Terminator

I don't know if this is fair or not but it seems like the Vancouver Grizzlies were seen as the worst expansion team in the history of sports and I bet that has lead to its perception about getting other expansion teams, including in different sports like baseball. It'd still be a good western option though; the minor league team does well and they pack Seattle anytime the Jays are in town. I'd rank it on par with SLC and probably San Jose (this is barely a real city but I think the corporate opportunities could help it overcome that).

Alright alright my bad, let's get back to the bench talk. I'm starting to wonder if we even want Vogelbach. If Turner plays the field some then we have more room for him but even then Jansen/Kirk are good enough bats to handle the backup DH/pinch hitter role that Vogelbach is trying to win. Schneider can get some DH ABs as well. And it seems like Vogelbach might be on borrowed time anyway with Horwitz and Barger knocking down the door. If one of Vogelbach/Horwitz do make the team then we have to move an infielder. If it's optioning Espinal (or even better trading him) that would be fine. But DFA'ing Clement or optioning Schneider seem like dumb moves to me. I'd rather dump Vogelbach.

Yeah and since Nashville is the clear front runner it would make sense to pair it with a western team which needs more teams. There's not many options out west though. Portland at one point would have been the frontrunner but SLC is trending up and Portland is trending down so it seems like SLC would be a better place for a franchise to thrive. Another California team like San Jose could be an option. The Bay Area had two teams for a long time and San Jose could rely on big tech buying up corporate sponsorships? Vancouver is another option but I just don't see it for some reason, though it probably makes as much sense as SLC.

Ah my bad, Dean. Didn't know you were "pouring yourself a tall one" for regurgitating BNS articles. I thought you'd only reserve celebrations and pats on the back like that for actually coming up with the idea all on your one.

As Jays fans do we want the Expos back?

Yeah it seems like it's coming any year now. Nashville seems like it's got a ton of momentum. Not sure who should get the other team, maybe SLC.

Yeah everything I'm reading says he could be a good pick to have a breakout year. On the hitting side of things I like Jace Bohrofen to have a breakout year.

Dean, did you really just regurgitate a BNS article and then take credit like you came up with the idea yourself? lol

The star that burns twice as bright burns half as long...

Good lord another surgery? That guy is made of glass. The meltdowns that were being had over that trade at the time are hilarious in hindsight. I remember one poster in particular (who isn't welcome here anymore) had a psychotic break over it while calling Nick Frasso a "future superstar". lmao

Still can't believe that we got Mitch White for an oft-injured relief prospect. What a steal.

Jared Jones is hitting 101 mph? WTH

Chad Green's stuff is really good.

Yeah I've been repeating that he's from the Bay Area but he's actually from SoCal it looks like. Not sure where he resides exactly these days but I do know that it's in the state of CA. So San Fran isn't exactly his hometown but it is his home state and he has lived in the Bay Area before after playing for the A's. Close enough.

This is getting silly Dean. The whole thing could have been avoided if you hadn't jumped down my throat over the egregious mistake of listing Cavan Biggio as an occasional option in LF next to other notable LFers like Davis Schneider. In my defense I wasn't aware that Biggio is on record admitting that he can't play LF since he can't read the ball there. I'd argue that he can't read the ball in RF either though so what do I know. But even so, Ross needs to implement a full blown "double corner OF utility program" asap. Right fielders have been playing LF since the 1800s so I think it's time he gets with the program. I promise you that RFers can do it Dean, even if Cavan Biggio mysteriously can't. Though I suspect with Whit Merrifield gone (he's better in LF than RF now bc he got old and his arm sucks) he might have more opportunity to give LF another try. We've wasted enough time on this so I think at this point we will simply have to wait with bated breath to see if Cavan "Mr. Jack of No Trades" Biggio can add subpar LF defense to his repertoire. I'd say that it will be interesting to see what will happen but I can't because it won't be interesting at all. Cheers Dean.

Donaldson is calling it quits.

Wes Parsons would be the staff ace of the Boston Red Sox. We've got incredible starting pitching depth this year.

Are you serious Dean? Double corner OF utility? Lol you even hit me with a capital "YOU"! If a bench player can play RF he can also play LF. It's a simple concept Dean. Now the team probably does put some stock into a player's individual preference because the difference in value between the two positions is small. But your argument regarding Whit disproves your point because it shows the a previous LF roadblock is no longer with the team, thus clearing the way for more time in LF for Biggio if it comes to it.

Yeah IKF is a sneaky upside play (the team obviously thinks so as do I). His batted ball profile improved dramatically and was almost league average last year (.324 xwOBACON) and his defensive metrics show that he might be among the elite at 3B. Last year was a weird year for him because the Yankees had him playing the OF and through an ankle injury (his sprint speed dropped dramatically and should return to being well above average again). He already projects to be about 1.5 WAR player as is and that's not that bad for 2/15M as is. If his batted ball profile holds, his sprint speed returns and he's playing his best position full-time he might hit 2+ WAR.

Hurl doesn't know s***

Yeah he's probably ass in the OF but right now we don't have a true 4th OF on the team. Schneider is also probably ass but he's currently our 4th OF right now. I expect Biggio to see some time there as things currently stand. He's a lefty but he can actually hit certain lefty pitchers so there will be days where it makes sense to play him out there instead of KK.

I think he's played more RF as a function of Springer being hurt or needing days off. I can assure you that if he can play RF he can also play LF. Though I do agree that he sucks at both as well as 3B (which we once tried and he failed at miserably).

Going to be a ton of moving parts to the lineup this year. The platoons aren't going to be traditional lefty/righty platoons either but based more on pitch types. As you mentioned, 3B and 2B will see a ton of guys rotating through but DH (maybe Vogelbach if he makes the team as well as Jansen/Kirk) and LF (Schneider and some Biggio) are going to see a lot of that as well.

Barger hitting his 60th percentile projections probably makes him a better option at 3B against righties than those other guys too.

Barger hitting the 60th percentile projections as a 3B/RF would be a pretty sweet addition to the team. And you're right, him being able to play the field (over Vogelbach who can't) means less Turner at 3B, more DH days for Springer, etc.