I recall Luhnow really loving Rojas. Not wanting to part with him was holding up the Greinke trade. Then Crane stepped in and convinced him to do it.
I appreciated that he still competed late in 2017 and the postseason even though he didn't have his stuff. Got roughed up a little early in the playoffs, but pitched well mostly on sheer bravado in the World Series.
https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2021/9/3/22655300/tampa-bay-rays-rookies-world-series-contender So is Collin McHugh, who’s thrown 8 2/3 scoreless innings across five short starts this season, as either an “opener” or the lead leg in a bullpen game. McHugh was terrific with the Astros after transitioning to the bullpen in 2018, but a lackluster 2019, elbow injury, and COVID-19–induced opt-out in 2020 sapped his momentum. Now he’s back and even better than he was at his relieving peak in Houston, with a 1.52 ERA that ranks fifth out of 266 pitchers with at least 50 innings. (Fellow Ray Andrew Kittredge ranks second at 1.31.) Here's a game of what-if... If we signed Doc this offseason, would have needed to revamp the bullpen, lose Toro, and... of course, lost all those dumpster fire and extra inning games?
Click has a boss too. All of Crane's baseball "fair weather friends" have told him how great letting Dusty Manage has been. They say it will help his PR problem. And if memory serves me (and it doesn't always) Baker was hired by Crane before Click was hired as GM so Baker was Crane's hire. Click might not feel comfortable (or even have authority) to fire Baker.
Where did you hear that? I don't believe that. Crane is smart; he hired Baker to see them through the aftermath of the cheating scandal. Yes, Baker was Crane's hire, but he is smart enough to let Click determine who the manager is next season.
I think McHugh’s resurgence is the most recent example of just how volatile, unpredictable, and quite frankly, somewhat lucky, year-to-year success as a RHP can be. Every year, it seems like relievers come out of nowhere and deliver top end results, only to squander back to normalcy in the years to come. We see it all the time. Sure, there is something to say for fatigue or arm degradation…a la Hand, Treinen, but even Chapman, Kimbrel, Jansen have had the same issues. I would be wary of giving any reliever a bulky lengthy contract, which is difficult to stomach when bullpens (for all teams) routinely struggle. I think it’s the nature of the business, or that position at least, and there is some level of luck involved in nabbing guys who excel, even if just for a short period, out of the pen.
It's speculation. But you want to hold me to a higher standard than the MSM who would call it a FACT? It's my opinion and that makes it FACT.
