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I dunno why G-Money didn't simply retire after his 2014 draft recap, acknowledging the applause while slowly spinning around and strolling off the mound.  But he followed up some Trade Option Musings, apparently in the spirit of a Bill Watterson-style cameo, and local Dodger fan "tjm" chimed in on Matt Kemp.

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Matt Kemp

BaseballHQ was extremely bullish, projecting Kemp to slug .536 this season with 7.0 runs per 27 outs -- pointing out that Kemp's 2013 "expected Power Index" held up despite the shoulder problems.  

"Once you show a skill, you own it," Ron says, sometimes.

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Dr. D sees Kemp as an Eric Davis-style player, fragile but with hitting talent that transcends the ups-and-downs on the baseball card.  

TJM notes that Kemp doesn't get along with Don Mattingly, and that Kemp's ability seems bouncebackable, but frets about Kemp's love for the Hollywood scene.

No sweat, dude.  We'll have Jay-Z on it right away!

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Josh Willingham

Mo and MoJo both recommend.  Hey, there's a new Jim Carrey trailer out ..... Mo and MoJo, was it called?

BaseballHQ said, before the year:

• He's still really good
• He's never going to see 500 AB's again (think Corey Hart - drd)

You see why I like Shandler.  Willingham (1) missed April and May, and now (2) has an OPS+ of "Barry Bonds."

So he's Corey Hart, if Hart hadn't missed a year, and if Hart were real sharp right now.

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I swear, every time we criticize the M's at SSI, the announcers respond the next day.  LOL.  After our "somebody has to hit cleanup" shtick, they were all like "That's because Corey Hart is on the DL" on us.

Ya, if you get Corey Hart back, and he ever starts swinging good again -- say, August 27th with five weeks left -- it's gravy.

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Starting Rotation?!

Ken Rosenthal quotes a rival GM, to the effect that Zduriencik wants a veteran starter?!  Here's a cool article on it, MLB Daily Dish, just yestidday.

Supposing for the sake of laughs that the M's ownership committee was getting interested in on-field glory ... the lockdown SP's available are not few:

• David blinkin' Price
• Jeff somethin' Samardzija
• Cliff euphemism' Lee
• James somebodyslapme' Shields
• Jason Hammel, Justin Masterson, guys who won't pitch Opening Day ahead of Felix, maybe, but still

The casual fan will go, "But you need Taijuan or K-Pax to get any of those guys."  The erudite fan, you, has considered what we gave up for Cliff Lee the first time, before he made $27M per.  And you have noticed that most ML teams have dozens of tasty prospects they can dish up.  You certainly could give 4-5 good prospects, rather than two great ones, if you wanted to.  Like, Ackley-Franklin-Elias-Leone-Gohara-Taylor aren't more desirable to Tampa than Taijuan and change?  That is the kind of return that Billy Beane prefers when he cashes a 4th- or 5th-year ace.

Not that you'd do that from Seattle's perspective.  You wouldn't.  We're just dipping our chins against the "It Will Take TAIJAUNNNN!" garrote before it strangles the comments.

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And here's something, from this week, that says the Mariners ARE chasing the first three superstars above.  Slap me silly and call me Sharpay, maybe they're going to spend a little of that cable money after all.

Supposing the M's did that -- three Cy Young winners, then ADD K-Pax, Taijuan and Elias -- would you be willing to suffer through the 2-1 games for a year or three?

Be Afraid,

Dr D