Jose Abreu

I thought they made Henzman a reliever for the rest of the season to limit his innings? Why is he back to starting? Wouldn't changing his role like that mess with his arm in terms of how deep he can go into games?

June 16th then. Not quite a month but pretty close. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=rondobr01&t=p&year=2018 He became a walk machine in the games leading up to it. He hasn't been any good since May. Obviously his rate stats in mid-June will look ok since there wasn't enough sample size yet once he started walking everyone.

But they took too long. Rondon should've been gone a month ago. In that time, Gomez could've upped his trade value like Cedeno did.

Gomez and Hamilton are good guesses. I'll go with Thyago Vieira.

Of course, not all of those were contingent on an extension, but no problem. It's possible that these deals sometimes get agreed to but then fall through due to failed negotiations, too. edit- and they may not be reported

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/03/players-that-signed-extensions-with-a-new-team.html

This makes too much sense to actually happen

But between Fry, Cease, Collins, Rutherford, Basabe, Adolfo, Hamilton, Rivera, etc. it has gone as or better than planned. Win some, lose some

I definitely remember a lot of pro-Engel sentiment in Spring Training when all the best shape of his life best swing of his life best hitter at the complex pieces came out.

He was very sloppy at the beginning of the year. Over the past month and a half or so, he has looked great, both by the metrics and by the eye test

Palka

I can't wait for him. Obviously, when someone's sporting the best walk rate in the minors, the MLB philosophy would be "just throw him strikes". Then, bam, with his power and the juiced ball, watch him hit 30 bombs. He's gonna be a stud. I think he can even be a .235/.320/.440 guy right away, with gradual improvement

Maybe he's getting ready to start playing the field again? And in order to do so he needs a few days off, or to get tested or something? I dunno

Yeah if we traded that package for Gray I'd be pretty upset. Even though the ERA is inflated by Coors and some bad luck, he's not worth Cease, Adolfo, and Sheets.

AAA fodder I guess?

It's such a simple fix in my opinion. We don't need to go full nuclear and ban shifts, make strikeouts 2 strikes/walks 3 balls, or anything like that. All that needs to change is that the commercials need to be slightly shortened and pitchers need to deliver the ball in less than X seconds. (I haven't done enough research on what that number should be but watch an AL East vs AL East matchup and you'll agree with me. It's excruciating). Those changes alone can shave half an hour or so from average game length.

It's legal to come to this country seeking asylum, though, and these are the people whose families are being separated. Not sure if that's what you were referencing.

Rebuilds are a lot easier when your future GM gifts you a stud first baseman, the Astros inexplicably pass on Bryant, the A's somehow give up 6 years of a top prospect for two months of a mediocre pitcher, etc. Takes a lot of luck.

I agree. It's a shame that so few people who share their opinions actually watch the games or even look at stats. He's been great.

As ridiculous as the catcher idea is, it's all increasingly irrelevant now anyway. He's a shortstop and a good one.