2022-2023 Off-season Discussion Thread

[JCA-CrystalCity]

At this time he is not blocking anyone. Just think of him as the 5th starter and hope he can keep the ERA around 5.00 and go 5 or 6 innings a game.

IT's not unusual for a guy who can't hack it as a starter to become a decent reliever.  Most of the great relievers were tried at starter at some point (I think even Rivera). Slate has been saying this for years about Corbin.  If he could become an Ian Kennedy (decent reliever signed originally to a pricey starter contract), then he would be a contributor who could perhaps be traded with some money eaten.  Really, the question is, is this guy who should be a reliever more of a contributor to this team as a terrible starter who you hope can eat some innings by becoming merely a bad starter?

[Elvir Ovcina]

IT's not unusual for a guy who can't hack it as a starter to become a decent reliever.  Most of the great relievers were tried at starter at some point (I think even Rivera). Slate has been saying this for years about Corbin.  If he could become an Ian Kennedy (decent reliever signed originally to a pricey starter contract), then he would be a contributor who could perhaps be traded with some money eaten.  Really, the question is, is this guy who should be a reliever more of a contributor to this team as a terrible starter who you hope can eat some innings by becoming merely a bad starter?

I think the easy answer here is that when he starts, he costs the team games.  If he's even a decent reliever, he wouldn't.

The problem is simply the backfill: is whatever sad sack goes to the rotation to replace him going to be even worse and cost the team more games?  And the answer there is "probably not," especially if that sack is Espino.  Sure, he's a 5 inning pitcher and not an especially good one, but his ERA over the last 3 seasons is more than a run lower than Corbin's.

The team was 6-25 in Corbin's starts last year.  Outside his one decent month, they were 3-22.  That's a performance that is team-killing.  He would not kill the team as a reliever, nor would Espino as a starter: the team was 7-12 in his starts last year.

They won't do this, of course, but they should.

[welch]

I think the easy answer here is that when he starts, he costs the team games.  If he's even a decent reliever, he wouldn't.

The problem is simply the backfill: is whatever sad sack goes to the rotation to replace him going to be even worse and cost the team more games?  And the answer there is "probably not," especially if that sack is Espino.  Sure, he's a 5 inning pitcher and not an especially good one, but his ERA over the last 3 seasons is more than a run lower than Corbin's.

The team was 6-25 in Corbin's starts last year.  Outside his one decent month, they were 3-22.  That's a performance that is team-killing.  He would not kill the team as a reliever, nor would Espino as a starter: the team was 7-12 in his starts last year.

They won't do this, of course, but they should.

The Nats ran through enough extra starters last season, starters like Tetreault and Lee, and even Adon, that they could fill in for Corbin if they put Corbin in the bullpen. As you say, they probably won't. Random thought: if Corbin, Robles, and Kieboom had played up to expectations, would the team have fallen apart? They were supposed to lead the next wave, but...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/03/mlb-players-out-of-options-2023.html

Useful because we have 1st dibs on waivers.  This list has players with fewer than 5 seasons of MLB experience who are out of options; palyers with 5 years or more can elect to be FAs if they are out of options and refuse assignment to the minors. Of course, many of these guys are locks not to be waived, like all of the guys on our list (Vargas, Rainey, and Keibert).

I've bumped this list against the roster resource depth charts on FG for all teams just to get an idea of who might be available.  I took guys who are not projected to make the OD roster and not be on the IL.  Many of guys deserve not to be on MLB rosters.

Angels - Matt Thais, 1B/OF
Barves - Jackson Stephens, Michael Tonkin (Stephens pitched well last year and is RHP reliever <29)
Padres - Brent Honeywell, Jr. RHP (he's on the 40 man with a split contract; 16:2 K:BB this spring, but given up 3 dingers in 11.1 IP)
Phillies - Andrew Vazquez LHP
NYY - Estavan Florial OF

Honeywell is an interesting story, but only maybe Stephens really deserves to be on an active roster.  Probably the more interesting thing about the MLBTR list would be if any of these guys are blocking a better player because their team doesn't want to lose him by putting him on waivers. If that's the case, then perhaps some of the guys on the MLBTR list get waived at the end of the spring with the hope he can be sneaked through the waiver process when lots of guys are getting waived.  Either that, or a team may be willing to trade to clear roster space. 

[imref]

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/nats-add-former-infielder-gutierrez-to-coaching-staff

"Run prevention coordinator"

[Five Banners]

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/nats-add-former-infielder-gutierrez-to-coaching-staff

"Run prevention coordinator"

Haven’t they been amazing at preventing runs for a while now, including basic base running?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Haven’t they been amazing at preventing runs for a while now, including basic base running?

our offense has already mastered run prevention.