How much more random can you get when going from Alvarez to Joyce?
Here's a few of mine...
Recency virus does effect our draft. A guy like Alvarez or Aquino is fresh in our minds.
Players like Riley, LaStella, and Lowe, or Luke Weaver, passe.
One thing all these players have in common is Shandler's bit about 'Once showing these traits, they own these traits'.
Some drafters really believe that.
It is confusing for a player like Jacoby Ellsbury who was still drafted in Draft Championships last year.
Believe me, Ellsbury owns the injury thing a lot more than 'owning' a couple of magical seasons.
What is the takeaway from Jesus Aguilar?
That he can 'own' being a wonderful power hitter for six months?
Or that he can 'own' being a bench warmerfor most of the season?
He 'owns' both.
This is the second straight year that Aaron Judge has hurt his drafters with an injury that lasted a very long time.
I have a few of theories on injuries.
One- The more a player moves (i.e. running around the outfield, stealing bases, diving), the better chance for injury. Think Brett Lawrie.
Two- The larger the body, the more chance of getting hurt.
Three- Rule two applies to 'large' players not fat players. Fat players have a lot less movement on the field. Larger 1B (think Adam Dunn, jerome Burnitz, John Kruk)and even pitchers like Sabathia and Colon know how to NOT extend their bodies. While more angular and athletic bodies like Joey Gallo, Judge, etc may have more problems. Anyway, just my own theories....
The first theory applies more to the Kiermaier's, Buxton's, and Mondesi's of baseball.
The second applies to players like Judge.
But like Stanton, Judge will be forgiven (at a slightly lesser price) as was Ellsbury and Troy Tulowitzki for those many years.
Gerritt Cole will be a free agent next year.
I don't know how much that will effect his draft position....but it will in some shape or form.
Since the Astros are one of the best teams in baseball, it's a good bet that Cole will be going to a lesser team.
New Astros pitchers also are seeing a two-year 'dead cat bounce' where they pitch better than they have previously.
Cole, Verlander, Morton, Miley, etc (Miley also belongs in the 'fat group'
)
Does that continue elsewhere? I don't know.
Without knowing more, I would not take Cole in the first six picks.
(And just a thought of my own, while other Managers during the post-season will show how schmart they are in going to their bullpens early, I expect the Astros to ride Verlander, Cole, and Greinke to the Promised Land'.
The innings pitched will be very high as will the chance for something to go terribly wrong....just a thought)
Dexter Fowler?
Matt Joyce?
It's no fun to think of those guys when we haven't started the first round!
Think Trout, Acuna, Yelich, and Bellinger!
I crapped all over the Boston Red Sox during Spring Training for 'resting' their players during Spring Training. Four months isn't enough?
It serves them right that they have had the season they've had.
There is no true formula for pitchers.
Glavine, Smoltz, and Maddux say the secret was to throw every day.
Now, most want to limit pitches.
The Red Sox almost acted as if Spring Training was a place NOT to use their pitchers.
Instead, they used the first month of the season as their 'real' Spring Training.
How'd that work out for you, Sox?
AND, were pompous enough to think that their bullpen would be fine. Never addressing the problem. At ANY turn.
The Red Sox will end up with a better record than most teams in baseball. But they won't make the playoffs. Failure.
No team WASTED as many resources as the Red Sox did. And it started from the jump in Spring Training.
Wow, how was that for a random thought....
Lucas Giolito will be a darling among drafters....
Joe Maddon will be hired by a team needing a boost in interest and attendance ......
Not counting Bruce Bochy, Maddon is the second longest tenured Manager in the National League.
Clint Hurdle, the longest.
Hurdle is what I term a 'Comfortable Loser'.
He is not like Bochy or even Ned Yost who has won a Championship in the past, then kind of let the game pass them by. (Believe me, I know that feeling).
Nope, Hurdle always says good stuff and smiles. A pre-requisite for a 'comfortable Manager'.
Only fitting, seeing how the Pirates also have a 'comfortable' GM too.
And you guessed it, Neal Huntington is the longest tenured GM in the National League.
What more comfortable place to lose in baseball, than Pittsburgh?
Rabid while backing the Steelers or Penguins, Pittsburgh fans are lulled to beddy time by the Pirates.
Quick, name a Pirates 1B between Willie Stargell and Josh Bell....
Hard, right?
That's because they haven't had a real power hitting 1B since Stargell.
In fact, if Bell hits 40 bombs this year, he'll be the first Pirate to do so since 'Pops'.
Neal Huntington never made big deals when the Pirates happened to contend and needed a big deal.
Rather, small deals were more his style.
He thought he made a big deal once....
When trading for Chris Archer.
Yep, gave up Austin Meadows and Tyler Glasnow.
Neal Huntington trading with the Rays. Too funny.
In an age where nobody wants to be a tweener, the Pirates have become a 'perma-tweener' team. Never building for a Championship. Never tearing down a team.
They just exist. Comfortable.
Random thoughts, indeed!
