I get home from work and the best I can do is page 3?

In! We are going to make the ALCS next season

Now let's go out and make some big moves to make that happen

I'm afraid that if Espada was going to be fired, it would've been announced today.

You don't wait until the season ended to have a post-mortem. This would've started at least a month ago.

I hope I'm wrong.

I like the lineup w Yordan, Correa, Altuve, Pena and Paredes. Good nucleus.

It would not surprise me if CC was asked to critique Espada.

In! Let's make some smart moves between now and camp!

Ag_07 said:

---

Yes

He's too 'ho hum get em tomorrow'. He seems like he's not the type to make tough decisions so as to 'not rock the boat'.

He's too milquetoast. Everyone loves him but no one respects him.

---

Lack of accountability usually goes hand in hand with this style of coaching unless you have really strong player leadership. We already know that was lacking since Correa departed years ago; this can start creeping up in all sorts of different ways. Correlation doesn't equal causation but Framber having meltdowns, players getting injured more frequently, staying on IL longer, coaching staff seemingly keeping the status quo all seem like signs pointing back to a friendly manager without a strong vocal leader in the clubhouse

tjack16 said:

---

I still think we should have retained Click.

---

He only made some major fleecing trades and won a WS. Granted he didn't build that team from scratch.

EastCoastAgNc said:

---

Bruce Bochy and the Texas Rangers part ways, and all of a sudden, those rumors of Bochy returning for a final ride in San Francisco could indeed turn to reality

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 30, 2025

Bob Melvin was fired earlier today

---

I'm pleasantly surprised the mall cops parted ways with the best manager they've ever had. Back to irrelevancy!

Hader was ok. But this team isn't good enough to pay that much money for a guy who's contract includes being encased bubble wrap at all times.

Could have used two more saves the last couple of weeks.

How often has he been hurt since we signed him? I know he was avg at best last year but was he hurt?

Iambob said:

---

How often has he been hurt since we signed him? I know he was avg at best last year but was he hurt?

---

This year was the first IL stint of his career aside from catching COVID in 2020

Ag_07 said:

---

Hader was absolutely elite before going down.

And this isn't an opinion.

---

Definitely.

But the question can still be asked - would his massive contract have been better spent elsewhere?

IMHO, yes. $20M/yr is insane to pay for a closer. Especially one that tends to not be consistent year-to-year.

Yes whether we need to spend that on a closer is absolutely up for debate.

But I also disagree that he's been inconsistent. His one outlier was last year when Pressly was being a bltch and we was adjusting.

Other than last year he's been very consistent over his career.

DBacks manager is not riding on the carousel this year

Torey Lovullo Will Return As D-Backs' Manager In 2026 https://t.co/LVtXczRzm5 pic.twitter.com/IOJlpWlalR

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) September 30, 2025

Ag_07 said:

---

Yes whether we need to spend that on a closer is absolutely up for debate.

But I also disagree that he's been inconsistent. His one outlier was last year when Pressly was being a bltch and we was adjusting.

Other than last year he's been very consistent over his career.

---

He's not been $20M/yr consistent. His stats oscillate between decent to elite. Decent isn't what we are paying him for

they definitely need a first baseman.

AggiEE said:

---

Ag_07 said:

---

Yes whether we need to spend that on a closer is absolutely up for debate.

But I also disagree that he's been inconsistent. His one outlier was last year when Pressly was being a bltch and we was adjusting.

Other than last year he's been very consistent over his career.

---

He's not been $20M/yr consistent. His stats oscillate between decent to elite. Decent isn't what we are paying him for

---

Rankings this year among all MLB closers:

ERA - 6th (2.05)
Save % - 3rd (96.7%; only 1 blown save in 29 SO)
K/BB - 3rd (4.8)
K/9 - T-4th (13.0)
WHIP - 3rd (0.85)
Opp BA - 4th (.158)

That is elite, not decent.

gambochaman said:

---

Taking a team that made game 7 in the ALCS and proceeding to:

Barely winning the division and Lose the wild card series 2-0 AT home to the third wild card the next season

And then completely collapsing down the stretch and not even making the playoffs the following season

ARE NO HUGE FEATHERS ON ANYONES CAP. I'm sorry but they arent. Joe's two seasons have seen a consistent decline


I dont hate the guy at all. I like him a lot….but he is not a ML level manager

---

This is where I am. I think it's fair to grade Joe on two years. Last year, sure, we won the division but we were two and Que in the playoffs. That was a step down and this year was definitely a step down. Sure, you lose Bregman and Tucker but there is no reason for optimism that espada can turn this thing around.

In every facet we were a worse team. I don't know where we ranked but we had to be at the very bottom of holding runners and chasing out of the zone. We couldn't manufacture runs and we couldn't stop our opponents from manufacturing runs.

In this era of rebuilding or retooling, we need a managing approach where we can scratch and claw. Espada doesn't fight for inches.

In