That and at all times he has the largest dip in place for any pitcher in history I’m pretty sure.

Oh, so THAT’S what LOOGY means!

We can only have so many of these guys on the major league roster and so many in Tacoma

Yeah. And so what? Are we so talent rich that it’s blocking folks?

Nah, this is a good move in and of itself. It’s such low risk, it wouldn’t matter if the team cuts ‘em entirely.

I’m not sure the Thornton/Borchard example says much, other than that Joe Borchard is about all the value you’ll get for a surplus reliever at the end of spring training when everyone’s rosters are full and they’re looking to cut.

I think it’s a matter of talent evaluation and undestanding your needs versus the surplus that is out there. Some organizations have their eyes on hidden gems in other organizations and are ready to leap when the opportunity arises. Others have to ship Cha Seung Baek to San Diego for nothing because they weren’t watching. I’m hoping we’re now in the first camp.

Um, that’s one of those things, along with Scott Sanders, that has been “stricken from every pylon and obelisk…unheard and unspoken, erased from the memory of man (or at least M’s fans), for all time.”

But on the latest acquisition, yes, just like Woody Woodward stockpiling outfielders to begin building the “good young arms” of the early 2000s, Z obviously is up to something here. Methinks it will be a power-hitting, league average DH, which is fine as that’s one of our needs.

They could develop some value, but we’re not bringing these guys in so that we can trade them for a LF or DH.

We can only have so many of these guys on the major league roster and so many in Tacoma. If, at the end of spring training, we still don’t have that LF or DH, it’s possible the excess can be flipped for something of value. It might not be Nick Swisher, but there are always pieces floating about when roster cuts are made that could be of interest. So this gives us additional bargaining chips, which is a lot better than having to give up a Matt Thornton for a couple weeks of a Joe Borchard.

How do you increase your chances of winning the lottery? Buy more tickets.

Thanks for that analogy. I’ve been looking for the succinct way to put this point and you’ve nailed it.