Adnan Virk

To me, I think it helps me as a manager.

I go, hey, you know what?

If I take them here, I'll be immortalized forever.

It's not like I'm dealing with great expectations.

They've never gotten to a World Series, so I can do this with this core.

The problem is you don't feel like if I went to ownership and say, hey, can you spend another $10 million on that lefty reliever?

They're probably going to say no.

Yeah, and honestly, I do think this is the part of the season where the money does matter.

Because when the team is underwhelming, you're like, hey, if we just make some trades and take on some salary, right?

You always have the term absorbed salary, meaning there's an underachiever somewhere and someone's willing to make a trade, then you can do it if you've got deep pockets.

I'm not going to suggest Fernando Tatis is getting traded, but there's a guy you go, there's a ton of money being owed to him.

Everyone knows he's superstar capable, and everyone knows he's having a dreadful season.

So if you're an owner who's willing to spend, like the Mets, Steve Cohen, I'll take Fernando Tatis.

He's having a bad year.

I don't care.

I'll absorb the $300 million.

I think this guy can be a successful player for us.

Whereas in Seattle, they're not going to make that decision.

They're going to be penny-pinching as much as possible.

He is, but it's stunning just how bad the numbers have been.