southsider2k5

He has already said this deal was his last, so that wouldn't be big news

I still feel that there is a lot more there than we are being told. For me the facts don't add up.

So reading these comments it is obvious to me that the focus seems to be on all minority players after having a manager who has a really bad racial reputation. A lot of guys had huge drop offs all at once. I saw a team where the manager burned down the clubhouse and a large portion of the team quit listening and caring. These same guys all busted their asses for Ricky. Then last year it all went south at once. Look, having one or two guys fall off? Sure, it happens. But pretty much every established vet fell off. That's a huge red flag to me. I know a lot believe that all of these guys randomly fell apart at once and will never be good again because 2022, but seeing how many were good in 20 and 21, I see causation. I also remember saying this was exactly what the worst case scenario after hiring TLR would be. Then it happened. Maybe I am the last optimist, but I really feel like getting rid of Tony is carving the cancer out of the body, and now the body can heal.

Does Brett say anywhere that Tony was involved in the process? Just because he spoke to him, doesn't mean that Tony was in the hiring process. I am sure it doesn't mean he wasn't either, but just because Brett recommeded the guy to TLR doesn't mean Tony was on the inside. I am sure those guys know each from back in the day.

It is updated.

Knowing Ozzie I am sure he would love you to come over and tell him how great he is.

I thought he got ran out because his teammates didn't like him?

It isn't going to solve everything that is wrong with the team, but if he can hold their attention and get them mostly back to their career norms, it solves about 85-90% of the problems.

Or, maybe like Eloy and Yoan, he is in shape, but not the right shape. It will be an interesting winter.

And the extra LB that was in the deal.

Lucas was the King of the BEST SHAPE OF HIS LIFE fluff pieces this winter. He gained all of that muscle, and it was going to carry him through to the post season blah, blah, blah. Then he fell apart.

The funny thing is that I bet the media is way tougher on the new guy than they ever were on a deserving TLR.

Wasn't FSU the team that spent almost a million dollars to steal the Twins pitching coach?

Look, I have been about as pissy as it gets for the last two seasons, but this is a legitimate break from what we have seen for the last two years. If that doesn't make you feel a bit better, you are probably rooting for the wrong team as it might never be better than this. I mean this could legitimately be the high water mark for the Pedro Grifol era, but it is a big step up in the world from the TLR era.q

If the earlier quote is right, Grifol is probably the Tigers manager if the Sox don't blow off Hinch for TLR.

If you can get most of the guys playing back to their career norms this team looks a lot more like 2020 and 21, versus 2022. I don't know if it is enough to over take Cleveland, but depending on what this team does in the next 4 months, I think they can push into the low 90s for wins if the players buy in and we have a good winter.

Ok, that makes the pick seem a lot more worth it. You are basically getting two seasons at a draft pick price.

So how is the Claypool contract situation?

It actually shows they went into this with an open mind, and adjusted to who they thought was the best candidate at the end of the day.

Spring training was jacked up due to the lockout anyway.

The whole mystique of baseball is supposed to make up for the salary.

I mean Duh.

Heavy on experience. Nice.

Hell he could not be Jesus enough for KC. They are in their own world.