Colorado Rockies 1976

Yeah he's put up an 85 OPS+ the past three years...that's the kiss of death for a first baseman. There's just nothing he does particularly well at the plate. The other thing about Dom is that he's the black version of Jim Breuer, in that the poor guy looks like he's high ALL OF THE TIME.

SPOILER ALERT: Brendan Smith isn't one of the finalists.

I'd rather a big swing, than breaking the bat, driving a ball straight down but just ahead of home plate, and then getting tagged out by the catcher before the hitter even knows what happened. That's the equivalent of sticking with Groan.

And it's not like he's had NO success at all with the Yankees but between missing so many games due to injury and now being a shell of himself who can no longer run or play the field...yikes.

I DO like that idea that someone else might hire him. But the idea that he's somehow a "strong" candidate here...I'm sorry but what the hell did he show exactly? Other than he can't win even when his goalies are standing on their heads most nights?

Holy sh!t I swear if Groan gets the fvcking job here...

And leading the Leafs in postseason points so far is... Max Domi Nylander and Matthews are obviously locked up, but Tavares and Marner are only signed through next season. If the Leafs get knocked out early again, wonder is one of them is actually made available, and things are finally shaken up. The Leafs don't have many expensive players signed long-term at the moment...just Matthews, Nylander and Rielly. And over the next three years in the first four rounds of the draft, they have just FOUR picks total: their 2024 first and fourth rounders, and their 2026 first and third rounders. That's it. They don't have a selection in the 2025 draft until the FIFTH round.

I'm guessing they'll release him prior to the 2027 season, and eat what they have to eat...but of course, that won't help now, or in 2025 or 2026. I think Cashman occasionally takes unfair criticism, but sometimes it really feels like he does things because he CAN, as opposed to doing things he SHOULD. Yankees never really needed Stanton, but Cash sometimes sees that shiny toy and decides he's just gotta have it.

Yeah anytime anyone hints that Wood should have been kept…just rewatch the entire 2022-23 Devils season. He had become an absolutely infuriating player and it definitely felt like it was time to move on.

To be fair to him, he's been better in some of his previous performances...he's put up a .910 save% in the playoffs for his career. But he's 2-8 over the past two seasons with an .875% come playoff time, and last season had a QS% of .200...this year it was actually .000 (about .533 is considered average for QS%). Also a -9.4 GSAA. Basically, next season he'd better change the rapidly cementing narrative that he's a loser who can't get it done when it matters most. Said it before but I was against it mostly due to his age and the term and money that he figured to sign for...and that the Devils had gotten one cost-effective season out of VV, so I was hoping for another. That obviously didn't happen, but the idea that Hellebuyck would've taken the Devils to greener pastures is hardly a solid one at this point as well. I have to be fair though...all the things I was concerned about re: Hellebuyck more or less will apply to Saros, with Saros being a year younger. Helle just played out the final season of his current deal and turns 31 this year; his 7-year extension kicks in come 2024-25. Saros' new deal will pay him for his Age 30 and beyond seasons...hard to imagine that his agent won't be looking for 7 years, meaning the Devils will be paying plenty for Age 30-36 seasons.

.864 save% and 5.23 GAA for Hellebuyck in the Jets' five-game ouster from the playoffs. Man goaltending feels like SUCH a damned crapshoot now, it really does. As much as I'm on board with Fitz going after Saros and potentially locking him up long-term...would it surprise me all that much if he didn't get it done come playoff time for the Devils next season? Seriously, at this point, how could it? BTW Saros has an .879 save% so far these playoffs.

Guess “Same ol Jets” doesn’t just apply to football. And as rough as it was to see the Devils not make playoffs this year, at least I didn’t have to see them get caved in by either the Canes or Rangers.

Re: Luke, talent is obviously there, but still managing 82 game schedules and of course had morons for head coaches.

Has there been a worse anchor in recent memory than Smith?! That guy literally dragged down EVERY defenseman he was paired with. Everyone not named Lindy or Groan could see it. And of course NUMBERS supported that obvious fact.

At the plate, he's like a poor man's Alonso at this point: he's slashed .206/.288/.446 since the start of 2022. He strikes out a TON to boot (293 in 971 plate appearances). And of course can't stay healthy. 408 career HR and only 34 years old, but man what an odd career he's had. Really sucks when you're brittle AND declining rapidly.