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Catcher priority one, we knew that. Mo talked up Edman = no SS coming. He talked up our outfield and Walker, sounds like stand pat.
Maybe he will acquire an impact arm. He needs 3 or 4 but one is a start.
Yep, they have been talking about acquiring a catcher since the deadline. Even if its a Narvaez type on a Dickerson contract, they likely add someone.
Every mlb catcher knows Yadi just retired, and StL contends more often than not. StL is a preferred destination now at catcher, and that can work in the FO favor with FA’s.
Upgrading 2022 Molina (0.2 in 270 PA’s) can be done in-house (Knizner 0.8 in 293 PA’s), but it remains to be seen how much of an upgrade the acquisition is beyond Knizner.
Mlb teams averaged 1.6 bwar at catcher last season. Double Knizner PA’s and he was mlb avg last season. We’ll see what the cost is to upgrade, and what funds or prospect capital is left to address a well below avg pitching staff.
I’m willing to stand pat on the position players but the FO will add a catcher.
I’ll take Varsho over Contreras, Murphy, Vasquez, all the offseason names.
O’Neill plus, because ARI wants to add RH power, as a best guess.
Daulton Varsho checks so many of the FO offseason needs that I’d have to rank him our #1 trade target.
Catcher ✅
LH batter ✅
Outfield production ✅
Middle order bat ✅
Plus D at multi-positions ✅I’d endorse overpaying. ARI wants RH power to balance their lineup. Their pen is a wreck and they need to add to the rotation.
Thompson made one start last season and got blew up, 5 IP, 5 ER.
As a reliever Thompson threw 29.2 IP with a 0.91 ERA, allowing a 21 ops+, facing 112 batters.
With Cabrera’s inability to create K’s the second half (1 in 50 PA’s) and McFarland’s deserved demotion, I could see both Thompson and Woodford adding to their IP totals next season.
The flip side is, HomerHagen and Stratton both have guaranteed contracts which allow them the opportunities and a longer leash.
Even dealing with injuries he’s mid 3.00’s, so with improved health and more IP I’d want him to accept a Q-offer, which he wouldn’t. Hope.
25,
“25+ GS, mid 3.00’s ERA”
You just described Flaherty’s 2021 & 2022 combined (roughly), so that production of those metrics in 2023, is not far fetched.
23 GS, 3.54 ERA (actual)
I don’t think that production is Q-offer worthy, especially the 114 IP, but Jack might, so I see your point.
If he hits the GS and ERA markers with 150 IP, he has reached the “much to prove” production. The IP is a key for him to re-establish.
We used 7 different pitchers in the 2022 postseason. Maybe the best of them that series was Q, and now he’s a FA.
Mikolas, Montgomery, Helsley, Gallegos, Hicks and Pallante remain from that series. That is the pitching core that management chose with the season on the line.
For me, you can add Thompson and Woodford to that core. The remaining pitchers currently on the roster require HOPE. That’s a lot of hoping.
Thanks for the link. Pretty much stating what we have been saying since Goold ran point for the FO about the budget.
The rotation seems full by choice, that’s the FO decisions.
Wainwright, Flaherty and Hudson are nearly 25mil for 2023. They decided to bring them back, by choice. I’d have chosen a different path😉
Maybe we trade away some salary too. I know they have been looking at catcher since the deadline, bet that one happens. After that? Who knows.
GS, you should feel good about the IF, we spent 70 to 80mil bucks on the primaries. What did we spend on Noot, Carlson and O’Neill? 5mil?
We can’t have MVP candidates everywhere, and a develop from within org NEEDS to graduate young players to offset the infield $ spent.
Our outfield was top 10 last season and our pitching was bottom 10. I’ll leave it at that because I’m sure I’m sounding like a broken record.
Per Fangraphs, Carlson finished 12th in CF, just behind Bryan Reynolds at #11. Bellinger finished 21st.
The roster right now reminds me of a coin album with two coins missing. You know which ones are missing, the expensive ones.
They are expensive because of their scarcity and that’s where the FO is shopping this winter. Scarcity at catcher and SP1 within mlb will likely yield only one of the two this winter, on the funds available, and they are making a big deal about catcher.
That other hole in the album, you plug it with “a filler”, and look to upgrade in the future.
At some point the FO has to also consider outfield roster spots. They have the three starters and Burleson, with Walker making noise everywhere he plays.
So depending on your view of Burleson, wouldn’t Bellinger bump Burleson to AAA?
Now if the FO acquired an outfielder who could bench any of our starters, I’d welcome that addition, but not for a project (Cody).
I’m hoping the FO is targeting additions that help put us “over the top”. I don’t think of Bellinger that way, not today.
I’d prefer we try to improve by acquiring players coming off of productive season(s), not reclamation projects.
I hope Bellinger turns it around, but his name value from 3 to 5 yrs ago means nothing to me. I’m good with Carlson in CF.
How about you BW and all? Care to voice an opinion on Moises Gomez readiness to be a 4th outfielder? Would it be fair to include him in a group with Burleson and Yepez? And how is his D?
The FO has already stated they would like to add a LH bat. Are they also willing to trade one of our young LH bats?
What have we gained if the FO deals one of Noot, Donovan or Gorman and then backfills with a LH bat acquisition?
I’d GUESS it’s more likely the FO tries to trade O’Neill or Hudson for a catcher and adds the LH bat.
We have also added Gomez to the 40man, which adds improved outfield depth if he is better than DeLuzio. So where are we with Gomez? Could he make the opening day roster if O’Neill (or any starting outfielder) were traded?
In the span of one week, VerHagen, Naile and Naughton went from the “pretty well set” list, to “no business on the 40man”.
2022 home/road splits:
ERA: home 3:31, road 4.30
W/L: home 53/28, road 40/41
WHIP: home 1.193, road 1.352Bellingers last 900 PA’s
.193 / .256 / .355 / .611 / 64 ops+DeJongs last 813 PA’s
.196 / .280 / .351 / .631 / 76 ops+