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Darrell’s comment in the Chat: “I get that the Braves are still trying to win, but do they really think they can go all the way, as constructed? Sale is overachieving, Lopez will be in uncharted waters soon enough, and Fried is just not a #1 pitcher, come playoff time. Can they reload with prospects and be better for it? Also, Ozuna in race for MVP, as of now?”
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Who says this isn’t Ozuna? Last time he was DH-only was in 2020 and was the best DH in MLB. He’s at an incredible pace, but don’t act like 2020 didn’t happen.
Take a look at the comp:
2020: 60 games: 18 HR/56 RBI/ 177 OPS+
2024: 68 games: 20 HR/62 RBI/ 186 OPS+
Sale is overachieving?? He’s healthy, which he hasn’t been since 2019. Everyone said, “if he could only stay healthy…” — and ATL (knock on wood) is doing that so far, and trying to prolong it was additional rest.
Run – I totally agree with you! The people here who so easily and quickly want to give up and blow up a team are astonishingly ignorant. They either aren’t intelligent enough to learn from the recent past, or their memory is too baked to remember the recent past.
And they ASSume players will never improve. Ozuna has been trending upward the past few years, he had a .905 OPS and MVP votes last year, so it’s not a stretch to allow for the possibility of him to finish with a 1.000 OPS and more MVP votes. He’s only 33, not ancient. Look at what players like Ortiz did at that age and older.
Sale overachieving? Look how well he pitched last year when healthy, and when he was healthy pre-2019.
I gotta believe it’s 13-year-olds coming up with these ridiculous questions in the chat.
Lopez used to routinely rack up innings, that was never his issue as a starter. The rise on his heater is the difference now. Sale isn’t overachieving, he’s just healthy for the first time in a while. Most of his injuries were fluke injuries anyway. I’m sure the Braves wrap him in bubble wrap on his non throwing days. Lol.
Ozuna is every bit the stud he was in 2020 and doesn’t get the love for it because of the DUI and the false DV allegations. That option is a no brainer. I wouldn’t be mad at an extension that added a season or two either to spread the hit out.
Enough of bs about the guardians signing some one cheap at no.1 pick. They have a pool for no.1 pick over 10.5 million. They also have a total pool over 18 million to sign 20 picks. Get with the program mark.
Guardians pick will be banzana or Condon. Reds who have the second pick might pick chase burns who was sitting behind the reds dugout Tuesday night. If that’s the case Condon if isn’t picked 1 or 2 will go to rockies at no.3. Book it.
And unless Hamilton stays hot and the Red Sox are in the race down to the wire, Mayer is going to debut this August or September. It says so on the Red Sox website, he’s been playing very well, and he doesn’t need a lot of time at AAA … or maybe even none at all.
Every year MLBTR focuses their readers in on a big name player being moved in-season, or a number moved in the off-season. This year everyone is foaming over Luis Robert, Jr.
A few years ago I read intense articles as to what Juan Soto would bring to a team being available for trade by the Nationals in-season. NEVER had a player that good and young been moved! When it happened the Nationals got an unbelievable package of players for him.
Soto didn’t do a lot with the Padres the rest of the year, and was pretty much a bust in 2023. Then the LH-pull hitter got traded to the Yankees for 2024 where he could drive the ball to the short porch in RF. If that wasn’t enough, he was hitting ahead of Aaron Judge in the Yankees line-up. This was better than him hitting the ball off a tee because the pitches he’s been seeing ahead of Judge help supply power that he would have to generate on his own off a tee.
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Almost as famously was the 2021-22 Free Agent Class: Shortstops. Ah-HA! Those guys were going to transform ML teams. NEVER had so many SS’s in their prime been available simply to be signed as free agents.
And the Rangers won the WS the next year! But they didn’t sign one SS…they signed TWO – Segar and Semien. But wait. There’s more! They also signed numerous other free agents. As for the other FA SS’s transforming teams….
Carlos Correa had a good year with the Twins. But his agent got an opt-out clause in his contract so he left the next year, and signed with the Giants….whoops…failed the physical…uh, signed with the Mets…ummm…. failed that physical….went back and signed with the Twins….again. He’s been a good player, but didn’t exactly transform the team (in fact, he’s caused the best young Twins player – SS Royce Lewis – to play out of position which caused Lewis to acquire a major injury in 2022 which cost him most of the season, and he’s had trouble staying in the line-up since).
Trevor Story signed with the Red Sox. some people thought he wasn’t a true SS, that he would be better at 2B (he signed for SS money). Another guy that can’t stay healthy and has been a overpriced bust. Speaking of which….
Javier Báez.
The Tigers figured this was the leader on the field that would set the example for their young can’t-miss prospects on how to play winning baseball at the ML level. Got 6 years / $140m. Currently on the 10 day IL with a -1.0 fWAR. A disaster that every Cub fan that watched him play on the field and observed his attitude expected.
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Which brings me back to this years in-season savior – Luis Robert, Jr. WHAT STATS!!!!!
Will he transform a franchise that trades for him? Probably not. Only so much one player can do. Bats once very 9 guys. Can’t field the ball unless it’s hit to him. But are there positive examples? Sure….
Willy Adames traded by the Rays to the Brewers in mid-2021. Adames was underperforming in Tampa Bay, which had better young SS’s. The Brewers had a very good young team but needed a glue at SS as well as a team leader on the field. Adames transformed the Brewers and the Brewers transformed Adames. Perfect!
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Will Luis Robert, Jr. transform a team playing in CF?
Soto had a 930 ops with the Padres last year how is that a bust?
Congrats, you win the ‘Gotcha Sweepstakes’!
Yes, SD fans absolutely loved him. Always posting their admiration here for what he’d done. He elevated his team to a 82-80 record where they only missed the extended playoffs by 2 games.
Actually, there’s only so much one player can do on his own….and that’s the point.
A pity MLB isn’t Rotisserie League, no?
Someone really thought that Detroit would trade Riley Greene at the trade deadline?
Why not ask for Tarik Skubal, too?
Fans have suggested trading him too!
If such fans exist, they aren’t very smart ones. Greene and Skube are virtually untouchable. They are cornerstones and under club control.
Jack Flaherty is for sale tho. Another strong outing this past weekend. He’s definitely a top pitcher having a very near Cy Young caliber season.
If MLB allowed trading of draft picks, they’d have to put some strict rules around it. There’d definitely be owners eager to get rid of their bonus pool obligations. Don’t think adding trades to the draft would make it all that more exciting.
Sky – MLB does allow CB draft picks to be traded.
I disagree and you no have no evidence to backup your claim.
As a die hard “Mariners Lifer” I can see them maybe trying to get Arrozena (forgive if I spelled his name wrong) from TB.
It would most likely take a package starting with Hancock and Ford to get it done.
Thoughts on who else would be included?
@9:57; here’s hoping the Orioles do pursue Burnes. A true ace that takes the ball every 5th day with little fanfare
A bit late, but after reading yesterday’s transcript, Mark P mentioned that the Royals owner got rid of JJ Piccolo despite the team playing well. No, that hasn’t happened Mark!
Fooled me into looking to see any story about Picollo losing his job. LOL