I'm just saying the difference between a couple one year patches, who between them give you one 2 WAR season and one early waiver wire casualty, for $20M total, and getting 3 WAR for a year on a 5 year/$120M contract is not going to be a difference maker next year, and could saddle the team with a lot of future dead money. We just need some bodies to eat up innings the first half of the season while young pitchers throw every five days in Lehigh. It's almost impossible to flip a five year contract in July, it's easy to flip a 1-2 year deal, even Hellickson brought something back.
I'd take Lynn on a 3yr/$60M deal and take my chances on the 2nd and 3rd year, but no way I'm giving anyone in this year's class five years.
And if that isn't enough, move on.
When this team is a real contender, that's when you overpay on the margin, not when they're 25 wins away from the playoffs.
Now I'd avoid players like Buchholtz, who just had a bad track record, in favor of an older pitcher coming off a solid season.
The previous season is still the best predictor of the next season (unless it's an obvious anomaly), even for older pitchers.
I'd also contend that bringng in some veteran depth for the bullpen is just as important, so some young RPs can mature in Lehigh and come up later in the season.
2018 is still going to be a rebuilding season, guys like Williams and Hoskins will struggle for stretches as the league adjusts to them.
You want to protect the young pitchers without blocking them.
