World Series 2021- Braves-Astros

[dgalehouse]

The Braves were playing without Acuna , Ozuna and { later } Morton. They were seriously underrated. The National League in general is underrated by those who still believe that the A.L. is superior. The Braves played their best when it mattered most. They deserve to be Champs.

[moonslav59]

A bit of recent trivia

 

Who leads MLB in home runs over the past 4 seasons?

 

If you guessed Nelson Cruz with 126, you're wrong. The correct answer is Eugenio Suarez with 129...

 

Over the last 3...

 

106 Pete Alonso

95 Suarez

89 Olsen & Cruz

85 Semien

83 Harper, Arenado, Muncy & Soler

82 Freemna & Abreu

81 Devers & Schwarber

 

22. Renroe 72

25. JD 71

33.Bogey 67

 

RBI

300 Abreu

271 Devers

257 Freeman

11. JD 231

15. Bogey 224

Edited November 3, 2021 by moonslav59

[notin]

The Braves were playing without Acuna , Ozuna and { later } Morton. They were seriously underrated. The National League in general is underrated by those who still believe that the A.L. is superior. The Braves played their best when it mattered most. They deserve to be Champs.

 

I don't think the NL was underrated by AL fans. This board is largely populated by AL fans who mostly assumed the Dodgers were going to take the title almost unchallenged...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I don't think the NL was underrated by AL fans. This board is largely populated by AL fans who mostly assumed the Dodgers were going to take the title almost unchallenged...

 

Braves were also missing All-Star starter Soroka (injured himself) and NL home run and RBI champ from a year ago, Ozuna (injured another). But somehow, all four outfielders grabbed by the deadline came through. Atlanta finished first four years in a row, sometimes with arguably better teams than this season (the Braves won 97 in '19). But it finally all came together at the right time.

 

Red Sox management knows it could spend big this winter to upgrade for '22, and trade for better reinforcements next summer, and still not repeat the magic of '21 next October. A better bet is that clubs like Tampa and Toronto will stay dangerous because they currently boast the best young players, at least in the AL East. That reality could cause continued patience from Boston's front office... and impatience with its fans.

[notin]

Braves were also missing All-Star starter Soroka (injured himself) and NL home run and RBI champ from a year ago, Ozuna (injured another). But somehow, all four outfielders grabbed by the deadline came through. Atlanta finished first four years in a row, sometimes with arguably better teams than this season (the Braves won 97 in '19). But it finally all came together at the right time.

 

Red Sox management knows it could spend big this winter to upgrade for '22, and trade for better reinforcements next summer, and still not repeat the magic of '21 next October. A better bet is that clubs like Tampa and Toronto will stay dangerous because they currently boast the best young players, at least in the AL East. That reality could cause continued patience from Boston's front office... and impatience with its fans.

 

Do large market teams really ever decide that they won't try to be competitive because another team in their division might be good? That seems like a foolish strategy, since it's not like you know they are going to be a lesser squad 2-3 years down the road...

[moonslav59]

The Astros talk shows are talking about their budget being over $70M, this winter (No Verlander, Correa and others).

 

The Jays have said they will spend more.

 

The Rays will likely not spend more but find and promote more gems.

 

The Yanks are the wild card spenders.

 

There is talk of the Tigers going after Correa or another big name.

 

It could be a big spending winter.

[Bellhorn04]

The Astros talk shows are talking about their budget being over $70M, this winter (No Verlander, Correa and others).

 

The Jays have said they will spend more.

 

The Rays will likely not spend more but find and promote more gems.

 

The Yanks are the wild card spenders.

 

There is talk of the Tigers going after Correa or another big name.

 

It could be a big spending winter.

 

Does this mean talk of a potentially damaging work stoppage is being overhyped?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Do large market teams really ever decide that they won't try to be competitive because another team in their division might be good? That seems like a foolish strategy, since it's not like you know they are going to be a lesser squad 2-3 years down the road...

 

Patience may be a strategy based more on market uncertainty with the CBA. For all we know, Bloom may have been hired by Henry -- who is on the board of directors for the owners -- in part, at least, to get the Sox through these tricky times. Knowing that chief competitors have controllable young stars won't force Bloom to offer "large market contracts" (such as those projected on Bleacher Reports) to older, more established players.

[moonslav59]

Does this mean talk of a potentially damaging work stoppage is being overhyped?

 

I'm not sure if a few eager to spend owners makes a difference.

[notin]

Patience may be a strategy based more on market uncertainty with the CBA. For all we know, Bloom may have been hired by Henry -- who is on the board of directors for the owners -- in part, at least, to get the Sox through these tricky times. Knowing that chief competitors have controllable young stars won't force Bloom to offer "large market contracts" (such as those projected on Bleacher Reports) to older, more established players.

 

I have no idea what financial constraints Henry has put on Bloom, but we do know Henry is not very patient with teams that simply don't win. If he was, Cherington might still be the GM.

 

These "tricky times" still have the Sox, amidst a "rebuild/reload" reaching the ALCS. It's extremely doubtful the team is going to double back and decide that because they are in the same division as Wander Franco and Bo Bichette, that the team needs to build the farm and wait this out. Now, I have no idea of Bloom will be handed the corporate credit card and given free reign, but I do have serious doubts he will do anything except try to improve on reaching the ALCS...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Now, I have no idea of Bloom will be handed the corporate credit card and given free reign

 

Hope so, but we might not know so until the owners and players shake hands (which is now just a metaphor for dap fists, in this day and age).

[Bellhorn04]

I just want to say that Smoltz gets on my nerves frequently too, but sometimes he is dead on. He practically called the 3 run jack by Soler, said he was seeing that same pitch repeatedly and getting it timed, and there it was again, and boom.

[moonslav59]

I have no idea what financial constraints Henry has put on Bloom, but we do know Henry is not very patient with teams that simply don't win. If he was, Cherington might still be the GM.

 

These "tricky times" still have the Sox, amidst a "rebuild/reload" reaching the ALCS. It's extremely doubtful the team is going to double back and decide that because they are in the same division as Wander Franco and Bo Bichette, that the team needs to build the farm and wait this out. Now, I have no idea of Bloom will be handed the corporate credit card and given free reign, but I do have serious doubts he will do anything except try to improve on reaching the ALCS...

 

Doing so well might have caused Henry to put off spending big for another year.

 

Maybe do just enough to keep fans thinking he cares about winning.

[Bellhorn04]

Doing so well might have caused Henry to put off spending big for another year.

 

Maybe do just enough to keep fans thinking he cares about winning.

 

Personally I think Henry does care about winning quite a bit. And he's willing to spend, he just wants to be smart about it.

[mvp 78]

Personally I think Henry does care about winning quite a bit. And he's willing to spend, he just wants to be smart about it.

 

Disagree.

 

He signed the CC deal and stated after that he didn't agree with it.

 

He signed Pablo and Hanley for dumb money.

[moonslav59]

Personally I think Henry does care about winning quite a bit. And he's willing to spend, he just wants to be smart about it.

 

I agree, and I think he probably thinks we can win by staying near the tax line, again in 2022.

 

Had we not made the playoffs, he'd be more motivated to spend more, this winter.

 

I do think he wants another ring, but he's smart enough to try and time it just right.

 

Spend big when you really thik you are one or tow big players away from being the faves for the ring.

 

I'm not sure we are there, yet.

 

The problem is, Eovaldi, Bogey and JD are free after 2022, and Devers will be on his last year. When is our best "window?"

 

Some could argue 2022 & 2023.

[Bellhorn04]

Disagree.

 

He signed the CC deal and stated after that he didn't agree with it.

 

He signed Pablo and Hanley for dumb money.

 

And he doesn't want to repeat those kind of mistakes, which is understandable.

 

I'm not sure exactly what you're disagreeing with.

[mvp 78]

And he doesn't want to repeat those kind of mistakes, which is understandable.

 

I'm not sure exactly what you're disagreeing with.

 

I disagree that he wants to be smart about spending. He didn't step in and stop the CC contract. He allowed both Hanley and Panda to sign on virtually the same day.

[Bellhorn04]

I disagree that he wants to be smart about spending. He didn't step in and stop the CC contract. He allowed both Hanley and Panda to sign on virtually the same day.

 

CC was 2011, Hanley and Panda were 2015.

 

He hired Bloom, he stayed below the tax threshold the last 2 years.

[moonslav59]

CC was 2011, Hanley and Panda were 2015.

 

He hired Bloom, he stayed below the tax threshold the last 2 years.

 

Henry has stayed below for 2 years several times and even 3 years once or twice.

[mvp 78]

CC was 2011, Hanley and Panda were 2015.

 

He hired Bloom, he stayed below the tax threshold the last 2 years.

 

Ok?

 

He hired DD to spend.

 

He hired Bloom to get back under lux tax and then... We don't truly know what the plan is? How much will or won't they spend?

[moonslav59]

Ok?

 

He hired DD to spend.

 

He hired Bloom to get back under lux tax and then... We don't truly know what the plan is? How much will or won't they spend?

 

I don't see this as the Ben>DD period, if that's what you are hinting at.

 

Hiring Bloom to set up the farm and roster depth for the next big spender and trader-in-chief.

 

I think Bloom will eventually be given a chance to spend big- maybe even this winter.

[moonslav59]

Sox Lux Tax Years under Henry:

 

2004

2005

2006

2007

 

2010

2011

 

2015

2016

 

2018

2019

 

No Tax

2003

 

2008

2009

 

2012

2013

2014

 

2017

 

2020

2021

[Kimmi]

Personally I think Henry does care about winning quite a bit. And he's willing to spend, he just wants to be smart about it.

 

I think Henry wants to win as badly as anyone else does. He has shown since he's been with the Red Sox that he's willing to spend. No one should accuse him of being tight with his money. I do tend to agree with Notin that he is not very patient. Fortunately, the Sox made the playoffs this year, so hopefully that will give Henry enough patience to let Bloom stay the course.

[Kimmi]

Ok?

 

He hired DD to spend.

 

He hired Bloom to get back under lux tax and then... We don't truly know what the plan is? How much will or won't they spend?

 

The plan is to prioritize sustainability over 'win now' mode. That has been the plan pretty much every year that Henry has been with the Sox, except for when he took a lack of patience detour and hired Dombrowski.

[notin]

Personally I think Henry does care about winning quite a bit. And he's willing to spend, he just wants to be smart about it.

 

Absolutely. The problem is he’s up against a team that not only cares about winning but also doesn’t appear to care whether or not they’re smart about it…

[notin]

CC was 2011, Hanley and Panda were 2015.

 

He hired Bloom, he stayed below the tax threshold the last 2 years.

 

 

2020, yes.

 

But was staying below really the plan for 2021? And did it remain that way all season?

[Bellhorn04]

2020, yes.

 

But was staying below really the plan for 2021? And did it remain that way all season?

 

As far as I know, the answer to both questions is yes. We'll find out on the second one when the much-awaited 2021 lux tax announcement comes!

[notin]

As far as I know, the answer to both questions is yes. We'll find out on the second one when the much-awaited 2021 lux tax announcement comes!

 

 

My bellybutton is puckering and unpuckering in anticipation!!!

[moonslav59]

The plan is to prioritize sustainability over 'win now' mode. That has been the plan pretty much every year that Henry has been with the Sox, except for when he took a lack of patience detour and hired Dombrowski.

 

Theo has spoken of veering off that track while with the Sox, too.