Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – May 14, 2015

It is my birthday, and I will podcast if I want to!

The Astros should consider their unique drafting situation in 2015 when making a trade to improve the team now.

PLUS, some of my Twitter readers don’t agree…

@JustBaseball25 @sullybaseball the Indians need Kluber to contend. So blowing his arm off at this stage of season for a shot at a record?

— markblakemore (@markblakemore) May 14, 2015

I had better jump into the middle of this!

Bust out the birthday cake for  Episode 9332 of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

Corey Kluber, Raisel Iglesias, Prince Fielder, Dee Gordon, Sonny Gray, Matt Harvey, Brad Miller and Paul Goldschmidt  all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball?

 

How are you liking Toronto, Colby Rasmus?

Colby Rasmus bitched and moaned his way out of one of the great organizations in baseball and playing for arguably the most passionate fans in baseball and a chance to make the post season almost every year.

And his defenders, the same ones who called him an elite player on my blog, kept talking about what a mistake it was for the Cardinals to deal this guy.

The thing you have to realize when you talk about Colby Rasmus is that you always need to talk about NEXT year.

He has played 3 seasons. One of the seasons he had a nice year.

But his POTENTIAL means that next year he will be great!

Not THIS year. Rasmus has stunk the first 2 weeks in Toronto. Freed from LaRussa’s pressure, he has given the Blue Jays fans a .218 AVG, .246 On Base, .345 slugging, a .591 OPS and a 59 OPS+.

All stats than can be described as the technical term “Shitty.”

But NEXT year he will be great!

I’m not talking about 2012. I am talking about NEXT year.

Because when it is 2012, that will be THIS year. And if he has another disappointing season then his defenders will talk about NEXT year… then 2013 will come around and his fans will say “He’s still in his 20s… just wait until NEXT year.”

I am guessing by 2013, Colby will be on a new team every year, each thinking that NEXT year is THIS year.

And I am guessing that the St. Louis Cardinals will be in a World Series soon, not regretting for a second that they let someone else think of NEXT year.

NOW we get to see if Colby Rasmus becomes a big star

You got your wish, Colby Rasmus.
You were removed from the baseball purgatory that is St. Louis… from the blockhead manager that is probably going to the Hall of Fame… and a situation where you could make the playoffs for the second time in your three year career.

It must be a relief.
Now he can show the world what Tony LaRussa couldn’t see.
And what evidently his supporters already see.
And the people who think the Blue Jays are stealing a star.

I am no LaRussa fan, but I have a hard time seeing how a guy with a decent season under his belt and lots of potential (you know, like Alex Ochoa) could be the focus of so much hand wringing.

I know he’s young.
So were every bust in baseball history.

He remains hitless as a Blue Jay. But it is his FUTURE that everyone craves.

The strange thing about the future… sometimes it doesn’t unfold the way you want.

And maybe if Rasmus struggles in an empty Rogers Centre for non contending Blue Jays teams, he might pine for the days when he played in a great baseball city along side future Hall of Famers with one of the great managers of all time.

But maybe I am wrong.
And if I am wrong, I will eat crow.

I need more than projections and potential. He needs to actually become a star.