Tuesday, December 6, 2016

All in a Day's Work.

So I sat down today with the intention of writing something about how Rich Hill really ought to have Brian Bannister on his Christmas card list.

And then it turned out that Dave Dombrowski had gone and traded for Tyler Thornburg. In general, trading for relievers makes me nervous. Given his history of doing a really really bad job building a bullpen, Dave Dombrowski trading for a reliever is terrifying. So I did a little putter around the Internet looking for reassurance? something good to say? And Thornburg was very good last year and while it was the NL Central, (as was pointed out) there's a difference between being very good in the NL Central while playing for, say, the Cubs and playing for the Brewers.

I like Travis Shaw. He seems like a good guy. I hope that he can find his first half success in Milwaukee.

Pretty sure, though, that we can pencil Thornburg in for his lower arm to separate from his body by mid-June. That's just the way things work.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Dombrowski goes and trades Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, et al for Chris Sale. Chris. Sale. Chris Sale improves the rotation. Chris Sale improves the team. Chris Sale is, possibly, a spoiled brat. Chris Sale is an injury waiting to happen.

Moncada is a huge ball of potential and if he learns to hit a breaking ball, the kid could be serious news. He's a big loss. But I suppose having a farm system is not something that one values, if one hires Dave Dombrowski.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Dombrowski has gone and signed Mitch Moreland. Meh. Whatever.