A Realistic View of 2024: Part II

[Maxbialystock]

Instead of a 20th ranked prospect, you could get a 17th? IDK.

For a lot of these guys, Sox have more of a reason to KEEP them than to trade them.

I like the notion of keeping vs. trading.

On the other hand, any team can develop a "surplus" of talent at a given position. When/if that occurs, it makes sense to trade someone.

However, in the case of the Boston Red Sox, they almost never have a surplus of good pitchers. I think the last good pitcher they unloaded was Babe Ruth, and he turned out to be a good bat. Not as great as Verdugo, of course, but good.

[notin]

I like the notion of keeping vs. trading.

On the other hand, any team can develop a "surplus" of talent at a given position. When/if that occurs, it makes sense to trade someone.

However, in the case of the Boston Red Sox, they almost never have a surplus of good pitchers. I think the last good pitcher they unloaded was Babe Ruth, and he turned out to be a good bat. Not as great as Verdugo, of course, but good.

The Sox also traded Curt Schilling once upon a time...

[Maxbialystock]

Could we please move the trade discussions back over to the thread about trades?

My current "realistic view of 2024" is that maybe realism is for the birds because--and this is my new hobby horse--the Sox are exceeding expectations thanks to a whole bunch of no-names.

At the same time, one of the names, Kenley Jansen, seems to have inspired the whole team when in the 8th against the Yankees, the score 6-4, Sox ahead, with 2 Yankees on base and 2 outs, he called Cora from the bullpen and said, "put me in." Cora did, Jansen got the 4 outs and the save, and the whole team knew that Jansen put his ass on the line to help the Sox win a game.

Just last night the Sox were dead, dead, dead after that 5 run rally by the Jays in the 7th which took them from down, 1-2, to up, 6-2. But the Sox scored 4 freaking runs in the 8th, the last 2 with 2 outs and no one on base. But Devers singled, O'Neill doubled, Ref got walked intentionally, and Gonzalez singled to tie the game. In the 9th, Jansen got 3 outs with no Jays runs scored--of course--and the Sox scored 1 in the bottom of the 9th without making an out.

Back in April I predicted the Sox would win and lose 81 games, so I'm delighted to say that, while I'm never wrong, this time I was a little short on being right. A couple of key injuries, especially to one of the 4 starters, could reverse this trend, but for now it's as real as it can be.

[A Red Sox fan named Hugh]

Other teams don't have the inside info that we do. They just look at boxscores.

I forgot, thats how pro scouts do it working for these multimillion/billion-dollar franchises. They look at box scores and determine how good players are.

[notin]

Other teams don't have the inside info that we do. They just look at boxscores.

Not true at all. They also watch highlights...

[Bellhorn04]

What is this weird trend of whenever someone is doing well, people on this site want to “sell high” and trade them? its been suggested for Duran, Rafaela, Houck and Now Hamilton

It's the Armchair Wheeler Dealer Syndrome.

[Bellhorn04]

And the next time someone uses the now hackneyed line "I'll drive him to the airport myself" they should be suspended for a week.

[notin]

It's the Armchair Wheeler Dealer Syndrome.

But most important, unlike other sports, talking baseball trades is fun.

Sure, occasionally, you have to determine the money factor. But as mentioned before, the NBA salary cap is needlessly overcomplicated. And the NFL almost never does player-for-player trades and instead one side almost always receives the wildly unexciting draft pick compensation. Ya-fucking-hoo. And the NHL? Is that still a league? Fuck NHL trades. The NHL is like that bratty little child always fighting for attention by acting out in school. just so his parents might give him food and maybe health care. With him, it's all "Feed me. Give me my insulin! Treat my leprosy!" Shut up, Ronny! Know your place!

Baseball trades? Team A needs relief pitching. Team B needs outfield help. Can these teams help each other? How do we equal out the money? And then all that is left is calling the respective GMs and informing them that we did all the legwork...

[sk7326]

Could we please move the trade discussions back over to the thread about trades?

My current "realistic view of 2024" is that maybe realism is for the birds because--and this is my new hobby horse--the Sox are exceeding expectations thanks to a whole bunch of no-names.

At the same time, one of the names, Kenley Jansen, seems to have inspired the whole team when in the 8th against the Yankees, the score 6-4, Sox ahead, with 2 Yankees on base and 2 outs, he called Cora from the bullpen and said, "put me in." Cora did, Jansen got the 4 outs and the save, and the whole team knew that Jansen put his ass on the line to help the Sox win a game.

Just last night the Sox were dead, dead, dead after that 5 run rally by the Jays in the 7th which took them from down, 1-2, to up, 6-2. But the Sox scored 4 freaking runs in the 8th, the last 2 with 2 outs and no one on base. But Devers singled, O'Neill doubled, Ref got walked intentionally, and Gonzalez singled to tie the game. In the 9th, Jansen got 3 outs with no Jays runs scored--of course--and the Sox scored 1 in the bottom of the 9th without making an out.

Back in April I predicted the Sox would win and lose 81 games, so I'm delighted to say that, while I'm never wrong, this time I was a little short on being right. A couple of key injuries, especially to one of the 4 starters, could reverse this trend, but for now it's as real as it can be.

If anyone in April told you Boston would have a Cy Young and MVP short-listers for the first half of the year and Devers is not one of them - I'd have called you insane.

[notin]

And the next time someone uses the now hackneyed line "I'll drive him to the airport myself" they should be suspended for a week.

I'm fine with that. Unless said person is an actual Uber driver just looking to drum up clientele...

[moonslav59]

What is this weird trend of whenever someone is doing well, people on this site want to “sell high” and trade them? its been suggested for Duran, Rafaela, Houck and Now Hamilton

Now, name tge ones who fell off the cliff: Swihart, Lavarnway, Wikelman, and many many more.

[sk7326]

Now, name tge ones who fell off the cliff: Swihart, Lavarnway, Wikelman, and many many more.

True - though none of them had stretches in the bigs anywhere close to Duran and Houck.

[mvp 78]

You were wrong in wanting to trade Duran. I won't let you live that down. It's the small victories.

There's nothing to live down. He was there biggest trade chip not named Casas or Bello. Sox still need a top of the rotation starter to be a real team.

[mvp 78]

Not true at all. They also watch highlights...

True fans.

[mvp 78]

And the next time someone uses the now hackneyed line "I'll drive him to the airport myself" they should be suspended for a week.

Policing speech again?