announced: "I am going to step down and hand the reins over to my excellent VP, Kamala Harris. Kamala has already selected her Vice President, Pete Buttigieg. Please all of democracy-loving America get behind this team and choose them and Democracy instead of The Other Guy and his Party of Fascism and Violence." I think that would be a MAJOR **** YOU to the white trash bigots party.

No no no. No Diet anything for me.

I would take this a couple steps further: I would wager that Harris and Hinch are shooting for a playoff run next year, as well as this year. Meaning... I don't think Skubal gets traded... UNLESS: (A) We are just overwhelmed with a package. The Offers-Lite that Greg Pappas wants to get away with (no offense GP) aren't going to do it. At all. It's going to have to be a huge package and (1) Harris is going to have to want it, and love it. And (2) Then he'll have to explain it to everyone. EVEN: (B) I think even if we crap out at 0-11 by the deadline that he STILL won't trade Skubal, unless it's an (A) Overwhelming package. Which goes back to my first statement that NEXT year's attempt at a playoff run is just as important as this year's attempt. And I think that starts with Skubal-Olson-Maeda (if he can fix himself) at the top with fill-in the last two spots. If Skubal is traded, that makes next year that much harder... but not completely out of the picture. But Harris would need to really explain his "big picture". I think I stated this elsewhere: I don't think Skubal gets traded. But... Maybe, if we get a Godfather offer...

I don't think Sale had 2.5 years of cheap control left when the White Sox traded him to Boston. I would say no. I think Skubal will generate a better return package... at least a little bit better...

PS: But I like my Orioles proposal better. They also have a Dodgers trade with Rushing, Freeland, Edgardo Henriquez and Dylan Campbell coming back. I like mine better. And a Cardinals trade that I didn't really check up on...

This link works up a Skubal trade to 3 targets (using their logic): https://tigersmlreport.com/2024/07/08/what-a-tarik-skubal-trade-would-look-like/ To the Orioles for Basallo, Kjerstad, Jackson Baumeister, and Leandro Arias. Your thoughts?

Yeah... This.

Wait! What did I do? It WASN'T MY FAULT! I ran outta gas. I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from outta town. Someone stole my car. There was an EARTHQUAKE, a terrible flood, LOCUSTS! It WASN'T MY FAULT! I SWEAR TO GOD! Actually... I think it was just an accident...

No... I'm just WAG'ing. I wouldn't say bull****. It's just a wild-ass guess... Although I've tried to model any trade proposal on prior big name trades... So I still think I am somewhat "in the ballpark".

PS: One more thing: I think I constructed the Dodgers trade very similarly to the Orioles trade I proposed. Rushing = Mayo. I think each have some position risk, Rushing is a big LH'ed bat in the minors, career minors .917 OPS with good power and excellent OBP history... But I don't know if he's an automatic starter in MLB (based on some defensive weaknesses) so; part-time at Catcher (might be a great 2nd catcher matchup with Righty Dingler), part-time Lefty 1B'man, and part-time Lefty DH and/or PH'er. Mayo is not much different as I don't believe the Orioles think he's defensively good enough to be a lock 3rd baseman and may be more of a 1B'man in MLB. He's RH'ed though... so we do need that more than Lefty Rushing... Vargas = Basallo. These are the key guys. These are their best (willing-to-trade) prospects for each Org (unless you can convince the Orioles to part with Holliday... but I just don't think that's a possibility.) Basallo would be an awesome get. A good match for Dingler. But Vargas? I think he's going to be a monster. Mayo may be > Rushing... But I think Vargas is a HUGE GET and a much better get than Basallo... IMO. But Basallo is 19 and in AA with a .787 OPS, whilst Vargas is 18 and not yet in A-ball. That led me to adding two Dodger pitching prospects versus the Orioles 3. But I can even that out: Add Peter Heubeck as another Dodger pitching prospect. As for the packages: I like both Rushing and Mayo but Mayo a little more. I like both Basallo and Vargas; I like Basallo more for "almost ready" but I like Vargas WAY more for a much higher LT upside. The Orioles pitching prospects are similar to the Dodgers ones except they all have better control.. that seems to be a Dodgers weakness. But I think the packages are similar enough... and I love Vargas overwhelmingly as the "best prospect" that I go with the Dodgers package, IMO. As I've laid it out. Now... If the Orioles were to swap out Mayo for Holliday... NOW we have a serious discussion!!!

Yeah... This is why I felt I was "in the ballpark"; moreso than anything else they could add into the package. As for Vargas AND Rainer... Both of those guys look like they could fit at EITHER SS or 3B... So I wouldn't worry about having two high-level SS prospects as much as "Hmmm... Who plays 3rd and who plays SS...? Hmmm..." Bottom line being I think we would be pleased with the left side of our IF for years and years to come...

"The Moon Landing was FAKED!!!" "The MOON is fake!!! What's up with this IMAGINATION of yours?" "That's the moon RIGHT THERE!!!" (pointing...) "THAT's a hunk of GREEN CHEESE!!! Dude, get with the times!"

That's a good one... "I can PROVE that the Earth is FLAT!!!" "What are you talking about? Everyone KNOWS that the Earth is a PRETZEL!!!"

Plus, several of those SS prospects have strong enough arms that if they moved to a different position, they could easily move to 3B and be plus defenders there. I would love to have a capable left-side of the IF, and IMO, drafting a plethora of SS's is in that/ the right direction...