Don

May I humbly submit KC's own Independence Ave Bridge. The people here love it and are very protective of it. It's like our Lil Sebastian. 
 

May I humbly submit KC's own Independence Ave Bridge. The people here love it and are very protective of it. It's like our Lil Sebastian. 
 

Yeah, I’d really like to know more about how Neto projects/his general timeline. Because I’d believe a wide range of outcomes and timelines at this point. Gotta admit the AA numbers fresh off of getting drafted are really encouraging though. Glad the Angels are inviting him to big league ST. Hoping we’ll get to see a good number of ABs out of him against high level competition before the season starts. 

I feel really good about O’Hoppe. I’ll honestly be disappointed if he doesn’t get the starting job out of ST. We already know what Stassi is, and I think it’s highly likely that O’Hoppe will do at least as well as him offensively, and quite possibly much better. His minor league power/BB/K numbers suggest he’s a dude that knows how to hit, and he isn’t just getting by on being more talented than others at his level. I feel like that skill set transitions well to the big leagues.

Yeah, I’d really like to know more about how Neto projects/his general timeline. Because I’d believe a wide range of outcomes and timelines at this point. Gotta admit the AA numbers fresh off of getting drafted are really encouraging though. Glad the Angels are inviting him to big league ST. Hoping we’ll get to see a good number of ABs out of him against high level competition before the season starts. 

I feel really good about O’Hoppe. I’ll honestly be disappointed if he doesn’t get the starting job out of ST. We already know what Stassi is, and I think it’s highly likely that O’Hoppe will do at least as well as him offensively, and quite possibly much better. His minor league power/BB/K numbers suggest he’s a dude that knows how to hit, and he isn’t just getting by on being more talented than others at his level. I feel like that skill set transitions well to the big leagues.

This is one of those terrifying signings only because I can see our org talking themselves in to letting this guy start games consistently if we get bitten by the injury bug. This signing is fine if he's a late inning defensive replacement, or starts every week or two. Anything more than that and this dude is a burden.

This is one of those terrifying signings only because I can see our org talking themselves in to letting this guy start games consistently if we get bitten by the injury bug. This signing is fine if he's a late inning defensive replacement, or starts every week or two. Anything more than that and this dude is a burden.

Burned through the latest season in a few days. Definitely the best of the three seasons they’ve done so far. Good story line, Krasinski plays a really solid Jack Ryan, and Wendell Pierce is awesome as usual.

It makes me more happier that this is less bad for you. 

Getting gnarly in KC today too. Lowest wind chill I’ve ever seen here.

All part of the strategy to fill the bottom half of the lineup with guys that aren’t objectively terrible hitters. It’s a massive improvement really. In related news, I sincerely hope O’Hoppe is given every opportunity to become the regular starting catcher next year.

Signing fringe relievers and helping convert them into useful players is a hallmark of a well-run franchise, IMO.  The Rays seemingly do this all the time, as do the Dodgers.  Hopefully Perry can start doing the same - that would help save a lot of money, as we can instead focus our financial resources in other areas instead of expensive relievers.

Not a horrible comp, but really not the best one. Abreu also had 400 SBs to GA's 80. Plus Abreu's peak was better and longer than GA's. 

It's not like he's an All-Star, but he'll almost certainly be quite a bit better than 2022 Marsh/Adell/Magneuris Sierra. Going from that and Andrew Velasquez to Renfroe and Urshela (probably?) in a matter of days improves the overall lineup quite a bit. The back half of our 2022 lineup was abysmal last year, so getting dudes in there who we can count on to not be objectively terrible is a huge improvement in and of itself.

Yes, exactly. Going from negative performance to average performance is a huge plus. I mean, if the Angels can get 1100 PA of 4-5 WAR from Urshela and Renfroe, they're essentially replacing 1100 PA of maybe -1 to 0 WAR, so it is a +4-6 win gain. 
In theory.

Probably the more apt comparison, in terms of Urshela, would be going from Duffy/Mayfield/Rojas to Urshela.  That's effectively a 4-5 win swing, as others have pointed out.
If we upgrade our SS spot, then it will essentially be going from Velazquez to whomever we acquire.

It's not like he's an All-Star, but he'll almost certainly be quite a bit better than 2022 Marsh/Adell/Magneuris Sierra. Going from that and Andrew Velasquez to Renfroe and Urshela (probably?) in a matter of days improves the overall lineup quite a bit. The back half of our 2022 lineup was abysmal last year, so getting dudes in there who we can count on to not be objectively terrible is a huge improvement in and of itself.

Three new solid players brought in with likely just a $30 million total salary commitment for 2023 and no key prospects or players lost, not bad
Time to focus on the bullpen

Honestly, I think moves like this one (along with getting someone like Benintendi, or maybe Jose Abreu) are bigger than people realize. The bottom of our lineup last season was TERRIBLE. Just getting some average to above average guys in the bottom half of the lineup makes this offense dramatically better. 

Love this move. This is exactly the type of move(s) I was hoping from Minasian. Hidalgo could end up being decent, but with limited upside. Urshela gives multi-positional depth, a high floor of offensive productive. Replace 550 PA from Wade/Velazquez/Mayfield with Urshela, and last year's offense improves drastically. Plus, he's a solid back-up plan if Rendon gets hurt again or Walsh sucks.

Segura would be great if the Phillies don't pick up his option. $17M I think. 

I’m interested to see this too. Read the book in high school, but I’m sure I’ve forgotten most of the details by now.
I took a history class in college solely devoted to WWI, and that was one of the better history courses I ever had. The gnarness of that war was just off the charts. Dan Carlin did a whole podcast series about it, Blueprint for Armageddon, that did a really good job of capturing that aspect of it.

Was there for this one too. Section 203. A thoroughly awesome sports experience.

Here again. Feels like I never left. 

Ben Weber? Technically a waiver pickup in 2000 if we're splitting hairs here, but dude was a huge part of that World Series team.