Beat40 said:

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Pretty interesting article on the ball/strike system from the manager perspective. Another analytic to track. I thought the comments on if they'll allow the pitcher to challenge or not were interesting.

If you were manager, would you have a rule that your pitchers could not challenge?

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/47347122/mlb-2025-26-ball-strike-challenge-rule-strategy-abs-umpires

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No chance I'd let a pitcher challenge. The catcher has a better perspective. The next cheating scandal will be about this. How can the team know if it's a wrong call, then signal the catcher without being caught?

That would be our #2 and 7 prospects. I don't think either are particularly great but it's still a blow to a system with little depth. The question will be whether the lab can unlock his fastball a bit to work with his great changeup.

If it's Brito and Melton - sign me up.

I really like Brito but you truly never know. I don't think the hit tool will ever come around for Jacob.

MaxPower said:

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That would be our #2 and 7 prospects. I don't think either are particularly great but it's still a blow to a system with little depth. The question will be whether the lab can unlock his fastball a bit to work with his great changeup.

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Last time we got a pitcher from the pirates it worked out ok for us. Also, burrows is in pre arb.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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If trade is completed, outfielder Jacob Melton and right-hander Anderson Brito would head to the Rays.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 19, 2025

Pirates also would receive outfielder Jake Mangum and left-hander Mason Montgomery from Rays https://t.co/rtx1qbJ2CH

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 19, 2025

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Not sure how I feel about this one. Can we get Lowe too???

EastCoastAgNc said:

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MaxPower said:

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That would be our #2 and 7 prospects. I don't think either are particularly great but it's still a blow to a system with little depth. The question will be whether the lab can unlock his fastball a bit to work with his great changeup.

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Last time we got a pitcher from the pirates it worked out ok for us. Also, burrows is in pre arb.

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I'm still upset about Doug Drabek tho

Farmer1906 said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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If trade is completed, outfielder Jacob Melton and right-hander Anderson Brito would head to the Rays.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 19, 2025

Pirates also would receive outfielder Jake Mangum and left-hander Mason Montgomery from Rays https://t.co/rtx1qbJ2CH

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 19, 2025

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Not sure how I feel about this one. Can we get Lowe too???

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We saved Meyers for an offensive trade

Mike Burrows will be the only player coming to Houston if and when this deal is finalized, source tells @TheAthletic.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) December 19, 2025

Thought about it a little bit more and looked into Burrows more, and I like it. This feels like a savvy by targeting before the full breakout happens kind of deal. We should be taking these kind of risk because we don't have the prospects to get these guys when they're further along the breakout process.

Was just told the Astros pitching lab has had their eyes on Burrows for a while.

What do we know about this Burrows dude? Where would he slot in the rotation?

Ag_07 said:

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What do we know about this Burrows dude? Where would he slot in the rotation?

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Our rotation is pretty wide-open after brown. So he would slot as high as a number two if things go well. Go look at a second half last year. The Velo ticks up, the sinker gets added, and the exit velos go down

Melton seems like a career AAAA guy and I trust our scouts on Brito's upside. Burrows is young and has good tape, we have very little to lose.

I'd say he's more of a #3 type of guy but you never really know who is going to develop. The change is elite and he has good fastball velocity (averages 95-96) but it's been pretty hittable.

He also only hit 120 inning last year and that was his first time over 100 innings in a season so I wouldn't expect workhorse type performance.

I was excited for melton but didn't see much that was impressive last year

Over the last 4 months of 2025, Mike Burrows was 15th in ERA (3.49) in the NL, had 92 K in 87.2 IP. Also, Justin Verlander was 17th (3.60) 😀 #Astros

— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) December 19, 2025

The pirates need to send us O'Neil Cruz. I mean, if we are sending them Melton they are getting a CFer back.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Over the last 4 months of 2025, Mike Burrows was 15th in ERA (3.49) in the NL, had 92 K in 87.2 IP. Also, Justin Verlander was 17th (3.60) 😀 #Astros

— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) December 19, 2025

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In 21 appearances over those 4 months, he only went over 5.0 innings 4 times. Need him to make at least 6 more consistently if he is going to be a 2/3 starter. He is young, so hopefully his stamina will build up for that without breaking down later in the season. We saw in the 2nd half of the season what having consistent 4-5 inning starts did to the health and effectiveness of our BP.

Orioles are in serious discussions with Rays on a trade for right-hander Shane Baz, sources tell @TheAthletic. Rays would acquire prospects in return.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 19, 2025

I hope this deal is true.

Burrows is controllable through 2032 (?) and is young. Still tons of runway left and shows a lot of potential.

The big question mark to my eyes is giving up Brito....but I guess we want to be competitive now.

The Astros-Rays-Pirates trade is in medical review, sources tell @stephenjnesbitt and me. Initial news here - https://t.co/YUSEwTjSZH

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) December 19, 2025

It's happening

Trade news: The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring right-hander Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Slater de Brun, catcher Caden Bodine, right-hander Michael Forret, outfielder Austin Overn as well as a Competitive Balance Round A pick, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 19, 2025

5 for 1

EastCoastAgNc said:

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The Astros-Rays-Pirates trade is in medical review, sources tell @stephenjnesbitt and me. Initial news here - https://t.co/YUSEwTjSZH

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) December 19, 2025

It's happening

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Hopefully its not our medical team reviewing anything

Steep price to pay for Burrows....but if he pays off....he pays off big. 6 more years of relatively cheap control for a starting pitcher.

Melton, I wasn't impressed with last year, but that could just be a small sample size and he turns it around.

Brito, has potential to be a great reliever.

I guess this is the sort of gamble move you have to make to get the most important area of need somewhat addressed for many years into the future on the cheap. I hope it pans out, but not a slam dunk.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Trade news: The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring right-hander Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Slater de Brun, catcher Caden Bodine, right-hander Michael Forret, outfielder Austin Overn as well as a Competitive Balance Round A pick, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 19, 2025

5 for 1

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The orioles are going for it.

Mathguy64 said:

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The pirates need to send us O'Neil Cruz. I mean, if we are sending them Melton they are getting a CFer back.

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Melton is going to the Rays, not the Pirates.

Nolan Arenado is a 'possibility' for the Angels if they reach a buyout agreement with Anthony Rendon, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/mdd9LpeOcQ

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 18, 2025

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Nolan Arenado is a 'possibility' for the Angels if they reach a buyout agreement with Anthony Rendon, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/mdd9LpeOcQ

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 18, 2025

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L-O-L

AggiEE said:

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I hope this deal is true.

Burrows is controllable through 2032 (?) and is young. Still tons of runway left and shows a lot of potential.

The big question mark to my eyes is giving up Brito....but I guess we want to be competitive now.

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If Brito's ceiling is a good closer than I think, I'd take a guy whose ceiling is a 2/3 type with a higher floor too.

Melton worries me more about potentially biting us in the ass. For a while, I did not understand the hype around him. Last year, he had a breakthrough in AAA. EV, LA, HH%, Contact%, Barrel%, etc all spiked. If that guy finds a way to translate to the bigs, then he could be a stud. That's true with a ton of minor league types.

Farmer1906 said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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Nolan Arenado is a 'possibility' for the Angels if they reach a buyout agreement with Anthony Rendon, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/mdd9LpeOcQ

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 18, 2025

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L-O-L

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Hard to laugh too hard at them with us going back to back on Captain Lou and Walker. Hope Walker has a rebound this year to put an end to that so we can laugh full throated at the Angels.

Farmer1906 said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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Nolan Arenado is a 'possibility' for the Angels if they reach a buyout agreement with Anthony Rendon, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/mdd9LpeOcQ

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 18, 2025

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L-O-L

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That franchise refuses to be great

Astros will still be searching for arms, Pirates will still be searching for hitters and of course Rays always search for young talent https://t.co/JA7zAQvsKj

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 19, 2025

Chandler bomb

Mike Burrows has been informed he's been traded to the Astros, source tells @TheAthletic. Deal is done - https://t.co/YUSEwTjSZH

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) December 19, 2025

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Nolan Arenado is a 'possibility' for the Angels if they reach a buyout agreement with Anthony Rendon, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/mdd9LpeOcQ

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 18, 2025

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Artie Moreno should write a book. "How to piss away a billion dollars in 3 easy steps."