chw42

It could be that the FO wanted him back and Ozzie vetoed it. I still can't forgive Ozzie for not bringing back Thome. That move cost us the division.

I remember back in 2010, MLB Network made an all-MLB team for 2020 and Beckham was on that list as the 2nd baseman. It's sad that it's 2021 and he's now retired. It started out so well and ended so poorly for Gordon.

I think this is one of those issues where we think about it when we get there. Because you gotta make sure you get there first.

The fall of power hitting first basemen/DH types is never pretty. EE's decline was just like Konerko's. He went from being a 30% better than average hitter to being 30% below average in the span of a year. I don't think it's unreasonable as to why Cruz's market is so low. Nobody really wants to commit more than a year to him just in case he falls off a cliff.

I'd argue that EE's prime and Cruz's prime are very similar numbers-wise. The problem is that EE's prime was almost 10 years ago and Cruz is putting up better numbers than he ever did in his 20s and 30s, despite being older than EE.

The thing is that he probably wants $15 million a year. I agree that .850 is probably the floor for him in 2021, whereas that was probably the ceiling for EE last year.

Yeah he's always destroyed us. Even if he declines to a .850 OPS type player, that's better on our team than on the Twins.

After the Encarnacion debacle last year, where there were some clear warning signs of decline in the playoffs the year before and spring training with him, I'm a bit hesitant to think that Cruz will put up his usual .900+ OPS statline. He kind of struggled down the stretch (at least for his standards) and only had a .355 wOBA in the 2nd half of the season last year after he started out hot. I don't think he'll be anywhere near as bad as EE was last year, but there could be a very real decline from the .400 wOBAs he's put up the past 2 years.

Ugh, I'm getting my hopes up again.

Yup, it would make mediocrity rise to the top lol

Expanded playoffs would be tough to do without making getting to the playoffs seem kind of worthless. Honestly, it seemed like nobody wanted to be the 8th seed in the NL last year. If they do 8 teams, it cheapens the accomplishment of making the playoffs and it makes seeding almost seem pointless. If they do 6 or 7 teams, one or 2 teams will end up getting a bye for the first series. The problem is that long layoffs don't work well in playoff baseball so the team on the bye could actually be at a disadvantage.

If you blame any one player, you blame Kevin King. King gave up, what, 2 touchdowns all by himself? Then he had the audacity to drag Johnson's jersey for half the play on the deciding play of the game.

Getting Cruz would be like when the Twins stole Thome in 2010. Thome then proceeded to have a great season and kicked our ass every opportunity he got.

I'd be happy if Cruz goes anywhere but the Twins.

He can go back to /r/elevators and post his rumors there.

Another lefty starter in the division? Yes please!

Key to trash? lol

I'm just not sure why the Brewers would want Madrigal as a center piece. Hiura's not a great 2B, but where else is he going to play? I just don't think we match up as good trade partners for Milwaukee unless we're willing to deal someone like Vaughn.

The guy who posted the reddit rumor isn't on a throwaway. He constantly posts about elevators and rarely about the Sox.

Stop it Padres, the rest of MLB is already dead.

Gomez has had a horrible track record. I don't blame Passan for shitting on him.

Yeah, I looked up Richards' stats last few years and he hasn't made more than 16 starts in 5 years. Quintana's had health issues as of late, but he's at least made around 30 starts consistently in the past few years.

Tuberville might actually be more clueless than Trump when he first took office.

I guess they were looking for bullpen help at the deadline after all.

Wow who else are they looking at? As far as I'm concerned the only guy we should upgrade is Jace Fry.