OnlyBucs

5242437462626E010 wrote: I've said all along it will be the status quo. They won't admit the failure of "the plan" by starting over with a rebuild. And they won't spend money to compete. So it'll be "we're not that far off" and little will be done.


I sadly agree, but its goes to the MO of this organization.  They look on paper thinking they can compete, but in all reality, they can't.  I wish they would seriously come to their senses and stop with the "we are not too far off" comments.  They are.


I think it's more like "it's not out of the realm of possibility that if all things go very well we could compete." I think they realize it's not probable but they'll settle for possible, despite the long odds.

644944555243541417260 wrote: I've said all along it will be the status quo. They won't admit the failure of "the plan" by starting over with a rebuild. And they won't spend money to compete. So it'll be "we're not that far off" and little will be done.


I sadly agree, but its goes to the MO of this organization.  They look on paper thinking they can compete, but in all reality, they can't.  I wish they would seriously come to their senses and stop with the "we are not too far off" comments.  They are.


I think it's more like "it's not out of the realm of possibility that if all things go very well we could compete." I think they realize it's not probable but they'll settle for possible, despite the long odds.




there is a movie coming out about Tonya Harding. Perhaps the Bucs should consider her strategy and take care of the competition (discretely of course).

5F79786F79691A0 wrote:



there is a movie coming out about Tonya Harding.  Perhaps the Bucs should consider her strategy and take care of the competition (discretely of course).


Excellent idea! But I cringe at the thought of 25 Pirates putting a foot up on the box seat railing and crying because they broke a string on their spikes.

1E333E2F28392E6E6D5C0 wrote: I've said all along it will be the status quo. They won't admit the failure of "the plan" by starting over with a rebuild. And they won't spend money to compete. So it'll be "we're not that far off" and little will be done.


I sadly agree, but its goes to the MO of this organization.  They look on paper thinking they can compete, but in all reality, they can't.  I wish they would seriously come to their senses and stop with the "we are not too far off" comments.  They are.


I think it's more like "it's not out of the realm of possibility that if all things go very well we could compete." I think they realize it's not probable but they'll settle for possible, despite the long odds.




I agree with this. I think that, best case scenario, they are a 95 win team. Read, that's "best case scenario." In other words, Cutch is MVP caliber again, or at least All-Star caliber, Marte is an All-Star, Bell matures, Polanco bounces back, Cervelli bounces back, Cole is a CY threat again, and the other young starters improve. Best case scenario.



Worst case scenario is something like last year. I mean, what went right for this team? Bell? That's about it. There was the Marte PED suspension, Kang, Taillon cancer diagnosis, Cutch position change, Cole was average, a whole slew of things. Worst case scenario is probably a 75 win team. But, I think it's likely that they're somewhere around 80 wins. That isn't going to get it done.



You can realistically already guarantee three of the five NL playoff spots to the Dodgers, Nats, and Cubs. That leaves two spots, probably the two Wild Cards. D-Backs, Cards, Rockies, Brewers, and maybe the Giants will probably all compete for those. I don't like our chances of snagging a WC.



Sell. Trade everyone. Start over. Build a team like the Astros. I don't care if they lose 115 games with the MLB minimum salary of $13,625,000. But, I definitely don't want them to run out the same cast of characters in an renewed drive for 75. Mediocrity stinks. Either be really good, or be really bad.