2026 Akron Rubberducks

Are we so scarred by Nolan Jones last year that we can't recognize that he's purely break glass in case of emergency? Teams all around baseball stash failed major league veterans at AAA as insurance against multiple injuries. Wringing hands over his presence in Columbus is just too much. He's not blocking a soul.
 
The only reason Jones is in Columbus is because the FO gave him 2M guaranteed. If he had an ounce of ML value, he'd be shipped like Straw was. He doesn't. He's cooked and the league knows it.

Lampe and Lipscomb have pleateaud, but have steady minors track records, especially Guy, who also happens to profile much better as reserve OF because of his speed and CF ability.

It probably won't matter either way, but I'd rather hang on to the younger player with years of org control than some washed out vets approaching 30yo who've proven year after year they aren't good enough for MLB (anymore or never were). A 1% chance is bigger than 0%. What kind of "insurance" does a player like Nolan Jones offer? He's been trash for 2+ years. That's an awful floor to value and accept (and worse, give even 2M to).
 
In Akron game action news....

Khal with a bad start and team blew two big leads in a comically band box of a ballpark. Barely over 300ft to fouls poles. Chourio got two HR, one cheap barely over 300, the other more legit to right center iirc, but not sure it had MLB distance, but a decent swing and definitely nice to see.

A little worried a out the Akron pitching staff. Expected them to be much better. Outside of Tugboat who's gone now, they've collectively underwhelmed.

Khal isn't looking like the sure fire ML SP this year, which is slowly becoming one of the bigger disappointments in the system.

I'll say it again, Cozart's defense reputation is wildly overrated. Sell sell sell. He's looked like a dime a dozen mid/late round college catcher ever since he's turned pro. I've seen next to nothing to suggest him being a top 50 draft talent.
 
I find it disturbing the way the word "trash" is so easily hurled around here, especially when so many "never was's" and "never will be's"
are so casually heralded...
 
Tondo said:
In Akron game action news....

Khal with a bad start and team blew two big leads in a comically band box of a ballpark. Barely over 300ft to fouls poles. Chourio got two HR, one cheap barely over 300, the other more legit to right center iirc, but not sure it had MLB distance, but a decent swing and definitely nice to see.

A little worried a out the Akron pitching staff. Expected them to be much better. Outside of Tugboat who's gone now, they've collectively underwhelmed.

Khal isn't looking like the sure fire ML SP this year, which is slowly becoming one of the bigger disappointments in the system.

I'll say it again, Cozart's defense reputation is wildly overrated. Sell sell sell. He's looked like a dime a dozen mid/late round college catcher ever since he's turned pro. I've seen next to nothing to suggest him being a top 50 draft talent.
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..disagree with almost ALL of this... especially the Cozart defense evaluation.... dime a dozen <=== wrong.. IDK what top-50 draft talent means..
 
Gson said:
..disagree with almost ALL of this... especially the Cozart defense evaluation.... dime a dozen <=== wrong.. IDK what top-50 draft talent means..
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“Top 50 draft talent” could possibly refer to the fact that Cozart was drafted with the 48th overall pick… just a guess…
 
Martyinnewyork said:
“Top 50 draft talent” could possibly refer to the fact that Cozart was drafted with the 48th overall pick… just a guess…
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Tondo didn't like Cozart from the moment he was picked so unless Cozart becomes an All-star for us, Tondo will forever hate the Cozart pick... With Peyton Tolle going two picks after...
 
sportscoach said:
Tondo didn't like Cozart from the moment he was picked so unless Cozart becomes an All-star for us, Tondo will forever hate the Cozart pick... With Peyton Tolle going two picks after...
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Yeah, I'm certainly biased, but I always give all prospects a fresh look to prove/disprove my bias and Cozart simply hasn't cracked that, not even close. Especially the defense part irks me, because every scouting report had him as a below avg pure hitter, so that part (sadly) isn't all that surprising. The entire profile hinges on his ability to catch and he's simply looked meh at best every time I've seen him..and the numbers support that.

They've run on him more (and more successfully in net bases lost) than on Ingle's supposed noodle arm. That's a fact. So that leaves the hard to access part, the soft skills, makeup/character, clubhouse presence, handling of pitching staff etc as the only (hopefully) not quantifiable skill that Cozart may possess to earn such a strong reputation. His body language and interaction with pitchers looks good, so maybe that's it, but otoh it's not like the Akron staff is excelling, so we'll have to wait and see.

With the surprisingly newfound catching depth in the system, he's one of a few that could be part of a trade.
 
It's been batting practice tonight in Chesapeake as the RubberDucks have hung 19 runs on the Baysox
 
Shit. Stephen only pitched the 1st inning today and wasn’t in any real trouble. Only 15 pitches thrown before Rustad took over starting the second inning.

Fingers crossed.
 
Criznit said:
Shit. Stephen only pitched the 1st inning today and wasn’t in any real trouble. Only 15 pitches thrown before Rustad took over starting the second inning.

Fingers crossed.
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Picked a runner off first to end the first inning, hand-slapping Cozart while walking to the dugout. Nothing at all seemed amiss. Strange. Baysox broadcasters were surprised and said there were no indications it would be a bullpen game.
 
I bought the bright blue hat with the Duck on it. Very pleased with it. Lots of compliments.
 
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