Lazorko Saves

Yeah, I feel we really need to have that guy we run out there in a Games 1+5 (or 1+4+7) of a playoff series to at least somewhat match the elite aces you see in those situations from other teams. Although we did run Jarrod Washburn and Kevin Appier out in those situations in 2002, and, well...

Yep, especially because of who went the other way (Jim Edmonds). Kent Bottenfield also went this way in the deal, but pfft.... I was fairly bitter about that whole trade until about the bottom of the 7th of Game 5 of the 2002 ALCS. I was over it after that point.

Jim Abbott, 1988 draft, 8th overall pick. A lot of hype but also questions about him in the spring BA issues about him leading up the to draft. He was one of the biggest wildcards in the history of the MLB draft, and he ended up going to my favorite team. As a draft geek, this was as exciting as it got. https://baseballhall.org/discover/short-stops/jim-abbott-scouting-reports

I would like to have seen a photo of Arte's face when he first heard Sugano was asking for 5.8 billion.

Yeah, not even Tony Reagins would consider something like this.

Eh, I didn't "forget", BA made no mention of it. Thanks for the extra info. That would be a big plus if that 4th pitch plays. Thanks for the info on spin rate too, that is a plus in Sugano's favor. Bundy has to kind of tiptoe around the strike zone with his 4-seamer due to that low spin rate.

Where was the pejorative? There was none. You'll also note that I make no mention of being opposed to signing Sugano. I'd like to see it at the right price. I would be curious which pitch(es) in Bundy's arsenal you think are well above average. Sometimes command and pitchability can elevate a pitcher above his stuff into Cy Young votes. Jamie Moyer got CYA votes three different seasons in his career. No one would think describing Moyer's stuff as "meh" would be either incorrect or insulting. Same for Bundy. Meh stuff, but pitched his brains out in 2020 with excellent command and pitch selection. If we get Sugano and he does the same, he'd be worth the $10m-$12m they are talking about.

Of course. What point are you trying to make here?

Dug up some of the BA scouting reports. 90-93 FB. Plus slider. Good command on fb/slider. Okay curveball. Was at 96-98 earlier in career, now sits 90-91, touches 93. This sounds exactly like Bundy. And to clarify, I consider Bundy's stuff "meh" also. But he learned how to pitch his meh in 2020 for the first time in his career.

Meh stuff (it's basically Dylan Bundy's fastball/slider) + age 31 + only Japan as a track record + overall MLB budget climate being tight = not a lot of interest. Also he had a Tanaka elbow thing in 2014. (Ligament damage, but no TJ surgery, just rehab like Tanaka). Another thing to be nervous about.

He's of course, referring to JA Happ and Rich Hill. Pictured below.

I heard he's got Platinum Elite status at U-Haul.

I read this as "Let Minasian finish off the season"

There we go, I think we have our winner for "Biggest Offseason Headline".

Some of us are still waiting for Pete Janicki to make his debut.

Hi Jerry! How's the weather in Seattle?

Don't forget good ol' player development, down in the minor leagues. It's hugely underrated in our current era of obsessing over the shiny new thing, analytics.

No chance. Before Hogmanay is the absolute earliest we could expect. But I think before Shrove Tuesday is a more reasonable target.

"Angels Hire New GM", November 12. "Making predictions is easy, especially about the past." - Yogi Berra

Survey needs a "whoever is on the DL" option.

No, I understood, I just disagree with your hypothesis. That's all. Not a big deal. You don't magically have better command, movement, velocity (whatever ingredients you think make up performing better as a pitcher)...just because you know you're making fewer starts over a year. Ask anybody who pitched competitively.

Taking the thread seriously (I know, my mistake)...I cannot think of two things more different in the sporting world than: - 10 (or 35) Pitching starts spaced out across many months with at least 4 days between them. and - 12 rounds of heavyweight boxing occurring in the space of just a few hours. Especially fictional boxing happening only in a movie. Sorry, but it's a completely busted analogy. Career years do happen, but not because of conscious choice of some short-term effort vs long-term endurance thing.

Excellent, we have our guy who will give up a 10th inning meatball for a grand slam to Matt Olson in the first game of the season. And he only costs double what Hoby Milner did!