tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610014.post8475428605068925520..comments2024-01-31T17:51:12.213-05:00Comments on Swing and a Miss: On The MarginsTom Goodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00816668232837298444noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610014.post-75041002741033476942007-01-20T20:52:00.000-05:002007-01-20T20:52:00.000-05:00I agree, Gillick has a very odd way of going about...I agree, Gillick has a very odd way of going about constructing a roster. He doesn't seem to seek out direct solutions, but rather chooses to gamble on lower-salaried players with supposedly big upside. The one legitimately solid player he acquired in this off-season was a starting pitcher, which was probably the least of the team's needs. Yes, I know you can never have enough pitching, but what about finding a right-handed hitting outfielder who could more adequately follow Howard in the lineup? What about the much-needed facelift of the bullpen? The third baseman is Wes Helms, and I rather surprised how accepting of this most fans have been. This may very well not be much of an upgrade on David Bell - and defensively, as we already, he's probably a downgrade on the mediocre Bell.<br /><br />A recent ESPN article focused on Gillick being 'old-school', and how he personally travels great distances to evaluate fringe talent. I don't know how excited about this I am. Gillick's bargain basement selections last off-season weakened this team, and the ones he's brought in this time around don't look much better. You may have a good point here that Bell 'ruined' him - it apparently made him believe he had a knack for picking up raw talents on the sly and he's kept up at it ever since. Great if it works - irritating as hell when it doesn't. Because there's other ways to mould a winner, and plenty of other credible GMs who have done it in amore obviously progressive fashion. If getting slap-happy about the Greg Dobbs and Bobby Livingston of the world is Gillick's idea of being 'creative', I think the organization could stand to bring in someone with a different angle on things.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com