If he was a scarce commodity, I'd be there. We are getting Kyle Wright back. Let's assume he comes back at full, or near full strength. Now, Ragans and Wright become interchangeable at the top of the rotation and Lugo may end up being a #3 starter and facing a lesser pitcher. That tilts the odds of picking a "w" in his favor. Wacha should be trying to get on this train because as a #4, he should have a substantial advantage against anxious hitters who know that their starter is likely to get torched before Wacha does. Getting Wacha into a tilted playing field like that could mean 4 to 5 extra wins. If I'm him, I know that I'll be hitting a lot of performance objectives that will make me more money if he just does his job. And we still have Marsh, Lorentzen (if signed) and Singer to plug holes. Scary looking staff.
Quality pitching is a scarce commodity. Wacha is a rightly who struggles going more than 5 innings. Let's assume he walks, and we don't skimp after him. Let's look at the possibility of an upgrade.
Now, I have been around orthos and Wright is more than a year post-op. That bodes well for his phisiological recovery. How far along is he in functionality will depend on him. He was a 20-game winner, so I'll assume he is motivated.
I'm from a different era. Gibson, McClain Seaver, Jenkins... These were men who would pitch double-digit CG stats with a few being CGSO's. So, when you speak of quality, I erroneously conflate it with excellence. After all, I saw the Orioles 4 (McNally, Cuellar, Palmer and Dobson) pitch in the 70', in person and often. We have Ragans as a quality starter. Lugo is a good middle of the rotation guy, but he too needs to be managed. Lucky we have Marsh and Singer to handle that slack.
There are a half dozen free agents you can replace Wacha with. And some are big game pitchers. I'm sure Max Scherzer would like to get a ring... We are not a 100 loss team.
I'm with Hoikus. We can't count on Wright for anything at this point. Stack the rotation thinking he's a potential candidate and nothing more. Go as deep as you can because it's highly unlikely your top four starters will each make 29+ starts next year.
Most elite performers will give you effort. That you can count on. I'm not a Wright fan, but he didn't just get to MLB. I would expect some coddling for 3-5 starts.
Of the bunch. I'd try to sign Lorentzen and Josh Taylor. I would expect Renfroe to be packaged with injury prone Massie to address a need at 3b or outfield. IMPO, all you can ask your roster is for a quality game every time they step out. If a quality start is defined as 6 innings and 3 earned runs, then a quality game is allowing 4 or less runs and scoring 4 or more runs per 9 innings. On the offensive side, you can have two or three excelent hitters and you can try to get the rest as close, but preferably above, to the league batting average. In OBP, you want as high as their defense allows. Preferably .310+, and some hitting skills. If you have a lineup that is adept at hitting between 1b and 2b, you will master "the mother of the big inning" ( men on 1st and 3rd with one out), not to mention that any runner on first will become a better stealer as the 2b has to choose to cover the throw, or his fielding lane. The objective is to be relentless in menacing to move runners and score. The strain on the pitcher and fielders will lead to blown plays and pitching mistakes. This might be mischaracterized as "hustle"... Many made that mistake with Pete Rose. He played hard, dirty-adjacent and always to win. We must play every game as a stepping stone to get to the post season. The only games that really matter to competitive players.
While I'm a fan of Waters' tools, he needs to adopt a more productive approach to hitting. It seems to be his only real hole in his game. We need him to be a .270 BA .325 OBP hitter. We don't need him to slug it up. He should have ample natural power. It is a numbers game. If he makes contact, a percentage of balls will go out. I will gladly take two doubles for every HR he does not produce (from his current output levels) if he can hit the .270/.325 production. For him, it is the price to be a major leaguer. Think about it. A more patient approach also results in a higher pitch count for the opposing pitcher. If he wants to be Aaron Judge, he is going to have to produce like him... Not like Aaron Hicks.
I think Renfroe will be difficult to move, but you are on the right track paring him with one of the younger guys. But the Royals love Massey and they need someone on that side of the infield.
At this point, I don't think it's going to be happening for Waters. Maybe he can find something with another org, but at this point he's the quintessential Quad-A guy.
Well, not easy. But, injuries happen and he may be another team's bandaid. I understand that Massey can play. But he has missed a lot of time, and we already had that issue with Mondesi. Maikel can play 2b and we can sign a 3b who can hit for power. He's a quintisential ScottBoras client.
I agree that hitting as he does, he is not a starter.
* So happy to hear from you. Brightens me as I sit 'round the stove, hoping it gets hot.
* The only team I despise more than the Yanx is the Trolley Dodgers, so imagine my despondency for the Series. Still, I was expecting some classic baseball and instead got nothing except HRs and fielding buffoonery. Serves the Bombers right, I sez.
* Can we fans start a GoFundMe to keep Michael Wacha, if it's not too late?
* Here's hoping Salvy, whilst globe-trotting his goodwill, stumbles across the Fountain of Youth, again.
* Right there with ya re: winter. It's bleak enough as it is. Don't need to add baseballless to it.
Haha even when I assume you are on hiatus, you are infiltrating my mind - I just posted that possibly foreshadowing blurb about Pham on "Inside The Crown"
Salvy crossing the border is indeed amazing. I am guessing many superstars would pay someone to do it, post all their good deeds, and have their assistant take the fall if they get caught.
Do you think a 1.5 game ban of those self righteous fans is enough? I haven't taken a swing at someone since grade school, but I am with Pham on this one
Today marks the beginning of "oooh Craig Brown is back" season
Hahaha...thanks, Herbie. Personally, I think those knuckleheads should be banned for at least a year from Yankee Stadium. What they did was way over the line.
I need to move on, but cant get past the mookie thing. A grown man in heat of moment trying to lift a ball from a glove- ok, but that was near assault. Maybe i keep doubling back because chuckles keeps getting time added to his 15 minutes.
Props to the guy who threw Freemans HR back tho, you may question the intelligence, but gotta respect the passion
I read an article ( in The Athletic, I think ) where they got Maier's opinion on the Mookie deal. I guess I forgot how long ago Maier's 15 minutes were...dude's FORTY now.
I really don't know how I feel about Salvy crossing the Colombian border during COVID-19? I mean, aren't we pro-lockdown around here?
The fact that Wacha didn't immediately opt out gives me a lot of hope that he's thick in negotiations with the Royals on a contract extension.
I would imagine there are ongoing discussions. Two years with an option for the third? $18 million-ish AAV?
If he was a scarce commodity, I'd be there. We are getting Kyle Wright back. Let's assume he comes back at full, or near full strength. Now, Ragans and Wright become interchangeable at the top of the rotation and Lugo may end up being a #3 starter and facing a lesser pitcher. That tilts the odds of picking a "w" in his favor. Wacha should be trying to get on this train because as a #4, he should have a substantial advantage against anxious hitters who know that their starter is likely to get torched before Wacha does. Getting Wacha into a tilted playing field like that could mean 4 to 5 extra wins. If I'm him, I know that I'll be hitting a lot of performance objectives that will make me more money if he just does his job. And we still have Marsh, Lorentzen (if signed) and Singer to plug holes. Scary looking staff.
Pitching is ALWAYS a scarce commodity.
Assuming Wright is coming back near full strength would be a mistake, even if he is full strength in quality he absolutely will not be in endurance.
Quality pitching is a scarce commodity. Wacha is a rightly who struggles going more than 5 innings. Let's assume he walks, and we don't skimp after him. Let's look at the possibility of an upgrade.
https://stathead.com/baseball/versus-finder.cgi?player_id2=wacha-001mic&player_id1=fried-001max&request=1&utm_campaign=2023_01_wdgt_player_comparison&utm_source=br&utm_medium=sr_xsite&utm_id=friedma01
Now, I have been around orthos and Wright is more than a year post-op. That bodes well for his phisiological recovery. How far along is he in functionality will depend on him. He was a 20-game winner, so I'll assume he is motivated.
I'm from a different era. Gibson, McClain Seaver, Jenkins... These were men who would pitch double-digit CG stats with a few being CGSO's. So, when you speak of quality, I erroneously conflate it with excellence. After all, I saw the Orioles 4 (McNally, Cuellar, Palmer and Dobson) pitch in the 70', in person and often. We have Ragans as a quality starter. Lugo is a good middle of the rotation guy, but he too needs to be managed. Lucky we have Marsh and Singer to handle that slack.
There are a half dozen free agents you can replace Wacha with. And some are big game pitchers. I'm sure Max Scherzer would like to get a ring... We are not a 100 loss team.
I'm with Hoikus. We can't count on Wright for anything at this point. Stack the rotation thinking he's a potential candidate and nothing more. Go as deep as you can because it's highly unlikely your top four starters will each make 29+ starts next year.
Most elite performers will give you effort. That you can count on. I'm not a Wright fan, but he didn't just get to MLB. I would expect some coddling for 3-5 starts.
I'm excited because Lugo may improve his stats
Of the bunch. I'd try to sign Lorentzen and Josh Taylor. I would expect Renfroe to be packaged with injury prone Massie to address a need at 3b or outfield. IMPO, all you can ask your roster is for a quality game every time they step out. If a quality start is defined as 6 innings and 3 earned runs, then a quality game is allowing 4 or less runs and scoring 4 or more runs per 9 innings. On the offensive side, you can have two or three excelent hitters and you can try to get the rest as close, but preferably above, to the league batting average. In OBP, you want as high as their defense allows. Preferably .310+, and some hitting skills. If you have a lineup that is adept at hitting between 1b and 2b, you will master "the mother of the big inning" ( men on 1st and 3rd with one out), not to mention that any runner on first will become a better stealer as the 2b has to choose to cover the throw, or his fielding lane. The objective is to be relentless in menacing to move runners and score. The strain on the pitcher and fielders will lead to blown plays and pitching mistakes. This might be mischaracterized as "hustle"... Many made that mistake with Pete Rose. He played hard, dirty-adjacent and always to win. We must play every game as a stepping stone to get to the post season. The only games that really matter to competitive players.
While I'm a fan of Waters' tools, he needs to adopt a more productive approach to hitting. It seems to be his only real hole in his game. We need him to be a .270 BA .325 OBP hitter. We don't need him to slug it up. He should have ample natural power. It is a numbers game. If he makes contact, a percentage of balls will go out. I will gladly take two doubles for every HR he does not produce (from his current output levels) if he can hit the .270/.325 production. For him, it is the price to be a major leaguer. Think about it. A more patient approach also results in a higher pitch count for the opposing pitcher. If he wants to be Aaron Judge, he is going to have to produce like him... Not like Aaron Hicks.
I think Renfroe will be difficult to move, but you are on the right track paring him with one of the younger guys. But the Royals love Massey and they need someone on that side of the infield.
At this point, I don't think it's going to be happening for Waters. Maybe he can find something with another org, but at this point he's the quintessential Quad-A guy.
Well, not easy. But, injuries happen and he may be another team's bandaid. I understand that Massey can play. But he has missed a lot of time, and we already had that issue with Mondesi. Maikel can play 2b and we can sign a 3b who can hit for power. He's a quintisential ScottBoras client.
I agree that hitting as he does, he is not a starter.
Mr. B,
* So happy to hear from you. Brightens me as I sit 'round the stove, hoping it gets hot.
* The only team I despise more than the Yanx is the Trolley Dodgers, so imagine my despondency for the Series. Still, I was expecting some classic baseball and instead got nothing except HRs and fielding buffoonery. Serves the Bombers right, I sez.
* Can we fans start a GoFundMe to keep Michael Wacha, if it's not too late?
* Here's hoping Salvy, whilst globe-trotting his goodwill, stumbles across the Fountain of Youth, again.
* Right there with ya re: winter. It's bleak enough as it is. Don't need to add baseballless to it.
Thanks, Terry. The Series did give us some memorable moments, but outside of Game One, it just felt rather ordinary. My bias could be showing.
I'm just getting the feeling that things are afoot with Wacha and the Royals. We'll see.
I'll be around so we can all help each other get through the winter!
Haha even when I assume you are on hiatus, you are infiltrating my mind - I just posted that possibly foreshadowing blurb about Pham on "Inside The Crown"
Salvy crossing the border is indeed amazing. I am guessing many superstars would pay someone to do it, post all their good deeds, and have their assistant take the fall if they get caught.
Do you think a 1.5 game ban of those self righteous fans is enough? I haven't taken a swing at someone since grade school, but I am with Pham on this one
Today marks the beginning of "oooh Craig Brown is back" season
Hahaha...thanks, Herbie. Personally, I think those knuckleheads should be banned for at least a year from Yankee Stadium. What they did was way over the line.
Salvy is a gem of a ballplayer and a human.
I need to move on, but cant get past the mookie thing. A grown man in heat of moment trying to lift a ball from a glove- ok, but that was near assault. Maybe i keep doubling back because chuckles keeps getting time added to his 15 minutes.
Props to the guy who threw Freemans HR back tho, you may question the intelligence, but gotta respect the passion
Yeah. The celebration of those guys was not good. The Jesse Rogers article at ESPN was extremely disappointing. But that's Yankee fandom for you.
That brat Jeffrey Maier got on the Today show after his interference, when he should have been grounded for a month.
I read an article ( in The Athletic, I think ) where they got Maier's opinion on the Mookie deal. I guess I forgot how long ago Maier's 15 minutes were...dude's FORTY now.
This makes my brain hurt.
All Yankee fans should be grounded on general principles.