Graterol

So on brand for Team Harris that Rafael Montero is our bullpen hope and loads the bases. Other than drafting McGonigle, is there a single move he has made that now looks good? I guess Finnigan. Torres looks solid but nowhere near as much of a steal 2 months ago. Canha, Urshela, Maeda, Brebbia, Cobb, Urquidy, Morton, Paddack, Kahnle, Montero. The Flaherty trade is mediocre with Sweeney and Liranzo ****ting the bed. E Rod fiasco. Saying McGonible needs to develop and trotting out negative WAR sweeeeny, if nothing else to do something to show he is trying. Not trying to win now. Now that we have two full years, not sure his tenure looks great. Too much focus on development for the theoretical future when playoffs are now. Too much of the smartest guy in the room so let’s sign a bunch of cheap **** instead of paying market price for some better talent.

I can’t believe that Trey Sweeney is playing in what amounts to a playoff game. What an indictment on this organization.

I suppose we could start by demoting him and going full McKinsey/Baez platoon. Are you saying no other options at all? Would you want Sweeney on a playoff roster?

Nobody? Besides the obvious that has been litigated to death, Correa, Kim, IFK, etc all moved teams. There were options.

Not the only or even primary reason for the slide, but Trey Sweeney has a wrc+ of 3 in the 2nd half of the year. That is lowest in all of MLB. He has the lowest full year WAR of any shortstop (one of only 2 negative WAR players with more than 200 abs). How is he even on the roster?

Forgot about him and Lange. If healthy, final two spots (in order, health permitting): Cobb/Sewald/Haniffee/SGL/Lange. Wish we would move on from Montero/Kahnle and see what we have in the others.

Of course Cobb isn’t a lock, but I’m sure the hope is he can build up arm strength and be useful/tolerate pain in short outings. Can anyone explain why Lange was sent down? Curious decision unless injury setback.

Cobb and Hinch have said they are targeting him to return in the bullpen this year. He is rehabbing in Toledo.

Pondering whether Kahnle gets released got me thinking of a best case playoff staff. Assuming 12 pitchers: Skubal/Flaherty/Mize/Morton (starters) Finnegan/Vest/Melton/Cobb/Holton (top relievers) Hurter (2nd lefty)/Hannifee (DP guy)most likely next tier Which would leave one spot for Paddack/Hernandez/Kahnle/SGL/3rd lefty/Urquidy. I would probably go with SGL unless Sommers is lights out the rest of the way. Not sure Kahnle could do anything the rest of the way to regain enough trust to pitch meaningful post reason minutes. Probably him or Montero are released?

Agree that McKinstry, Baez, and probably even Perez really belong on the bench. Should be some solid options if Torres doesn’t re-sign, with Kim, Suarez, Bichette, Bregman, etc free agesnts. I just don’t see a path for Anderson, Jung, and probably Lee next year. Carp needing a RH platoon partner also makes bench construction difficult. Wouldn’t shock me if Carp was a trade candidate.

Obviously a lot can change, but I have to think/hope next year the 13 position players are: C- Dingler/Rogers (or upgrade on Rogers) 1B- Tork 2B or 3B: Keith SS or 2B: McGonigle 2B or 3B: McKinstry OF/DH: Greene/Meadows/Perez/Carp Bench: Baez/Vierling/Ibanez Lee could potentially replace Ibanez. You could certainly upgrade Perez/McKinstry and move them to super sub (Torres for example). But I really see no way that Jung fits the roster, unless there is an injury to Keith or McKinstry.

And you are trey sweeney. Awful approach.

I won’t necessarily blame Harris for bregman not coming here, but there were also a few others (like Kim, or taking on Correa contract). If we didn’t have $35 million or whatever in Cobb, Maeda, Brebbia, Kahnle maybe one of those could have worked (acknowledging it takes two sides). I think maybe my broader point is he is the anti DD—focused on winning a signing or trade but sometimes you have to pay going prices. And my number one point is Trey Sweeney is the worse starting shortstop in mlb by far and nothing has been done to address it.

I think we are lucky to have Harris, but there are some questionable moves. I have no problem with last year and this years deadline, but he botched the Erod trade completely. Drafting has been great. But his FA signings don’t get enough criticism. He has signed Maeda, Ursula, Canha (not technically a FA), Brebbia, Kahnle, Cobb, Flaherty, and Torres. I get why he doesn’t want to be hamstrung with a long contract, but even with the hit on Torres, the ROI has been poor. Would much rather see some quality than quantity, which he hasn’t hit on. Overall drafting, waiver wire, development all positive, trades probably neutral, but FA has been a mess.

There are not many certainties in baseball, but Kevin mcgonigle being better right now than Trey Sweeney is one of them. Again, this is as much of a Sweeney discussion as a mcgonigle. Playoff teams need to try to win. Fat will need to be trimmed eventually of the 40 man eventually. 30 games in mlb won’t hurt mcgonigles development.

I get the importance of the 40 man, but I would rather upgrade SS and would be willing to take the risk of losing Codi Heuer.

I would also add that mcgonigles walk rate and iso are higher in Erie than at West Michigan, and his K rate is identical. Whatever he did to get promoted at WM he is doing at Erie. The only “negative” is that his babip has regressed. Clearly he is no Ozzie smith at SS, but don’t think defense is developed any differently at AA than at MLB.

Out of 40 shortstops with at least 150 PAs, Sweeney ranks 39 in WAR and 37 in wrc+. He is awful and not worthy of a roster spot let alone the playing time he is getting. Contending teams need to balance development and winning. A 30 game trial won’t impact mcgonigles development. If after a trial this year and spring training next year they still think he needs to develop, he can start in Toledo and his developement is not impacted.

In related news to the mcgonigle discussion, Sweeney is below replacement. His slash line is consistent with last year, so we now have two years worth of evidence he is a replacement level SS. Why does he continue to play?

Is there any evidence that rushing players hurts long term ability? Most of the top players make it to the majors early. Tork continued to develop in MLB. I am in favor of McGongile (not Clark) because I think he is the best of many poor options at short. I don’t think mcgonigle playing 30 games in MLB and potentially playoffs will in any way stunt his growth. No need for Clark to come up because he wouldn’t be better than existing options. Merrill, Chourio, Wood, Caminero, Holliday, Roman Anthony. That group collectively has done well at McGonigles age. Is McGonigle not that tier of prospect?

Is there any shot mcgonigle gets to Detroit? If you had to win a game tomorrow, would you prefer mcgonigle or Baez against rhp? Steamer has Baez forward looking wrc at 81, mcgonigle at 103.

If that draft is re-done today, where does Mcgonigle go. 3rd maybe?

Maybe a weird take, but not crushed by this. I would be curious of the odds of someone of Jobes profile having TJ eventually. Has to be high. This maybe provides some reason why he hasn’t been missing bats this year (or maybes he’s just not that good). We have depth with Cobb (maybe?) coming back eventually plus SGL. Is there any service time implication? Never a positive, but if you start with the premise it was likely to happen eventually, almost rather get it done now.

Brieske has a fip/xfip of 5+, negative war, and a k/9 of 6. He also pitched the last game. He is who we go with there?

My concern with Jobe isn’t so much the last outing, but more the fact his K rates (in minors, in MLB) have never matched his stuff. I worry he will be more average than elite. Hope I’m wrong.