M's vs White Sox less one jose quintana type
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... rather be watching the White Sox than the Astros or Cubs on Friday, that is. Speaking as a James Paxton fan.
We link, you decide. Here is a Paxton-Shields preview worth your time. Plot spoiler: if there's such a thing as an AL team you'd love to start your 2H with, it's lurking nearby. Also, here's a ICYMI reminder that K-Pax' last start saw the return of Zeus, who is now 7-3, 3.21 despite the nicks, dings and youthful travails. He's got a FIP of 2.85 and a WAR of 2.5, so Dr. D still waits breathlessly for the 5.0 mile marker later in the year.
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Out of sight, out of mind? Not at SSI. Here's a quickie on Dan Vogelbach returning to the 2H with a 2-hit day; he's batting .283 but the real news this week was 'Bach's prodigious performance in the AAA homer derby. Dr. D has had zero questions about Bach's hitting, none at all, other than power. He's laying those to rest.
It's not like Danny Valencia is owning it at first. StatCast has his "expected batting average" quite a bit lower than it is, and even if that's not fair, his WAR is 0.2 this year. Valencia is helping the club, especially with the mitt. But with Boomstick's ankle gimp, don't be shocked when 'Bach gets to looking really good in a stretch and he's bach up in a platoon.
And the Mainframe will be glad to see it.
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Here there be the week's MLB Trade Rumors chat transcript. In the middle of July that's a buzzy place ta go.
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Ryan Divish has a piece up on the M's trade prospects over the next coupla weeks. First, a fast quibble about the idea that a 3% improvement to the roster is the dealbreaker on a push for the Wild Card. A move for a player would be great, but is it really the main factor in the M's possibilities? You could gain or lose more than that with the emergence of an Andrew Moore, or the injury of a James Paxton, or the jelling of a Mike Zunino.
But still. Divish has some exciting stuff, including the opinions of some scouts that the M's "might" have to include Gamel or Heredia if they want a TOR starter back ... heh, heh, heh. Good read there. G'wan ahead without me.
Edit to add, I saw some quote by Dipoto elsewhere, to the effect that you sign free agents in December, and make your trades in July. Huh.
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Kate Preusser at LL is a fine writer and she unpacks the Quintana deal for us, with the idea of projecting what they have to pay for a top pitcher.
I'll zig against her zag here; she expresses sticker shock at the deal but is hilariously self-aware of her own propensity to sticker shock. It leads the article off brilliantly. To me, a #11 prospect with a #90 prospect, with two throwins, is a goooooood bit less than I expected Quintana to cost. He's signed long term, four years, at one-third to one-half his value. I thought the Sox were holding out for 4 prospects, not two, which was also to include a glamor name.
That said, the article has a good listing of the target-rich environment including Wacha, Teheran who is supposedly not for sale, and the rest of them. Jeff Sullivan also has a breakdown of the Quintana deal; in this kind of situation he's usually as authoritative as it gets this side of Bill James. Sully not only has the know-how but also has no axe to grind against either buyer or seller in these situations. In this case he writes more briefly, admiring the Cubs' side of the deal.
The M's got 4 starters I like right now. A Drew Smyly replacement would be ideal, but Dr. D would be almost as happy with an "impact" reliever and a willingness to shorten the game.
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BABVA,
jemanji