Bryan Shaw

[smg58]

Somebody in Cleveland thinks he might be coming here:
http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2017/11/two_teams_have_made_offers_on.html

pros: Steady and durable. Appears to have a good working relationship with our current manager.

cons: Consistently good, not consistently great. Given that neither Familia nor Ramos pitched particularly well for us this year, we need to bring in somebody capable of taking over the closer role, and I'm not sure he's the guy.

verdict: He'd improve our pen, but we can't stop there. I'm also not sure I'd jump to sign him while bigger catches are still available.

[Centerfield]

Agree completely. I have nothing against Shaw and I think he could be a good piece, but I don’t like the philosophy this suggests. I think it is very dangerous to go into 2018 with the mindset that we have two closers. Familia is coming off major surgery and Ramos is not very good. He’s a closer in name only.

[Frayed Knot]

If one of their goals is to improve the bullpen they can't afford to wait on Shaw with the idea that there might be someone better down the line, especially given that enticing a closer to sign with a club
which already has two closers (in name or otherwise) is going to be a tall order.
Acc to the linked article, Shaw is ready to sign at the first good offer rather than play the field and string things out. If the Mets are one of the teams thought to have already made an offer, it sounds
like this will happen quickly or not at all.

[bmfc1]

Frayed Knot wrote: If one of their goals is to improve the bullpen they can't afford to wait on Shaw with the idea that there might be someone better down the line, especially given that enticing a closer to sign with a club which already has two closers (in name or otherwise) is going to be a tall order.

Agreed. He's a "workhorse" and can be a 6th (sigh)/7th inning guy. Get him.

[nymr83]

Fuck "closers" - Shaw is a good pitcher, sign good pitchers. Worry about role nonsense later.

[MFS62]

And while they're at it, bring back Joe Smith, too.
Later

[Ceetar]

Nymr83 wrote: Fuck "closers" - Shaw is a good pitcher, sign good pitchers. Worry about role nonsense later.

agreed on this, but there's still a '$' tag attached to closers so why focus too much on one that you're paying for the title when you can grab a non-closer that is actually better and cheaper and can still, in fact, close?

[Centerfield]

I couldn't care less about titles either, but whatever you may call them, there are top tier relief pitchers available and I don't think Shaw is one of them. (At least that's what I'm reading. I couldn't pick Shaw out of a lineup).

In isolation, I'll take any piece that helps. But my concern is that the budget is limited, and bullets used on Shaw might preclude us from getting someone better. So, in summary, if this doesn't preclude us from getting a top guy, let's get him!

[Edgy MD]

Shaw is as work-horsey as they come, finishing first, second, first, and first, in games in the AL the last four years.

Of course, it's only a matter of time before the virtue of a resilient arm gives way to the vice of a damaged arm.