Little Slide Rooter

[expletive] it. Just keep playing Jonathan Herrera.

LF and CF are the only positions that we could possibly upgrade. Everywhere else, all we can do is wait for them to get better. I don't see them moving Fowler, and I'm not sure what kind of impact bat we could acquire to play left. Maybe we could stick Schwarber out there towards the end of the year, but besides that, I'm not sure there's much we can do about our offense. Russell can be optioned. While I do think that his defense and his exposure to big league pitching are of more value than mashing at AAA, if we're playing to win, we need someone who can hit now.

May as well just go with Jackson the rest of the way. No point wasting one of the useful guys here.

Because he's bad?

Goodnight.

I doubt that's going to happen. But that's only because I don't think tomorrow's games going to happen. And it's for the better. We really need that break. And by we, I mean we, not them.

Why on earth would the Padres make that deal? It's possible Castro has some value..who knows. But yeah throwing Jackson in there completely kills this as a viable trade offer. If we were picking up the rest of his salary, I suppose it couldn't hurt them to see if he could be of some use in one of the most pitcher friendly parks on earth. But he'd be a tertiary piece with something of more value in between.

I think the best case scenario is a massive downpour in the next 15-20 minutes.

All weekend. I hope they get these games in. But then again, I kind of don't. If that makes sense.

Can't agree, predictably. I think Russell's as good a bet as there can be to improve. Soler could go either way. Bryant is probably pretty close to as good as he's going to get, which is of course really darn good. Schwarber is coming, but I don't think you can expect him to be much better in 2016 than Coghlan has been this year. Yes, it's easy to imagine scenarios where everyone hits their 65th percentile projections and we shoot up to 99-win territory. But I think there's a very real chance this team isn't any better next year than this. You are getting everything you could possibly ask for out of this pitching staff and then some, there is plenty of downside for 2016 there, probably equal to the upside in the offense. If you want to take a big step forward next year, you need to hope that Soler and/or Russell takes a huge leap forward, or you need to hit on your offseason moves more or less across the board. Neither are guarantees or close to it. Theres is a very, very strong free agent class, highlighted by Upton, Price, Cespedes, Heyward, Cueto, and Alex Gordon. And there's no reason not to be a major player for a few of these guys; we'll likely end up handing out a few raises next year, but our core is still going to be incredibly cost efficient, plus another $13MM off the books after next season. And taking a look forward at the projected 2017 free agents list, it's incredibly uninspiring, starring Reddick, Justin Turner, Carlos Gomez, and Strasberg (assuming he still has an arm by then,) and then a steep drop off. So this would be the time to open the wallet.

Twitter has multiple reports of him going to tbe Tigers.

AAA just got quite boring. I saw this before my coffee, and all k saw was "Cubs place Kyle Schwarber on," and panicked for a second.

Yes, this. Only the mindset isn't so much the front end of their window to win so much as the start of a tradition of winning. Long version: This year, The cornerstones are set; and quite impressive. The foundation is looking good, though there's plenty of smoothing to do in certain areas. And of course, keep on building off it it. The goal is to win now, but not WIN NOW! If that makes sense.

Makes perfect sense, actually. It does. Which brings me back to my A's comment. And I was being serious. In recent memory, we've had 4 serious contenders; 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008. And while their paths and fates were very different, what they had in common was that they were loaded with established superstars; and when they were on, they were a blast to watch. This team has a few stars, but also a lot of guys who are still taking their lumps, and it's being done by design. Addison Russell, for example. A lot of teams would have sent him down by now. But our front office has the mindset that what he's going through right now is more valuable than what a replacement could offer. In other words, we have a team that's not quite built to win now, but they're doing it anyway. Just not the way we want to see.

Haven't they been in more 1-run games than any other team in the league? How is that boring? I think for me because a lot of times when they win 2-1, I feel so mentally fatigued watching their offense fail time and time again that by the end it wasn't exciting but just taxing. At least we know what it feels like to have been an A's fan for tbe past 15-20 years.

That would be pretty [expletive] awesome.

I suppose someone could pick up Roach. Or not. Either or. As a great man once said, boring conversation anyway.

I'm guessing they would ask for more than McKinney. If he can be had for a reasonable price, like McKinney, I'd do it. The Brewers really have no motivation to move Gomez at this time. They're not going anywhere this year, but they still have him for next. *Warning: follow up ramble*

Encouraging outing by Tseng.

But if Hammel does end up missing significant time, I wonder if that pushes them to make a mega-deal for Hamels and Papelbon. I can't begin to imagine the package. But unless Theo pulls a Suge Knight on Amaro, there's no way it doesn't start with Schwarber and probably one of Torres or McKinney. There is absolutely no way in hell Hamels is landing a top 10 prospect and another top 30 guy. I swear every month the price people expect to pay goes up. Would you have expected a Top 5 prospect for Samardzjia? Hamels is on pace for another 6 WAR season, and it's a no doubt sellers market.

Unless you're talking Aaron Spelling's 1980's prime time juggernaut, I think you're getting a bit carried away. I'm not saying that we won't get there, just that we're not there yet.

In his last 30 games, Carlos Gonzalez is .280/.301./.551 with 7 HR. Just sayin.

But if Hammel does end up missing significant time, I wonder if that pushes them to make a mega-deal for Hamels and Papelbon. I can't begin to imagine the package. But unless Theo pulls a Suge Knight on Amaro, there's no way it doesn't start with Schwarber and probably one of Torres or McKinney.

Wada and Soriano are probably up right after the ASB. So Wada plugs back into the 4 spot and Wood the 5, buying Jackson a bit more time before his inevitable departure. Though personally, I've been a proponent of stretching out Grimm. So Lester, Arrieta, Hendricks, Wada, Wood would be it. At least while they do a bit of shopping.

Really? I thought he was considered very elite; just very injury prone.