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This space available for rent
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Ryan Divish is doing a good chat today. As he sees it, the Mariners will deal for a #3 SP which --- > leaves Karns, Miranda, Heston, and Whalen competing for the #5 SP slot. The idea is that KKKKarns will get serious about pitch efficiency if his job depends on it.
As we all know, a baseball team uses 12 starters during a season, not 5. It will have 8 guys getting double-digits games started. So Heston will be in there. More on him in a few minutes.
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Another takeaway from Divish' chat ... you have to filter Divish' personal preferences, and you have to Google-translate the way he relays his sources' opinions. But Divish relates that the Pirates' opening ask for Andrew McCutchen was:
I don't buy the idea that the Pirates seriously threw this at the Mariners, except as banter. The Pirates would know that Edwin Diaz isn't going anywhere, for one thing, and it's not like Andrew McCutchen just now posted another 7 WAR season. But FWIW. A lot of times you hear "the talks didn't get far" and this is the kind of opening salvo that can result in Taijuan Walker shipped immediately to an NL team other than Pittsburgh.
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Some indications that if Edwin Encarnacion's price continues to tumble, the Mariners could dive into the fray. Based on the idea that the new ownership does indeed want a Fall Classic in Seattle.
Enjoy,
Dr D
I don't mind going into the season counting on 2 of Haniger/Gamel/Vogelbach making a decent impact. I think counting on all 3 in a season like this would be awfully risky of Dipoto.
I would be happy with EE to split time with Vogelbach and DH while Cruz plays a little RF for the final season. Talk about lengthening your lineup... And, with Cruz departing after 2 seasons, EE has a natural path to DH the final two years of his contract before Cano takes over.
I agree BPJ with your thoughts on limiting unproven rookies in the win now window. I have close to 0 Zero confidence in Gamel directly. I like Heredia he is a CF range in a corner and an OBP guy. The best thing I can say about V-Bach is that he runs well for somebody that looks like the larger half of the Laurel and Hardy pair.
Now, this talk of possibly in on Edward Encarnacion. Wow.
Roster
SS Segura
OF Smith- Heredia
2B Cano
DH Cruz
3B Seager
1B EE
OF Haniger
C Zunino-Ruiz
OF Martin
Now, One of my long obsessions has been putting an M uniform on Yu Darviush after the M's put the Rangers out of contention by reversing the luck factor of 2016 the M's trade the frigging farm for Darvish's fina1+ years and we roll with that. Either that or they fail and time to load up on top 100 spects for everybody.
Haniger is a regular for me. Rotating between CF and RF.
I'm not high on Gamel and Heredia is a 4th or 5th outfielder. We actually could use another RH bat somewhere cause vs lefties you're going to probably play Nelson in RF then who DHs if Valencia is at 1B?
Unless they are truly committed to defense and will leave Nelson at DH daily and go with Heredia-Martin-Haniger vs left handers