Random In-season Musings and Rumors

[We Got The Whole 9]

My name is 9 and I'm slightly obsessed with power LHP and would like one for longer than a half season or a season and a half.

 

So I've been thinking, the Pirates unearthed a total gem in Felipe Rivero, whom they got for Melancon. The potential to dominate was there due to having a fb regularly topping 97 (98.7 average this season) and now he sits with an ERA under 1 in about 50 IP. Fantastic job of scouting by PIT.

 

The Nats also have Enny Romero who has been decent but not godly, but does have a fb sitting at 97. They got him in a 1-1 with the Rays for a pitcher they probably won't miss much. These types are highly rare but they're out there, is the point I'm making with this ramble.

 

You guys have a much wider knowledge on prospect arms and just pitchers in general who are out there and what their profile looks like.

 

Who is a guy who could maybe be had cheap (especially compared to Britton or Hand) that brings the gas from the LH side? The less established, poised to break out player, much like Rivero was. The Pirates will have him for a long while.

 

I want a guy like that.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

My name is 9 and I'm slightly obsessed with power LHP and would like one for longer than a half season or a season and a half.

 

So I've been thinking, the Pirates unearthed a total gem in Felipe Rivero, whom they got for Melancon. The potential to dominate was there due to having a fb regularly topping 97 (98.7 average this season) and now he sits with an ERA under 1 in about 50 IP. Fantastic job of scouting by PIT.

 

The Nats also have Enny Romero who has been decent but not godly, but does have a fb sitting at 97. They got him in a 1-1 with the Rays for a pitcher they probably won't miss much. These types are highly rare but they're out there, is the point I'm making with this ramble.

 

You guys have a much wider knowledge on prospect arms and just pitchers in general who are out there and what their profile looks like.

 

Who is a guy who could maybe be had cheap (especially compared to Britton or Hand) that brings the gas from the LH side? The less established, poised to break out player, much like Rivero was. The Pirates will have him for a long while.

 

I want a guy like that.

 

Here's the list of relievers with 10+ IP this year and an average fastball velocity of 95+ mph from the left side.

 

Aroldis Chapman Yankees

Enny Romero Nationals

Felipe Rivero Pirates

James Pazos Mariners

Jose Alvarado Rays

Jose Torres Padres

Josh Osich Giants

Justin Wilson Tigers

Wandy Peralta Reds

Zach Britton Orioles

[We Got The Whole 9]

My name is 9 and I'm slightly obsessed with power LHP and would like one for longer than a half season or a season and a half.

 

So I've been thinking, the Pirates unearthed a total gem in Felipe Rivero, whom they got for Melancon. The potential to dominate was there due to having a fb regularly topping 97 (98.7 average this season) and now he sits with an ERA under 1 in about 50 IP. Fantastic job of scouting by PIT.

 

The Nats also have Enny Romero who has been decent but not godly, but does have a fb sitting at 97. They got him in a 1-1 with the Rays for a pitcher they probably won't miss much. These types are highly rare but they're out there, is the point I'm making with this ramble.

 

You guys have a much wider knowledge on prospect arms and just pitchers in general who are out there and what their profile looks like.

 

Who is a guy who could maybe be had cheap (especially compared to Britton or Hand) that brings the gas from the LH side? The less established, poised to break out player, much like Rivero was. The Pirates will have him for a long while.

 

I want a guy like that.

 

Here's the list of relievers with 10+ IP this year and an average fastball velocity of 95+ mph from the left side.

 

Aroldis Chapman Yankees

Enny Romero Nationals

Felipe Rivero Pirates

James Pazos Mariners

Jose Alvarado Rays

Jose Torres Padres

Josh Osich Giants

Justin Wilson Tigers

Wandy Peralta Reds

Zach Britton Orioles

Thanks TT

 

Do you (or anyone else) know of some near-ready prospects in that same respect?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm not that knowledgeable about other teams' prospects, I'm afraid. The hard thing when you start going that route is that there isn't a shortage of reliever profiles with velocity who can't tame their stuff. The line between Andrew Miller and Jack Leathersich is surprisingly thin, and most of the time is identified as a scouting exercise more than parsing performance.

 

For some semblance of a starting point, you could look at SP prospects that are stalling out at high levels.

[We Got The Whole 9]

I'm not that knowledgeable about other teams' prospects, I'm afraid. The hard thing when you start going that route is that there isn't a shortage of reliever profiles with velocity who can't tame their stuff. The line between Andrew Miller and Jack Leathersich is surprisingly thin, and most of the time is identified as a scouting exercise more than parsing performance.

 

For some semblance of a starting point, you could look at SP prospects that are stalling out at high levels.

 

Yeah that's who it's most likely to be, I'm thinking.

 

Torres is intriguing. Young, tons of team control, decent walk rates over the years. His secondary stuff hasn't rated well but they haven't been awful either. Looks like something to work with.

 

Pazos would be awesome but being that the Ms are right in the race he's not likely to go anywhere.

Edited July 17, 2017 by We Got The Whole 9

[We Got The Whole 9]

He doesn't fit the 95+ thing I think, but I really like Tony Cingrani's arm. Wasn't aware of Peralta but he's got some chutzpah on paper, I've never seen him pitch.

Plenty of velo at 94.9 for Cingrani. I just haven't considered the inter-division trade really. But I'd be all over that.

[Agony and Ivy]

 

Yeeeeeeesss pleeeeeeasssseeee

 

I'll take Adam Jones too

 

I mean if the Orioles say the Cubs can only have Britton if they take Jones too, then sure sign me up. If not, I really don't want his awful defense and .301 OBP anywhere near this team

 

I mean that's a slight exaggeration. While he's not a big OBP guy (career .317), he's been a decent fielding CF during his career, and Wrigley's CF was small enough to convince people Dexter Fowler was really a good CF all along or something. Doooooongs from up the middle, plus nice and low commit as he's a FA after next year.

 

Even excluding the defense he's following up a 2016 season wRC+ of 96 with a 90. That makes him what? A 1 win player for almost $18m?

[We Got The Whole 9]

horsefeathering guy swings at everything. Hopefully some day Javy starts catching as many barrels as he does (or did in the past)

[davell]

If we go after Britton, I really want us to grab Gausman with him.

[Tim]

 

I mean that's a slight exaggeration. While he's not a big OBP guy (career .317), he's been a decent fielding CF during his career, and Wrigley's CF was small enough to convince people Dexter Fowler was really a good CF all along or something. Doooooongs from up the middle, plus nice and low commit as he's a FA after next year.

 

Even excluding the defense he's following up a 2016 season wRC+ of 96 with a 90. That makes him what? A 1 win player for almost $18m?

 

What about the previous 8 seasons? He's worlds away from that player because....?

 

The contract is also kind of a non-issue. $18 million doesn't even really get you a couple wins in FA anymore, and it's already a crappy FA class to shop for OFs (Jay's an upcoming FA, Almora's bat is still far from something to be relied on on a team this ready to win). Getting a guy with Jones' upside for just 1.5 years at that price is pretty sweet.

 

The plusses with Jones:

 

- Cleans up the OF this year and improves next year's OF depth immediately. Jay has a clear backup and specialist role with him, Cubs add a RH power hitter between their two LHH COFs.

- Low commit, high upside contract

- HRs from up the middle

- Lots of experience in playoff and playoff-esque environments

 

The negatives:

 

- Was last a clear first division starter all the way back in 2015

- Entered his 30s

- Not a high OBP guy

You'll have to work harder to convince me he is better than happ.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Adam Jones turns 32 in a few days and has been trending down for years now. There is no upside there. He isn't good and won't be good again. He could survive his horrible plate discipline when he was hitting some homers and had more athleticism. Take away all his value from base running and defense and there's nothing there, particularly when everyone is hitting homers now. He doesn't really do anything well.

 

Albert Almora is much better. Let alone Happ.

[davell]

Paying Giancarlo Stanton 10/288 over his 28-37 year old seasons is among the worst ideas this board has ever had.

 

NM, guess it got edited out of a post quickly.

Edited July 17, 2017 by davell

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Jones has about a .315 wOBA/95 wRC+ in his last 1100 plate appearances, and he's going to get worse before he gets better. If you traded Almora and he didn't carry any player cost then okay, but I don't see the appeal in Jones as a destination. Yes you can poke holes in the current CF options, but they're end of the lineup options to begin with and they basically have 3 of them for 1 spot which makes it pretty easy to optimize matchups, even in the playoffs.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

He won't cost much of anything because he sucks and he costs $17 million next season.

[davell]

He won't cost much of anything because he sucks and he costs $17 million next season.

 

 

I'm not even sure he'll be cheap. Angelos is a miserly weird, old guy and Jones is one of his favorite players ever. It won't surprise me if he wants a serious return for him.

[David]

lol i love when gato goes all in on defending one of his terrible player crushes

[David]

He won't cost much of anything because he sucks and he costs $17 million next season.

 

Well yes and no. It's actually that the O's suck and paying near FA dollars for a ~average starter probably does nothing for them this year or next. The Cubs, OTOH, have that kind of flexibility for a year and a half and the roster to do what they've done to protect their rookies by offering better matchups.

 

how about we use that flexibility on somebody good rofl

[Cubswin11]

Saw this on GRB, will be interesting to see if anyone bites if true....

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

What would it take to get Peralta from the Reds? Would they take prospects or demand an MLB piece because division stuff?

[davell]

Expecting a team to give Stanton, a guy who's literally played more than 123 games TWICE in 6 full seasons, a contract more than 7/208, for his 31-37 year old seasons is also one of the worst ideas in the history of the board.

 

You can't remotely expect him to opt out of that.

[cwood218]

Paying Giancarlo Stanton 10/288 over his 28-37 year old seasons is among the worst ideas this board has ever had.

 

NM, guess it got edited out of a post quickly.

 

That's true. OTOH, 3/$77m for Stanton to hit you 90+ HRs to close out his 20s before opting out is not some crazy unlikely outcome either. I waffle on Stanton because because, but he's the highest upside play anyone can make at the deadline (or the month after) this year. Well, him or guys who are even less likely to move like Stroman or Archer....

 

I don't think he opts out. I can't see anyone giving him a similar contract to what he would opt out of.

 

see above ... davell beat me to it, and said it better.

[Cubswin11]

[Cubswin11]

[davell]

Expecting a team to give Stanton, a guy who's literally played more than 123 games TWICE in 6 full seasons, a contract more than 7/208, for his 31-37 year old seasons is also one of the worst ideas in the history of the board.

 

You can't remotely expect him to opt out of that.

 

The average Giancarlo Stanton season (injuries included!):

 

477 PAs/ .267/ .357/ .543 / 30 HRs / 3.8 rWAR

 

In 2012-2013 when he missed large chunks of the season he took 1005 PAs with a wOBA over .400. During his injured shortened 2015 (318 PAs) he put up a .394 wOBA. This all in a pitcher's park during a dramatically run supressed half decade so of baseball. He's one of the handful best hitters in baseball when on the field in any season but 2016, and is back to crushing it again. When you can hit like that it's not hard to imagine being able to beat that $29.5 million average salary in coming years unless FA prices fall across the board in the future for reasons.

 

I know how good he is. I love him as a player. He's injury prone, he's going to be older, and he's not opting out of that, because no team out there is going to give him that, in his decline years. Just not happening.

[imb]

I know how good he is. I love him as a player. He's injury prone, he's going to be older, and he's not opting out of that, because no team out there is going to give him that, in his decline years. Just not happening.

 

One of those 4 statements is a genuine truth.

 

im dying to know what your real life is like