This is a preview of the Joe Sheehan Baseball Newsletter, an e-mail newsletter about all things baseball, featuring analysis and opinion about the game on and off the field from the perspective of the informed outsider.
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That money could have been used to sign three serviceable starting pitchers and a third baseman who would get Max Muncy off the infield. Will Ohtani inspire Betts, Freeman, and Muncy to show up in October? Guess we will find out.
--Dan Z.
The money doesn’t matter, the room on the payroll does, and the contract structure minimizes the impact of that. They’ll still acquire two starters, I think, one up top and one for bulk innings. I’m more bullish on the Gavin Stone/Michael Grove/Ryan Pepiot/Emmet Sheehan group than you may be. I think collectively they’ll provide 300-400 average innings, though I don’t know which pitcher will emerge. Probably Stone and Pepiot, if I’m guessing today.
Those four combined for 202 innings with replacement-level performance in 2023. I think they double the innings and are worth five wins in 2024.
--J.
--Dan Z.
The money doesn’t matter, the room on the payroll does, and the contract structure minimizes the impact of that. They’ll still acquire two starters, I think, one up top and one for bulk innings. I’m more bullish on the Gavin Stone/Michael Grove/Ryan Pepiot/Emmet Sheehan group than you may be. I think collectively they’ll provide 300-400 average innings, though I don’t know which pitcher will emerge. Probably Stone and Pepiot, if I’m guessing today.
Those four combined for 202 innings with replacement-level performance in 2023. I think they double the innings and are worth five wins in 2024.
--J.
