1984Echoes

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...

Navigato is aiming to be next year's Urshela.

Concur.

Where's Tork? He has Friday night off...? Adduci is in Toledo and needed a driver for the night...?

There's news on explosions but nothing on the bridge itself... https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-war-crimea-drones-kerch-bridge/33080939.html

I had more more belief in the reliability of Boyd however (aside from Khalif Raymond that is... who I really like as the 4th WR...), than the DPJ/ Antoine Green/ everyone else contingent...

I think this will end up being a Spring Training decision next year. Where is Sweeney at (part-time starter?) Baez (if Sweeney is starter at SS Baez makes some sense as a backup/ part-time from the Right-Side SS/ utility player)? Is Jung ready to take over 3B or not quite yet (and ends up back at Toledo for more seasoning...)? That (and any ST injury) will determine how much to use Vierling on the IF and whether the IF has room for Ibanez. Also, the OF gets a bit crowded if Vierling is used mostly there. I know Malloy would best be served as a LOT of DH and not much OF... I'm just sayin'... Ibanez is here IMO, at least through next year's spring training.

Ibanez had a 1.9 WAR last year and is at 1.2 WAR this year... So he's good at what they need him to do... (Both hit from the right side and be a positive on the IF...).

Skubal was just on (ESPN? MLB? I forget which channel I had it on... I think MLB...) talking about pronation and supination...

I like Tater's point though... Boyd would have been the "dependable guy", regardless whether he was the #2 or #3 guy... Jameson would have been the "explosive guy", again, regardless whether he was the #2 or #3 guy... I think both could be true independent of each other...