Around Baseball 2023

[John_Havok]

I thought Otto could be useful if an infielder goes down with an injury, but I see your point.

 

He could be useful as both an IF and OF, but he's not exactly a power threat with only 17 HR in nearly 2000 PAs. He's a slash and burn type of guy. Could see him getting lots of pinch running opportunites this season too.

[The_DH]

True, I could see Kirk and Belt getting pinch runners after the 7th inning and blow outs. That's why I figured a real speed demon with some defense would be ideal for the position. I still think somebody could shake loose after spring training.

[The Iceman]

New York’s projected bottom-line payroll for the 2023 season with the Pham signing jumps to a bit more than $356MM, with about $374MM in luxury-tax considerations on the books.

Signed Pham for $6 + incentives with the luxury tax makes it $11.5 million + incetives.

 

WOW Steve Cohen.

[jaysblue]

New York’s projected bottom-line payroll for the 2023 season with the Pham signing jumps to a bit more than $356MM, with about $374MM in luxury-tax considerations on the books.

Signed Pham for $6 + incentives with the luxury tax makes it $11.5 million + incetives.

 

WOW Steve Cohen.

 

Doesn't even include if they signed Correa haha

[Krylian]

New York’s projected bottom-line payroll for the 2023 season with the Pham signing jumps to a bit more than $356MM, with about $374MM in luxury-tax considerations on the books.

Signed Pham for $6 + incentives with the luxury tax makes it $11.5 million + incetives.

 

WOW Steve Cohen.

 

Must feel good having an owner that throws money around like that

[John_Havok]

Must feel good having an owner that throws money around like that

 

Dude is projected to be paying more in penalties than the bottom 7 teams are projected to be paying in total payroll combined.

[connorp]

Must feel good having an owner that throws money around like that

 

BTS needs to post the “2/10- would not bang” meme

[Terminator]

Rocket Raimel signing with the Red Sox is just too perfect lol

[Stangstag]

Rocket Raimel signing with the Red Sox is just too perfect lol

 

He’ll probably hit like… 6 extra inside-the-park homers playing in Fenway fulltime!

 

Or… less since he won’t be playing AGAINST the Redox any more

[Ehjays]

Rocket Raimel signing with the Red Sox is just too perfect lol

 

Yeah no takers on a big league deal so he signed a MILB contract.

 

[Laika]

Reported the deal himself like the 6 tool champion he is

 

Speed

Power

Hitting

Defense

Throwing

Reporting

[glory]

There is a chance that:

 

1. The Espinal/Biggio platoon at 2B is extremely good

2. Merrifield is a stud 4th OF

 

That is kind of how I like to think about the roster - with Merrifield as the RHB 4th OF, ostensibly on the bench. Of course he can and will play a lot and play 2B too.

 

If you think about it like that then a RHB OF for the bench seems like a luxury and not a need, whatsoever.

 

Yeah that's the way it's looking to me as well. Merrifield is going to start a bunch at 2B but he's also the 4th OF. A Biggio/Espinal platoon at 2B is still there if Merrifield has to play the OF due to need, injury, etc. I don't think it makes much sense to spend $5-8m on a platoon outfielder at this point. If the going rate for that type of player was a lot cheaper, then sure, but at this point I don't think the Jays are in a bad spot as is. Save some financial bullets for the deadline. Also as mentioned, Otto Lopez is an option for that last spot, and the one thing he did really well offensively in the minors is hit LHP. He doesn't have any power so upside is probably minimal, but it's also a reason why you can put him on the bench and not worry about playing time.

[The_DH]

Yeah that's the way it's looking to me as well. Merrifield is going to start a bunch at 2B but he's also the 4th OF. A Biggio/Espinal platoon at 2B is still there if Merrifield has to play the OF due to need, injury, etc. I don't think it makes much sense to spend $5-8m on a platoon outfielder at this point. If the going rate for that type of player was a lot cheaper, then sure, but at this point I don't think the Jays are in a bad spot as is. Save some financial bullets for the deadline. Also as mentioned, Otto Lopez is an option for that last spot, and the one thing he did really well offensively in the minors is hit LHP. He doesn't have any power so upside is probably minimal, but it's also a reason why you can put him on the bench and not worry about playing time.

 

I think the extra outfielder would be a complement to Varsho and a late inning sub for Springer. KK and Springer will not be playing 162 games, 9 innings/game.

[jaysblue]

Can bring in someone as a 4th/5th outfielder on a MiLB deal. Sure we'll start seeing guys left on the market settle for them now. Don't think it makes much sense spending $5-8M on a 4th OF and there isn't really anyone available as a FA that you would want to spend that money on, other than Profar.

[The_DH]

Can bring in someone as a 4th/5th outfielder on a MiLB deal. Sure we'll start seeing guys left on the market settle for them now. Don't think it makes much sense spending $5-8M on a 4th OF and there isn't really anyone available as a FA that you would want to spend that money on, other than Profar.

 

Agreed, I think we may get somebody decent enough who is available at spring training.

[Deadpool]

I think the extra outfielder would be a complement to Varsho and a late inning sub for Springer. KK and Springer will not be playing 162 games, 9 innings/game.

 

Merrifield and Lopez are perfectly acceptable solutions for those scenarios.

[wilko]

Yeah no takers on a big league deal so he signed a MILB contract.

 

 

That's rough.

[Jimcanuck]

Even though Rocket on a MiLB would be a good move by the Jays, I couldn't stomach it.

[Terminator]

The amount of coping by Red Sox fans on twitter is hilarious right now. Many of them have convinced themselves that signing Adam Duvall followed by Elvis Andrus would be key moves to help them contend for the Wild Card.

 

 

When they are out of contention and in last place some time around the end of May it's going to be a lot of fun watching the meltdowns.

[Pendleton]

The amount of coping by Red Sox fans on twitter is hilarious right now. Many of them have convinced themselves that signing Adam Duvall followed by Elvis Andrus would be key moves to help them contend for the Wild Card.

 

 

When they are out of contention and in last place some time around the end of May it's going to be a lot of fun watching the meltdowns.

 

The O's and Red Sox finish off their respective schedules with a four game set at Camden Yards. That series could end up having huge draft implications.

[Laika]

The amount of coping by Red Sox fans on twitter is hilarious right now. Many of them have convinced themselves that signing Adam Duvall followed by Elvis Andrus would be key moves to help them contend for the Wild Card.

 

 

When they are out of contention and in last place some time around the end of May it's going to be a lot of fun watching the meltdowns.

 

They suck. They project for less wins than:

 

New York, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Houston, Cleveland, Seattle, Minnesota, Texas, Chicago, and LA.

And only 3 more wins than Baltimore.

 

They could make the playoffs in a wild card spot but they need like 7 things to go right including:

 

Chris Sale fully healthy and good

Casas breakout

Yoshida being good

Someone like Kike or Arroyo or Verdugo having a big surprise year

Bryan Bello breakout

Paxton contribution

Whitlock being a good starter

 

just way to many things need to go right lmao

[Brownie19]

They suck. They project for less wins than:

 

New York, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Houston, Cleveland, Seattle, Minnesota, Texas, Chicago, and LA.

And only 3 more wins than Baltimore.

 

They could make the playoffs in a wild card spot but they need like 7 things to go right including:

 

Chris Sale fully healthy and good

Casas breakout

Yoshida being good

Someone like Kike or Arroyo or Verdugo having a big surprise year

Bryan Bello breakout

Paxton contribution

Whitlock being a good starter

 

just way to many things need to go right lmao

 

So they need a repeat of 2013 is what you're saying? I mean they'd also probably need Duvall to bounce back to a 2.5-3 WAR player and Andrus to repeat his 3.5 WAR season too. Seems unlikely of course, but this is pretty natural for fans. I'm sure we've all been guilty of being too optimistic over the years.

[Stangstag]

Yeah no takers on a big league deal so he signed a MILB contract.

 

 

The fact that all he could get was a MiLB deal and we gave him 400 PAs as a playoff team….

[Stangstag]

So they need a repeat of 2013 is what you're saying? I mean they'd also probably need Duvall to bounce back to a 2.5-3 WAR player and Andrus to repeat his 3.5 WAR season too. Seems unlikely of course, but this is pretty natural for fans. I'm sure we've all been guilty of being too optimistic over the years.

 

A repeat of 2013…. And 2018…. f***ing pests. Feast or famine franchise the last couple decades

[L54]

But we got the next Altuve in Adrian Pinto!!

[Jimcanuck]

O's are going to leave the Sux in their dust..... that's how bad the Sux are

[glory]

The fact that all he could get was a MiLB deal and we gave him 400 PAs as a playoff team….

 

That was my first thought. The org went out of their way to intentionally hand him 400+ plate appearances last season, including using in Game 2 of the WC series with a huge lead rather than someone who actually knew how to play defense. All that just to non tender him after the season and watch him sign a minor league deal somewhere else. Ultimately I am just thankful that it is the Red Sox giving him the minor league deal and not the Jays. For much of 2022 I thought the Jays might actually tender him a contract given how often they were playing him, but I guess they really just wanted a LH bat in the lineup (even if he stunk).

[John_Havok]

The fact that all he could get was a MiLB deal and we gave him 400 PAs as a playoff team….

 

The fact that he broke his own MiLB signing, rather than any other insider is wonderful. Future reporter FTW

[Jimcanuck]

Well look, if Rocket had no reported his own MiLB signing, no one would have

 

Savvy marketing or attention whore?

[G-Snarls]

Even though Rocket on a MiLB would be a good move by the Jays, I couldn't stomach it.