38 Comments

If the logic is to save service time on Skenes, is there any reason not to save service time on Jones? The real competitive window likely doesn't open until Termarr arrives. Arguably, anyone whose development wouldn't be seriously inhibited should be held back enough to ensure that their service time overlaps as much as possible with Termarr.

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Anybody wanna talk about how Jones has missed so few bats in spite of being in showcase mode?

While also generating enough contact to limit walks?

Seems like that wasn't anticipated.

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Maybe his learning to pitch in the zone. I haven't really checked on the quality of contact they're getting off him, hopefully it's weak and primarily on the ground.

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Mar 20Edited

Not really enough of a sample for any of this to be significant, especially contact quality, and his zone rates have still been pretty ugly.

Just surprised given the portions of the lineups he's faced and lack of interest in working on his repertoire that he hasn't racked up the whiffs.

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With all the pitching injuries out there, it seems that Ben could find someone to take Ro, Falter, or Anderson for a lottery ticket or perhaps international spending money or a comp pick. Though I guess teams would expect us to DFA Ro and Falter, so they may not be willing to offer anything.

In any case, their initial moves may be very temporary because they'll need spots when German, Lauer, and/or Jones (who I think will and should start in AAA) are ready.

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I think it’s a positive sign that (especially with respect to pitching) the rostering and assignment questions are becoming thornier.

Most years lately there have been few if any guys close enough to ready and also good enough to worry about losing them or starting the service clock.

Put another way….now they can be the ones dropping the fringy MLB arms, rather than the ones patiently waiting and hoping for some other team to drop one so they can add another to the collection. And if they do, for one reason or another, head north with a Bailey Falter (to pick an example) that they want to give a shot to…they aren’t stuck letting the guy flounder away for half the season if it doesn’t go well simply because all they have waiting at Indy are five more of the same fringy guy with different names.

“Depth that potentially doesn’t suck” is kind of a nice concept 😋

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Per FG’s ordinal player rankings, the Bucs come in at 15th at short and 11th at third.

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No mention of Hayes' 2nd half surge and swing adjustments. Almost feels like a lazy writeup for him.

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Dude has had heaters before though and not maintained them. But yeah, it should have been mentioned since it’s the most recent info.

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Fans also seem to have memory-holed that he was just above average for the last month of the season. An insane heater in August, yes.

I'd still take the over, but it's not some sort of slight that a national outlet hasn't completely moved on a hundred at bats or so against a 1500 PA career to date.

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Was thinking the same thing tbh

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3B is a meat grinder, damn.

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Some of those guys like Arenado, Manny, and Ramirez are still really damn good and have been for awhile.

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About to be top 5 at third after this year!

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One can hope. The top four (Cleveland, Houston, Atlanta, Boston) is awfully hard to crack. Some big old names are still ahead of them (SD-Machado, StL-Arenado), but if Key really unlocks that offense, that could really go a long way towards making them a seriously competitive team.,

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Which ridiculously injury prone player would yinz rather have on the Bucco's?

Byron Buxton or Eloy Jimenez? I feel like I get burned by one every other year in fantasy baseball. I guess an answer could be neither.

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I think Eloy is a pure hitter, so I would choose Eloy (except for the 3 weeks of the year Byron Buxton turns into Willie Mays).

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Usually happens when his hit isn't an HR and he has to do more than jog.

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Why do I get a feeling that the Ray's are going to call about Ro?

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I'd be on the phone to the A's. Ro could stick on that roster all year and could bring back international pool money.

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Maybe their compB pick and a lottery ticket with the pool money. Same with the Ray's, Marlins and Royals. Probably couldn't get a lottery ticket back with the Royals being a compA.

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If we are going to write these articles, you need to talk about the potential players to be dropped off the 40 man and exposed to waivers, otherwise the article has no depth and is really pointless since the chances of someone being added are directly impacted by whom they may lose

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It's pretty apparent that Falter, Fleming and Ro are out of options. Ro is the least likely to be dfa'd but most likely to be traded out of those 3 (for something of value). Selby is the most likely to be dfa'd or traded of pitchers with options. Ali Sanchez is the most likely dfa candidate as far as positions players with an outside chance of Olivares do to his guaranteed contract (like Andujar last year).

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DFA candidates? Is that Alika with his hand up?

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It should be, but they might hope someone claims Olivares to save a million bucks.

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Alika is theonly one on our 40 man that can actually PLAY shortstop, not impersonate one...kinda need him for insurance if cruz gets hurt

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I agree with this. There are several others I would DFA before him. People forget that he has played very few games above A Ball. Send him to AAA and let him work on his hitting. He could be valuable if Cruz has IL time later in the year.

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Agree with the defensive aspect and being on the 40. Defensive no hit shortstops can be found fairly cheap though. I think they hold on to him hoping the bat develops.

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They already found one in Alcantara and he’s on a MiL deal. Williams is superfluous.

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I mean what would have changed in 3 months to make us not want olivares

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Absolutely nothing. He crushes lefties and is a perfect caddie for Suwinski.

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It's very likely he could pass through waivers, he's guaranteed over a million and most teams already have better options than a poor defensive corner outfielder that has problems hitting velocity.

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Yeah im gonna disagree, thoroughly appreciated this article as it is

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Some of us like articles with no overall context, i like what i read, but i feel like i read half an article

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Admittingly, I haven't seen much of Stratton pitch in ST.

Is he pitching late in games facing hitters with no names on the back of their jersey?

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There are strong cases for some of these folks, but those roster spots are gonna be very hard to find. Falter may be out, and maybe they could move Burrows to the 60 day? Maybe some trades are in the works -- we see a lot of that this time of year where Pitcher X is traded for cash.

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Yea looking over everyone left in camp, it’s hard to find room unless someone we don’t know about hitting the 60 day.

Don’t think they’ll move Burrows to 60 day.

Falter makes most sense. Maybe Colin Selby. That’s about it on the pitching side

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Yeah, don't think they want to start Burrows clock.

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