Curtis gave JD an A for the rebuild. How about you guys.

[D-train]

Jim was probably my favorite non Mariner as a kid...

[Bil522]

I guess i think differently. At the beginning of the "re-imagining" we got eliminated on the last day. This year we got eliminated on the last day with less payroll than we did before... So that means we are at the same spot that we were.

We clear payroll for what? We really didn't sign any FA's to help us except dumpster diving specials that we lucked out on. We still are rushing the prospects we do have...so nothing has changed there. We still have not come close to finding a bat like Cano's since he left....not that we have really tried. Yes, JD has rearranged the deck chairs on the USS Mariner but that is about it at the major league level. A C- at best for the rebuild at this time

[D-train]

I guess i think differently. At the beginning of the "re-imagining" we got eliminated on the last day. This year we got eliminated on the last day with less payroll than we did before... So that means we are at the same spot that we were.

We clear payroll for what? We really didn't sign any FA's to help us except dumpster diving specials that we lucked out on. We still are rushing the prospects we do have...so nothing has changed there. We still have not come close to finding a bat like Cano's since he left....not that we have really tried. Yes, JD has rearranged the deck chairs on the USS Mariner but that is about it at the major league level. A C- at best for the rebuild at this time

Very reasonable position. Exactly why the need to spend the savings to justify the rebuild. The Ray contract was a start but they have a long way to go.

[AT Funchal-Madeira]

The premium free agents like Correa and less than premium like Bryant want long contracts and that's a touchy situation. Long contracts can become Albatrosses that restrict a mid-market team and we want to have payroll available to retain our own prospects that meet or exceed expectations... For that reason, I'm satisfied if we keep our payroll in the 110 to 120 range. I'd happily go higher if the contracts are 5 years or less...

[D-train]

The premium free agents like Correa and less than premium like Bryant want long contracts and that's a touchy situation. Long contracts can become Albatrosses that restrict a mid-market team and we want to have payroll available to retain our own prospects that meet or exceed expectations... For that reason, I'm satisfied if we keep our payroll in the 110 to 120 range. I'd happily go higher if the contracts are 5 years or less...

Yep, the trades are more appealing. Better younger targets, shorter terms with the option to try to resign them and less AAV. Just have to give up a few Can miss prospects to get them.

[AT Funchal-Madeira]

The premium free agents like Correa and less than premium like Bryant want long contracts and that's a touchy situation. Long contracts can become Albatrosses that restrict a mid-market team and we want to have payroll available to retain our own prospects that meet or exceed expectations... For that reason, I'm satisfied if we keep our payroll in the 110 to 120 range. I'd happily go higher if the contracts are 5 years or less...

Yep, the trades are more appealing. Better younger targets, shorter terms with the option to try to resign them and less AAV. Just have to give up a few Can miss prospects to get them.

Yeah, if "trader Jerry" could land Olson, Reynolds, or JRam for a couple of prospects (other than Rodriguez or Kirby), I'd consider the winter season a success.

[D-train]

The premium free agents like Correa and less than premium like Bryant want long contracts and that's a touchy situation. Long contracts can become Albatrosses that restrict a mid-market team and we want to have payroll available to retain our own prospects that meet or exceed expectations... For that reason, I'm satisfied if we keep our payroll in the 110 to 120 range. I'd happily go higher if the contracts are 5 years or less...

Yep, the trades are more appealing. Better younger targets, shorter terms with the option to try to resign them and less AAV. Just have to give up a few Can miss prospects to get them.

Yeah, if "trader Jerry" could land Olson, Reynolds, or JRam for a couple of prospects (other than Rodriguez or Kirby), I'd consider the winter season a success.

Don't think you can get Reynolds without Kirby but we should be able to get the other two for Marte plus. Of course if it happens people will idiotically bring up the Bedard trade...

[ddraig]

I actually don't see things changing much if we can't fill the obvious holes we have. That's why I said we needed to set the market early on. If we didn't grab some of the FA's out there that could fit here, we likely won't get any of them once the deluge begins when the lockout is over. We'll be one of all the other teams left on the outside looking in.

I give Dipoto a C for going half way in. He has a boatload of prospects, but what good are kids if they are three or four years away? For any "rebuild" to keep the fans interested, you have to show progress. Without FA's filling holes over the next five years, what are we left with? Guys like White, JK, Torrens, etc. Not ready for prime time players.

[Juliooooo]

The rebuild is an A +, some of the guys may not work out, but the way he has built the farm system from worst in MLB to the best is simply remarkable. Again, he doesn't get the luxury of hindsight when making moves, but he's made some masterful moves to rebuild the system.

Now the building a team to support that system remains to be seen. It's time to add to the places the Trevor may have come up short. Bring in an infielder that can hit. Get an outfielder as insurance for Lewis and Kelenic. They added a starting pitcher to take some pressure off the young guys, but one more to raise the floor wouldn't hurt either

[D-train]

Can't get much better than worst to first with the farm system.

Looks like the Poll came out to a B+ overall....