Fish Oil

Chuck's a Supersonics fan. 

When Frontier cut FSW I switched to Spectrum and saved 70 a month. Also have Laker games and Dodger games. 

There were some very good relievers available that weren't horrendously expensive and they completely passed.  Ultimately, it came down to money.  They stuck to a specific budget like they always do, which is what it is.  The amount spent should get it done but spending more would have helped.   So you're left with super cheap options in RF and at the back of your rotation.  The good news is that we've got some depth in those areas to overcome poor play.  
In the pen we really don't.  It's a hodgepodge of one established guy and the rest isn't even a coin flip really.   In recent years past it wasn't as much of an issue because we likely weren't playoff bound even with a really good pen.  This year, with the division wide open, it stands to be a critical factor in the teams success and will likely determine whether they make the playoffs.  ie, they likely won't because of it.  
There is nothing more frustrating than a bad bullpen.  Losing games late or not giving a really good offense a chance to come back is beyond painful.  Winning games where you have a lead or coming back from couple runs down is one of the most fun things to see in a team.  
I will be astounded if this pen performs anywhere near league avg.   The fact that we're hanging our hats on Mayers who dominated for 30 innings last year yet was a dumpster fire for the rest of his time in MLB is laughable.  And he's our second best arm?  Our setup guy?  Yeesh.  
 

You might call Fletcher "second tier", but I'm waiting for his bobblehead to come out so I can replace Baby Jesus in my Nativity Set.

Unfortunately, like usual, we get the past his prime version.
But man, Upton at his peak was a badass. He may never have turned into the guy they expected, but still super solid.
If we get just the downslope from him this year, he should be fun to watch

Would you say that he's "in the best shape of his life?"

Walsh gets a nice mention in this article on MLB. Dude could put up a few solid years for us.
Breakout hitters for 2021 to watch (mlb.com)
 

The one play that always gets me out of my seat, even at home, is the suicide squeeze.
In that singular instance, to me, it's the most exciting play in the game.

The one play that always gets me out of my seat, even at home, is the suicide squeeze.
In that singular instance, to me, it's the most exciting play in the game.

It's only spring but Ohtani at 26 and healthy just coming into his prime years. I first want to thank to Eppler for signing Ohtani. Second I've said this many times but if he's stays healthy this year we get to watch one of the most talented players ever to play this game.

Can Ohtani have better numbers than Babe Ruth in 1919. 29 HR 114 RBI 322 avg,   9-5 with 2.97 ERA. Ruth did get to bat when he pitched.

I've never seen anything like what he is doing this spring.  If he was a Yankee, or a Red Sox, MLB and ESPN would 24/7 Ohtani updates.  I suspect that is one of the reasons he selected the Angels.
If he is able to do continue doing it this season, it will be amazing to watch.  I forgot how special he is because of his injury and his offensive struggles last season.

Trout
Rendon
Ohtani
 

You don't worry about refinement in ST at all, and what most people don't realize is that success at the big TV league level is all about adjustments and refinement. In ST, you just want to see the stuff is there, you don't want to see them in mid-season form. If anything, a player on mid-season form is more likely to wear down at some point. 
With Ohtani, I want to see three things.
1. Healthy
2. 100 mph fastball
3. Throws good splitter, slider and curve somewhere within 5 feet of the batters box. 
Shohei has done all three. I'm happy.

The Dodgers also had Charlie Hough on that staff, so Yeager got a lot of use from that mitt.

From my casual observer post, it looks like Maddon is interweaving quantitative measurements with qualitative observations encouraging players and coaches to be more interactive allowing for a more timely feedback system.  Minasian, et. al. doesn't seem to be as involved as Eppler was in the day-to-day minutiae of playing baseball games. I expect Minasian to utilize his experience from other organizations in taking advantages of opportunities instead of focusing in finding the precise missing pieces.  With the emphasis on players being flexible on where they play, the organization becomes less reliant on finding the one perfect fit and can instead utilize resources in exploiting opportunities as they reveal themselves.
I didn't dislike Eppler.  I think he did a terrific job in turning the organization around, but he faltered in executing the next phase.  I really like what the future holds.

I'm not a huge fan of Odorizzi, but I'd have been fairly pleased with that deal.   Certainly for that price, I'd much rather have him than Cobb.  

I saw Hough once in his pre-game throwing session in the bullpen . . .with a lit cigarette taking drags between every few pitches. 

I remember Steve Yeager complaining about Wilhelm when I was a kid. If I remember correctly, Yeager had a special mitt made just to catch Wilhelm.

Some managers seem to consistently field teams that outperform their pythagorean W/L expectations based on runs scored/allowed. Could there be a correlation between this and their ability to foster a positive team chemistry?
Seems to me that the manager can have a stronger effect on team chemistry than any other single person.

Wow, he must have had a fine catcher to hit that number. I love a knuckleballer but I do feel for the poor sod behind the plate who has to receive them. 

Some managers seem to consistently field teams that outperform their pythagorean W/L expectations based on runs scored/allowed. Could there be a correlation between this and their ability to foster a positive team chemistry?
Seems to me that the manager can have a stronger effect on team chemistry than any other single person.

Truly amazing.

Please delete if this has already been posted.

Truly amazing.

Please delete if this has already been posted.