Fire Bloom .

[Bellhorn04]

Bello and Whitlock could be at/near the top of this rotation for the next 4 years. That’s not a bad starting point…

 

Hopefully so. They're still unproven quantities as starters.

[Bellhorn04]

It's make or break time for Bloom.

 

That's exactly what we said about the past offseason.

[mvp 78]

That's exactly what we said about the past offseason.

 

And now we're in it.

[jad]

I really don't think John Henry will be a happy camper if the team wins 75 games this year and attendance and ratings go down. He may have hired Bloom to get the payroll under control, but he didn't hire him to produce s***** teams and apathetic fans.

 

Why won't he be happy? He hired Bloom to cut payroll and obviously told him he didn't give a crap if he let popular and productive players go. Bloom did exactly that. Fire Bloom? The only reason he would do that is to pretend that this the team sucking isn't a consequence of his own decisions.

[moonslav59]

What is Downs, and Wong?

 

Wong was a throw-in.

 

Downs was supposed to be good.

 

Verdugo was the main prize.

 

The Betts trade was not a straight prospect trade, and the salary dump of Price was part of the return value.

 

I doubt we'd have added JD to a Bogey package.

 

[moonslav59]

Why won't he be happy? He hired Bloom to cut payroll and obviously told him he didn't give a crap if he let popular and productive players go. Bloom did exactly that. Fire Bloom? The only reason he would do that is to pretend that this the team sucking isn't a consequence of his own decisions.

 

Bloom has been given enough money, starting with the Story signing to bring the current team to respectability.

 

While the long term future may still be priority #1, there should be no free pass for 2023.

[moonslav59]

That's exactly what we said about the past offseason.

 

Except, we didn't spend big until the late Story signing, which reeked of desperation and angry fanbase placation.

 

[a700hitter]

Except, we didn't spend big until the late Story signing, which reeked of desperation and angry fanbase placation.

 

The fan base forced the GM into another bad decision. Talk about a lame rationalization.

[moonslav59]

The fan base forced the GM into another bad decision. Talk about a lame rationalization.

 

They didn't force who Bloom signed. I never implied anything close to that.

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by moonslav59

[a700hitter]

They didn't force who Bloom signed. I never implied anything close to that.

 

Then why mention the “angry fan base”?

[Hugh2]

Except, we didn't spend big until the late Story signing, which reeked of desperation and angry fanbase placation.

 

 

Did it? We had a hole at 2nd base and he was at the time a premium free agent on a good deal. It was an upgrade in the mold that we often desire here. The problem is it's been a s*** signing so far.

[moonslav59]

Then why mention the “angry fan base”?

 

IMO, it was part of the reason we spent big. I have stated I have no evidence, but my gut says Henry was not going to spend in 2022, until he sense a big drop off in attendance and viewership by an angry fanbase.

 

It's not why they chose Story. They needed a 2Bman and possible future SS, but the "angry mob" did not force them to choose Story.

[moonslav59]

Did it? We had a hole at 2nd base and he was at the time a premium free agent on a good deal. It was an upgrade in the mold that we often desire here. The problem is it's been a s*** signing so far.

 

Just my belief. I feel there were better choices, earlier in the winter, but Henry got a little panicked and pushed for a splash move, late.

 

Certainly, I could be wrong. Maybe Story was their choice all along.

[notin]

Did it? We had a hole at 2nd base and he was at the time a premium free agent on a good deal. It was an upgrade in the mold that we often desire here. The problem is it's been a s*** signing so far.

 

 

I’m not so sure Story is a guy you sign to placate a fan base.

 

I think they signed him because 1) his offense would be close to Bogaerts’ and 2) his glove would be better.

 

So far he has yet to play a single inning at shortstop…

[notin]

If the Sox were all about signing free agents to make the fans happy (and do so on the cheap), then our shortstop today would be Elvis Andrus at a minimum.

[jad]

I can't figure out who has the burner account on this board: Henry or Bloom. Or how many accounts they have.

[moonslav59]

I’m not so sure Story is a guy you sign to placate a fan base.

 

I think they signed him because 1) his offense would be close to Bogaerts’ and 2) his glove would be better.

 

So far he has yet to play a single inning at shortstop…

 

The late signing made me think it might have been a sort of after- thought/ knee jerk reactionary thingy.

 

Maybe not.

[Old Red]

I don’t think the Story signing was a planned thing in the beginning, and just an afterthought when he was still available. I don’t think other clubs were beating down any doors with big offers for Story, and there was some talk out there that Story really didn’t want to come to Boston, and fired his agent shortly after the deal.

[Old Red]

I’m not panicking yet, but getting the broom by Pittsburg at home was not a good look, and not the start the Red Sox needed, or wanted. They already were booed on opening day, and a bad road trip that they have coming up especially doing bad against TB will not be pretty when they come home. A for Sale day tomorrow, and it better be better than an open house.

[notin]

I don’t think the Story signing was a planned thing in the beginning, and just an afterthought when he was still available. I don’t think other clubs were beating down any doors with big offers for Story, and there was some talk out there that Story really didn’t want to come to Boston, and fired his agent shortly after the deal.

 

Both Texas and Seattle reportedly offered Story deals similar to the one he got in Boston, but it seems as though Story’s agent(s) tried to leverage one offer against the other and both teams backed off. Texas moved on the second choice Corey Seager. Seattle held on to Crawford…

[Hugh2]

I’m not so sure Story is a guy you sign to placate a fan base.

 

I think they signed him because 1) his offense would be close to Bogaerts’ and 2) his glove would be better.

 

So far he has yet to play a single inning at shortstop…

 

At that point in time he had an identical career OPS to Bogaerts, and played up the middle D. He was a massive upgrade at 2nd. Or at least he should have been. Yeah, it’s not Mike Trout, but when the team has money to spend and gaping holes that’s a big move. Big is subjective, I get it.

[Hugh2]

If the Sox were all about signing free agents to make the fans happy (and do so on the cheap), then our shortstop today would be Elvis Andrus at a minimum.

 

Or Bogaerts/Correa/Turner/Swanson

[Nick]

I’m not panicking yet, but getting the broom by Pittsburg at home was not a good look, and not the start the Red Sox needed, or wanted. They already were booed on opening day, and a bad road trip that they have coming up especially doing bad against TB will not be pretty when they come home. A for Sale day tomorrow, and it better be better than an open house.

 

Anytime you walk 8 batters and hit a guy, they deserved to be booed.

[Bellhorn04]

The late signing made me think it might have been a sort of after- thought/ knee jerk reactionary thingy.

 

Maybe not.

 

Maybe Bloom was hoping that if he waited he'd get a lower price?

 

We can all come up with an explanation that fits some narrative or other.

[Bellhorn04]

Or Bogaerts/Correa/Turner/Swanson

 

You missed the 'on the cheap' part.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

If the Sox were all about signing free agents to make the fans happy (and do so on the cheap), then our shortstop today would be Elvis Andrus at a minimum.

 

How about just signing any real shortstop : Andrus or Iglesias or dealing for one that wouldn't Dombro the farm, like Rojas (look! LA's back in first)... you know, one that was Opening Day-ready to actually improve the team and help lead a crucial good start during a soft early schedule?

 

Wouldn't that make both the fans and the stakeholders happy?

[Bellhorn04]

And after some of us thought Andrus might be asking for too much, he signed for $3 million.

 

So many things that can be questioned.

 

Right now I have an awful feeling this team is really gonna suck.

[notin]

Or Bogaerts/Correa/Turner/Swanson

 

I was actually surprised they sat out on Correa. I figured Cora would be pushing heavily…

[notin]

How about just signing any real shortstop : Andrus or Iglesias or dealing for one that wouldn't Dombro the farm, like Rojas (look! LA's back in first)... you know, one that was Opening Day-ready to actually improve the team and help lead a crucial good start during a soft early schedule?

 

Wouldn't that make both the fans and the stakeholders happy?

 

Reportedly the Sox did try to acquire Rojas. Not sure how far it got…

[Bellhorn04]

Reportedly the Sox did try to acquire Rojas. Not sure how far it got…

 

It's all academic, man. If we acquired all the guys we've been rumored to be in on, we'd have a pretty good team.