KSaw

I tend to think that the relievers are pitching like they can. True to their talent is not the same as true to their past performances. Relief pitchers tinker so much because they are the hangers on in baseball. They need to be adding a pitch or perfecting something. This Spring I was raving about Neil Wagner. Clearly there was nothing in his past to make me do such a thing. Finding how to use one's talent seems to be a theme with this bullpen and bravo to those who helped them get to this point and for the most part I mean Walker, Hentgen, Langford and Stanley. Anyway, on point with this AA as GM discussion, I think that come September people around baseball are going to notice something very interesting. Toronto has a specifically designed September ball club. Just look at it. I mean every team brings up a few helpful depth guys and a kid or two when rosters expand. What can AA bring? Another 5-6 arms that can jump right into high pressure key situations. I've never seen such a thing. Tell me how teams score on Toronto in September. Lets just skip the rotation. I mean it could have Happ or Ricky or Wang or the Masked Marvel for all we know. The Pen- you could add Lincoln, Schwimmer, Storey, Weber, Luis Perez, Drabek, Carreno, Farina and more. And on Lincoln, he was great in that 18 inning game and his previous appearance. He only went down as the most tired arm when the club needed pen help for the next day.

Actually, that probably wouldn't be close to enough. He is under control for 2014. It's been reported that the Padres would expect more in return than what they got for Mat Latos.

Underrated how? He's going to get $100 million + and 6 years. The Padres owner wants to keep him and if they do trade him (which Rosenthal believes, while many don't), they will want the equivalent of the first round pick talent they'd give up in the lost compensation pick, plus a MLB player and a top prospect. If you're AA do you give up Stroman, Gose and Loup to get him?

People from Tampa do not go to that dump known as St. Pete's. Period!

On one hand you like Denver Bears but on the other hate Marlins? Miami Marlins is South Florida's old historical baseball nickname going back over half a century.

The USFL football nickname was very popular. New Jersey Generals would get a lot of support.

The Jets and Giants were New York teams who happened to relocate to a stadium across the river. If the Rays happened to end up in Jersey, they'd be the New Jersey something's. A ballpark just south west of the football stadium would become their likely home.

It's not new that Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg, a Mets season tickets holder and New Yorker would like to move the Rays to Northern New Jersey.

The Cubs Nate Schierholtz is certainly worth a look. If Melky can't play, a Schierholtz/ Davis platoon in left would be solid.

You laugh and while such a ruling isn't probable, check the info before laughing too hard.

Of course they wouldn't move within 24 hours. They'd get a legal deal done that fast.

He is young enough and talented enough to rebound but today, right now, I'd rather de Jesus Jr. from the Pirates. I get that it's only AAA but he's just mashing and the home run pop is legit. So what if he is a late bloomer!

Just read several pages of info on the lawsuit. What jumped out is that since 2012 MLB has been operating without a constitution, though working within the spirit of their expired one. If a judge happens to rule that the lack of an actual constitution is a legal loophole, all territorial rights of MLB clubs are void, at least for a brief window. MLB can not enact a new constitution during the suit. Forget how interested the Oakland A's and the City of San Jose are. The most interested party may be Tampa Bay Rays Ownership. Such a ruling would be followed by a Rays to the NYC area move in under 24 hours. The Meadowlands would get their New Jersey club and the Yankees and Mets could do nothing to stop it.

It was tongue in cheek.

Moot point because he's not here but I doubt that any manager would take the best defensive outfielder on a club and stuck him in left.

Apparently Rios has grown up a lot, though I can't speak to it. Having him in RF, Jose in LF and Rasmus in CF would look good. Melky is hobbling and Lawrie is always hurt.

And Alan Farina. There's clearly room to trade relievers. And watch out for Tyler Ybarra next Spring.

There was also something about how I shouldn't factor in 10-game winning streaks...

Lol!

Sure but 7 is plenty. 8 is overkill. There only 2 reasons for an 8 man pen and they are Perez impressing so much it's hard to send him back and McGowan not having Gibby's confidence yet. And to be really honest, Lincoln was amazing in his last few appearances and only went down because he had a tired overworked arm after an 18 inning game and the team needed someone rested.

A little soon, ya. I like AA but Arencibia as the catcher? Really?

Zero chance. With the slim CF market, even a speedy LF like Rajai will get overpaid. I'm not kidding when I say that he'll get 2-years and 16 + million dollars.

I would DFA Bonifacio. That's not going to happen though. A reliever probably goes down. B-bye To Perez and his 0.00 ERA.

I also said they'd have 56 wins at the end of July. I now hope that I'm wrong. I'm looking for 58-59 now.

I did but that was a few weeks ago. They dropped a couple I hadn't expected and though I did see a turnaround coming, thought .500 was still 2 weeks away still because of the extra games under.