weitz41

Jake Cronenworth may be a decent fit for an underwater contract. The 5 years left on his contract may be a bit too long though. 2.4 war, 108 ops+ and pretty even splits. Padres are looking to cut payroll.

I dig the optimism, the fan in me is like this..

I'm going to take a shot at a wildcard roster now the Fan Graphs thinks what we already have is an 82-win team. Hey, I'm not buying it, but I'll play along. I keep all the core players. trade away the missing guys for A ball prospects. No point in getting into the weeds on them. Lottery tickets. Rhys Hoskins 2/24. Enough of the Ty Frances of the world. MAYBE we have a replacement after two seasons??? Ha-Seong Kim 3/48 club option on the 3rd year with a low buyout. Home grown BP. I know but 110m doesn't allow for BP additions other than MiLB ones. Out man stays till Jenkins or someone else is ready. If things don't go well, I trade Ryan and the rest at the trade deadline. C: Ryan Jeffers ($6.60M) 1B: Rhys Hoskins ($12.00M) 2B: Luke Keaschall ($0.80M) 3B: Royce Lewis ($3.00M) SS: Ha-Seong Kim ($16.00M) LF: Alan Roden ($0.80M) CF: Byron Buxton ($15.00M) RF: Emmanuel Rodriguez ($.80M) DH: Matt Wallner ($.80M) 4th OF: James Outman ($0.80M) Utility: Austin Martin ($0.80M) Utility: Brooks Lee ($.80M) Backup C: Alex Jackson ($1.8M) POS: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M) SP1: Pablo Lopez ($21.75M) SP2: Joe Ryan ($5.80M) SP3: Bailey Ober ($4.60M) SP4: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M) SP5: Taj Bradley ($0.80M) RP: Justin Topa ($2.00M) RP: Kody Funderburk ($0.80M) RP: Cole Sands ($1.30M) RP: Pierson Ohl ($0.80M) RP: Travis Adams ($0.80M) RP: David Festa ($0.80M) RP: Marco Raya ($0.80M) RP: Zebby Matthews ($0.80M) POS: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M) Payroll is 7.41% under budget

Looking like a pretty deep draft. #1 would be great, but not much drop off till 10ish. If they miss out on Cholowsky....Boleman has some impressive stats for a HS pitcher.

This sadly feels like the right way to go at this time. By the time the prospects are ready, the new CBA and HOPEFULLY new ownership will be in place. I agree accept I believe they let all but 1 scout go. If ownership won't commit to 10-15th in payroll every year, then build it up and burn it down cycles may be the only way to have windows to contend in. There was another post about trading Joe Ryan and asked would you go elite prospect or a package of good prospects. That (IMO) is where you can separate yourself from a Pirates rebuild and an Astros rebuild. If they burn it down to the studs, I hope they go for elite prospects. Say Marco Mayer, De Vries, Eldridge guys of that sort of pedigree and build a hopefully super farm. The depth is already there right now; Jenkins is the only one today that looks like he maybe a future all-star. Need more of those.

All legit choices. Beltre would be my fav. I'm going with Marek Houston. The D is already close, so the bat takes off and makes the July draft for the Twin more complicated. My dark horse breakout prosect is Matt Barr

Kinda depends on what the plan is. Which at this point...There is a plan right? If it is to compete in 2026 big loss. 2027 and beyond. Win. If I have to give an overall grade, I'd say B to B+ so a win (assuming the later from above) I'd rather have an injury prone Steward over Outman and if I had to trade Varland I would have wanted an infielder or a couple A ball guys over Rodon. Nothing against him. He may be a fine MLB player for many years to come. But a person can only wear so many left shoes... Those two trades I'm pretty meh on. Wins in the others.

Probably not that far off from what is likely to happen this off season. Strip it down sounds unlikely atm and reinvesting seems even less likely. Middle of the road moves and sell the new coaching staff will change the outcome seems about right for this FO. Another 90+ loss season may get this FO fired so it's in their best interest to try and eek out 80 wins. I'm not ready to agree with Zebby and Priellip to the BP. Priellip just completed his 1st health season. I know how old he is but seems at least a half season to early. I'd say the same for Zebby. Goldschmidt fits the 80 wins and not waiting for their unemployment check to show up plan... 1 year contract BP arms should be a focus.

I'm on board. I might even try to go 4 years and wipe out his last 2 Arb seasons. Pay it forward type of thing. So, 4 for 40. That may cover the gap to Tait, Diaw, Jimenez or someone who takes a big step up.

It's a sign Correa, extend Lopez and then right size payroll. Type of thing to me. If they're going to do it. COMMIT to it...Not 1/2 measures. April and May of young guys then send them to AAA because they don't hit the ground running for your Mlib contract veteran..NO..

To make the 26-man roster. Yeah, probably BP or AAA. BP doesn't mean it's forever.

Lowe sure. If they play OF it should be a not at this time. Look at IF especially good SS defenders. then you may be onto something.

I like your optimism. It's a stretch to buy into. But that's what the off season is for.

That's what spring training is for....Hope. Whether it's Larnach or your 2026 favorite.

I feel like it's a good use of a 40-man spot. Sorry to see Keirsey get DFA'd But the OF depth made it likely no matter who was added. Would have preferd a trade for Susac from the A's

Good. None tendering Larnach is like hoping someone who hasn't produced yet will. The FO may be selling hope but I'll take a floor over hope on this team.

MLIB contracts with SP invites. I'd signed all three by this morning. MLB contract. I really like Lowe. If he'd be interested in a 2- or 3-year contract say in the 6-8 mil range (per year) with bonuses for things like all-star, gold glove and so on. Still should be cheap enough to be traded if it doesn't work out well. Moreta I'd think there's plenty of room in the pen for a guy like him. Foley not so much. I'd need to hear what our new hitting coach from Detroit had to say. Probably pass

With out anything to go on from the FO or ownership it's kinda hard to say core or out the door. If you're looking at max value, you trade Jeffer and Ryan this winter. Also, Buck if he wants out after those moves. I think Pablo will have as much or more value at the trade deadline. Same for Ober. Keaschall IMO doesn't belong on this list. It's just way too early for him to be considered. Could be our next Polanco or our next Miranda. Another season then he may belong on the list.

Rutschman for Ober? OK...Then flip him to the Phillies/Rangers/(add the team you think) for prospects that line up better for 2027 and beyond. So really, I'd say pass.

Fair enough. I see him as their version of Larnach. League average offence with not great defense. At 2.5x the salary and less control. Except we could use a 1b and another RH bat.

If the goal is to have a shot at the division. Run it back and add a few middle of the road free agents. If the goal is to hang a flag a target field, I don't see it happening, in today's game, without doubling payroll or making bold moves. I lean towards the cash in the chips you have and bloat the farm with high upside prosects 1-3 years away.

Supposedly they we're looking to move him at the deadline and not unlike Castellanos moving his salary would free up money for greater needs. So more a salary dump with a league average OF/DH coming back. They have room for Larnach in their OF. Gasper would be more of a AAA/3rd catcher type thing maybe switch with Julien. I don't expect him to be on the 26 man for them.

Well, I'll go with a we're trying to win games plan for now. With a few trades. Trade 1. Jeffer to the Padres for Adrian Morejon and another A ball player or two. Trade 2. Larnach and Gasper to Phillies for Alec Bohm and an A ball player. Trade 3. Pablo Lopez to the Cubs for Miguel Amaya and Javier Assad. Most the freed up $ I spend in the BP on short term deals. I know the FO doesn't spend there. BUT, they've never had a BP like the one at the end of the 2025 season. Multiyear deals for Willie and Bader. Give me another 20 mil to payroll and I'm replacing Clemens with Kyle Schwarber as my DH. Not exciting but I think this team could be in the mix for the division. If it goes badly lots of BP arms to trade at the deadline and a few position players who could go to make room for the AAA guys. C: Miguel Amaya ($0.80M) 1B: Alec Bohm ($10.25M) 2B: Luke Keaschall ($0.80M) 3B: Royce Lewis ($3.00M) SS: Brooks Lee ($0.80M) LF: Harrison Bader ($13.00M) CF: Byron Buxton ($15.00M) RF: Matt Wallner ($0.80M) DH: Cody Clemens ($1.10M) 4th OF: Alan Roden ($0.80M) Utility: Austin Martin ($0.80M) Utility: Willie Castro ($7.00M) Backup C: Jhonny Pereda ($0.80M) POS: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M) SP1: Joe Ryan ($5.80M) SP2: Baily Ober ($4.60M) SP3: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M) SP4: Zebby Matthews ($0.80M) SP5: Mick Adel/ Taj Bradly ($0.80M) RP: Justin Topa ($2.00M) RP: Kody Funderburk ($0.80M) RP: Cole Sands ($1.30M) RP: Pierson Ohl ($0.80M) RP: Ryan Helsley ($12.00M) RP: Pete Fairbanks ($9.00M) RP: Adrian Morejon ($5.25M) RP: Javier Assad ($0.80M) POS: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M) Payroll is 9.36% under budget

We can only guess right now. The FO and ownership are hiding payroll/new investors like a present from Santa. Hoskins makes sense. May... not so much unless he's in the BP. Way to many. Could be, may be, I want them to be starting pitchers that will end up on the 40 man. May just doesn't fit

If he's getting traded. the Mets and Red Sox line up better than the Giants. Without Eldridge, which I believe is not available, there's no trade here that remotely matches what was done at the deadline.