hitterscount

Especially when it seems like it's every 4th day.

Spot on. Sometimes it seems keeping players that are deserving a call to the big league are intentionally held down to control the players arbitration years. I personally hate this part of the union contact. I wonder how many players are broken by being intentionally manipulated by being held back 2,3 4 years sometimes even longer just to mess with team control. If a player is producing in the minors and there are underperformers on the major league team, holding the minor league player back is half ass backwards. As fun as the last week was, this lineup is not competing next year. Gasper, Roden, Fitzgerald, Julien, are not helping next year. The entire BP, pretty much, will need a rebuild.. Zero chance most could produce consistently over a 162 game season. Larnach/Wallner manning the outfield corner positions is not a winning tandem. Brooks Lee doesn't look like a major league SS, and looked worse at 2nd and 3rd. Lewis looks lost. I don't know exactly what we have in the minors, but holding players back that could help next year and are producing in the minors should be called up. There are so many holes to fill that holding guys back that could be part of the future should happen at some point this season. On a different rant, why are we using BP games with Bradley and Abel playing at AAA. While it's been fun the last week or so watching players that want to play, we are closer to a AAA team than a mid level major league team.

His swing is so sweet, balanced and doesn't try and pull everything. Please let's not trade him this off-season.

Folks... we have our 2026 closer!

In defense of whoever called for the bunt with two strikes, I watched enough AB's to believe that was the best chance to get the runner to 3rd. He is just bad at baseball.

Neat article..... not sure that the philosophy of drafting SS's in the first round every other year is a good strategy. They have tried to move around Lewis and Lee at the major league level with mixed results,.. Watched most games until late June. Lee looked out of place playing 2nd or 3rd base. Just started watching some games the last week and he looks comfortable at SS. I do question his range over time, he is slower than I thought. Cannot recall a SS with as little speed, but he has a solid arm and good glove when he gets to the ball. Lewis another SS was injured shortly after being moved to the OF. His defense at 3rd is shaky at times, more concerning is he appears to be regressing at the plate. Don't or never will see enough of Culpepper or Houston to have any opinion. Can follow BA, but defensive mechanics/metrics are nearly impossible to gauge. From 2000 until Falvey was brought in there were only 3 SS's drafted, with mixed results. Basically 1st round picks have a 50 /50 shot of making an impact on the roster. So drafting as many SS we do doesn't really matter. But just drafting them because they can be moved around seems questionable.

He has definitely picked up his hitting the past 2 weeks or so, however, when the season mattered he was a big part of the teams woes. He is still hitting a weak .218 with only 27 rbi's along with nearly a 33% strikeout rate. Throw in below average defense and I don't see him as a viable corner outfielder. Would really like to see him get some time at first base, otherwise he is best suited as a DH. Keaschall has 10 rbi's in 1/7 of games played. Would love to see Wallner finish strong at the plate and be a part of the future.

"Having played a soulless brand of baseball for the better part of two seasons" This says it all. The every day line-up sucked the fun, enjoyment, expectations, dreams.... whatever the reason for watching the team, by mid-July. From sloppy baserunning, defense, or little to no discipline at the plate it, the season soured way to soon. With that, as unimpressed I have been with Wallner, Larnach, France.... Correa was the biggest disappointment. 30 plus million and there was no clutch in him. Like BigFork... I loved the signing, was hopeful that it was a sign we were going for a serious postseason run. It never materialized and dumping nearly 70 million in salary was IMO the best trade made at the deadline.

You have to take the emotion out of all of the trades that were made. Every trade should be made with the goal of making the team better, whether immediately or in the future. The strength of the team prior to the trade deadline was the pitching staff. They gutted and dismantled a very serviceable BP. As well as we played during this last road series, there are red flags everywhere with the BP. So back to Varland trade, having a difficult time understanding what value we got out of it…. maybe dumping France, although he could have been DFA’d. We received another LH outfielder, although a superior defensive player over Larnach and Wallner. After trading the other top 4 BP guys this trade made zero sense, unless we were blown away with the return, which wasn’t there. So from a the standpoint of making the team better, it didn’t.

Pulled the trigger and re-started MLB today to see this Keaschall guy.... definitely a player. It's actually fun to watch a team hustle, play with some fire, and take a few professional plate approaches, Keaschall has done all of that. Still a lot of work to do with next year's position players. You have Keaschall, Lee and Jeffers to start with. Still would love to see Wallner get some work at first. And Kody Clemens should be a part of the equation, the replacement for Castro. He has had clutch hits all year and is a good glove no matter where he is penciled in. Get rid of any thoughts on trading Lopez or Ryan. The rotation still can be good. The BP was gutted and will need major work, still not sure what the thought process was. As committed as I was to not paying for another month of MLB, just had to see what the team looks like with some of the underperformers removed. At least there is effort being brought with some pretty sound fundamental baseball, minus a couple of these new pitchers they are rolling out it's been more relaxing than I thought it would be.

This is not a knock on Buxton, if he could stay healthy he could be one of the highest paid players in the MLB, if he chose. He is that good when he's on the field. But winning and playing for a chance at a WS does not appear to be a priority, goal, dream... whatever you want to call it. Correa waived his no trade clause to get the hell out of here and went to a team that is serious about being competitive and it doesn't hurt he played there before. As a competitor I just don't understand why you would stick around this organization with the clock winding down on your productive window of opportunities... this team will be bad for the foreseeable future, personally I would be gone

If Wallner and Larnach are on the team next year than it's just the same crap outfield. They both were handed the keys, and both crashed... miserably. From poor plate approaches, low contact, can't hit with RISP and worse defense, Both are liabilities in the field. They were significant contribuers to this miserable season. I don't care what they do the rest of the season, it's over... the pressure is off. They have had enough time to show what they could do. Hitting HR's down 10 or up 8 doesn't cut it, pads stats but that's it. I watched way to many important pressure AB's this year from to see they are not part of the future/solution. If you want to try and resurrect Wallner's career, put him at 1st and see if he can field there. If he looks alright he can earn a spot next spring.

Just read an article on Bar Stool Sports, so take it how you want, that the sale is imminent, probably weeks not months. The perspective buyers didn’t want to be responsible for 425 million in debt that came with the buying price. At 1.5-1.7 billion I don’t get it, but if true it explains the dumpster fire at the trading deadline… even though some of the moves didn’t make sense and will make the rebuild more challenging and probably longer to complete. But if true it’s great news! Goodbye Rocco and Falvey and a fresh start to better baseball.

This organization is dysfunctional, and it showed on the field. The players body language said it all, little fire, enthusiasm and even less fight. Fall behind, game over. Falvey had to believe this lineup would challenge the team HR record, how else could he have thought they would be putting runs on the board…little speed, awful team defense and situational awareness. Basics like where the ball should go to hold runners from getting extra bases, and on the flip zero ability to get an extra base themselves. I don’t believe I have ever watched a slower and boring team. It’s becoming quite clear that Rocco had zero respect from the players, both everyday and the pitchers. From Larnach leading off to pulling pitchers at 65 pitches in the 5th throwing a shutout. His decisions were erratic with zero consistency. Back to Correa… when he was signed the second time he stated that the goal was to eventually be at third. Maybe this season was sooner than expected, but give him credit to realize that he could help the team better there. Wouldn’t be surprised if he begins to play better in Houston, playing for a team that has no team chemistry being lead by a clown will affect production. Moving him was the correct call, especially if Lewis can stay healthy and doesn’t want to move to second. Paying 30 million a year for the production we would get in return wasn’t reasonable.

I assume you haven’t followed what I have been saying the past 18 months? The pitching staff wasn’t the problem, rather was part of the solution. For that I have given Falvey credit. But what he put together with the position players is malfeasance at best. France, Larnach and Walner should not have been paired together to be the corner outfielders, no viable 2nd baseman. You could look at this lineup from before spring training and see there was no team speed and they would be horrible fielding. This pitching staff was actually better than their numbers and were saddled by terrible defense. What this team needed was a reboot on offense and defense. Trading Bader, France, Correa, Castro all decent moves because they weren’t part of the future. I would argue they should have moved one of Larnach or Wallner. The incompetence started in the Duran trade. We didn’t get the value we should have. Oakland received more in the trade with San Diego and IMO I would take Duran over Miller. From there it was a shot show of dumping salaries and getting nothing in return. I guess you could argue Bradley could be a backend guy.. If there was a strategy over the last few days in these trades I am not seeing it. The offense, defense and lack of team speed was the issue. Nothing they did helped to do a major rebuild. Let’s not forget that they tried to trade Ryan, thankfully they had enough of getting screwed they didn’t pull the trigger on another fleece job. The only hope I have is that the new owners were calling the shots and Rocco and Falvey’s dismissals are coming soon.

What has Jeffers done to deserve a contract extension? He’s a below average defender with a below average rate at throwing out base runners over his career , is near league average this year. Other than they have no other options I wouldn’t break the bank for him.

They hit the exit lane and took the off ramp without a strategy. Their own actions speak of the gross incompetence in putting together the team. Rocco and Falvey should be given the same treatment within the first 10 seconds after the sale of the team.

Here’s my two cents and I have been consistent for the past two years on this assessment… Falvey and Baldelli are not at MLB talent level in their respective positions. Falvey at least put together a competent pitching staff this year. I would take this staff over almost any team in the AL. They needed a co-GM to focus on the offense and defense. Both areas have been putrid for over two seasons. This side of the team could have been re-tooled this offseason, in reality with a couple of these moves today if Falvey focused on OF’s, 1st and 2nd. What we witnessed yesterday and today didn’t need to happen. There was no strategy other than dumping salaries. No one was added in these 10 or so trades that bring any value to what was the problem with the team… contact, speed and defense and none will help next year. This was a disgrace. You have to wonder if the owners goal is moving the team for a better chance at a sale.

Didn’t you just try and tell me we’ve lost nothing and have a solid core left?

I am not totally against what’s happening, other than Duran. We have the pitching… we are awful at making contact, playing defense and base running. What have they done to improve the lineup? Seriously, they haven’t received one everyday player that will help next season. As stated before…. They need help at 1st, 2nd, don’t see Lee as the answer at SS, at least one corner OF, if not both as Walner and Larnich have regressed at the plate and are liabilities on defense, and Jeffers is alright for a catcher at the plate but brings below average defense. These trades do nothing to help next year and I don’t see the cheap ass owners going in on the FA market, or until it’s dumpster diving time. So call me a little pessimistic in what i am watching.

Who cares what he thinks… no way he deserves an extension. Fire him tomorrow and he will be waiting for another club to pick him up.

Alm that matters is the highest rated SS’s.

Over/under in wins next season… my guess is vegas will have them around 68…. we are dangerously close to Colorado Rockies territory,.

Lot of flaws with that lineup, unless you’re talking about getting through the season.

Settle down, a little sarcasm in these dark times.