Masterbather

It should be noted, that many people like this trade partly because it gives us a decent LHB everyday player, but the need for an everyday LHB has been completely overrated and was completely unnecessary. This team mashed RHP. We have done nothing to improve that, we have actually taken a step backwards in that regard and now have also worsened our ability to hit LHP. This offseason really hurt the one area of the team that was good. I love that we improved our defense, I really do, and I know there are $ considerations also (although that's Rogers' problem so I'm not making that mine as a fan) but we hurt the bread and butter part of our team. Just a better bullpen and starting pitching help. That's all we needed. The task was straightforward. Now it got all complicated and we have fewer pieces to work with in trades. We could've rolled out the same team with another starter (and a little bit of AAAA starting depth) with a couple of better bullpen arms and we could've taken a massive step forward. I've had a couple of days to sober up to the deal, and I still don't like it.

I don't think we're a better team overall than last year. I don't think we're better built for the playoffs outside of the defensive upgrade, but that's not enough. Starting pitching made a lateral move, at best. Need another high end arm and our depth is STILL an issue. Bullpen is better, but not enough pure stuff guys still, and no power LHP either, yet somehow the FO think we have a good pen. What are they watching? By contender standards, it's still only okay. Defense is way better, especially if KK is healthy, I was DONE watching Teo attempt to play OF. I didn't hate LGJ as much but he wasn't lighting the world on fire defensively either. Offense took a step back by losing Teo and LGJ and potentially Moreno and gaining Varsho and KK. Power is no better. I also like contact guys, you need those guys against tough pitching and we lost two good contact/average guys for a couple of high K, low average hitters. Varsho contributes power but KK is garbage at the plate. Moreno is not the guy I wanted to give up of the 3, although I can see arguments for all of them. Overall are we keeping up with the Jones'? I don't think we are and we already had a gap to close. We're good still, very good even. Not WS contenders.

I know we won't pick him up because the FO are a bunch of pansies but I would love him on our team.

Bonds, Clemens and Schilling should all be in. Absolutely ridiculous.

Well this is underwhelming. He was one of the worst outfielders I've ever seen in my life, but when he got going that bat can carry a team. It's nice we upgraded our relievers, with years of control, but we're going to need the kid in this deal to turn into something to make this worthwhile. We also need another everyday outfielder.

After the damage that the bullpen did to the team last year it's inexcusable to return with a mediocre to decent pen at best. The lack of depth at starting pitching was also something that everybody was aware of and not properly addressed. You only have so many years with this core and you blew another one by not addressing things that everybody knew you needed to address. I don't think that's excusable, I vote to fire him.

You are generalizing. I have never felt this bullpen was good enough to win in the playoffs. Never. I was okay with Berrios, loved Gausman, I didn't mind the Kikuchi risk, Bass and Pop were decent acquisitions, but at the end of the day, after the bullpen blew our chances to make the playoffs last year, it remained mediocre this year (by contender standards) and ultimately collapsed in the place where mediocre bullpens always collapse: the postseason. Starting depth was also not addressed and was a struggle all season long. Both the starter situation and the bullpen situation were know issues and predictable problems and complete failures of the FO.

What the f*** would even be in contention? The last game of the 1987 collapse? That's was just a part of a bigger collapse.

Leafs/Bruins or Jays/Mariners? Which one was worse?

Meh. Don't care, not on him ultimately. Front office owns this.

That it ended with Tapia is just so f***ing poetic 🤣

I don't even think that's an overreaction, our bullpen cost us a chance at the postseason last year and humiliated us in the postseason this year and everyone knew it wasn't good enough and they never did anything to really fix it.

Listen, we have an okay starting pitching staff with an okay bullpen, at the end of the day we're not going to win the world series. Anyone who's paid any attention to postseason baseball could see that this team was not quite built for it yet. We knew this could happen. But this is still a winnable series.

It's shocking that our average bullpen was not up to task in the postseason. Don't worry though, management will again ignore our bullpen and throw it another average bullpen again next year.

So the defensive alignment there was for the outfielders to have a tea party at center?

When Teo is on, he can carry this team.

Perfect way to disrupt their game plan.

There's something poetic about this game ending with the feeble bat of Tapia.

Team Homan earns a big extra end victory. But the real question this season is whether Holman and Fleury can coexist or is it a case of too many cooks?

Actually it really goes back to them trading for Jose Berrios.

Einarson fails to make a key shot with the hammer. Team Fujisawa with a solid end takes a one point victory.

Really enjoying some very competitive curling happening right now.

So then you'll be leaving and not coming back right?

Then climb back into the womb. The rest of us will enjoy the smashing of Robbie Ray.

f***ing right.