i just sent ruben an early christmas present. what do you think? i would say $16.81 well spent.

sam

I would say so, reader Joe. Especially when you consider Amaro’s explanation for why he signed a 36-year-old PED user whose career-best season was aided by quite a bit of measurable, calculable luck:

“I think Marlon fits what we’re trying to do,” Amaro said. “He’s a solid outfielder. We’ve improved our defense, for starters. He’s a good person. He has power. He can hit against left-handers. We were weak against left-handers last year. He’s been pretty consistent with his ability to produce against left-handers.”

Byrd hit .344 with eight homers, 31 RBIs and a .959 OPS against lefties last season.

Amaro said his scouts believe Byrd will be closer to the player he was in 2013 than the previous two seasons.

“We talked to our scouts about how his swing path and approach changed,” Amaro said. “He’s worked on it. I have to trust my scouts on it.”

That’s almost laughably straight out of that scouting scene in Moneyball, which Amaro admits he didn’t like very much.

H/T to reader Kevin