We won't cuz we don't pay relief pitchers. HE realized that the day we made him a relieve at the big league level after being a starter in the minors. Cost him millions over the course of a career. Save this and throw it at me if he re-signs.
Don't do it. Yet. But, maybe in the off-season. You don't get better when your best players are playing for other teams. But, we will need to trade him prior to him reaching free agency. He will NEVER re-sign here.
Speaking of underselling his bat, you posted this article 24 hours AFTER he hit home runs leading off BOTH games of a doubleheader giving him 8 for the season rather than 6.......
We've been touting our arms in St. Paul for quite some time. Time to put up. Do I think they can? Yes. Do I think they will? That's why they play the games.
Twins fans and "experts" spend the entirety of Joe Mauer's career ripping him for not pulling the ball enough. Heap praise on Buxton for not pulling the ball.
Two months ago every rube in town was convinced that Byron Buxton was washed up and would never hit again. One month ago every rube in town was convinced that Carlos Correa had forgotten how to hit. Zero months ago every rube in town is convinced that something drastic has to be done with Royce Lewis......
I'm not disagreeing with anything you are saying. Except your stance that there is an "expected" drop from AA to the big leagues of a hundred points of batting average and 200 points of OPS. The numbers don't say that.
Why would a team with three starting pitchers among the top twenty in the AL and a whole bunch of questionable bats trade two or three of their best hitting prospects for another SP?
Still not buying the expected drop of 200 OPS from AA to the big leagues. I did a random comparison of 26 players. Big names and no names alike. Ranging from guys like Aaron Judge & Freddie Freeman to guys like Alex Call & Taylor Walls. Five of 26 had a 200 point OPS drop. Max Kepler & Carlos Correa were interestingly enough in that group. Ten went UP from AA. The average was a 48 point drop. A FAR cry from your expected 200 point OPS drop. Even Royce Lewis went up 116 points.
Not really shocking that a player in AA ball might not be good enough to hit .300 in the big leagues when 95% of the players IN THE BIG LEAGUES are not good enough to hit .300
What I'm questioning is your statement that if a guy's hitting .293 in AA he'd likely hit .193 in the big leagues. I don't see it.
There are only two ways DeGrom goes ahead of Ryan: 1, he dominates June and or Ryan tanks. Possible? Sure. Likely? Not so much. 2: He gets it as a lifetime achievement award. Doesn't really happen so much in baseball at least among pitchers where there is no fan vote. DeGrom ahead of Pablo & Ober? Sure. But not Ryan. Accept it folks, Ryan has become an elite level starting pitcher. Top 7 in the AL. It's ok. This is NOT against the rules. Enjoy it.
Yes, I understand that. But, by the same token, there are seven guys hitting .300 in AA and the highest average in AA was .331. So by your logic, in a few years, the highest average in the majors will be .231. I'm not buying it.
"By moving the best hitter to the second position, teams guarantee they hit in the first inning," I am by no means an expert but I tend to think that the guy in the third position will get a LOT of 1st inning at bats as well. Am I missing something?