EccentricATLFan
@eccentricatlfan.bsky.social
Musings about baseball, usually about the Braves, but also about other guys I find interesting.
Not surprised that he didn’t get a $5 million guarantee like last year, but even with injuries I wouldn’t have guessed he’d have to settle for a minors deal. (Sure, FIP was high, but he got screwed by Yankee Stadium on a few homers.)
January 13, 2026 at 8:50 PM
Not surprised that he didn’t get a $5 million guarantee like last year, but even with injuries I wouldn’t have guessed he’d have to settle for a minors deal. (Sure, FIP was high, but he got screwed by Yankee Stadium on a few homers.)
Also improves the bench situation if Shaw moves there, because while the lineup has its strengths, the bench hasn’t exactly looked pretty this offseason. Hell, up until this move, Roster Resource had Scott Kingery projected to the majors bench because they weren’t exactly flush with options.
January 11, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Also improves the bench situation if Shaw moves there, because while the lineup has its strengths, the bench hasn’t exactly looked pretty this offseason. Hell, up until this move, Roster Resource had Scott Kingery projected to the majors bench because they weren’t exactly flush with options.
Plus, at a $4.25 million guarantee even with the buyout factored in, definitely a fine price to handle even if everything goes wrong with him.
January 10, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Plus, at a $4.25 million guarantee even with the buyout factored in, definitely a fine price to handle even if everything goes wrong with him.
Probably okay-ish as a guy to cycle through given his multi-inning ability and, more importantly, how his slider was a whiff machine in AAA last year.
That being said, probably ends up passing through waivers successfully at some point before Opening Day.
That being said, probably ends up passing through waivers successfully at some point before Opening Day.
January 9, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Probably okay-ish as a guy to cycle through given his multi-inning ability and, more importantly, how his slider was a whiff machine in AAA last year.
That being said, probably ends up passing through waivers successfully at some point before Opening Day.
That being said, probably ends up passing through waivers successfully at some point before Opening Day.
Well, looks like they’ll have to wait a bit longer to add to that history…
January 3, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Well, looks like they’ll have to wait a bit longer to add to that history…
Whacks lefties just fine, and his Savant page actually is okay-ish given his overall production. Probably nothing comes of it, but definitely worth a shot.
January 2, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Whacks lefties just fine, and his Savant page actually is okay-ish given his overall production. Probably nothing comes of it, but definitely worth a shot.
Fair point re: Robert, though it’s worth pointing out they’ve been better at trading players outside of him in the past couple years. Plus, the “good trade chip” part was with the qualifier of him generally panning out to begin with.
December 21, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Fair point re: Robert, though it’s worth pointing out they’ve been better at trading players outside of him in the past couple years. Plus, the “good trade chip” part was with the qualifier of him generally panning out to begin with.
2/34. Makes him a good extension candidate if he pans out, a good trade chip if he works but can’t agree on an extension, and White Sox books are still basically clear post-2027 if he bombs.
December 21, 2025 at 3:41 PM
2/34. Makes him a good extension candidate if he pans out, a good trade chip if he works but can’t agree on an extension, and White Sox books are still basically clear post-2027 if he bombs.
Plus, even if he completely bombs, the contract being a two-year deal means they still have zero guaranteed money on the books after 2027.
Personally wary about how he’ll do with the whiffs, but between the contract terms and roster fit, hard to really find fault with this deal. Worthwhile gamble.
Personally wary about how he’ll do with the whiffs, but between the contract terms and roster fit, hard to really find fault with this deal. Worthwhile gamble.
December 21, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Plus, even if he completely bombs, the contract being a two-year deal means they still have zero guaranteed money on the books after 2027.
Personally wary about how he’ll do with the whiffs, but between the contract terms and roster fit, hard to really find fault with this deal. Worthwhile gamble.
Personally wary about how he’ll do with the whiffs, but between the contract terms and roster fit, hard to really find fault with this deal. Worthwhile gamble.
Sure, why not? Worst case, they cut him without too much cost, and if he pans out then it bolsters the pen’s depth. Makes sense especially given their focus over the years on high-whiff breakers.
December 20, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Sure, why not? Worst case, they cut him without too much cost, and if he pans out then it bolsters the pen’s depth. Makes sense especially given their focus over the years on high-whiff breakers.
As someone on the very optimistic side of him, what I like is combo of how the pitches looks out of hand and the drastically different areas that his 4S/SI/SL combo work in. (Plus, worth pointing out both PitchingBot and Stuff+ also like the locations of the sinker and slider.)
December 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
As someone on the very optimistic side of him, what I like is combo of how the pitches looks out of hand and the drastically different areas that his 4S/SI/SL combo work in. (Plus, worth pointing out both PitchingBot and Stuff+ also like the locations of the sinker and slider.)
Nah, Bowlan’s got a great fastball/slider combo that’s been great at getting whiffs, it’s just a matter of turning that more effectively into strikeouts, which the Royals aren’t the best at.
Definitely can see a Ronny Henriquez-type breakout with him this season.
Definitely can see a Ronny Henriquez-type breakout with him this season.
December 19, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Nah, Bowlan’s got a great fastball/slider combo that’s been great at getting whiffs, it’s just a matter of turning that more effectively into strikeouts, which the Royals aren’t the best at.
Definitely can see a Ronny Henriquez-type breakout with him this season.
Definitely can see a Ronny Henriquez-type breakout with him this season.
“Early Christmas present for X team” jokes aside, wouldn’t be surprised to see him get claimed on waivers quickly. Wary that he’ll ultimately fizzle out, but with excellent power and bat speed at age 24, that’s something you don’t pass up if there’s space.
December 17, 2025 at 11:20 PM
“Early Christmas present for X team” jokes aside, wouldn’t be surprised to see him get claimed on waivers quickly. Wary that he’ll ultimately fizzle out, but with excellent power and bat speed at age 24, that’s something you don’t pass up if there’s space.
Interesting idea…if it works.
Brewers have recently drafted quite a few guys who look like they really need a changeup implemented, but then you have Shane Smith implementing his current one only after leaving the org, so we’ll see if Zerpa can end up panning out.
Brewers have recently drafted quite a few guys who look like they really need a changeup implemented, but then you have Shane Smith implementing his current one only after leaving the org, so we’ll see if Zerpa can end up panning out.
December 15, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Interesting idea…if it works.
Brewers have recently drafted quite a few guys who look like they really need a changeup implemented, but then you have Shane Smith implementing his current one only after leaving the org, so we’ll see if Zerpa can end up panning out.
Brewers have recently drafted quite a few guys who look like they really need a changeup implemented, but then you have Shane Smith implementing his current one only after leaving the org, so we’ll see if Zerpa can end up panning out.
Re: Crow’s projections, I can see them actually panning out. Might be me being weird, but I can’t help but see a way à la Clarke Schmidt, albeit with better control/command with slightly worse velo.
December 9, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Re: Crow’s projections, I can see them actually panning out. Might be me being weird, but I can’t help but see a way à la Clarke Schmidt, albeit with better control/command with slightly worse velo.
They’ll find a way to get him traded back midseason to them. Don’t ask me how, it’ll just somehow happen.
December 6, 2025 at 1:05 AM
They’ll find a way to get him traded back midseason to them. Don’t ask me how, it’ll just somehow happen.
Only adding a minor wrinkle worth noting: if a player picked in the majors phase hasn’t spent at least 90 days on the active roster once the season’s done, the roster restrictions still apply until that threshold’s met. (Dan Winkler as an extreme example of this.)
December 2, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Only adding a minor wrinkle worth noting: if a player picked in the majors phase hasn’t spent at least 90 days on the active roster once the season’s done, the roster restrictions still apply until that threshold’s met. (Dan Winkler as an extreme example of this.)
Only thing missing is a reaction from the Dirx bat creators.
“Hey, we want to write about your bat in an upcoming article on Fangraphs. No, not about being a baseball warmup tool, but about how it’s the perfect weapon for the zombie apocalypse. Can we get your comments?”
“Hey, we want to write about your bat in an upcoming article on Fangraphs. No, not about being a baseball warmup tool, but about how it’s the perfect weapon for the zombie apocalypse. Can we get your comments?”
November 25, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Only thing missing is a reaction from the Dirx bat creators.
“Hey, we want to write about your bat in an upcoming article on Fangraphs. No, not about being a baseball warmup tool, but about how it’s the perfect weapon for the zombie apocalypse. Can we get your comments?”
“Hey, we want to write about your bat in an upcoming article on Fangraphs. No, not about being a baseball warmup tool, but about how it’s the perfect weapon for the zombie apocalypse. Can we get your comments?”
and with how the White Sox were able to develop one with Shane Smith when the Brewers weren’t, maybe that’s an area where other teams could stand to take advantage. Just something I’ve thought about even before this list came out that I thought worth noting.
November 25, 2025 at 11:53 AM
and with how the White Sox were able to develop one with Shane Smith when the Brewers weren’t, maybe that’s an area where other teams could stand to take advantage. Just something I’ve thought about even before this list came out that I thought worth noting.
Re: your final paragraph, it also seems like teams that might be interested in this system might also be ones that feel comfortable in their changeup development process. Quite a number of guys (especially the last couple drafts and Coleman Crow) seem ripe for a new changeup (esp. a kick change),
November 25, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Re: your final paragraph, it also seems like teams that might be interested in this system might also be ones that feel comfortable in their changeup development process. Quite a number of guys (especially the last couple drafts and Coleman Crow) seem ripe for a new changeup (esp. a kick change),