If I can play fantasy/video game GM for a moment. What if we were looking at this going into opening day in 2 weeks?

LF Altuve
2B Parades
DH Alvarez
1B Walker
C Diaz
3B Arenado
RF Cam Smith
SS Pena
CF Meyers/McCormick

Long RH heavy lineup. Elite IF defense. Shaky OF defense that will improve as the season goes. Deep rotation. Ring #3?

tylhair said:

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If I can play fantasy/video game GM for a moment. What if we were looking at this going into opening day in 2 weeks?

LF Altuve
2B Parades
DH Alvarez
1B Walker
C Diaz
3B Arenado
RF Cam Smith
SS Pena
CF Meyers/McCormick

Long RH heavy lineup. Elite IF defense. Shaky OF defense that will improve as the season goes. Deep rotation. Ring #3?

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Doubt we'll get Arenado, but even replacing him with someone serviceable would be fine. The lineup looks great if the players play up to their potential.

Really I think it comes down to health and pitching. Need guys to continue pitching well like they did last year for our starters.

Need Hader to return to form and some surprises to do well (Whitley) for our bullpen.

tylhair said:

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If I can play fantasy/video game GM for a moment. What if we were looking at this going into opening day in 2 weeks?

LF Altuve
2B Parades
DH Alvarez
1B Walker
C Diaz
3B Arenado
RF Cam Smith
SS Pena
CF Meyers/McCormick

Long RH heavy lineup. Elite IF defense. Shaky OF defense that will improve as the season goes. Deep rotation. Ring #3?

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Feels like Arenado won't happen. But take your lineup, move Parades to 3B, move Smith to the 6 hole, and slot Rodgers in the 7 hole at 2B. You still have elite IF defense and roughly the same offensive numbers.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Beeks joins the Astros, who are looking for a bridge to Abreu and Hader. A look at the Astros' bullpen with two weeks left in camp.https://t.co/1gSEgRRwIX

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 9, 2025

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Clarence Beeks?

If no Arenado, what combo is better overall (offensively and defensively)?

3B Paredes
2B Rodgers
RF Smith

or

3B Smith
2B Paredes
RF Gamel/McCormick (or even DeZenzo)

so if Smith wins the RF job - we'll have guys in the OF who have never played that position before? Smith had 3 games' experience in LF in his life playing in the Cape Cod League, and Altuve has zero playing OF anywhere. Doesn't that seem like a total defensive disaster waiting to happen?

If he can hit, put Smith him at 3B and put Paredes at 2B. Then Dubon doesn't have to start. Yes that puts Chas and Jake both in the OF mix with Dubon and Gamel, but if Smith can even hit .230 with 20 HR, he's a plus. And you have some options on the bench with guys in Rodgers and Dubon who can play multiple positions.

I agree that Cam Smith makes much more sense at 3B at the moment.

RF is definitely where he'll end up though.

I still love the idea of Arenado and want to come up with some way to make them both work.

I suppose the emergence of Cam Smith may have some deterring effect on the Arenado pursuit.

Option 1 for defense.

Option 2 for offense.

MAROON said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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Beeks joins the Astros, who are looking for a bridge to Abreu and Hader. A look at the Astros' bullpen with two weeks left in camp.https://t.co/1gSEgRRwIX

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 9, 2025

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Clarence Beeks?

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https://texags.com/forums/53/topics/3505135/replies/69798331

Gerrit Cole has been recommended to have Tommy John surgery, per @JimBowdenGM

They are waiting for a second opinion pic.twitter.com/DPk33hejVf

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 10, 2025

I wonder if last season was the precursor.

Sources: Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and some owners are pressuring Stu Sternberg to sell the Tampa Bay Rays. Revenue sharing money could be at stake.

Several groups have expressed interest, including the family of Edward DeBartolo Jr.https://t.co/DgClN3C5D9

— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) March 10, 2025

Who are the owners? LAD, NYY, Red Sox? That's all Manfred cares about. What a poon. I hate that guy.

And why? Aren't they building a new stadium?

We all know that he started fraying that UCL last year.

Fun facts about baseball in Florida that the commish is too stupid to understand.

NOBODY IN FLORIDA WANTS TO GO TO A BASEBALL GAME

The Marlins have played 32 seasons in Miami. They've never finished higher than 5th in the NL in attendance out of 14-16 teams..
They finished 5th in 1993 and 1994, their first two years, and in 1997 when they won the World Series.

Every year since 1997, they've finished no better than 12th in attendance, including 15th of 16 in 2003 when they won the World Series. They've finished last in attendance 11 years in a row.


The Rays have played 25 seasons in Tampa. have never finished higher than 7th in attendance in the AL out of 14-15 teams. They finished 7th out of 14 their first year, and 9th out of 14 in 2010.
In 2008 when they lost the WS, they were 12th of 14.
They've finished 13th, 14th or 15th every years since 2010.

tjack16 said:

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Gerrit Cole has been recommended to have Tommy John surgery, per @JimBowdenGM

They are waiting for a second opinion pic.twitter.com/DPk33hejVf

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 10, 2025

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Yo Gerrit, plenty of time to let your hair grow out so not a total waste.

Charlotte would gladly take the Rays. The city already has NFL, NBA, and a NASCAR track. The AAA stadium was built to accommodate expansion to meet MLB standards when they built it a few years ago.

These better not be it, these are hot garbage. pic.twitter.com/yJ6qyWbPGK

— Astros Knower (@AstrosKnower) March 10, 2025

Probably not accurate but I actually don't dislike this

It's boring but doesn't suck. If that makes sense

I wonder if the hat/pants would improve the situation