2019 Spring Training Starts

[fish16]

Did you forget Prado exists?

Shit. I wish. So then just from the roster math it looks like they either wouldnt carry a backup CF or one of O'Brien or Cooper dont make it. I feel like Granderson can fill in if needed for a spot emergency situation without needing to carry the backup CF on the roster full time.

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They kind of have a numbers crunch to get down to 25 with both the hitters and pitchers.

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Im also interested to see where we put a lot of these arms to start the year in the minors. Seems like Nola could have a ridiculous bullpen.

For the bullpen, assuming a 6 man rotation to start of Urena, Straily, Lopez, Alcantara, Richards, Smith, the bullpen looks like Romo, Steck, Conley, Guerrero, Chen, and then 2 more spots up for grabs. Id assume 1 is guaranteed to Ferrell given he is a rule 5 and he has pitched very well. So you have 1 more spot to choose from Nick anderson and Austin Brice. I hope they go Anderson.

[lou]

Shit. I wish. So then just from the roster math it looks like they either wouldnt carry a backup CF or one of O'Brien or Cooper dont make it. I feel like Granderson can fill in if needed for a spot emergency situation without needing to carry the backup CF on the roster full time.

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They kind of have a numbers crunch to get down to 25 with both the hitters and pitchers.

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Im also interested to see where we put a lot of these arms to start the year in the minors. Seems like Nola could have a ridiculous bullpen.

For the bullpen, assuming a 6 man rotation to start of Urena, Straily, Lopez, Alcantara, Richards, Smith, the bullpen looks like Romo, Steck, Conley, Guerrero, Chen, and then 2 more spots up for grabs. Id assume 1 is guaranteed to Ferrell given he is a rule 5 and he has pitched very well. So you have 1 more spot to choose from Nick anderson and Austin Brice. I hope they go Anderson.

Brice is OOO, Anderson is not. They are going to start there. Anderson will get his shot. Maybe he makes it over Alcantara and he's starting in AAA.

[Lee Stone]

Seriously, I would have had Brian Anderson play some CF this spring. He seems to have the necessary tools and Brinson didn't grade out as a positive defender last season (as judged by Fangraphs).

Craig Mish on Dean demotion:

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@CraigMish
1h1 hour ago
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Marlins also announce they have sent OF Austin Dean to AAA. He had 3 options left so I’m guessing that factored in. It’s ok to not be a fan of moves. I’m not a fan of this one.

[fish16]

Brice is OOO, Anderson is not. They are going to start there. Anderson will get his shot. Maybe he makes it over Alcantara and he's starting in AAA.

Ya you are right, I just feel like we know what Brice is at this point. Id just try to sneak him through waivers and get him back in the system but i guess the smarter thing to do is to give him a chance.

I would like to see Alcantara start the year in the rotation but if there was one out of those 4 (Smith, Sandy, Lopez, smith) that were to go down, I'd be the most OK with him until we can find a deal for Straily. He still needs to improve his command. Is there any financial/free agency benefit in the future towards keeping him down for a little or no?

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IDK if that means he will 100% be playing there this year but when the move was made to send Harrison down he was optioned specifically to AAA NOla instead of minor league camp. They have Sierra, Dean, him, and then maybe Brian Miller in Nola as well? Or just have Miller start the year in AA cause he wasnt exactly great there last year.

[tjfla]

Anderson has options and Brice doesn't which means Austin Brice will be on roster least first week or 2. They probably try to sneak him thru at some point.

Dean was sent down because he has options and they think he can work on some stuff.

AAA 1B/OF/DH is stuffed

1B-Alvarez/Dean/Ramirez
OF-Dean/Ramirez/Guerrero/Harrison/Sierra/Miller?
DH-Combo

Kinley and Herrera are likely DFA if find someone they like

Wallach gets DFA if Holaday makes the team

If Smith goes on rehab then Sandy is up but if not he is the one to AAA

[lou]

Seriously, I would have had Brian Anderson play some CF this spring. He seems to have the necessary tools and Brinson didn't grade out as a positive defender last season (as judged by Fangraphs).

You leave him at 3B for the next 5 seasons, and you let Brinson, Harrison, Mesa, Sierra, Dean, Cooper, Ramirez, Guerrero, Miller, etc. sort themselves out. All of them are probably better than the next best 3B in the system, and below them, Scott and Osiris are better than every younger 3B.

If by god's grace, someone like Nelson/Dunand work out and become a starting calibre 3B, or Diaz has to move to 3B (whether naturally, or Devers pushing him over), then you think about moving him elsewhere to get your best 8 on the field.

Let him be.

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They are going to suck this year, they don't need to make drastic decisions. It's what's best in the longterm, and that is Anderson at 3B right now without question. If he can play positive defense there and his hit tool keeps improving, that's the best case scenario.

[fish16]

Ya, there is 0 reason to move anderson off 3b given what our hitting prospects look like there. And especially not to give prado playing time.

Also, would it make sense to send the yankees Chen and Prado for Ellsbury? He's only got 1 year and 21 million after this year. I think the yankees are close to the luxury tax too.

[rmc523]

Ya, there is 0 reason to move anderson off 3b given what our hitting prospects look like there. And especially not to give prado playing time.

Also, would it make sense to send the yankees Chen and Prado for Ellsbury? He's only got 1 year and 21 million after this year. I think the yankees are close to the luxury tax too.

Why would they do that?
...............2019.....2020.....2021
Prado........15M........................
Chen.........20M......22M......16M(VO)
Ellsbury.....21M*.....21M*....21M(O)

*~21.143M

Prado/Chen luxury tax salaries are 13.3+16 = 29.3M for 2019.

[fish16]

Ya I underestimated how much they were getting paid. They wouldn’t. Chen for Ellsbury though makes sense if they just want to move on

[Namaste]

Can’t wait for Chen to start the 3rd game of the regular season

[fish16]

If they do that it would be brutal. And i could see them doing it.

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It would be cool if we could show some ingenuity and come up with a smart plan that works with the 6 guys, while using chen as strictly a bullpen arm who can pitch multiple innings. Gets the right guys the starts while being cautious with them, all while guaranteeing Chen wont have that option vest in 2021 (although it almost assuredly wont vest regardless).

[lou]

Why would they do that?
...............2019.....2020.....2021
Prado........15M........................
Chen.........20M......22M......16M(VO)
Ellsbury.....21M*.....21M*....21M(O)

*~21.143M

Prado/Chen luxury tax salaries are 13.3+16 = 29.3M for 2019.

Cot's has Chen as this for luxury tax purposes

19 - $16
20 - $16
21 - $16

I think I did the math on this 40 pages ago in the offseason thread. Basically, they could straight swap them 1-1 and the overall money nets out give/take $2 million or so I believe the Marlins would need to send over, but the Yankees can move Chen's payroll over 3 seasons, versus 2 right now with Ellsbury.

i.e., Do they need money right now to sign someone for 2 years and have more deadweight longterm in 2021. I don't know their longterm payroll strategy to know if they need the extra few bucks this and next year. Thats not enough to sign Kimbrel or Keuchel. Not sure who else is left.

Also contingent on Ellsbury waiving no trade. Which basically means, the Marlins would outright release him and the Marlins longterm benefit is solely clearing 2021 money. Who cares? Payroll is so low and maybe Chen is a good reliever?

Adding Prado to this doesn't work at all.

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Can’t wait for Chen to start the 3rd game of the regular season

Hopefully by start, you mean start the 7th inning because Richards threw a quality start the front 6 and they are changing it up with a lefty!

[fish16]

Chen's performance has made it just about impossible for them to put him in the rotation. All he had to do was show anything this spring and he showed nothing. And now our legendary win streak is over

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Also Brinson has been awful since getting off to a great start. Bad K/BB and therefore low OBP. He needs to walk significantly more this year

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Do we get to keep Pedro Alvarez when he doesnt make the team or does he become a free agent? I could see him making an appearance on the roster if we're able to stash him in AAA. Same with Harold Ramirez.

[Nick]

I do wonder if Neil Walker is better than Pedro Alvarez, not that it matters. Walker probably has more potential trade value because he can play positions other than 1B.

[fish16]

Im optimistic in the walker and granderson signings. I think they both can be solid stop gaps for a year who we could maybe get something for at the deadline.