2020 SIM 4 Complete - Next SIM Tues 2/13

[Guest]

DFA should be clear for me moving forward. I apologize as I thought I'd have time yesterday morning to get things taken care of but you simmed at 3 AM!* Granted, I was up at 3 AM feeding the kid, but wasn't expecting to beat the sim time.

*I know threads say sims are due at 3 AM, just really surprised it got simmed then!

[Pat]

DFA should be clear for me moving forward. I apologize as I thought I'd have time yesterday morning to get things taken care of but you simmed at 3 AM!* Granted, I was up at 3 AM feeding the kid, but wasn't expecting to beat the sim time.

*I know threads say sims are due at 3 AM, just really surprised it got simmed then!

The BLB is super serious.

[Delandis]

That's extremely premature. Dominguez will have to produce roughly 50-55 WAR to be worth that contract (glhf with years 5-8). And having $40 million tied up in two players can be problematic, especially when one of them is a reliever. You're only going to get so much value from 70 innings even if it's the best closer in the league.

Damn. Those grapes must be sour as hell.

We went from the worst pitching team in the IL, to a team that has the 2nd best WHIP in one of the leagues' friendliest parks for hitters. Carrasco gave up 0 earned runs, 0 walks, has a .17 WHIP and leads the league in saves.

Dominguez leads the league in FIP, K's per 9 IP, and a top ten guy in WHIP. Dominguez currently earns the #13 highest salary in baseball. Go ahead and ask those other twelve owners would they rather be spending that money on the guy they have now, or Dominguez.

I'm a pretty patient guy. I'll wait.

[Z]

Damn. Those grapes must be sour as hell.

We went from the worst pitching team in the IL, to a team that has the 2nd best WHIP in one of the leagues' friendliest parks for hitters. Carrasco gave up 0 earned runs, 0 walks, has a .17 WHIP and leads the league in saves.

Dominguez leads the league in FIP, K's per 9 IP, and a top ten guy in WHIP. Dominguez currently earns the #13 highest salary in baseball. Go ahead and ask those other twelve owners would they rather be spending that money on the guy they have now, or Dominguez.

I'm a pretty patient guy. I'll wait.

In fairness to JJ -- with whom I disagree here -- I think he's talking more about how those contracts are going to effect your team a few years down the road, not necessarily right now.

That Dominguez and Carrasco are awesome pitchers is being questioned by no one.

[Pat]

Damn. Those grapes must be sour as hell.

We went from the worst pitching team in the IL, to a team that has the 2nd best WHIP in one of the leagues' friendliest parks for hitters. Carrasco gave up 0 earned runs, 0 walks, has a .17 WHIP and leads the league in saves.

Dominguez leads the league in FIP, K's per 9 IP, and a top ten guy in WHIP. Dominguez currently earns the #13 highest salary in baseball. Go ahead and ask those other twelve owners would they rather be spending that money on the guy they have now, or Dominguez.

I'm a pretty patient guy. I'll wait.

The BLB is back, baby!

[Delandis]

In fairness to JJ -- with whom I disagree here -- I think he's talking more about how those contracts are going to effect your team a few years down the road, not necessarily right now.

That Dominguez and Carrasco are awesome pitchers is being questioned by no one.

No Z.

The problem is that he wasn't willing to take the risks that I did with those contracts and now he's envious of their success.

Now I see how UMD felt with Zhang.

[Z]

No Z.

The problem is that he wasn't willing to take the risks that I did with those contracts and now he's envious of their success.

Now I see how UMD felt with Zhang.

Oh, I agree with you about that part of his comments.

It took courage to offer those deals. It's a risk, sure, but I didn't see them as foolhardy gambles.

One of the things I love most about this league is the widely differing ideas we have about team-building.

I avoid like the plague making bets like Zhang or Dominguez, but I admire them and appreciate how different strategies can be successful.

[Delandis]

2020 SIM 4 Complete - Next SIM Tues 2/13

Oh, I agree with you about that part of his comments.

It took courage to offer those deals. It's a risk, sure, but I didn't see them as foolhardy gambles.

One of the things I love most about this league is the widely differing ideas we have about team-building.

I avoid like the plague making bets like Zhang or Dominguez, but I admire them and appreciate how different strategies can be successful.

There is a difference between risk and a bad contract. And really the Dominguez contract is the only risky one. Carrasco might end up being underpaid.

[Guest]

Damn. Those grapes must be sour as hell.

We went from the worst pitching team in the IL, to a team that has the 2nd best WHIP in one of the leagues' friendliest parks for hitters. Carrasco gave up 0 earned runs, 0 walks, has a .17 WHIP and leads the league in saves.

Dominguez leads the league in FIP, K's per 9 IP, and a top ten guy in WHIP. Dominguez currently earns the #13 highest salary in baseball. Go ahead and ask those other twelve owners would they rather be spending that money on the guy they have now, or Dominguez.

I'm a pretty patient guy. I'll wait.

The stats are great, but don't change the fact that they're taking up nearly a third of your payroll this year, and will take up roughly $40 million each year thereafter. Re-sign Gosser and you're financially fucked. Trade him and your team isn't as good. Just looking out for you, fam. It's great to throw random amounts at players and keep the band together because YOLO, it's not great to be maxed out financially and have to fill up holes with marginal AAAA talent. What good is having those guys when your bullpen is Carrasco and some guys off the street, and they fuck up games because they aren't good? Is all of that a formality? Of course not, but it's not a situation I envy. I got like 6 or 7 pitchers in free agency for a combined annual salary a little higher than Doninguez's.

In fairness to JJ -- with whom I disagree here -- I think he's talking more about how those contracts are going to effect your team a few years down the road, not necessarily right now.

That Dominguez and Carrasco are awesome pitchers is being questioned by no one.

Correct.

No Z.

The problem is that he wasn't willing to take the risks that I did with those contracts and now he's envious of their success.

Now I see how UMD felt with Zhang.

If not giving out stupid money to unproven players makes me risk-averse, so be it.

I took several risks. Took risks on Tortorici and Hurst staying healthy. Took a risk on Vega not being completely washed up. Took a risk on the older bullpen guys to stay productive and defy age. I'm just not giving contracts like that out to players again. Period.

[Delandis]

The stats are great, but don't change the fact that they're taking up nearly a third of your payroll this year, and will take up roughly $40 million each year thereafter. Re-sign Gosser and you're financially fucked. Trade him and your team isn't as good. Just looking out for you, fam. It's great to throw random amounts at players and keep the band together because YOLO, it's not great to be maxed out financially and have to fill up holes with marginal AAAA talent. What good is having those guys when your bullpen is Carrasco and some guys off the street, and they fuck up games because they aren't good? Is all of that a formality? Of course not, but it's not a situation I envy. I got like 6 or 7 pitchers in free agency for a combined annual salary a little higher than Doninguez's.







Correct.







If not giving out stupid money to unproven players makes me risk-averse, so be it.



I took several risks. Took risks on Tortorici and Hurst staying healthy. Took a risk on Vega not being completely washed up. Took a risk on the older bullpen guys to stay productive and defy age. I'm just not giving contracts like that out to players again. Period.

I see. So because you wouldn't do it, it is a poor strategy.


Good to know going forward.

[Pat]

It's great to throw random amounts at players and keep the band together because YOLO, it's not great to be maxed out financially and have to fill up holes with marginal AAAA talent.

I think it's easy to say Baltimore chose a random contract number for these two players, took a major risk and was just lucky to land both.

But I think that couldn't be further from the truth. Delandis has been in the league a long, long time. Under his guidance Baltimore has one of the highest winning percentages in BLB history. They are also one of only a handful of teams to have won a Brewmaster's. Further, when you consider post-Steroid Years, Baltimore has been in the playoffs nine of the past 17 seasons, it appears he knows what he is doing.

As far as the contracts numbers, I myself spent a lot of time figuring out what to offer both these players and came up with identical contract years, and almost the exact same average salary, within 5%. The only difference was I had team options and Baltimore had player options. My research here wasn't "random" at all but actually highly calculated. I factored in what similarly rated players were making currently in the BLB, what other top international players signed for, namely Zhang in Pittsburgh and HernandeZ in LAM and what other top FAs were asking/had received at their positions in recent seasons. Sure, there were no previous seasons/stats but there were many factors in thinking these players were legit. First off, your own scout. Secondly, OSA. Also considering that the SP was listed on the email we all received as one of the Top 10 FAs.

The fact that I'm sure upwards of 10+ teams offered both of these players and Baltimore landed both, IMO is a clear indication of skill and very little luck.

[Guest]

I see. So because you wouldn't do it, it is a poor strategy.


Good to know going forward.

Not necessarily. There's many frameworks around which to build a good team, I'm just not going to apply the "spam the +1m button" approach. Did it with Pittsburgh and got 0 championships and my team was fucked beyond all recognition by the time I left. I'm frustrated that I'm priced out of most international FA's and have had no qualms with saying that it is the basis of my umbrage.

I think it's easy to say Baltimore chose a random contract number for these two players, took a major risk and was just lucky to land both.

But I think that couldn't be further from the truth. Delandis has been in the league a long, long time. Under his guidance Baltimore has one of the highest winning percentages in BLB history. They are also one of only a handful of teams to have won a Brewmaster's. Further, when you consider post-Steroid Years, Baltimore has been in the playoffs nine of the past 17 seasons, it appears he knows what he is doing.

As far as the contracts numbers, I myself spent a lot of time figuring out what to offer both these players and came up with identical contract years, and almost the exact same average salary, within 5%. The only difference was I had team options and Baltimore had player options. My research here wasn't "random" at all but actually highly calculated. I factored in what similarly rated players were making currently in the BLB, what other top international players signed for, namely Zhang in Pittsburgh and HernandeZ in LAM and what other top FAs were asking/had received at their positions in recent seasons. Sure, there were no previous seasons/stats but there were many factors in thinking these players were legit. First off, your own scout. Secondly, OSA. Also considering that the SP was listed on the email we all received as one of the Top 10 FAs.

The fact that I'm sure upwards of 10+ teams offered both of these players and Baltimore landed both, IMO is a clear indication of skill and very little luck.

I'm not saying anybody's inept, I'm just saying that I disagree with the people that offered anything over $150 million. I know I'll get crushed for using a real life example, but the Yankees gave Tanaka $150-ish million despite having much more money at their disposal than any BLB team has. And that contract is probably going to end up bad for them.

[Z]

Not necessarily. There's many frameworks around which to build a good team, I'm just not going to apply the "spam the +1m button" approach. I'm frustrated that I'm priced out of most international FA's and have had no qualms with saying that it is the basis of my umbrage.



I'm not saying anybody's inept, I'm just saying that I disagree with the people that offered anything over $150 million. I know I'll get crushed for using a real life example, but the Yankees gave Tanaka $150-ish million despite having much more money at their disposal than any BLB team has. And that contract is probably going to end up bad for them.

You should pick your words more carefully then. You called Delandis's decisions "lunacy" and "stupid." You can't say that and not expect it to be taken personally.

[Pat]

I'm not saying anybody's inept, I'm just saying that I disagree with the people that offered anything over $150 million. I know I'll get crushed for using a real life example, but the Yankees gave Tanaka $150-ish million despite having much more money at their disposal than any BLB team has. And that contract is probably going to end up bad for them.

BLB = real life

MLB = what's that?

[mike]

I know why Baltimore did it. They were two elite options, he knew Seattle had the cap to do it, but he did as well. Since his team was closer to competing he weighed his options and decided to invest in those two pitchers. The (extremely) early returns are good. To make a definitive argument either way, which IS lunacy in the sense that after month 1 of their contracts, is too soon to tell.

I mean we're talking about a handful of games here. Not even one season.


Overall the argument of " it's going to take X to make it valued to a certain degree" is one way of looking at it where "if these two win me a championship and make me competitive then it's valued where I want it to be" is a completely fair assessment as well.

Delandis identified these two as his cash cows, went after them and time will tell if he's happy with the result.

The assessment of "oh well when you pay them you're stuck with a bunch of AAAA types filling the roster"

I mean that's just not true. In 2 years when his money is tied up in three guys he'll have 1.5, Stripling, Baker, insert prospect here, making league minimum balancing out his roster.