2023 Game Thread

[Namaste]

I like taking Cabrera out after he K’d 6 and DIDN’T WALK ANYONE. Skip is soooo much better at in game management

[Namaste]

I like taking Cabrera out after he K’d 6 and DIDN’T WALK ANYONE. Skip is soooo much better at in game management

I still like it

Nardi gives up a 0-2 hit to Marlins killer, Corey Dickerson and then Chagois gets the ground ball but Berti makes an error.

[Namaste]

Kyle Seiloff is such a bad baseball broadcaster. Overly excited (you can hear the embarrassment in Rod Allen’s voice). He went on and on about how Arraez’s 500th hit should have been an error while former major leaguer Allen is telling him it’s a hit all day. I miss Glenn Geffner a lot when I’m driving.

[Namaste]

It’s the latest in the season the Marlins have been over .500 since August of 2017

[fish16]

Kyle Seiloff is such a bad baseball broadcaster. Overly excited (you can hear the embarrassment in Rod Allen’s voice). He went on and on about how Arraez’s 500th hit should have been an error while former major leaguer Allen is telling him it’s a hit all day. I miss Glenn Geffner a lot when I’m driving.

I like him a lot better than geffner. God forbid a broadcaster gets excited about the games he’s calling

[fish16]

DLC’s OPS is up to .736 but it doesn’t count because he’s had a hot 10 days.

His numbers are exactly what they have been for his entire career. His ops is .746 now for the year and .745 for his career. That is not a starting caliber player for a guy who strikes out 30% of the time, can’t play defense, and is a bad base runner. He is a 1 trick pony, and that 1 trick needs to get a lot better to become starting level. On this team they have no choice but to start him because we haven’t developed a player internally in 6 years, but he’s a 4th outfielder on a good team

[Namaste]

His numbers are exactly what they have been for his entire career. His ops is .746 now for the year and .745 for his career. That is not a starting caliber player for a guy who strikes out 30% of the time, can’t play defense, and is a bad base runner. He is a 1 trick pony, and that 1 trick needs to get a lot better to become starting level. On this team they have no choice but to start him because we haven’t developed a player internally in 6 years, but he’s a 4th outfielder on a good team

If your OPS is .800 and you strike out 30% of the time does your K rate matter?

[rmc523]

I find the talk of punting on the season while we're in the race stupid. Gotta love the idea of just giving up when we're relevant for the first time in what...a decade+ ? Even if we're not pretty while doing it, why can't we just enjoy some relative success for a change?

If we're out of it closer to the deadline, sure, trade expiring contracts and other smart moves for longer term pieces.

Someone above said it well - if we're buying something now (ideally a long term piece), that's cool, as it can help us for the rest of the season and beyond. But selling now? Nah - wait until if we're out of it and/or when teams are more desperate closer to the deadline so we'll get a better return.

[fish16]

If your OPS is .800 and you strike out 30% of the time does your K rate matter?

His ops isn’t .800. And if it was, it would be nice, but without defensive value and being a bad base runner and having an inability to draw walks, that’s the type of corner outfield/1b/dh types that are available every offseason for cheap. My issue with him is not that he’s some terrible or bad hitter, he’s a fairly average hitter, he just has no other value in any other aspect of the game

[lou]

I find the talk of punting on the season while we're in the race stupid. Gotta love the idea of just giving up when we're relevant for the first time in what...a decade+ ? Even if we're not pretty while doing it, why can't we just enjoy some relative success for a change?

If we're out of it closer to the deadline, sure, trade expiring contracts and other smart moves for longer term pieces.

Someone above said it well - if we're buying something now (ideally a long term piece), that's cool, as it can help us for the rest of the season and beyond. But selling now? Nah - wait until if we're out of it and/or when teams are more desperate closer to the deadline so we'll get a better return.

They have the worst run differential in the national league (4th worst in league), are pacing as having the worst offense in baseball over the last 10 seasons, their best or second best position player is out a month, two starting pitchers are hurt, and a wide assortment of guys (Sandy, Catchers, Segura) are underperforming. In the race? They are only in the race in the sense they have an unsustainable 14-1 record in 1 run games. It's been great for sure, but saying it is not pretty is an understatement. They are out of contention already whether we want to accept that or not absent radical improvements. They will not go 40-5 in 1 run games this year. I personally want to enjoy real winning, not getting a 79 win participation trophy and holding onto assets that could improve the team longterm.

As mentioned, I would say doing nothing is the worst decision. Sell guys at potential highs (Soler, Floro), or do the opposite and get them help right now. Bet on yourself that you survived the early season storm, the injured guys are coming back and Sandy, Catchers, Segura, etc. will improve, and get the guys you need to float the team NOW with the beneficial schedule before the reality of post ASB kicks in. They need to get 5-6-7 games over .500 by the time August hits, and then hope to play .500 from there so to speak. Obviously they would need two to tango and May is early, but there are a couple of teams who are in fact done already. Why not try to do something very aggressive like this:

Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada (Adds roughly $20m to 2023 payroll, and $39m to 2024. I think they will have $30+m to spend in 2024 even with Bruce budgets, so this just means they can't pick up Cueto option. So they can live with that and can afford it next year. It's a question of would Bruce invest in the team right now as the only new money would be that 2023 sum which yes is a lot for Bruce Sherman). Those guys surplus value might be as low as $20-25m (but with huge upside). That is effectively sending them Eder, Groshans, Amaya/Nasim, Simpson/Monteverde, and a throw in. If that is low, it's probably Edwards and the Comp Pick they have and keep the throw in instead. That makes a lot of sense for them when they can reapportion that $60m dollars saved into a nice # 3 SP for them next year in free agency. It hypothetically works. I'm a big Moncada fan and think he can be that guy from 2019/2021 *if* healthy (the big contingent here for me, medicals have to check out), and Anderson should be better than this obviously. That would be such a radical spark for the Marlins with to the moon upside. Both would be in contract years next year for their last chance at a mega deal so if they are ever going to have their career year, it's now to next year. I'd be aggressive as hell with something like this understanding it probably won't take a MLB SP, Berry, or Cappe to do it.

Ryan McMahon is the other guy that makes sense on paper. He's a good defender (historically) and his statcast is very red. He's just like DLC/Sanchez - whiff 25% of the time and he will be pretty good. I haven't seen enough to know what's going on right now, but if the whiffs are a SSS, he's a solid player to help. He's effectively signed for 5/$65 including this year, but it's spread out so not as financially difficult as the White Sox influx for 2023. He's not a world beater, but he should be fine for awhile and I think he lives outside Coors with how hard he hits it (yes I know the career splits). Just can't whiff. This surplus value is even lower than the White Sox guys probably, and maybe Fulton and parts would get this done alone.

I also think an Avisail-Corbin swap with the Marlins throwing in something like Enright and Morisette makes sense. It's almost dollar for dollar, but the Nationals get some low end FV40 guys and a balloon ($35m) off the books next year, and that sets up the Marlins using their other pitchers for trades as Corbin isn't exactly terrible (1.4 WAR last 200 innings with a 4.2 xFIP) to have 5th SP veteran innings.


These might be good, might be bad ideas. White Sox are probably the key right now as they are terrible and have no chance. But similar to the Dbacks and Pirates, if you're going to contend, it's planting the flag now and going for it, and you can add in July again if you are doing well. *Or* trade Moncada, Anderson, Soler, and gang then if you fall out but at least you went for it at the correct time of the season. Treading water isn't going to work. Sorry if I am the fun police, but I am the fun police and I don't think anyone conceptually disagrees with the saying out loud - they need massive help right now or losing is an inevitability. So plant the flag, or approach from the longterm view this is not the year.

[Nick]

They have the worst run differential in the national league (4th worst in league), are pacing as having the worst offense in baseball over the last 10 seasons, their best or second best position player is out a month, two starting pitchers are hurt, and a wide assortment of guys (Sandy, Catchers, Segura) are underperforming. In the race? They are only in the race in the sense they have an unsustainable 14-1 record in 1 run games. It's been great for sure, but saying it is not pretty is an understatement. They are out of contention already whether we want to accept that or not absent radical improvements. They will not go 40-5 in 1 run games this year. I personally want to enjoy real winning, not getting a 79 win participation trophy and holding onto assets that could improve the team longterm.

As mentioned, I would say doing nothing is the worst decision. Sell guys at potential highs (Soler, Floro), or do the opposite and get them help right now. Bet on yourself that you survived the early season storm, the injured guys are coming back and Sandy, Catchers, Segura, etc. will improve, and get the guys you need to float the team NOW with the beneficial schedule before the reality of post ASB kicks in. They need to get 5-6-7 games over .500 by the time August hits, and then hope to play .500 from there so to speak. Obviously they would need two to tango and May is early, but there are a couple of teams who are in fact done already. Why not try to do something very aggressive like this:

Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada (Adds roughly $20m to 2023 payroll, and $39m to 2024. I think they will have $30+m to spend in 2024 even with Bruce budgets, so this just means they can't pick up Cueto option. So they can live with that and can afford it next year. It's a question of would Bruce invest in the team right now as the only new money would be that 2023 sum which yes is a lot for Bruce Sherman). Those guys surplus value might be as low as $20-25m (but with huge upside). That is effectively sending them Eder, Groshans, Amaya/Nasim, Simpson/Monteverde, and a throw in. If that is low, it's probably Edwards and the Comp Pick they have and keep the throw in instead. That makes a lot of sense for them when they can reapportion that $60m dollars saved into a nice # 3 SP for them next year in free agency. It hypothetically works. I'm a big Moncada fan and think he can be that guy from 2019/2021 *if* healthy (the big contingent here for me, medicals have to check out), and Anderson should be better than this obviously. That would be such a radical spark for the Marlins with to the moon upside. Both would be in contract years next year for their last chance at a mega deal so if they are ever going to have their career year, it's now to next year. I'd be aggressive as hell with something like this understanding it probably won't take a MLB SP, Berry, or Cappe to do it.

Ryan McMahon is the other guy that makes sense on paper. He's a good defender (historically) and his statcast is very red. He's just like DLC/Sanchez - whiff 25% of the time and he will be pretty good. I haven't seen enough to know what's going on right now, but if the whiffs are a SSS, he's a solid player to help. He's effectively signed for 5/$65 including this year, but it's spread out so not as financially difficult as the White Sox influx for 2023. He's not a world beater, but he should be fine for awhile and I think he lives outside Coors with how hard he hits it (yes I know the career splits). Just can't whiff. This surplus value is even lower than the White Sox guys probably, and maybe Fulton and parts would get this done alone.

I also think an Avisail-Corbin swap with the Marlins throwing in something like Enright and Morisette makes sense. It's almost dollar for dollar, but the Nationals get some low end FV40 guys and a balloon ($35m) off the books next year, and that sets up the Marlins using their other pitchers for trades as Corbin isn't exactly terrible (1.4 WAR last 200 innings with a 4.2 xFIP) to have 5th SP veteran innings.


These might be good, might be bad ideas. White Sox are probably the key right now as they are terrible and have no chance. But similar to the Dbacks and Pirates, if you're going to contend, it's planting the flag now and going for it, and you can add in July again if you are doing well. *Or* trade Moncada, Anderson, Soler, and gang then if you fall out but at least you went for it at the correct time of the season. Treading water isn't going to work. Sorry if I am the fun police, but I am the fun police and I don't think anyone conceptually disagrees with the saying out loud - they need massive help right now or losing is an inevitability. So plant the flag, or approach from the longterm view this is not the year.

If they do nothing come July 31st (like they did last year) then yeah they fucked up. Trading guys who are helping us now in freaking May would also be a fuck up. You act like teams are making all kinds of moves right now, so if we don't act now we're going to miss out. If you can add right now, guys that will help you this season and seasons to come. By all means, but realistically I think that's going to be a hard sell for the other teams in May.

[lou]

In other news, Michael Salfino who writes for the Athletic had this to say: I said that if Edward Cabrera could get the walks just down to average or even slightly above, he'd be this year's Spencer Strider. That's a big BIG "if" but I stand by this.

That would be nice.

[Nick]

In other news, Michael Salfino who writes for the Athletic had this to say: I said that if Edward Cabrera could get the walks just down to average or even slightly above, he'd be this year's Spencer Strider. That's a big BIG "if" but I stand by this.

That would be nice.

I 100% agree with this. I don't understand his control issues. His BB/9 in the minors was 3.1, he's at 6.7 right now this year. Gotta be in his head.

[lou]

If they do nothing come July 31st (like they did last year) then yeah they fucked up. Trading guys who are helping us now in freaking May would also be a fuck up. You act like teams are making all kinds of moves right now, so if we don't act now we're going to miss out. If you can add right now, guys that will help you this season and seasons to come. By all means, but realistically I think that's going to be a hard sell for the other teams in May.

Agree, which is why it is probably the White Sox and bail them out of some real serious money and get them a top 100 prospect in Eder. Oakland/KC are rebuilding and don't really have impactful parts. The Rockies have OK parts so it would have to be real cheap. White Sox are a legitimate disaster and they are incentivized to get the best deals possible, and trading guys in May so teams get 6+ more weeks is some real value they can sell. Maybe Rosario is a buy-low and they are good with Rocchio who they just called up too. Cleveland would do smart things for a guy with an expiring contract and bet on their depth.

And it's not doing nothing and they miss out. It's they have no margin of error so they can improve on that making moves now than literally in 10+ weeks. Maybe they can ride this wave 10 more weeks, but I'm not betting on a 14-1 one run luck with all these injuries, etc.

[lou]

Maybe view it as Jazz, Rogers, and Sanchez are their deadline adds, and they need to replace them right now