Maestrobjwa

We don't need a rebuild. The talent is not the problem here...the organizational system is. There are reports of similar issues in the minors too. Not talent, but...philosophy. Gunnar, Holliday, Adley, Basallo...they would all do well elsewhere almost immediately and we'd all be wondering ehy they couldn't do that here. This is why a full tear-down would be a big mistake imo--why do another torturous 3-5 years when there is another option that could fix things in a year or two?

Dismantle front office from top to bottom

What? What was wrong with it? But oy that had to be painful for you guys. But don't worry y'all paid us back time tje following December, lol

Bruh I can't watch the deep south get pummeled again, lol Wonder if 72-73 had strong blocking that produced that snowstorm down there?

Silo?

Underachieving--I am almost sure of it. Elias & Sig's system is the main reason. Get those voices out and I think players--especially Gunnar--are gonna do better. Hey you're forgetting about Basallo in that 1-2 punch equation Who says they are the 1-2 punch? You can bring in other FAs to compliment them. See here's the thing: Things are not so bad that we need another 3-4 years rebuild from the ground up...which seems to be what you're suggesting (I mean you get rid of the young players ya gotta start over). Getting new young stars is bound to take that long because ya gotta draft and wait 4 years. I think there's a way to add to the young core and not go through 100-loss seasons again.

Only one thing to do: fire Elias and clean out the FO. But I'm not sure we need a full rebuild, or that all our young players are simply busts. Not buying that part...I think it's Elias & Sig's system that has been choking the core. Key example? Look at how much better Adley is doing this year. What did he say? "Simple thoughts at the plate". Which makes ya wonder...where did the complications come from? We were all ready to call him a bust! But his bat is all the way back, and now he can throw people out thanks to a change in coaching!

I'll bet the under on that. Alonso is not gonna wanna just up and switch when he just got here just because things are rough this first year. Players do not always think the way fans do. (Why you are so hung up on this idea of him in particular I have no clue--it is incredibly rare for that kind of deal to be given up on by player or team in just half a season...c'mon you ever heard of that? Lol It would have to be an unusual, toxic situation for that to happen that fast. And besides, Alonso seems like the type to go all in when he commits to a team and a city. So between that and ownership, this being the biggest investment made so far, definitely stepping in and saying "heck no this is dumb" if anybody in the org even floated that idea...he is not going anywhere dude, lol And I think the assumption everything will be torn down under a new GM is premature. There is more to work with here than some think. And what if...it's the system of over emphasis and micromanaging of analytics (and culture of the FO) is the culprit, and not the talent? You change that and this can turn around in a year, imo New GM could manage existing talent better, and then build around them better.

Hey personally while I love sustained cold, don't have to have it. The snow is the bigger thing for me. I just don't want a 72-73 or 97-98 1.2" snow total...it seems super niños are boom or bust where I am.

How was 2015-16 oriented?

I'd take that...I mean Dec is an automatic punt in a Nino where I am (except 2009). But isn't east-based historically warm all the way through most of the time? (Again, maybe that's just my region) What would be different in the 1/15-3/15 period?

And what would that result in, winter-wise?

I alreadt chalked that up as a loss on Sunday when as we heard who was involved, lol Soiled it! Soiled it! Soiled it!

Man I knew they were done the second that appeal to the FIFA president happened. Nothing good was gonna come from that, lol

Goooooood soaking rain now with some wind. Some rumbles of thunder as well!

Stuff like this makes me wish I lived in the surrounding counties sometimes, lol

FIFA just changed their minds on Balogun--He can play tomorrow! Sounds like a "yeah we messed up" lol

When's the last time we had heat indexes this high at this time of night? I mean...bruh, lol

"Alright it oughta get cooler at night, right?" *steps outside*

@donsutherland1 You've been summoned

I don't know much about soccer but that looked like some serious "you're not meant to win it this year" bad luck to lose what I understand is our best scorer for the next game from purely incidental contact that led to a red card. That is so dumb, smh

I meant that the intent coming into this season was to contend --and signing Helsly was supposed to be THE move to secure our closer. Before the second half of last season he was dominant--so it should have been s good signing. This was just unlucky, imo And tbh...I'm not sure we have any closers in the making among the arms in the bullpen. For a little while I thought Garcia may be, but obviously his start was a fluke. And we are in a worse position now because we don't even know if Bautista will even pitch again...meaning we gotta find another closer.

I don't know...that was just half a season, though. He was pretty dominant in the first half and in the seasons before. So that was more likely to be blip as opposed to evidence of regression. And here's what I always say about a closer: they are hard to raise and you need to get a little lucky. Relying on young arms to fill the role when you are trying to win is a risky proposition: to be a closer requires a different mentality than the other bullpen innings. Not just any arm with good stuff can do it.

And like so many other good wins the last two years...we just HAVE to get bad news afterward to ruin it. Helsley hurt again, smh We have been cursed at closer since September 2023. Helsley is a signing that should have worked!

Because it's a commitment thing. If a future FA wants to come here, and they know that a 5 year commitment could be axed halfway into the first season...why would he? You get established here as the big signing, press conference and everything, big polar bear promotion...get into the community...finally settle in at the plate...and then you get shipped out immediately? Bad business when it's a player of his caliber. That kind of thing goes beyond money. Players are still human beings, man--so when they sign obviously the money is the main piece, but it is not the ONLY thing. I'd like to know anybody has ever done something like that in our era...that is, big FA, 4-5 years, then traded him in July. I mean that just sounds ridiculous to me, lol