This signing was a stretch. IIRC Morrow had injury issues before the signing.
Exactly.
I see that off-season as they got wrapped up in the sweepstakes for Otani. Morrow and Chatwood were after they fell out. Going in Theo decided that Davis was out. Their belief was closers were not worth 18 Mil per. Well they were wrong. But in the aftermath they did sign Kimbrel for market value for closers vs trying to frugal an answer.
So he did learn that trying to short change a contender never works. I see the investment into a closer as vital to any contender. It is not about pitching 1 inning. It is about being the anchor that keeps the pen stable.
Savings should come in lesser leverage situations. Like Wick and Underwood. Those two have shown the ability to perform on the big stage and having the raw stuff that plays up. All it takes is exposure and experience. Most of all an opertunity to polish.
Let's face it just dropping Cishek and Strop is a 12.75 mil payroll drop. Wick and Underwood backfill at 1.2 mil of it. Take out the 3 mil hit from Morrow you are still 8.5 mil ahead.
So much of the issues are taken care of internal anyways.