Still concerned about the offense. We lost Bo, and it would astonish me if Springer had another year like last year, so essentially we've lost two of our best offensive players. Not to mention - are we going to see a step forward or back from Barger? Will we have '25 Kirk or the much more pedestrian version of him we saw between his red-hot debut and last year?
So we lost two of our top three bats, and there's question marks around another couple, and all we've added is a big question mark from Japan and Sanchez who has never been an impact contributor and doesn't figure to ever be. We're dreaming on non-roster invitee Eloy Jimenez for offensive impact?? That is not a good place to be. Picking up one of Bo, Tucker, or Bellinger imo would have meant de facto being down one impact bat. Two would have been treading water.
Pitching side - great depth in the rotation, that's awesome. Lacking at the high end, though, especially in the bullpen. We don't have a closer, which cost us a world series last year (as you would say - FUCK). Bieber, Cease, Yesavage, and Gausman I would all pencil in as "true ace upside" but potential for significantly less both in terms of results and innings, so it's possible our rotation is one of the best, or just mediocre. But that's probably the strength we're going to be leaning on. Once we hand it over to the bullpen, or when the offense struggles to score, it's going to be ugly.
People seem very high on this team, and if I squint I can see why, but it's a tough division, and afaict the team is no better than it was last year and possibly worse, with major needs (2 impact bats, closer) not addressed.
But I love watching Max pitch and I'm happy he's back. It's an entertainment product, after all, and damn if he isn't entertaining.
One does not need to squint to see that the team, with all those concerns baked in, that’s projected to produce the 2nd most WAR in baseball according to FanGraphs Depth Charts is very good.
Part of what made last year special was the feeling of lightning in a bottle - all these things came together for this special run, and we markedly outperformed our projections. I don't think those projections were wrong, I think they were very reasonable - I think we had a lot of good fortune (guys getting hot at the right times, old men having career years for no obvious reason, role players stepping up, etc.) that means our "true talent level" is probably closer to last year's projections than last year's results.
And so I look at a team that's not obviously better than it was a year ago when it was projected to trail the division, and I'm just not seeing the second-best team in baseball.
But what the hell do I know ha, that's just like, my opinion, man. That's why we play the games, right? To find out who's predictions were correct! Right? Right? Haha
Anyway, keep up the great writing, looking forward to another year of your wit and wisdom.
PS I love that you don't take any shit from the doomsayers (me included ha), and don't feed into the easy negative attention economy <3
I wonder if Leo Jimenez is more likely than Eloy to take the Lukes' roster spot? He's out of options and an injury to Ernie or Gimenez would leave Schneider playing every day, far from ideal defensively. A trade for a back-up middle infielder is also a possibility.
I love that the Jays can add these talented fringe players with upside as potential contributors down the line vs. the Leafs picking up fringe players and penciling them into meaningful roles. We will see if the Jays replacement for a departing star is better than the Leafs last attempt. I mean, it can't be worse, can it?
Realistically, would optioning Lukes if/when needed be something that Atkins would entertain? I know it could happen, obviously, but would a trade be a better option for him at this point of his career? If a trade were the case, what would Lukes’ value bring back in a trade?
Mad Max is back! I personally love this "hoarding starters" approach, especially with the age and miles on a lot of those guys. Pitchers get hurt. Guys will need random days off. That list of Dodgers starters really says it all. They'll figure it out.
I do feel for Lukas, I agree that he's likely the guy getting squeezed off the roster. Baseball can be cruel. When/if Santander comes back later int he season, things will get really interesting. If he's healthy and productive (big ifs, I know) that's a pretty tasty bat to add to the mix.
Side note: good to see you winding up the content mill, buddy.
Still concerned about the offense. We lost Bo, and it would astonish me if Springer had another year like last year, so essentially we've lost two of our best offensive players. Not to mention - are we going to see a step forward or back from Barger? Will we have '25 Kirk or the much more pedestrian version of him we saw between his red-hot debut and last year?
So we lost two of our top three bats, and there's question marks around another couple, and all we've added is a big question mark from Japan and Sanchez who has never been an impact contributor and doesn't figure to ever be. We're dreaming on non-roster invitee Eloy Jimenez for offensive impact?? That is not a good place to be. Picking up one of Bo, Tucker, or Bellinger imo would have meant de facto being down one impact bat. Two would have been treading water.
Pitching side - great depth in the rotation, that's awesome. Lacking at the high end, though, especially in the bullpen. We don't have a closer, which cost us a world series last year (as you would say - FUCK). Bieber, Cease, Yesavage, and Gausman I would all pencil in as "true ace upside" but potential for significantly less both in terms of results and innings, so it's possible our rotation is one of the best, or just mediocre. But that's probably the strength we're going to be leaning on. Once we hand it over to the bullpen, or when the offense struggles to score, it's going to be ugly.
People seem very high on this team, and if I squint I can see why, but it's a tough division, and afaict the team is no better than it was last year and possibly worse, with major needs (2 impact bats, closer) not addressed.
But I love watching Max pitch and I'm happy he's back. It's an entertainment product, after all, and damn if he isn't entertaining.
One does not need to squint to see that the team, with all those concerns baked in, that’s projected to produce the 2nd most WAR in baseball according to FanGraphs Depth Charts is very good.
Part of what made last year special was the feeling of lightning in a bottle - all these things came together for this special run, and we markedly outperformed our projections. I don't think those projections were wrong, I think they were very reasonable - I think we had a lot of good fortune (guys getting hot at the right times, old men having career years for no obvious reason, role players stepping up, etc.) that means our "true talent level" is probably closer to last year's projections than last year's results.
And so I look at a team that's not obviously better than it was a year ago when it was projected to trail the division, and I'm just not seeing the second-best team in baseball.
But what the hell do I know ha, that's just like, my opinion, man. That's why we play the games, right? To find out who's predictions were correct! Right? Right? Haha
Anyway, keep up the great writing, looking forward to another year of your wit and wisdom.
PS I love that you don't take any shit from the doomsayers (me included ha), and don't feed into the easy negative attention economy <3
I wonder if Leo Jimenez is more likely than Eloy to take the Lukes' roster spot? He's out of options and an injury to Ernie or Gimenez would leave Schneider playing every day, far from ideal defensively. A trade for a back-up middle infielder is also a possibility.
I love that the Jays can add these talented fringe players with upside as potential contributors down the line vs. the Leafs picking up fringe players and penciling them into meaningful roles. We will see if the Jays replacement for a departing star is better than the Leafs last attempt. I mean, it can't be worse, can it?
Realistically, would optioning Lukes if/when needed be something that Atkins would entertain? I know it could happen, obviously, but would a trade be a better option for him at this point of his career? If a trade were the case, what would Lukes’ value bring back in a trade?
My two cents (FWIW): not much, but maybe as part of a package to bolster the bullpen, the one area of the roster I'm a little nervous about
Mad Max is back! I personally love this "hoarding starters" approach, especially with the age and miles on a lot of those guys. Pitchers get hurt. Guys will need random days off. That list of Dodgers starters really says it all. They'll figure it out.
I do feel for Lukas, I agree that he's likely the guy getting squeezed off the roster. Baseball can be cruel. When/if Santander comes back later int he season, things will get really interesting. If he's healthy and productive (big ifs, I know) that's a pretty tasty bat to add to the mix.
Side note: good to see you winding up the content mill, buddy.
fuckin love it.