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FG updated their BOARD today with two big surprise to me with Collins being at #67 and Basabe at #84. Collins was listed as a 1B, but that is still a pretty high ranking for him and I think this is the first list I've seen with Basabe in the top 100. They are lower on Cease and Dunning, but with 9 guys in the top 100, I'm pretty happy with the list. https://www.fangraphs.com/scoutboard.aspx?draft=&type=&pos=&team=chw

Doesn't look like any are coming through. I feel like Hahn thinks this team can (or JR wants this team to) compete next year so we kept Avilan and Cedeno who are both still under control for next year. If we suck, we trade them then, but if we are competing then we probably have two good relievers at cheap prices that we don't have to trade anyone for.

The Yankees are about to have Stanton Judge and Harper on the same team, aren't they?

The Yankees probably have another trade lined up because they pulled Tyler Austin from a game and he wasn't in that trade. They also saved a little over 1 million towards the luxury tax.

About time. He has destroyed the DSL this year and did pretty good last year too. I can't wait to see how he does in the AZL.

Yep, which is why I am less worried about them having such a good farm system and kind of hoping they overpay for Archer.

They have such a good farm system that they could trade themselves into playoff contention in one year.

Avilan - a reliever so good we'll trade him twice!

According to Cubs fans its Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Jacob deGrom, Babe Ruth, Jesus, and international pool money for one of Giambrone or Ayala but definitely not both because that would be an overpay.

Yeah, after looking at his actual stats my reaction was "meh". Its a potential good pitcher for 6 years vs a replacement level one for the remainder of one year. Seems like 6 times the value is about right.

The Orioles just traded Brad Brach for $250K in international slot money. I don't know how that makes me feel about our trade.

This seems like a guy who's stuff is good, not great, but his numbers play so far above his stuff that there must be something that isn't reflected in the stuff grades that makes him better. It sounds like the deception of his delivery really helps him and I have to wonder if there is something about his pitch tunneling that makes him so good.

Looks like he has some killer stats as a closer in AA, but he is also 25, so IDK. This seems like a weird trade especially because he is another guy that will have to be on the 40 man, is a bullpen piece at best, and it seems like a lot of the international slot compared to what we got for it last year.

No idea. He hasn't been as active on twitter. Also, Victor Victor has been liking stuff about the Orioles and the Marlins going after him (as well as one Cardinals post), so I guess it doesn't really tell as much as I thought it did.

Victor Victor liked this tweet, so this is probably the current state of things.

Wilber Perez pitched for the DSL team today. Went 2 innings, 3 K, 1 BB, 1 H

For anyone wondering about Perez, he pitched in a DSL game today. 2 innings, 3 K, 1 BB, 1 H.

Kind of interesting that Barefoot went undrafted this year. I'm pretty sure that means that he technically can still sign with any team that has bonus space left, or just for the $125k. I wonder if any teams have talked to him after the big Cape he had.

That's where I personally make the distinction between arguing and debating. I have had debates lasting several hours that resulted in both parties walking away with (at least slightly) changed minds and I loved those. However I also think there are times when you argue with someone you think will never change their mind which makes you also want to never change your mind. I feel like you can usually tell in those first few minutes which way its going to go and if you realize its an argument, better to just walk away so you don't drive yourself insane.

I agree with the stats and scouting approach, but also that there seemed to be no middle ground. There is a quote from Neil deGrasse Tyson that I like that goes something like "If you can't change someone's mind in the first five minutes, you aren't going to so don't waste your time." I feel like this was one of those times and I should have cut myself off earlier for my own sanity.

Well then there is no point in arguing this. If you are just going to scout the stat line for people with 800 PAs in the majors, good luck ever fielding a good team.

The Albies example does not really help your case. Yes, statistical models are taking time to adjust, but scouts and FOs aren't because they know what he is and that the crazy power numbers weren't going to last. On the other hand, most feel that Torres can keep up his level of play for the most part because he was supposed to have elite bat control but might have been lacking in power a bit, but then the new MLB ball helped him enough to become a power threat which really elevated his profile. To think that there is no human element that can see these things when statistical models still need to adjust is just naive.

Nothing official, but I feel like they would be if they didn't have the restrictions or if he waits/isn't cleared until next J2. He is very similar to Victor Robles and he is already 22 so he could probably go straight to AA. That would be interesting and would seem to explain this whole thing.

Dunning and Cease have both credited Shields specifically for helping them plus there were multiple times during spring training where Shields was shown to be hanging around after practice or during time off and holding court with the young guys and teaching them stuff. I don't think its enough of a reason for us to not trade him if we can, but I also wouldn't doubt that we bring him back as a pitching coach once he retires.