
Originally Posted by
Hitch
Your last sentence is exactly where I am. I actually think I'm tilting towards wanting it to happen because I think the health of the team could be so massively improved and I hate tanking.
Yeah they're all losses, but I don't think we extend them before year out anyway, so we'd be in the same situation regardless - they're there in free agency if we want them. But now after a lot of prospects/MLB ready players in the house, too.
I keep forgetting the Price money. If my math is correct that's near enough $100 million coming off the books. We'll have holes for sure, but a lot of money to fill them and a lot of talented prospects ready to trade or maybe slot in.
Sale, Paxton, Whitlock, Pivetta is a decent starting 4, with Bello, Seabold and Houck in the wings, too. We trade some prospects for a great pitcher (or get one back in the sell off) and that's a nice rotation to build on, with talent behind.
A massive plus would be if Duran and Casas show they're able to cut it in the bigs after the sell off. If they do, as you said, we'd still need a good catcher (maybe Wong will be ready as a no2?), a 2nd baseman, centre/right fielder. A power bat to play DH. You'd hope we'd get some options for an almost ready starting pitcher, young catcher and/or a 2nd baseman in any sell off.
It's the fact so many teams will be buyers that keeps exciting me. Look at The Angels. If they keep it going and are in contention, what would they give up for Eovaldi if we assume all of his remaining contract? They finally have more pitching, but Eovaldi is the kind of guy that helps put you over. The Padres have prospects to burn, what would a JD or Bogey, do for them? Not that it's likely to happen, but how I'd love The Marlins to be in contention. They have starting pithing to burn at AAA.
Bloom must feel like he's in an odd position. If we tank and the listed players hold their worth (or increase in Kike and Vaquez's cases), he'd likely be salivating at the deals he can make for those players. But at the same time, if we tank, surely his head will be on the block. He'd be on a very short leash at the very least.