fish53

All of this is assumption, not fact. There is no fact that keeping the core together would once again guarantee watching a below .500 team. Just last year, Ozuna had his first complete consistent season, Stanton, for all his power, when he adjusted his stance became a much more consistent hitter, Yelich is still growing in to his power, he is not locked in to "he is what he is" and Bour also just developed in to a more consistent power hitter. Reamulto still getting better, even Rojas has improved and then you have the addition of Brian Anderson. So, no, I do not agree that this core would, no matter what, just be a below .500 team because that is what they were. Now, add some marginally better pitching, this offense could have carried a team to much better levels than before, I am well aware of the financial issues, but I am only expressing my opinion that the foregone conclusion that the product on the field was not a guaranteed below .500 team. I would have really enjoyed seeing if that team could have put it together this year. While we made the moves for financial reasons, more than the rational that we were disposing of players that were just losers, the pipeline of players received just does not look like the making of a championship caliber team. Again, opinion, not fact, but I have no qualms with anyone who does not think the rebuild, at least this version, will turn in to a great product.

I agree, if multiple doctors say "no surgery" then you do not cut in to your body. As to the pen, does the same problem exist as last year, he needs at least 10-15 minutes to warm up, so unless you know you will use him, you won't want him heated up an inning or two early just to sit him down. Makes him useless as a lefty specialist, or for many applications. Plenty of relievers get up and then sit down, but for Chen, this would seem to be an issue on his arm. So, useless as a starter and not much better in the pen, big contract, no value, just a bad situation all around.

Hard to believe it has been 15 years since McKeon went to the mound and basically told Dontrelle Willis the same thing. Turned D-Train around from that point.

Scariest scene in all of baseball, going in to the 9th inning and seeing Zeigler and Tazawa in the bullpen. But One out. Yat

Given that Chen requires two days notice so he can start warming up, I say I have to agree with you.

I am glad he didn't. I hate this line of reasoning from Jeter because it continues to imply that the Stanton, Yelich, Ozuna core were not winners. Maybe it is obvious we couldn't support them and add on, but it keeps coming out that "we didn't win with them anyway".

I think many of us have forgotten how hard it is to watch a really bad team, versus the team we had that gave us a reason to watch and go to the park for. Jeter can say he expects to win, not just later, but now-but C'mon, in his interview with Gumbel on HBO, Gumbel calls him delusional. Rebuilds are tough and hard to watch.

Puff piece. For all of his detractors as well as his supporters here, Jeter has not proven he is capable nor incapable. He gets the benefit of the doubt that only will tell over time, but to say he is proving himself-that is forming a conclusion that can't be formed yet.

There are ground ball pitchers and there is Ziegler-his ground balls are often lasers that threaten the fielders. I think we have suffered enough with him in these situations.

Brinson, at this point seems to be Cameron Maybin 2.0, and how ironic is it that 1.0 is right next to him on the field

You are sure other teams try this stuff often? Bold and unsubstantiated. It may turn out Jeter is all talk and for his pocket only like many believe.

Not sure I would use Atlanta as an example of good fan support, in any sport. And watching many of their games there sure were a lot of empty seats. We do not know how they count attendance, but could only even get close to selling out one of their recent playoff appearances because the stadium was filled with Cub fans. Regardless, there is no comparison because they had years of stable and consistent management and product vs the Marlins player transactions.

Listening on radio, Bour is even slow on the radio.

I just hope for Wallach to make contact once. Look forward to JT and Prado (find a place for Anderson) getting back, better at bats, more potent lineup, better bench.

“We’re going to have an energetic club,” noted left fielder Derek Dietrich in the postgame clubhouse. Nuff said

Better chance for bullpen guys to get a hookup after the game.

Was it Latin music?

Can we reclaim him-PLEASE.

Some of these have to be more serious than the public announcements or I just cannot see why it is so disabling. Heck, I had 4 wisdom teeth out at one time and unless Hernandez had a reaction to it, I just don't see how it has kept him out this long. But again, all speculation because we do not get the full story. Someone could have his whole kneecap removed and we would get "just a lower extremity injury".

Absolutely not-Most athletes do whatever they can to correct an injury and want to earn what they are paid for. Of course, this excludes doing anything that is a serious health risk but the majority of surgical procedures are designed to at least allow an athlete to perform his/her best. The average person can forgo a knee procedure or a rotator cuff surgery and rehab it sufficiently to go on with their lives, but an elite athlete often needs to do more if they want to continue to play at the level necessary. This appears to be the Chen factor.

This will be a very offensively challenging year. Fish usually do not string together hits until they hit the scrubs of the other team.

Now Stephen Ross is a genius at building winners in sports? Notice how I qualified that so someone won't say "when you are a millionaire you can criticize".

He couldn't throw strikes with a good shoulder, so what's the difference, with lower velocity, it just took longer to walk the batters.

Makes no sense to me just by virtue of having to listen to Dewayne Staats vs Rich, despite no Tommy. Must be watching with the sound off.

Other than what you state, Gordon and to some extent Straily, this was a literal buffet of dog crap warmed over at the cost of some very decent to good young talent. Actually, Haren was ok and was a throw in, but the rest just makes you sick at the ineptitude of the front office. More than Jose, this could be pointed as the ultimate undoing of a very good team.