Them even allowing CK to throw at this point gives me confidence that its not serious enough that he could miss the start of next season, but that's just a hunch. Whether or not they know without a doubt, I think they have to approach free agency as if Bills won't pitch next year, because in all likelihood he won't. On Greinke, I agree 100%. He has been awesome for about the last month.
If CK does pitch at some point, he should be on a pitch count. Anything that looks shaky and you pull him. I know there's a huge feeling that we're still not (mathematically) out of it, but I don't want CK fucking himself over for years to come because he wants to prove something.
Only thing I worry about is that anxiety he has and how much of a factor it will play. I don't want to pay 100 million + for a guy that's gonna cry any time the LA Times writes something mean about him.
I don't think we go after grienke , at least aggressively. If we didn't want him in the trade deadline why now? Concerns were cause of on the field that wont change. I expect and like a bridge the gap guy, a short deal with kuroda or peavy. We gotta retain the pen though. Healthy my goodness is it beastly. Belli would be our 7 guy, what a great gift to have. We gotta allow flexibility for the Kershaw extension. Of course our strategy will be influenced by the health of our best 3 starters. Honeycutt deserves mad props for keeping the pitching sharp and giving us a shot to get in. Donnie and Hansen blew it
The cost. Ned/Stan weren't gonna give up the top-end prospects the A-Holes did for potentially 2 months of Greinke. When the cost is solely financial, not even a draft pick, who cares? Evidently Mark Walter doesn't. And before you bring it up, A-Gon is signed for 6 more years. Which is why they were willing to give the pieces they did, but if you're among them, i'll leave you to bitch about how 4 natural run producers were thrown together and haven't produced on command when more than one is out of his natural role. As for me, i'll give it a year or two before I judge the deals. But you're spot on about the pen, wouldn't mind keeping League at a reasonable price, dude has been money the last 6 weeks, along with Beli, Paco, Jansen and maybe 1 more arm would be awesome.
Anyone with a reputation of being a star performer is going to suck, be a problem, or both when they come here. It's just the way it is...it is written on a stone tablet somewhere. The loophole might be because he is a pitcher...we can have success there. Strawberry, Davis, Deshields, Schmidt, Drew, Jones, Uribe, AGon, Victorino, Ramirez, etc.
Except Strawberry and Gonzo are the only ones on that list worthy of being called a star. We bought low on Hanley. Davis? At least he hit a couple HR in the WS
Eric Davis was a superstar before L.A no doubt about it. Not sure what Davis you are refering too. Hanely was an MVP caliber player only 2 years ago. Deshields was the best young leadoff hitting 2nd basemen at the time we traded for him. JD Drew, Andruw Jones, weren't stars before L.A.? How can you say they weren't? Uribe and Victorino may not be considered stars but were known for their postseason heroics.
I am not sold on Greinke. He has tough stuff but seems mentally weak. I would rather take that money can corner the market on every other pitcher. I would buy low on Peavy, Marcum, and Sanchez. Bills AND Kershaw are not certain. We have nothing of merit waiting in the wings.
I thought you were talking about Mike Davis going from hitting 30 HR with Oakland to 2 HR with us. Andruw Jones was coming off a .220 bating average season with Atlanta. .222/.311/.413/.724 OPS+ of 87. Although 30 is still 'prime', he was getting older, fatter, and his stats plummeted before we got him. I don't hate the deal btw. It was only a 2 year contract and we were able to restructure it and the rest is history. No big deal. But if you're asking me if Andruw Jones was a big star when he came to LA...no, I think not only were his best days far behind him, he was horrible the year before we got him. J.D Drew? The dude was just a really solid player, and was really solid for us. You just said yourself Uribe and Vic weren't stars. So there you go. Schmidt was an old, injured pitcher past his prime and one of Ned's worst. Hanley used to be a big time SUPERstar. Well, he hasn't been that guy since 2009, so again, not a star that came to LA and plummeted. He had already regressed heavily, came here, and actually improved a bit offensively from MIA. Delino Deshields was a guy who was really good at what he did before he got here, true. And trading Pedro for him makes it hurt even more.
Greinke is considerably more talented than the majority of the league. And he'll get paid for it. Like everyone else, I fear his mental makeup. But there is so much talent right there.
You seem to be low-balling Greinke. Dude is a Cy Young award winner and has been filthy the last two years.
IMO, his mental makeup does not equal a huge contract. Someone will pay him. I personally hope it is not us. I would rather grab two number 2s or a number 2 and two guys who have number 2 potential than spend on him.
Would those 2 two's be Peavy and Kuroda? He seems to be implying Bills << Greinke. But sense Bills is Bi-polar, i'd have to say, Bills(when he's on) = Greinke, Bills(when he's not) <<<<<< Greinke. Plus, Greinke has been far more consistent the last 3 years.