2014 Off Season Thread

Diamondback Jay

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The winds of change are blowing in Arizona. Gone ate Kevin Towers and Kirk Gibson, replaced by Dave Stewart and a manager to be announced. Tony LaRussa's finger prints are now firmly on the organization. What moves do they make in the off season to improve the on field product?

Chat away. Also any juicy rumors please post.
 

Dback Jon

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Keepers (MLB only) (IMHO):

Goldy
Peralta
Pollock
Collmenter
Corbin

Montero if no veteran catcher is obtained - don't want a rookie or Tuffy there full time.
 

BC867

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I'd rather they wave Ross and keep Ender.
Hopefully, Ross' presence isn't going to diminish Ender's role as leadoff hitter. After his slow start (adjustment period?), he did a very good job.

If Ross is used at all, it would be strictly vs. lefties, either as a platoon player corner outfielder or pinch hitter.

I, too, would add Inciarte to that list of keepers. We have certainly been looking for a "set the table" leadoff hitter ever since Craig Counsell took that job from Tony "Popup" Womack years ago.

Talking about Ross -- a lefty thrower who bats righty. When I was a kid, they forced me to bat righty. And I was the worst hitter on any softball team.

Then one day, I saw a lefty thrower batting lefty and I said, "That is what I should be doing." So, I did! To this day, I will never forget the feeling of that next at-bat. Without any practice, I lined a solid double into the gap in right-center. What a feeling when the bat met the ball!

Other than Ricky Henderson, I don't know of any other throw lefty/bat righty hitters who did well. Do any of you know of others? (I wouldn't count Cody Ross as having anything more than a mediocre career as one of them.)
 

Phrazbit

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I know the reverse, bat left, throw right, there have been a ton of them with great success. With lefty hitters being slightly more valued I suspect most guys that show any aptitude with their left hand get pushed in that direction.
 

unseenaz

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Keepers (MLB only) (IMHO):

Goldy
Peralta
Pollock
Collmenter
Corbin

Montero if no veteran catcher is obtained - don't want a rookie or Tuffy there full time.


I love Miggy just as much as the next guy.. ok, probably more than the next guy. But how close is O'Brien the being big league ready? If we're going to suck, I'd love to get these kids in here, and see what they got. If they are terrible, we know we need to keep looking. If they are good, they we know we are good at that position for years to come.

Same goes for Bradley. I know he had a bad year in the minors last year, and he was battling some injuries as well, but I'm ready to see him.

In short, if we're not competing, I want to see what these young kids are capable of.
 

overseascardfan

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Honestly, I believe the roster is going to look similar to this year with some call ups rounding out the openings:

Lineup:
1B - Goldschmidt
2B - Hill
SS - Owings
3B - Lamb
C - Montero
RF - Peralta
CF - Pollock
LF - Trumbo

Rotation:
Bradley
Corbin (Will he start the year on DL? Surgery was last March)
Miley
Collmenter
Anderson

Bullpen:
Same as this year...maybe add Barrett, Hernandez (back from TJ)

Bench:
Gregorius
Ross
Enciarte
Pennington

I would be surprised if they signed anyone outside for more than $5M a year and that is the going rate of a bullpen guy or bench/utility player.
 

unseenaz

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Honestly, I believe the roster is going to look similar to this year with some call ups rounding out the openings:

Lineup:
1B - Goldschmidt
2B - Hill
SS - Owings
3B - Lamb
C - Montero
RF - Peralta
CF - Pollock
LF - Trumbo

Rotation:
Bradley
Corbin (Will he start the year on DL? Surgery was last March)
Miley
Collmenter
Anderson

Bullpen:
Same as this year...maybe add Barrett, Hernandez (back from TJ)

Bench:
Gregorius
Ross
Enciarte
Pennington

I would be surprised if they signed anyone outside for more than $5M a year and that is the going rate of a bullpen guy or bench/utility player.



That's depressing, but your probably right
 

Phrazbit

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They're kind of handcuffed the next couple years with the dumb contracts, and the team is not remotely close to competing so there is not a lot of point in signing some expensive stop gaps.

Gotta hope some of these injured pitchers come back strong and that our minor league guys put it together.
 

BC867

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Kirk Gibson made a big mistake when he put Miggy into the cleanup role. Montero didn't handle it well and it ruined the offensive side of his career which, in turn, hurt his defensive side.

They should have done whatever was necessary to obtain a legitimate left-handed hitting power hitter to hit behind Goldy.

We still need that, but now we need a lead Catcher as well, even if he bats 8th. It is awfully hard to demote a player and expect him to think and act as though it didn't happen.

Every time I see that Taco Bell commercial showing him hitting a home run, I shudder. He is not a home run hitter. I hold him accountable as well for falling victim to it.

Thanks Miggy for what you've given us, but this is the time to move him.
 

Matt L

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What could they realistically get for Miggy? He's a solid player on a decent contract but we literally have no one else that can fill in for him. Are they looking at a wholesale, Astros style dump to obtain high draft picks?
 

overseascardfan

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What could they realistically get for Miggy? He's a solid player on a decent contract but we literally have no one else that can fill in for him. Are they looking at a wholesale, Astros style dump to obtain high draft picks?

I think the plan is to sign a cheap catcher and wait for either Trahan (moved back to C after failing as an OF in minors) or O'Brien who they got in Prado deal to reach the bigs.
 

unseenaz

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I think the plan is to sign a cheap catcher and wait for either Trahan (moved back to C after failing as an OF in minors) or O'Brien who they got in Prado deal to reach the bigs.


O'brien looks good, but man does he ever need to fill out his frame.

Striker was moved back to catcher? I must have missed that.
 

Matt L

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The current depth chart is pretty pathetic.
 

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Matt L

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That must be the depth chart from the end of the season when Goldy was injured. even with Goldy, that is a 90 loss team, at least.
 

unseenaz

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That must be the depth chart from the end of the season when Goldy was injured. even with Goldy, that is a 90 loss team, at least.

Yeah that lineup is pathetic. We need to get rid of aaron hill and get all young guys in the field
 

Brian

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No Goldy, no Chris Owings, no A.J. Pollock....Marte isn't on the team anymore, where did that screenshot even come from?
 
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