Quote:
Originally Posted by BigRedChief
I disagree with this approach. We don't need to go full Astros and Cubs and purposely tank for 3-4 years, lose 100 games each year to get to the top of the draft.
I think we can all agree that we have enough pitching to not blow this up. So why blow it up for just offense?
We need a good manager. 2 impact bats and we can realistically complete in the payoffs.
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This team is much further away than you realize.
Look at the genuinely good teams in the league and compare them to ours. It isn't a question of getting back to 86-88 wins and sniffing for a wild card (that might be doable). It's a question of running with 3-4 genuine 100 win caliber squads in baseball right now. We're in an era of genuine superteams in Houston and Boston with that kind of ceiling for NYY, Chicago and LAD (especially if they can get some pitching).
When you say "we have the pitching to hang..." you sound like a Mets fan. There are still a few die-hards who believe the Mets should be pushing in to build a team around DeGrom and Syndergaard and that Matz/Wheeler will come into their talent and be genuine top of the rotation pitchers any day now.
Okay - lets say that all happens: the Mets will still suck. Now don't get me wrong, the Mets are the extreme version, but they also have 2 pitchers that I'd take over anyone on this roster (contract status excluded), especially if I were in a win now kind of mode.
The Cardinals probably have the pitching depth in the organization to tread water - yes. With a few breaks here and there, perhaps they can challenge 88 wins in '19. But Carpenter's not going to hit forever nor is Molina. Those are pretty much the sole offensive bright spots on the squad. DeJong has come back as the version of himself that I was worried we'd get all season. Wong...well I'm not the right person to talk to about Wong, he'd start on any team I build because he's a premier defensive player at a key defensive position. It's not his fault the guys that are getting paid to hit...can't.
Gyorko probably needs to be dealt again after we mind-****ed him (same thing happened to him in SD). The OF is a goddamn trainwreck for a myriad of reasons and the only person likely to provide immediate help is O'Neill, who's flaws are well established.
Don't ask yourself what we need to add to win a wild card - ask yourself what we need to add for the WC to matter. The bottom line is that it's just not doable in a single season and probably not over 2. I like the work Flores is doing a lot in the draft but we're 3+ years away from that being relevant.
The Astros had a young team that was close to getting over the hump - they added Verlander and tried to add Britton until the Orioles Orioled. It won them a championship and then they added Cole. Meanwhile the Cardinals won 100 games and also had another flag for the taking - they added Brandon ****ing Moss. And if they won a championship you can bet your ass they wouldn't go after the best young available SP in baseball the following offseason; that's too aggressive. Mozeliak is a pussy who doesn't have the chops to hang in a division with a guy who earned his stripes in the cut-throat AL East and a bold young executive in Milwaukee who learned under Luhnow.
I'd fire Mozeliak the moment the season is over (but I'd make him fire Girsch first just to be a dick; seriously, what a ****ing joke that whole thing is). Then I'd survey potential GM candidates and if I could manage it, I'd hire one that can work with Flores. If not, I'd grudgingly let Flores go for the right GM.
But the whole damn team is stale and needs a change.