Here's a fun fact: For all the consternation about their length of starts, Al (Ted) Bundy & Archer are second and fourth on the staff in Innings Pitched.
If they "don't" make the Ryan deal they're probably looking at a double digit deficit by August this year. That's all the proof of anything I need. By the way, for as bad as he's allegedly pitched, Berrios has 10 wins for the Jays this year.
It's not that I "view the concept of analytics as annoying." Hell, I was on that train when Bill James was still producing his Baseball Abstract every year and most of the folks reading this were wearing diapers. But I'm reminded of the wise man (can't remember if it was TK or Gardy) who once uttered that analytics are an excellent way of predicting the past.
I'm still giving development points for having the wherewithal to trade for Ryan. Could just as easily have been two Strotmans. As far as SWR goes, I'm not sure that "being in the Twins system for over a year now" as a starting pitcher and having five wins to show for it is the ringing endorsement you're looking for either.
If you're gonna include Woods-Richardson, you've gotta include Ryan. Not everybody thought he was MLB ready when they acquired him. The Rays for instance. If you're gonna give points for one trade (that thus far has NOT produced results) you've gotta give points for the one that has produced results anyway.
How about if I substitute Larnach? We had TWO 1st round picks as reasons to jettison Rosario two years ago and neither can stay healthy. Buxton's got more plate appearances than either of them. And Celestino. And JEFFERS!!!!!! Sorry, my point has little to do with the AFL and much to do about our two saviors inability to stay healthy enough to contribute.
Don't know that I'd trust Kiriloff's surgically repaired anything. Seems like we'd just be starting the clock ticking on his 250 healthy plate appearances for next year.
My favorite Tony O memory is from his last year in the bigs when in a few road games he was in the starting lineup as the second baseman batting in the top three just to get him an at bat before being replace defensively in the bottom of the first. Only happened a handful of times but I'll never forget.
Not much in the way of highly regarded catchers in the pipeline which made the March trades so head scratching. Body by Willians Austidillo which makes one wonder how long he'll last behind the plate but if he gets here soon enough half a decade shouldn't be out of the question. 88 hits from the big league catcher spot this year so opportunity knocks.