poppysox

Hayward is available.

You might be right but the offense will help you overlook the occasional fielding blunder. Since you value defense above all else perhaps you should set your sights a little higher than Conforto.

No...it won't be as good as I would like. However, I don't want a Hayward situation either. As I have stated elsewhere...we only have so many dollars to spend and I would prefer to spend in those areas of need at 2nd base, backup catcher, and in the pitching staff. We have two very good young guys in Vaugh and Sheets that I want to utilize until the 1st base/DH situation allows that we use them in their best positions. I believe RH said as much in his recent remarks.

This is the unspoken truth. We all want a defensive GG-type player with a great bat at every position. Neither the WS nor any other team can afford that. Now we need to field a team with FA and trade pieces attempting to fix RF, 2nd base, backup catcher, starting rotation, and RP. Utilizing some players we already have is necessary if we are to afford the pieces for which there are no internal solutions. I would prefer to see Vaughn/Sheets in my everyday lineup rather than Leury types.

Platoon in RF and DH when possible. Occasional 1st base is also a possibility along with PH situations. As we learned last year...opportunities seem to present themselves.

I was a big Avi fan. However, he just doesn't fit our current situation.

The best is ahead for Sheets IMO. We have a huge need for a lefty power bat. We need him more than I perceive his trade value to be.

Why?

I know the argument but Eloy, Grandal, Abreu, Vaugh, Collins, and Sheets can't all be the DH. Trades might be the way to go but selling low isn't the answer.

Play Vaughn/Sheets in RF. Use money on other needs. These young guys need to play somewhere. Abreu is still the 1st baseman and Grandal is still DH when not catching.

Hahn doesn't believe Rodon to be worth the risk at 18.4 million. I think Hahn is interested when/if the market doesn't materialize at these 20 mill numbers people are tossing around. Hahn will be interested if and when Boras wants to talk about incentive-based deals IMO. Carlos won't be the first Boras client to not get the asking price.

We shall see.

And yet some think Schwarber is just fine. We all want a Clemente clone but they are hard to find in our presumed price range.

Yeah, I know. They make the routine plays and nothing is perfect. My view is we have two good young ballplayers...we need to use them. I know that some would say trade them but their value hasn't really been established.

I still favor a pairing of Vaughn & Sheets for RF...use what we already have. The money can be used at 2nd, backup catcher, and strengthen pitching.

I would make that deal in a heartbeat. It would be worth it for the PR alone.

Obviously...Tony likes him. I think he stays.

No...and NL sluggers scare me to death.

Kimbrel just might have more value than some here think.

Maybe RH doesn't believe anyone is going to offer 18 + for Rodon.

Maybe they want to have Rodon test the water and realize an incentive-laced deal is the best he is going to get. I don't think 18 million is the chump change some here think.

You make lawyers sound like bad people...some of them are not horrible. I presume...I haven't met one yet.

RH is either planing to use Kimbrel in our pen or is certain he can recoup a meaningful player in a trade. No way is the 16 million being spent in order to ship him off for a bucket of balls. Personally, I would have just released him and spent the money elsewhere. However, the FO has tons more knowledge of the market than we fans.

Yep...just confused the option with the QO. Still think RH knows he got some takers for more than scraps.

If Dominguez is the best we can do...I don't see why RH would risk a QO. I think RH would have released Kimbrel and spent the 18.4 million elsewhere. I believe RH knows something that we don't on this one.