gehringer_2

there is some disagreement between fangraphs and BIS on Simmons '21 D, but no question at all his bat appears to have gotten worse than Zach Short's. There was always the possibility they were going to get shut out on the fab five, the question is whether they can at least still make a good 2nd pitching signing if they can't close on Story or Baez.

Because he stands as a contradiction to their narrative of received truth, which means he is a treat to the value system - that is the deepest kind of threat so he is the worst kind of enemy. Look at it in religious terms and it's clear Fauci is the most dangerous kind of heretic. You have to hammer hardest the preachers of the truths you demand be denied.

And even though Cabrera is our example, he's not even the worst case because he is at least suitable as DH and can still give you stretches of 900 OPS even if he can't sustain it any more. We are talking Middle Infielders here, and none name ARod. Even the best hitters in this SS group would be marginal DHs when their fielding skills are gone even assuming most of their hitting doesn't go with them.

it's not even the money to me, it's the contract terms these teams are giving away. I don't care if they pay a SS $50M/yr as long as he is on the field producing. It's the fact the even if they can afford it, teams remain very reluctant to just cut guys making >30M/yr even when they reach mere replacement level. So they clog up the lineup. That's the killer. Well maybe you hope he has a good year - after all he did two years ago for the half season before the nagging injury, or There's a lot PR value in his chase for 'X' (like maybe 3K hits?), or Man we are going to look dumb if we cut him and the knee/back/ankle improves and he puts up 5WAR for some other team on our money. There is always a reason to hope against hope and give the guy one more year. Iin the end, the opportunity cost is not in the dollars, it's in the roster spots.

Hmmm.... Did Al give Lynn a call and lobby for a little covering fire?

It will be interesting to see if FLA and USC are really just a coach away from regaining glory or if there are more complex factors that have changed the situation at those particular schools.

Does Notre Dame still have the resources to lure a gold digger like Meyer? I would have guessed absolutely but sometimes things change......They weren't paying Kelly all that much.

yeah - to think the ND FB coach used to be maybe the most celebrated gig in US sports. And Baton Rouge is not much of a town!

if it were summer I'd say the Rangers ownership was suffering from too much sun. The thing I find funny is that in that supposed age of analytics, if there is one thing the numbers tell you loud and clear it's that the best players are not worth their differential cost - maybe with the exception of a pitcher like Max who is going to out there and win games all by himself. You spend your dollars just as effectively and much more efficiently shoring up weakness at the bottom of your line-up as as shelling out 300M for 2 or 3 extra WAR from guy like Semien who probably carries a 3 or 4 yr expiration date.

so much for Jon Heyman.

TBH, this is starting to feel like Juan Gonzales. The best deal may be the one you don't make.

Heyman twitted that the Rockies have reconsidered and are going to make an offer to Story.

LOL - it better not be much more than that because the odds that you get lucky with 2 middle IF both playing well into their 30s is not good.

True. This Yankee ownership is more measured than they were back in the George S days.

Rangers are trying to recreate another team like 1999. 940 run team.

Unbaised 3rd party take? Correa to the Yankees is the most predictable shoe to drop.

Still don't think the Tigers go 300+ for anyone but it is getting interesting.

If you want a positive spin, consider that more teams are rating pitching as the higher priority for their money than shortstops.

another one bites the dust.

Seemed like a nice guy, bat just never got there. With Dingler likely getting ending up in Toledo there wasn't going to be playing time for him there or in Det.

maybe it's out there and we don't here it because it's not directed to the Tigers but Story seems to be the one guy there isn't much speculation about. Maybe his agent plays the game a little differently.

You see all kinds of studies that have tried to determine if little girls really have different tendencies than little boys - but since children begin acculturation the second they are born, it will never be easy to separate nature from nurture.

good take Beware one year wonders. (and Rick-Cy-Young-Porcello says 'Hi')

I think he did made half of his 3s in the 2nd (2 for 4), but he didn't get to the line once in the game.

Could also be Avila signalling to any SS he's talking to that Tiger money is not going to stay on the table long. You just never know.....