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Mark G

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Everything posted by Mark G

  1. Mark G
    I know I am showing how new I am here, but just who is the we in we selected Louis the MVP? I totally concur, but I am curious as to the group. Maybe I should know and just missed it somewhere along the line. I do think whoever the group is, y'all got it right. My only non concurrence would be that if y'all are letting the analytics decide for y'all who the MVP of a team is, I find myself tuning out. Just the extremely humble opinion of one of the newer ones, even though I know the minority I am in.
  2. Mark G
    The Cave man has always been a good 4th or 5th outfielder to have around. He can play all 3 positions, is a decent defensive player at all 3, and has a little bit of a pop now and then.........mostly then, but what do we truly expect from a utility outfielder? If you are looking for 4 or 5 starting caliber outfielders, then all you are going to get is a rotation. Is that what we want? This extremely humble observer would rather have 3 guys you want to play every day and a guy or two that will sub for any one of them when the time is right. The Cave man fits that bill, and is priced right for a team that needs a lot of guys priced right. Give the man his due, gray beard or not. Another contract like he had in '22 would be perfect.
  3. Mark G
    Jeez, we had the guy we want. He has said he would like to stay, if it could be worked out. Why can't we find a way to keep him?
  4. Mark G
    A couple of questions as I fade away to sleep (I work overnights)......... Is admitting mistakes in private really admitting mistakes? Admitting to whom? Themselves? If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear........... And if the mistakes are made by "their people", how is protecting them (and keeping them) solving the problem of the mistakes? No matter how good or bad a hand you are dealt, it is still up to you to play the hand. How long can you blame the dealer for your losses? Just one extremely humble observer's thoughts as he drifts off to sleep.......zzzzzzzzzzz
  5. Mark G
    I love the analogy, and in its own way it is perfect. Can I give you another one, fictitious as it is? I manage a Holiday Station Store (I actually did a long time ago), and the company gives me, as manager, a great amount of leeway in how I stock my store, as I know my neighborhood and my customer base. So, I stock a lot of produce, put out certain hot foods throughout the day, and put hard goods on my shelves that I think will sell. I price them according to what my customer base will be willing to pay before going somewhere else. For 2 years, I don't have issues with spoiled product, I produce a pretty good gross product, and the company and the customers are pleased. But in those 2 years the makeup of the neighborhood has been changing. A lot of the apartment buildings have had considerable turnover, and the economy is a little different. In other words, my customer base has changed. But I don't. I continue to stock fresh produce, which I end up throwing out because no one is buying it. My milk spoils because it is not a popular staple anymore. And the hot foods I continue to put out are thrown away because my new customer base doesn't like them. In those 2 years I have considerable waste, a low gross profit, and a total net loss. My customer base is not pleased with my store, and my company is losing its patience. What are the odds I keep my job unless I adapt, like yesterday? What worked for 2 years hasn't worked for the last 2. No one is going to please everyone, and in reality shouldn't try to. But when your customer base, the ones you live or die off of, tell you you are doing something wrong, you have to adapt, adjust, or you lose them. And in the real world, it doesn't matter what or who you manage, you have to succeed to keep your job. To succeed, you adapt, adjust, to the ever changing circumstances. Does anyone truly see that here? Again, as I have said before, I don't pretend to speak for anyone else, but this extremely humble observer does not. Your analogy really was great, and I agree with it in principle. But even if you produced the greatest radio station ever your listener's tastes would change over time, and you would have to make changes to your format along the way or you would die. I just want our favorite team to do the same.
  6. Mark G
    Too bad; if he was, he would know how to bunt.
  7. Mark G
    No question; Jhoan Duran. A potential top flight closer comes along how often? Leave him in the pen and let him close until he proves us wrong. This extremely humble observer doesn't think he will.
  8. Mark G
    As opposed to the first 120 years of baseball knowledge? What some of us are saying is the former should compliment the latter, not replace it.
  9. Mark G
    And they move runners up, putting them in scoring position or even better scoring position, they eliminate the force play and reduce the odds of a double play considerably. They put more pressure on the pitcher and the defense. The out becomes worth it, especially when the person you are asking to bunt is your low average hitter and is likely to make an out anyway.
  10. Mark G
    Ummmm...........yeah. He manages the free agents and he manages the roster. And he should do it differently than he does. That's what the posts typifies.
  11. Mark G
    I can't argue with a whole lot of the above, but what happens when their numbers 1, 2 and maybe even 3 pitch 6 or 7 innings (or more?) and ours pitch 5, or 5 1/3, or 5 2/3? Then it comes down to bullpen depth. Can we match that as well? Will we continue to stick with the 3rd and 4th times through the lineup plan, or will we let our best pitchers stay on the mound? Would the plan change just because it is a playoff game? My gut tells me that if you won't let a guy try for his no hitter because of a pitch count, you won't change for anything. So we need to get a BP of studs or what we see is what we get.
  12. Mark G
    I am not sure if this will be considered going off topic or not, because it is more general, but I couldn't disagree with you more about one point. The manager of a baseball team has as much or more control over games than most football coaches. He makes decisions on virtually every pitch, much less who plays, who plays where, where they hit in the lineup, when changes are made, shifts.......I could go on for a while. Even if the decision is to let someone else make the decision (allowing a catcher to call pitches, giving the green light to runners and letting them decide, etc.) the decisions are his. He will tell a coach how aggressive to be or how careful. He sends the signs to the field through his coaches, and again, I could go on. How you can believe that the manager, of any team, doesn't have the most impact is beyond this extremely humble observer's mind set, but you are certainly entitled to believe it. And it is not just the one run games folks are concerned about. The team scored 3 runs or less in approx 47% of the games this year. That is where small ball comes in; manufacturing a run now and then or, in our case, not manufacturing one, has made a difference in way too many games. And I know I am older and think more old school, but fundamentals are knowing how to bunt, run the bases, throw to the right base under each circumstance, hit and run, steal..........some people refer to it as small ball. How would I know if a team has good fundamentals if they don't do so much of the above because the analytics say not to? I can only speak for this extremely humble observer, but I have not seen these fundamentals during this tenure.
  13. Mark G
    "Stop looking at those Cyber Metric Cards in the dugout and watch the game!!" Agreed!! Some time back I put in a post that said remember the days when the manager would be on the top step of the dugout watching intently each pitch and each play? Me too. Remember the days when the manager would sit behind the protective screen with his coaches and study the stat sheets? Yea, me neither. And I am the one who has to adjust.
  14. Mark G
    What can be said that hasn't been said already, I guess? As Ted points out, Rocco was picked from Tampa for his knowledge of, and use of all of their analytics that made them successful and somewhat groundbreaking. He brought that here, and has stuck with it through thick and thin. Now it is easy to use any philosophy when your team hits 307 home runs, or plays a 60 game season and barely hangs on to the end of it. But 162 game seasons without the home runs is the challenge all managers will face at one time or another, and we have all seen how those years have gone as well. Ted points out, for example, that all teams have gone to shorter starts to one degree or another, but to do that you need a BP that is somewhat able to handle the load. We didn't have that, and yet we didn't adjust over time. Ryan the 3rd time through the order, or Duffy the first time through the order? Gray or Ober the 3rd time through, or Pagan the first time through? And so on, and so on. It was also confusing as to the "schedule" for scheduled days off for the front line players. Starters pitched less and the pen pitched more. Front line players played less and the utility guys played more. When your pen isn't strong enough to pull that load, and your bench isn't better than what we had for much of the season, due to injuries and other factors, maybe it is time to lean on your starters, both on the mound and on the field. Yet, we never did adjust to the players we had in the clubhouse as the injuries took their toll. We never did perform fundamentals well, and never used small ball to our advantage when it was called for. In other words, we never used the whole tool box that was at our disposal. It was more important to stick to the "plan". The results the first two years were from players who hit a lot of home runs. Take that away, and we are, what, about 20 or so games under .500 the last two years? You have to adjust or die in this game, and I just do not see Rocco adjusting. It is the rest of us who are told we have to adjust to the way the game is played today. This extremely humble observer is saying no thanks. Not if this is going to be the result. I don't want to wait for the 3 run homer every game. Use the whole tool box and lean on your studs. Play a little small ball while your computer spits out more stats. Give us something to watch.
  15. Mark G
    I hear every word! Me, as well.
  16. Mark G
    First off, don't base your assessment of the coming year(s) by what this FO or above says; they have never been straight forward with us in their entire existence. Second, don't try to assume a payroll number going into the season. The 3 years combined of '20-'22 have produced a total of just under 3.2M tickets sold. In other words, the last 3 years put together have produced a net loss that JP is not going to take lightly. So, assume a payroll cut back, while hoping for better. We will very likely go with the contracts we are bound to pay no matter what, and pull back on new ones, other than low salary deals for existing or new players. The one exception just might be Correa, since he has publicly declared he would like to stay, but only if a long term deal can be made for market price. JP might want to invest long term in a player he can point to, ala Mauer, that helps the team and gives good PR when it comes to fan interest. If not, get used to hoping we can put together a healthy roster that produces above and beyond expectations. And, just as an aside, we also have to remember we do not get 57 games against Detroit, KC, and Chicago next year, as it is a balanced schedule. That has helped keep us afloat for years now, and will be gone from now on. Can we compete with the whole league from now on? Just a thought.
  17. Mark G
    Agree with a lot, but keeping Bundy at 11M and cutting loose Cave at 1M or so isn't the kind of financial move this FO is likely to make.
  18. Mark G
    A while back (not sure exactly how far, but not too far) I floated the idea of putting Gio at short if Correa left, and I was scolded for that, too. That's why I didn't do it this time, but I agree with you that it is not a bad short term solution. He has played it before, and it wouldn't be long term. And look at it this way: with all the major shifts we put on left handed pitchers, he has moved over into the traditional SS position so many times he is probably used to it. Overall, I like the guy and he isn't that expensive in todays baseball dollars. Give him an extension.
  19. Mark G
    Totally agree on the catching situation. In the opinion of this extremely humble observer it is as dire as any position we have right now. But I will continue to submit we get nothing for Urshela by just not tendering him and letting him go. I would submit that we trade Polanco while he does have value, and move Arraez to 2nd, breaking up that logjam somewhat. Polanco reminds me a lot of Rasario; once he started to fall, he fell quite a bit. Polanco is starting to get hurt more, and his production shows. Trade him while he has value, hold onto Urshela while he is playing well, and keep Miranda free to play both corners. I just don't trust the health of Polanco and Kirilloff.
  20. Mark G
    "How to honor Ohtani is a dilemma, because the Cy possibly is destined for Dylan Cease (with Alek Manoah as a dark horse coming on strong down the stretch)" I'm kind of thinking Verlander, myself. Where am I going wrong? Good idea about the 3 different award categories. Without some kind of a change it is always going to be the same debate: is it the player of the year award, or the most valuable player award? And I already won that debate. Just kidding.
  21. Mark G
    I am a little confused on one or two things. You say you want to keep Gio, but not long term, because Miranda has the better bat, can improve his defense over time, and is part of the future core. On the other hand you say Miranda is likely not the 3rd baseman of the future with all the prospects we have coming up, and if AK does get well and takes on 1st base as a primary position, where does that leave Miranda? If Miranda has been groomed to be our 3rd baseman of the future, then Gio is only going to warrant the one year arbitration offer; there is no room for both at one position longer term. But if Miranda is only holding down the position until one of the prospects shows up and takes over, I will go back to the bird in the hand argument. Gio is a proven commodity, and I will take that over potential prospects coming up in '24 or beyond, because they not only have to develop thoroughly, they have to stay healthy and that is a real trick in this organization. Miranda can play both 3rd and 1st, and can DH on other days. And even if AK comes back next year and plays up to his potential, that injury is always one swing away from derailing the whole plan; and he can play the OF as well. We took a gamble on a 33 year old Donaldson, knowing Miranda was in the wings, but won't take a chance on a 30-31 year old Gio? I don't think it would take 4 years, but 2 or 3 with an option would be appropriate, at least in this extremely humble observers opinion. But I will add the price has to be right; no Donaldson esq contract. In a different post I threw out the idea that it might be time to trade Polanco while he still has a decent return value. That opens up a spot for Arraez, and breaks the logjam of 1st and 3rd base players somewhat. Right now, from what I have seen this year, Urshella is healthier than Polanco and can match his bat. We have trade value for Palanco, and virtually none for Urshella, with no team control after '23. Might be a better plan for the immediate future while we wait for the long term future to prove itself. Just one man's thought process at 2:20 in the morning.
  22. Mark G
    My head is definitely spinning on this one. Love him........trade him.........gotta have a guy like him.........unless he can play another postion, we don't need him........ Going to bed now, I am dizzy (Just kidding, I really am just teasing)
  23. Mark G
    I wouldn't. As I, and others have said in the past, I trust the eye test more than the "metrics". There is a reason Gio has played in 138 games, exclusively at one position, when Rocco had alternatives. Just have to agree to disagree on this one.
  24. Mark G
    Again, a bird in the hand. You have a pretty good 3rd baseman who can hit in your clubhouse. You have a player who played 3rd base in the minors, but hasn't shown the defense you would like, but sure can hit, and can also be put in another position sitting next to him. And you have an outfielder/1st baseman who has shown he can't stay healthy enough to count on. Then you have a bunch of potential prospects who may, or may not, ever spend much time in the above mentioned clubhouse, and certainly not knowing how long it may take for them to get to that clubhouse. A proven commodity vs. all of the above. Hmmmmmm........... Again, a bird in the hand. Where am I going wrong?
  25. Mark G
    Agree with most, but at the end you say if he were a FA today he would get 3-4 year offers; offers being plural. I believe that is right; more than one team in MLB would consider that. My thought process is if multiple other teams (at least I believe there would be) think he is worth the offer, why wouldn't we? Our 3rd base options are a lesser fielder who we could play elsewhere, and prospects we hope will be ready soon. A bird in the hand...........
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