caulfield12

Better to take the insurance payouts and hold him back as long as necessary. That said, being "just" 5 1/2 games back is going to keep pushing guys like Crochet and Hendriks onto the active roster earlier than could reasonably be expected for them to pitch effectively right off the bat in high leverage. Not unlike Rodon just being thrown into the 2021 playoff pen against OAK without having enough time to adjust. Finally, carrying a closer with that contract makes zero sense for a payroll limited rebuilding team.

This year is also proving you can't have lightning in a bottle every year like Rodon, Billy Hamilton, Cueto and Andrus. Dumpster diving and going with rookies who might not make some team's Top 10-15 prospect lists, for example. I guess you can go Burger Middleton Santos as positives but the apple is starting to turn there too. No plan to integrate increased contact...hit and run...advancing runners...our pitchers holding runners, quick to the plate and then throwing out anything remotely close to league average of 17.5-22.5% of opposing base stealers. Seems like all the off season pitch clock changes really affected Lynn and Cease...for example.

Why didn't severe payroll limitations impact the Twins and Guardians nearly so much??? If you know you're running up against limits... you can't spend more than any team in baseball on expensive veterans when the volatility there is so extreme from year to year. Better to take your lumps with young and cheap arms for your pen like the two teams mentioned so they could sign Buxton, Correa, Jose Ramirez, Gimenez, etc.

The Curse of Jeffrey Luhnow Obviously the Astros are still doing "okay" this season, all things considered.

White Sox on verge of being "just" 5 1/2 games back. -10 Minnesota would be +1 if they can't rally down 4-3 to SF in bottom of the ninth at home

Speaking of Cubs' fans, where has Ron been recently?

Can they really rely on the likes of Harold Ramirez for the entire season...?

Romy Gonzalez has temporarily won the 2B job...since there's basically no other options other than Sosa at the moment...maybe Erick Gonzalez or Remillard.

Shades of 2005 El Duque in Boston lol.

Francona waited too long but pitch count was so low for Allen, plus they have had DHers recently.

De Los Santos bringing the heat.

Needless to say you can't trade Anderson at anything less than a 700 ops. Long ways to get back there.

Anderson really struggling with fastballs this year... Something going on with that front foot/leg.

Have to trade Grandal this year as early as possible... before he gets hurt again.

They're stuck with him through the rebuild at this point...not unlike Benintendi. Zero surplus value as he nears arbitration years.

Guardians' base running has been pretty bad this year compared to last. Anderson saved a run by stopping the ball from getting through.

Gordon Beckham? Now Benetti is using it for pitches and at bats too frequently.

Great another reason to criticize dumping SoxFest is provided by Stone and Benetti...

Was he ever good?

Jinx is on... he's been hitting quite a few key homers over the past 2-3 weeks.

A little Benetti goes a long way this season...

Up til this point, Torkelson.

We knew Burger was going to have his slumps...very streaky hitter. Robert still hitting at least. You can cancel the postgame show.

Minus a Naylor or Ramirez three run homer...

Well, JR is at least celebrating not paying Rodon and Abreu...just have to hack away another $75-100 million in payroll.