So, what changes do we need to make for next year?

[Eephus Speed]

Hopefully Motte will have more success and I figure Boggs can perform a little better than Thompson. That would help make up for some of the expected regression by Franklin, Miller et. al. Maybe Ottavino will contribute some quality innings. And there's a decent chance someone will have a surprisingly strong/fluky season.

I'd like Smoltz to be re-signed. Rich Harden anyone? Ben Sheets?

[JL21]

I'm all for Ben Sheets, which would render Jaime Garcia the depth guy (I'm kind of assuming Smoltz is a given). I wouldn't mind Harden, either, though I'm a little worried about his potential cost.

[Swingingbunt]

Hopefully Motte will have more success and I figure Boggs can perform a little better than Thompson. That would help make up for some of the expected regression by Franklin, Miller et. al. Maybe Ottavino will contribute some quality innings. And there's a decent chance someone will have a surprisingly strong/fluky season.

I'd like Smoltz to be re-signed. Rich Harden anyone? Ben Sheets?

I'd like us to go after either Harden or Smoltz AND Sheets. If we can sign both and they stay healthy and Garcia needs a little more time, then he's at AAA and the first man up or in the bully for a year. If not, I think it's an okay gamble.

That's just me being greedy though. Plus, I think Sheets could be a lights out set up guy if his arm isn't quite ready to start yet. I would think Smoltz and Sheets could both be had on one year (or two year) deals. Smoltz because of retirement and Sheets to try and re-establish his market value for a big contract.

[Hungary Jack]

The concern I have with the 'pen is that there's a lot of natural decline set up moving into 2010. I'll be stunned if Franklin duplicates his season; if Miller duplicates his season; if McClellan's peripherals don't bite him in the ass; and if Hawksworth can keep going hard on that beast with some serious swagger.

But I can't blame them for standing pat out there. There are bigger concerns (LF, maybe 3B, one of the SP slots).

I understand the concerns about regression, but given the volatile nature of relievers, is there anything you can do to mitigate this other than have lots of depth for the pen? It just doesn't seem prudent to spend $3-4 M on a middle reliever who may turn out to be Scott Linebrink.

Signing Smoltz seems like a great idea because he can be used as a starter or a closer. Like DeRosa, he has option value. Between KMac, Motte, Hawk, Boggs, Garcia, Lynn, Parisi, Kinney, Scherer, and perhaps Salas there is enough to fill out the right side of the middle-inning pen. As long as its cheap, it doesn't really matter which ones in this motley crew get the job done.

[Eephus Speed]

I understand the concerns about regression, but given the volatile nature of relievers, is there anything you can do to mitigate this other than have lots of depth for the pen?

Not really. But you can try to stock up on pitchers who are less reliant on good luck and good defense. We could sign Calero or Springer, for instance, though I wouldn't bother unless the price is quite low.

[Cronos]

Any thoughts on Hideki Matsui as a backup plan for Holliday or Bay?

Not sure he'd want to go anywhere else but the Yankees or maybe the Mariners, but he's keen on playing left field.

MLBTR, so take it FWIW

[Hungary Jack]

Any thoughts on Hideki Matsui as a backup plan for Holliday or Bay?

Not sure he'd want to go anywhere else but the Yankees or maybe the Mariners, but he's keen on playing left field.

MLBTR, so take it FWIW

It's John Heyman. Time to RUN AWAY.

Isn't MA the "Bay State"? It would a travesty for ESPN if Bay signed with a team from a landlocked state.

[Bo Hart]

Any thoughts on Hideki Matsui as a backup plan for Holliday or Bay?

Not sure he'd want to go anywhere else but the Yankees or maybe the Mariners, but he's keen on playing left field.

MLBTR, so take it FWIW

I would not even consider Matsui.

His knee limited him to playing only DH this year. His career outfield UZR / 150 is -16.0; given what his knee relegated him to this year, you'd have to imagine that, even if he wants to play the outfield, he's going to be as bad as he ever has.

I mean, to put that UZR in perspective, Adam Dunn is a career -14.0 / 150 outfielder.

[Cronos]

Yikes, that's awful.

I guess when the lineup's scoring 900 runs you won't hear much about the outfield defense.

[Eephus Speed]

And, speaking of Bay, his left field defense has been just as bad as Matsui's over the last few seasons. This is why he's only been worth 6.4 WAR since the start of the 2007 season.