investorAg83 said:

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We running fantasy baseball back again??

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The league I created last year is back up and running.

recorded Ranger ST game from 4pm to watch this evening….. cued up to watch….. blacked out! FU MLB

I didn't knownit but it was on Bally live. Was hoping for a replay but nope.

Increased internet chatter this AM that Rangers are talking to Boras about Montgomery. Don't hold your breath - possible the rumor is was floated by the Boras camp.

fc2112 said:

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Increased internet chatter this AM that Rangers are talking to Boras about Montgomery. Don't hold your breath - possible the rumor is was floated by the Boras camp.

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wondering if his clients are telling him to make stuff happen.

Philly and StL have both been rumored over the past week, or so.

Both came out, yesterday to deny the claim.


https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/phillies-reportedly-have-not-seriously-discussed-blake-snell.html
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/cardinals-have-not-recently-inquired-on-snell-montgomery.html

Snell and Monty have to be getting anxious. Remember the other side of it is that teams are looking for more certainty. Rangers likely signed Mahle because they wanted more certainty about their situation, than waiting until well into ST and being desperate. Cardinals did the same thing. They struck early and often so that they wouldn't have to scramble in desperation.

If there are really 4 new teams that have reached out, it is likely only to see if the terms have come down.

When it was floated that the LAAA were potentially interested in Monty, you had to question the validity.

NYY, LAD are the most in need, but their Payroll's are pretty high.
SFG, Texas are better fits, but I'm not sure either are desperate.
Boston is probably sitting alone.

Boston could be getting offers for SPs in trades that at some point will go away.

If Texas were to sign Monty, they'd likely put someone like Heaney (beating that drum again) on the trade market. The market to trade Heaney will close soon, until midseason, or so.

The situation with Snell and a Monty is a great example of the new world in which we live.

There are a small number of teams with a realistic chance of winning it all each year. Once those guys feel well staffed, they're out of the FA market.

The other teams are not pouring $ into a long term FA. Why pay someone $30 MM a year to get you from 70 wins to 78 wins?

These guys had better lower their standards if they want to be on a roster come Game 1.

https://www.thescore.com/news/2859533

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Report: Red Sox target Montgomery not budging on asking price

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Hope he gets it. Not from the Rangers.

DallasAg 94 said:

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https://www.thescore.com/news/2859533

Quote:

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Report: Red Sox target Montgomery not budging on asking price

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Hope he gets it. Not from the Rangers.

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Boras doing Boras things.... (which is his job... lol).

Has the "asking price" even been revealed? The writeups I've seen never state the years/dollars that he is seeking (that he's supposedly not budging from). I did see recently that he still wanted a long term deal, not a short term deal with opt outs like some of the other Boras clients have signed recently.

Even if he is working out on his own, at this point you have to question his availability for opening day.

I agree.

At least until the next CBA.

The Dodgers are projected at $319M CBT even with all the deferred Comp.
The Yankees are projected at $307M CBT.

The Rangers are right at the CBT at $235M and 8th.

That $70M difference is likely more than necessary to sign both Snell and Monty... $25-30M each?

HUGE difference in the access to talent so you have to find another way to win.

And obviously Montgomery was great following the trade last season. But he hasn't pitched at that level throughout his career. No guarantees that he can repeat that level of success again. But I am sure Boras is seeking that peak value over the course of a long term deal.

I'd love to have him back, but can't blame the Rangers for not giving in to what are likely pretty steep salary demands.

Almost all early expectations listed 6yr/$150M +/-.

It was revealed last week that he wanted Aaron Nola (7/$172) money... more specifically, to better his numbers. I think the implication was 7/$175M, or $25M per year.

At 31.

The Red Sox level of interest in Montgomery may have just increased. Or maybe this makes them sell off some assets to prepare for future years. But Giolito hasn't been that great recently anyway:

Brutal news: Initial imaging showed Boston Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito likely has a partially torn UCL and flexor strain and could miss the 2024 season, league sources tell ESPN. Giolito, who signed a two-year deal with Boston, may need surgery to repair the right-elbow damage.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 5, 2024

It's a double edged-sword.

If you were in the camp that signing Monty might be what you need to compete... losing Giolito becomes a money pit. You'll pay him $18M to sit on the bench in '24. And $19M in '25 to rehab. If he gets 140 IP in '25, then '26 vests.

Do you sign a 7yr / $25M per deal to replace Giolito for '24 and '25 just to break even?! And add the expense of $25M for another 5 years when Monty is 35+?!

In other news...

Verlander (shoulder) to start season on IL, for Houston. Now they can whine about injuries and a slow start. Good thing they spent their wad on Hader.

Sonny Gray (hammy) to start season on IL, for StL.

From a Boston perspective, any AL team with SP concerns helps them project a tighter pack during the 1H.

DallasAg 94 said:

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This just pisses me off...

Title: "How concerned should each contender be about its starting rotation?"
https://www.mlb.com/news/concern-level-for-each-projected-mlb-playoff-team-s-rotation

Ok... not really. Typical.

12 "Contender" Teams:
AL East: Yankees + O's (WC) + Rays (WC)
AL Central: Twins
AL West: Astros + Mariners (WC)

NL East: Braves + Phillies (WC)
NL Central: Cardinals + Cubs (WC)
NL West: Dodgers + D'Backs (WC)

There is some good information in the article, but I just don't get the disregard towards the Rangers.

Quote:

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Fourteen of the previous 16 pennant winners have ranked eighth or better in starter ERA. (The two outliers are the 2023 D-backs and the '22 Phillies.) So if your team is going to make a deep October run, it better have the horses to get there.

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<**Removed Information to simplify**>

We return 4 of our 5 rotation (Eovaldi, Gray, Dunning, Heaney) that gave us the #7 ERA (3.96) in MLB.

I guess we'll see?!

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Just an update:

Seattle (Concern Level-1) are likely the most stable and solid rotation in the AL.

Minnesota isn't worth my time to post

---- Impacts so far ----

Baltimore (Concern Level-7): Bradish (26), Corbin Burnes (28), Grayson Rodriguez (23), Dean Kremer (27), and John Means (30) (now Tyler Wells-28 and Cole Irvin-29)

StL (Concern Level-9): Sonny Gray (33), Lance Lynn (36), Miles Mikolas (34), Kyle Gibson (35), and Unknown (Liberatore-23 or Thompson-25). I know NL team.

Houston (Concern Level-3): Verlander (40), Valdez (29), France (28), Javier (26), Urquidy (28) (and now Brown-24)

---- Teams with projected SPs and history of issues ----

Rays (Concern Level-7): Eflin (29), Littell (27), Pepiot (25), Taj Bradley (22), and ?
Yankees (Concern Level-6): Cole (32), Rodon (30), Stroman (32), Cortes (28), Will Warren?


My co-worker in StL is disgusted with the Cards' rotation.

I'll likely update this when Opening Day rotations are finalized.

Off of Gilbert too

As was said above, Boston is the only place it seems there's $ to give Monty what he wants.

But Boston needs SO much SP, they need to sign several guys. Not sure they can afford Monty and more.

Boras' greed may have gone too far for Monty and Snell.

White looking like a bust.

We can't ever seem to homegrow these guys.

fc2112 said:

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As was said above, Boston is the only place it seems there's $ to give Monty what he wants.

But Boston needs SO much SP, they need to sign several guys. Not sure they can afford Monty and more.

Boras' greed may have gone too far for Monty and Snell.

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I've been trying to figure out why Monty may be so insistent on a 7yr... at least a long-term deal and won't accept a short-term deal.

Once his wife completes her residency, she'll want to establish her practice. Last thing she'll want to do is pick up a Dermatology practice and move cities.

IMO, it would make for a 1 yr deal, but no SP wants to setup a scenario where they have an injury and end up unemployed. The Opt-Outs are good for Bellinger if he gets hurt.

Cole Winn and Owen White appear to both be a bust.

Cole Winn: Career 5.6 BB9
Gives up 2BB in 2.0 IP

I get it is ST, but when you are trying to prove yourself as a SP option for the upcoming season, Walking 3 and a HBP in 3.0 IP (Owen White) is ensuring your MLB Manager has zero confidence you will come up and throw strikes.

Jack Leiter was likely behind these 2 starting ST and I'd expect he has passed them up.

I've got Sampson, Duffy, and Urena as the Top3 contenders. Then Zak Kent. Then Leiter.

We're likely/hopefully going to pick some retreads up from other teams, I suspect.

Today was a disaster for White and Winn.

I think it is time to move Winn and White to Minor League Camp.


Sun: Dunning (3GS/6.0IP)
Mon: Bradford (2GS/7.0)
Today: White

There are 20 G left in ST.
Tomorrow: Heaney (1GS/2.0IP)

TBD - Gray? (1GS/3.0IP)
TBD - Eovaldi? (2GS/5.0IP)

I'm giving Sampson, Duffy, and Corneillo each a GS

After that, I'm going twice through the rotation and setting up for Opening Day.

El Bombi is in the line up today!

I'm starting to think Foscue has a real shot at making the roster especially if Langford doesn't make it.

I'm leaning towards both of them making it as of today. Put Langford in Left, Carter in Center and Adolis in Right, then have Foscue mix in at DH. You might sacrifice some defense in Center with Leody out of the lineup, but he's just not going to be a consistent enough hitter to ever grab that gig full-time with better hitters behind him. Defense can only take you so far.

Foscue feels like a real deal hitter. He may not ever hit more than 25 homers in a season, bat .300 or have an OPS of .850, but he's more than capable of being an every day pro hitter. And, in this lineup he could just be a guy. Nothing flashy. Just get on base, drive gaps, and run when you need to. That would allow us to get a better bat line Langford in the game more often, and drop Leody to a bench/rotational guy, which is probably what he really is with the Rangers.

They may get there by July, but I don't see that being opening day. Foscue is 25 and has nothing left to prove in AAA. He's RH, so could get into a pseudo platoon with him and Carter, with Langford in being everyday in LF/DH. However, I think getting Duran ABs will factor in there as well.

True. It's a good problem to have, because bats play in this league. So whether it's Duran, Foscue, Crim etc., those are guys we can use to trade for starting or relieving pitching.