Maestrobjwa

Not completely stuck...there is still the trade deadline. Now the DH problem...that's not poor roster construction. It's just a rather rare problem of having two catchers that you don't wanna take out of the lineup. You don't have a ton of room to navigate that in any case. Somebody is gonna get less playing time. But it'll be worth it if the outfield defense improves. No idea how Ward is gonna fit in here. I guess he's gonna have to platoon with Cowser (or Cowser just gets less playing time overall since he sucks at the plate). Ward is a FA at the end of the year, so if ya gotta sacrifice the bat some days... Guess they shoulda kept Grayson and gotten a better OFer? Or perhaps just kept Laureano

@Chris78 I could see a Cowser, EBJ, and JJ outfield later in the year...that could play. And they could also trade for somebody as well. Infield defense is going to improve, imo

@CAPE @Chris78 Quote from a few weeks ago about the defense. And Alby also said during ST that when he first talked to the players individually when he got here, they all said the same thing: they wanted to focus on fundamentals. So you can see just how much things had slipped under Hyde, smh But this also tells me that perhaps things will get better as the new coaching sets in more. We shall see!

Oh absolutely. I'll admit I hadn't been 100% convinced by JJ (that is, whether this is an early flash before the league gets a book on him, or is this actually a thing), but has shown some legit mental toughness this week. I mean he makes the error, but then looks completely unflappable and just goes down a gets that pitch in his next AB. Like Big Ben says: "No scar tissue", lol A very good sign. Now of course, he's gonna eventually cool off and have to struggle a bit like they all do, but...if he gets through that and still hits like this? We've truly got something!

Too early to tell that for sure though, lol Now once JJ struggles and is able to overcome it at the same level, and JH hasn't improved any...then yeah I think we can say that! That being said...Jackson Holliday is not gonna be benched for JJ I don't think. Wonder if JJ can play outfield...or 3B?

Bring up Enrique Bradfield for one. Put Cowser in left, and ya may have to platoon in right. Behind the plate I think we gotta give Basallo some time to figure it out--he is just a rookie after all. He could be better later in the season for all we know. And once Adley comes back that'll help to mitigate the shortcomings in the meantime.

I meant that he said they weren't stressed BEFORE he got here. Which means he and his staff have had to rebuild that foundation.

Not necessarily. Alby said last week that fundamentals were not stressed, and indicated that they're working to fix it. I think that's one of several issues that may not be permanent, but may simply take some time to fix as the new coaching sets in. I think the idea of the promotion being a sign he's here for the long haul is a little overblown. This Rubenstein & Co. are now starting to spend like they wanna win a championship. I think this year is Elias' last chance--we miss again...or get in and still not win a series...I think he's out. Overall...we gotta remember that there are a lot of new faces in this clubhouse. So we may not know for SURE exactly how this is gonna shake out. But for now...we just need to be .500 at the end of the month. I think that'll give us enough time to sort things out.

Yep, smh Monday seemed like they were turning a corner...but obviously still a lot of work to do.

The Lord is risen indeed--Alleluia!!!! Victory over the grave...Amen, Amen, and AMEN! Happy Resurrection Day all!

And speaking of Adley...how about HIS start to the season? I'm starting to see the Adley of 2022-June 2024. Now Mayo...I think we need to give the bat a little more time. Now once the offense heats up and he still isn't hitting by middle of the year...then yeah that might be a problem. Defensively he seemed to be making strides until yesterday, lol

I think we need to give this new group time to gel--it's not like this is the same team as last year. I mean they practically cleaned house in coaching, and only like 8 players remain from last year's OD roster. It's hard to imagine that things stay the same the entire year and don't get better. I mean on paper, aside from the bullpen, this SHOULD be a better team. And with new coaching it SHOULD be a better team. SHOULD...lol I mean that would be insane to clean house, finally start spending more and build a better lineup with the productive veteran leadership we've been missing...and not get better. I mean those have been core issues we seem to have addressed. I think it's way to early to give up on the season...because there are a different set of variables at play, and 8 games is not enough time to see how things are gonna come together. It just sucks for the time being,get. I think if we can be around .500 at the end of April that would give things enough time to gel.

BDCF? (I swear we need a layman's glossary thread for these abbreviations and terms, haha)

This has been a running theme since early March, hasn't it? Lol

I see...So around what year did this one actually start?

Turn of the decade?? So it's really a 15-year cycle as opposed to a literal decade? Boooooo...lol

Shoot I'd HAPPILY take that one for my sub, lol

Really? What was your high today?

Wasn't he calling for one a couple years ago? That being said it did finish in strong territory just not super, lol

Makes sense. Although I thought UHI would come into play but I suppose the bay can mitigate it sometimes? On an unrelated note...man I'm still wondering about that other thing with the elevation and having two surfaces a single foot apart (vertically) and if snow sticks on one first. Like I need to see somebody do that, fr. I have a hard time believing it can be that exact, lolol Like I could see 10 feet, but one? Wow

We've had a lot of that this month...and the ordinarily warmer city has been cooler, lol

Wait some folks are in the 70s? Not quite out of the 50s here in the city...and quite breezy.

Why is it always the GFS starting crap, bruh lol

Sounds like a heat miser's dream forecast...Like if someone wanted a torch winter as revenge for this winter they'd draw it up just like that, lol Isn't it a bit early still? Spring predictability barrier and all that?

"833-HOW-RUDE" LOL That is hilarious, haha