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Geoff Baker has another interesting article on the M's payroll decisions. He continues to press a point that we've batted around :- ) since about 1998. This point being that player performance-per-dollar should not be calculated to three decimal places, not when you have a bigger picture that big FA contracts result in --- > bigger payroll caps that expand to dilute the impact of these contracts.
It's like saying I paid $38 for Miguel Cabrera when the math projects him to be worth $32.47, so you're going to ream me out for it. But hey! If I sign that deal, my $260 allotment goes to $265.53 during the draft. This consideration is overlooked constantly.
There are cool mini-anecdotes, like did you know Jays' GM was hammered by new President Mark Shapiro when he traded prospects for David Price -- who helped end the Jays' 9,000-year playoff drought?
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Jeff Sullivan had a weekly Fangraphs chat last week. He noted that Nelson Cruz hit 0 spring training homers in 2015, before he went all 160-OPS over the AL's keister. He's doin' better, earlier, this year. I like how he gets lots of Mariners questions, no doubt from residual Lookout Landing groupies.
... well, he had stuff way more interesting than that, such as his acknowledgment that xFIP should never have become a dogma. Tomorrow's news today, babe! :- D
Here is a semi-related article from Hardball Times, and it features Vidal Nuno. Caution: do not click unless you enjoy stass-stistics. We're talking the ones you get in college, if you're there for reasons unrelated to social dynamics.
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Shannon Drayer interviewed Nate Karns, who put things in a way that internet chess geeks could unnerstan'. Herding cats mentally, that's precisely the feeling when you're playing blitz chess. Or when standing over an approach shot having just hit 5 weak long shots and 5 strong ones. Or when trying to figure out whether the Mariners' coaches use spring training stats or don't ....
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MLB.com has "usable" quotes from Servais on Mike Montgomery. Detect-O-Vision translation: Montgomery is hilariously raw as a bullpen guy, but also has versatility (3 IP, good RHB/LHB) that greatly intrigues the M's. That puts it in a new light. Do you like the idea of an ambitious project right now, as compared to (say) Dave Rollins?
Hey, G-Money or somebody help me out here. Rollins was a Rule 5 guy, wasn't he? How come he has an option? Don't they have Rule 5 so you can get on with your career if you're suppressed in the minors too long?
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Greg Johns sees Blake Parker as having a shot to be the last reliever, notwithstanding Dr. D's shrug in the cubicle one step to your left. The issue seems to be whether Parker's elbow will yield the day-in, day-out versatility the M's want and need in that spot. Would be a big upset in my mind if he got the nod right now, but ... go down to AAA and establish a sharp fastball-slider game and he could emerge as the midsummer's Mayckol Guaipe. Which raises a rather obvious question about the 12th-pitcher competition.
Enjoy,
Dr D
If I have this right, Rule 5 has to do with not being on a 40-man roster after a certain amount of time - or if you were, having been removed and have that "service time". You don't burn option years until you are on the 40-man. The "price" of drafing someone Rule 5 is keeping him on the 25. Once you've done that for a season, you can do what you want until you're out of options.
Guys, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on this.
The Rule 5 restrictions only apply for the year in which drafted. Once the drafted guy spends the entire year on the 25-man roster, then he's yours to keep and he can be dealt with just like any other player.
In an odd twist, the M's got a break with Rollins since he spent much of the year suspended for PEDs and wasn't actually using up a roster spot until July.