JohnAdcox (01-07-2016)
Seems odd to say, but I'd lean more towards a reliever or Gordon Beckham than Swisher (if Garcia doesn't have any options left). IF you're looking for pop, keeping Swisher actually makes a little sense if you think about it...
Swisher offers a right-handed bat at 1B or in RF if you give Freeman or Markakis a day off. KJ could platoon with Garcia (or even with Olivera) at 3B.
Once again, the purpose behind giving guaranteed deals to Bonifacio and Beckham continues to befuddle me...
3B - KJ/Garcia/Olivera
LF - Olivera/KJ/Swisher/Bourn
RF - Markakis/Swisher
1B - Freeman/Swisher/KJ/Garcia
2B - Peterson/KJ/Castro
CF - Inciarte/Bourn (maybe even Peterson in an emergency)
I simply can't find any wisdom in signing Bonifacio or Beckham. No one's trading you ANYTHING of value for them - they've been DFA candidates from the moment their signings were official. Minor league deals with camp invites were the absolute MOST either should've gotten.
Last edited by clvclv; 01-06-2016 at 03:36 PM.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
JohnAdcox (01-07-2016)
One thing to think about in any of our signings is that with an owner like Liberty, it is likely that we have a minimum payroll figure we must meet.
Which we don't get any closer to when you release Bonifacio and Beckham two weeks after camp starts. That's plenty of money that could've been spent on a SP or RP you'd have at least SOME hope of moving at the deadline.
That's $3.75 million extra you could offer to a Latos or Lincecum, and that would've more than covered a quality LOOGY like Randy Choate or EOF.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
If you trade Inciarte you still have Bourn.
If you trade Aybar (which won't happen at this point - Ian Desmond is having trouble finding a job) you're playing Castro everyday since neither Bonifacio or Beckham can handle SS.
There's only one potential landing spot for Markakis now that Gordon has gone back to KC (Baltimore), and since we don't have anyone ready that's capable of playing RF he's likely more valuable to us.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
I have had this debate on other sites. Swisher out of Beckham/Swisher/Bourn/Emilio/Andrew McCrappy has the most up side potential. he was a 20+ homer guy before his knees went out. He may never be even average again.. but does anyone think Emilio is going to offer anything to this team other than giving someone a day off. No interest in seeing McCrappy out there anymore.. he is a rule 5 guy we should have given back. Bourn has no power and now lost his speed...veteran leadership and possible .220 avg is what we should expect..Beckham.. I don't know.. he might bounce back..
it is a head scratcher for me... if Coppy/Hart were interested in KJ ,then why not pursue him straight away? If we had made this deal in Nov, then both of those guys would not have been needed. I think this has to do with that "trying to be competitive" jive Coppy was saying. He thinks the trio of Beckham/KJ/Emilio would be probably 3 to 4 games better than pedro/Eury/KJ... I don't really know to be honest. I guess I will wait and see what else is up their sleeves.
CF - Inciarte/Bourn (maybe even Peterson in an emergency)
this is the only issue. both are lefties and Emilio is a righty. But I would still rather have 2 lefties and take my lumps over Emilio..
clvclv (01-06-2016)
I was thinking trade Aybar if someone doesn't want to pay Desmond big money...but you aren't getting much. Best bet to get anything useful is the deadline for Aybar or after an injury.
Maybe Peterson is in play? Would someone want him as a cheap utility guy? You wouldn't think they'd give up anything worthwhile so I'm not sure.
IMO Bourn and Swisher are dead money. I think Swisher could be a good pinch hitter and provide some value/ maybe be a bat at the deadline. I'd cut Bourn. Inciarte + Bonafacio makes him useless IMO.
After the KJ addition, I've got our 2016 MLB payroll expenditures around $87m, assuming we DFA Swisher and end up just releasing him. We're in a position to go absolutely nuts on the international market in July . . . or do any number of other things to help our present or future.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
I'm pretty sure going nuts on the international budget does have some implications for major league payroll.
Those numbers will have been set separately. They will have an unofficial "do not cross" line for each (as always), but the numbers will be fluid in the event a "bargain" drops into their laps or other international prospects that they really like become available.
The MLB payroll will have no bearing on whether they'll sign both Maitan and Lazaro (if that opportunity arises) for instance.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
I'm completely aligned that they're separate line items in the budget. I'm just suggesting that when they sketched out their budget for this year, they increased the July 2 budget from the usual $5m to something more like $25m. That money has to come from somewhere, so the most obvious offset would be MLB payroll. Would certainly explain the FO's behavior on the MLB FA market.
nsacpi (01-07-2016)
Doesn't Swisher's money count if we DFA him or not? We still have to pay him.
Ken Rosenthal keeps tweeting of moves the Rangers want to make, but they don't have the money. Could we do a NBA style trade and get something from the rangers in exchange for freeing up some dollars?