caulfield12

https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2025-09-28/dodgers-reds-nl-wild-card-nine-concerns-mlb-postseason Now in his sixth MLB season, Gavin Lux has still not realized the top-prospect potential he came up with in Los Angeles a half-decade ago. While he hit a team-best .269 during his first season in Cincinnati, he had just five home runs, a .725 OPS, and a negative mark in wins-above-replacement according to Baseball Reference. DODGERS Ex-Dodger Gavin Lux embraces new role with Reds: ‘You have that chip on your shoulder’ Feb. 25, 2025 Lux, whom the Dodgers traded away after signing Hyeseong Kim in January, has served in a utility role this year, getting starts at second base, left field and as the designated hitter. He didn’t have a great postseason with the Dodgers last year, when he hit just .176 during the team’s title run. But now, he has a chance to help upset the team that dealt him coming into the season.

No no no no...they were arguably (when healthy) the two best Sox hitters of the last 20-25 years, along with Jose Abreu, but couldn't get out of their own heads despite all their obvious talent. See Yogi Berra quotes about baseball and the mental side of the game. In fact, Colson Montgomery now becomes the prime example of that moving forward.

Yet he will still merit one of the Top Ten biggest free agents contracts this off season due to durability and all those strikeouts. In fact, the late season uncertainty over guys like Michael King and even Kyle Tucker have made him even more attractive despite the lousy ERA and propensity for 5 inning outings much like Blake Snell.

JR loves this article...the demise of the super team and the rise of the Brewers by Jeff Passan https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/46389613/mlb-playoffs-2025-preview-no-superteam-postseason-dodgers-brewers-phillies-yankees-mariners https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/46070566/mlb-2025-milwaukee-brewers-national-league-best-team-100-wins-low-payroll-powerhouse "THE BEST TEAM in MLB this year plays in the game's smallest market. Its payroll of around $115 million ranks 23rd of 30 teams. A second baseman (B.Turang) with an OPS below .800 has been its best player. Not a single one of its everyday players, who combined to score the third-most runs in MLB, made the All-Star team. "There's nothing super about us," said an executive with the Milwaukee Brewers, and he's right. They're just excellent at recognizing the limitations of their situation -- owner Mark Attanasio has never spent in any sort of significant manner in free agency -- and adapting to overcome it. The Brewers can't drop $765 million on Juan Soto; Milwaukee's combined payrolls for the past seven years total less ($759 million). In the absence of the ability to spend, they've deployed resources to other areas: bulking up a Latin American operation that ranks among the five best in the game; prioritizing player development to continue the pipeline of Brewers farmhands who become excellent big leaguers; and identifying trade targets who are either underperforming or capable of unlocking plenty more with a few treats."

Paul Konerko and Carlos Quentin were the two biggest examples of "in your head" highly strung guys...and also 2/5 most talented Sox hitters the last 20-25 years. But there are 100 or 1000 Gordon Beckhams for every player like that. So while Tauchman might have been a solid leader THIS year, along with guys like Houser or Perez, they are also not part of the next Sox playoff team...in fact, Mike is likely to have a huge decline in production if they hold onto him one year longer. Very clearly Colson and Teel are poised to be these next two Young Sox leaders if they can only stay healthy, along with a very likeable/marketable Braden Montgomery.

The Royals famously lost 106 before they jumped to the postseason. That required having a generational superstar in Witt Jr and outspending the AL Central by more money than the other four teams spent combined when they brought in Lugo and Wacha, etc. This year just around .500 because that mid market approach still requires all your top draft picks like Caglianone to hit closer to Nick Kurtz at 1.000 ops than in the .500s or .600s like O's "studs" Basallo and Mayo. And that was with resurgent 2025 seasons from M.Garcia, Perez and Estevez. The biggest dropoff was rotation ace Cole Ragans, who has already gone through two TJ surgeries and could blow up any minute.

Robert is now one of our supposed veteran leaders and has the best bat speed on the team, him or Colson...someone earlier in the thread cited bat speed as a reason for believing in a player, but that's just ONE indicator of possessing physical tools and not strength of approach. If we only went by that indicator, Elly de la Cruz and ONeil Cruz would be the two best players in baseball every single year.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/war?teamid=4&lg=&__cf_chl_tk=owc7ySSgDl0fSeYfUuq2dikVQ9x56G.QlrBCmA9xPUA-1759172019-1.0.1.1-rOsKsHkQWC0lrBjNoS.0y8deJsMtqnE1zZ7JgVIgDbs Sox fWAR standings Baldwin Quero Mead being in negative territory the biggest concerns. About what you'd expect with Montgomery Smith and Teel leading. Sosa Vargas Meidroth all in that 1-1.5 range or zone where the obvious flaws in their games are holding them back. Top Ten guys like Houser Tauchman M.Perez obviously can't be counted on to repeat.

Robert had the best bat speed on the team. Where did that get him? Whereas someone like Luis Arraez is bottom 5-10% in the majors, but makes consistent contact. Colson obviously has the biggest overall swing "impact"...but those strikeout rates were alarming. That said, you can live with it if he can play an adequate SS and stay healthy. Teel looked like their best hitter the last 6-8 weeks...he seems like a real keeper.

Not meaningless…but simply not enough Top 25 teams left. USC losing to Illinois after that 63-10 shellacking doesn’t help much either. Petrino’s on like his seventh or eighth chance now.

C- feels about right. Biggest pluses were Colson, Teel and the Rule 5 guys. Quero, Baldwin, Vargas and Sosa had their moments…along with Meidroth, but none of those guys feel like the heart of a pennant contender at present time due to various flaws. Schultz, Hagen Smith and Braden the three obvious keys to the future, and the 2026 draft pick. Speed defense execution/fundamentals, the bullpen and rotation, all need dramatic improvements, especially with Robert (at some point, hopefully) and Taylor both gone.

But the cardinal sin of losing two big games on a schedule with limited opportunities...stats against ARK are pretty much meaningless.

"Accordingly, he acquired players which excelled in those areas, through free agent signings (Orlando Hernández, Dustin Hermanson, Jermaine Dye, A. J. Pierzynski, Tadahito Iguchi), trades (ScottPodsednik, José Contreras for Loiaza, Freddy García) and the farm system (Joe Crede, Aaron Rowand)." Developed the #1 farm system in the game (1999-2000). Matt Thornton for Joe Borchard Carlos Quentin for C.Carter...was on track for 2008 MVP Damaso Marte for pretty much nothing from Pitt Alexei Ramirez signing Jose Valentin signing Buehrle extension in 2003 ($18 million/3 years) F.Garcia for Gavin Floyd/Gio Gonzalez Bobby Jenks and Sergio Santos off waivers, along with A.de Aza "So they traded a huge-salaries homegrown power bat in Carlos Lee to add speed at the top of the order in Podsednik and a bullpen arm in Vizcaino. The money saved in the deal also allowed the White Sox flexibility to add second baseman Tadahito Iguchi via free agency to further complete the championship puzzle.

With Horton out...Cubs' rotation is short with Boyd Imanaga and Taillion. Padres have Pivetta...then no idea where they go between Cease Darvish rehabbing King and Randy Vasquez.

Well, he did have concubines in every city...and the biggest swimming trunks I have ever seen.

This is your new schtick for the entire off-season lol? How about "Getz is good, Getz is great!"...?

Especially as Drury didn't even appear for the Sox...

Always reminds one of the Ramirez TKO of Tim Anderson...at least no Josh Naylor haha.

MLB not very happy losing Mets/Dodgers in the first round. Guess it will be hard for some to choose between the Padres and Cubs lol.

Yeah, it's 823 am and the Cowboys/Packers are on...and have to find a replacement for Malik Nabers. China is on holiday this week, btw.

The only problem is the 102 losses in-between...

There are much more important things to read/watch today...namely football, fantasy leagues and basketball.

Progress if you're a Galapagos turtle...

Please don't waste your breath selling Charlotte AAA outfielders as anything but what they are for 2026...although potentially the Sox can trade them to CLE for pitching.

Shouldn't it be "my only friend, the end"? thread title