Bleacher Bums Forum

1) I never said deGrom was bad.  He just wasn't someone I would target in a trade. The home/road splits and TJS surgery concern me.
2) I missed on Olt saying he'd be an interesting bench guy, I never predicted stardom for the guy. Just checked Olt has a higher wRC+ than Herrera with the White Sox.
3) I don't like low power, low walk players that are dependent on BABIP for their offensive value. I still wouldn't trade for him. I doubt the DBacks trade him either.
4) Comparing his xFIP to his career xFIP isn't how you do it. 2011 with Tigers it was 2.75.  2012 3.39, 2013 3.42. 2014 3.85. You compare it the ERA and 2014 sticks out like a sore thumb. His xFIP- has been below league average until 2014.  Besides the forearm issues he also had shoulder issues in 2014. The guy is injury prone and isn't the pitcher he used to be.
5) If you want to give my "misses" I railed against Jackson, loved Samardzija, wanted Hammel as a FA and mentioned that Arrieta had ace stuff the day we traded for him.
6) I am also quite happy to be wrong about Castro turning it around with the Cubs. I thought he had a chance to do it somewhere else, but I've always liked him except for a 2 month span of sucking.

1. deGrom road ERA is #11 best in NL at 3.09.  Why in world would that concern you? 

2. Don't think "stardom" was ever the discussion about Olt. Herrera is here, Olt is not.  That was the discussion.  And, Olt seems to be blowing his opportunity with Sox, unfortunately. 

3. Some guys are going to fit the profile of outperforming somewhat the norm on BABIP.  That's Inciarte.  Not being critical about the result, but the rigidity of overemphasizing one stat like that in isolation from other factors, including watching/scouting the player.  Actually, you do that a bit too much, generally. My opinion.

4. Sorry you don't like comparing one season to same player's career.  Maybe we can agree that, in some respects, 2014 was an outlier for Fister, but for different reasons. I think, on balance, was career best season and you think career worst season (prior to 2015). You should explain to Fister why he was actually bad two years in a row (and the team that signs him for probably a pretty nice contract for 2016).

5. Funny, every thing I read now is that everybody said that Arrieta had "ace stuff" with Orioles.  Even Orioles agree with that. Can we find somebody that didn't like his stuff with Orioles? I will give you credit for that (but not too much).

6. As to Castro, a month or so ago, I inadvertently said he was getting close to .700 OPS, when I meant to say close to .600 OPS. Now, he's getting close to .700 OPS.  See, I was inadvertently correct a month ago. 

Not trying to keep score on any of this.  More important how we get to the point--the process--than the actual result that happens.