9/24 SOX @ Yankems

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The only thing the SOX have done successfully is keeping Judge from hitting his 61st, thus disappointing the F'ing fans at Yankem Park.

[jad]

Please DFA Dalbec. It is embarrassing to be reminded I have such little baseball knowledge I have been supporting him for a couple of years.

[moonslav59]

Please DFA Dalbec. It is embarrassing to be reminded I have such little baseball knowledge I have been supporting him for a couple of years.

 

He has trade value. Not much, but some.

[moonslav59]

It’s because the pen failed to hold the lead. That’s what is memorable.

 

Granted, it gets easier to hold bigger leads, but the Sox really do need to replace about 3-4 bullpen pitchers next season…

 

That's why I said "I get why the pen runs are more memorable."

 

2023 Pen

 

Whitlock, Houck and Schreiber

Addition

Addition

Taylor

Barnes

Crawford

German

 

That's 9 for 8 slots.

 

On the farm:

Kelly, Danisg, Wink, Seabold plus maybe converted minor league SP'ers Mata, Ward, Walter, Murphy, Santos and maybe Bazardo or Ort.

 

I think we'll add one solid RP'er or two that I hope do better than Deik & Strahm.

[cukes]

He has trade value. Not much, but some.

 

for what? a 3 room apartment in Cambridge, he out and out sucks, a worst eye than Jose Feliciano

[cukes]

They will suck next year too, and maybe 2024 as well. But hey-maybe Henry will sell the team by 2025 and they could possibly be watchable again!

 

you will go through the same agony next year, management will be the same JH is not firing anybody then he'll have to pay more dead money, Cora can win only with great players he can fill out a lineup card with then watch the game, forget managing a pitching staff, today's game was very winnable but this team does not know how to score runs,

[moonslav59]

for what? a 3 room apartment in Cambridge, he out and out sucks, a worst eye than Jose Feliciano

 

If Diekman can net us a starting catcher, I’m not sure about anyone’s trade value or lack there of.

[illinoisredsox]

for what? a 3 room apartment in Cambridge, he out and out sucks, a worst eye than Jose Feliciano

 

He’s got power, so some team will take a shot even if it’s for a marginal minor leaguer. He’s still 5th on the team in homers and was 3rd most of the year while being platooned and basically benched after the trade deadline. Xander and JD only recently passed him in homers.

 

At this point, mentally he doesn’t think he can hit major league pitching. He may even figure it out, but that will not be in Boston and at age 27, his time to show anyone he can is nearly gone. As moon said, he almost certainly will not be on the 40 man next year.

[illinoisredsox]

If Diekman can net us a starting catcher, I’m not sure about anyone’s trade value or lack there of.

 

Diekman is left handed; that buys him more looks than a comparable rightie.

[FredLynn]

you will go through the same agony next year, management will be the same JH is not firing anybody then he'll have to pay more dead money, Cora can win only with great players he can fill out a lineup card with then watch the game, forget managing a pitching staff, today's game was very winnable but this team does not know how to score runs,

 

They have too many holes to fill to be relevant next year. In addition Henry has issued an edict to reduce budget. That’s hardly a formula for success.

[moonslav59]

They have too many holes to fill to be relevant next year. In addition Henry has issued an edict to reduce budget. That’s hardly a formula for success.

 

Do you have a link to Henry's edict?

[FredLynn]

Do you have a link to Henry's edict?

 

This from a couple of years ago but I don’t see any evidence that anything has changed.

Do you?

 

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2855681-red-sox-owner-john-henry-wants-team-to-cut-salary-avoid-luxury-tax-in-2020.amp.html

[Bellhorn04]

This from a couple of years ago but I don’t see any evidence that anything has changed.

Do you?

 

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2855681-red-sox-owner-john-henry-wants-team-to-cut-salary-avoid-luxury-tax-in-2020.amp.html

 

The Red Sox are paying luxury tax this year. You knew that right?

[moonslav59]

The Sox have always been near the luxury tax line and go through cycles of re-setting and going over the line, but never by too much. In that sense, nothing has changed, and maybe it never will, but IMO, the team seems to spend only when they think a ring season is near or upon us. 2013 was the exception, as I think that team surprised Henry. (They did trade Iggy & Montas for Jake Peavy at the deadline, and that added to the payroll.) I think sometimes JH gives the okay to spend more, when the team has done so badly that fans are restless- like after 2015, but even then, we had a solid core of young players on that 2016 team and had a chance to compete, that year, when spending grew.

 

I don't think Henry and Bloom felt like 2021 was "the year," either. I actually think the Story signing was a late decision based on falling ticket and NESN purchases and grumbling about not "going for it." This time, however, increased spending was not paired with trading several highly-ranked prospects, like it was from 2016-2018. I think that part of the our history has changed, and maybe for good.

 

That does not mean we will never trade top prospects, again, but I doubt we ever come near to what DD's plan entailed. That was not a plan for sustained winning.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Here is a list of the biggest gains in opening day player spending budgets by year:

 

47 2010 (ended up worse than 2008 and 2009)

36 2018

28 2004

28 2015 (after finishing last in 2 of the previous 3 years- did improve, some)

26 2022 (after 3 years of ups and downs- ended up worse than '21)

23 2007

19 2000 (the beginning of the building up to 2004)

 

Years the Sox paid a luxury tax:

1998

1999 (pre-Henry)

 

2004

2005

2006

2007

 

2010

2011

 

2015

2016

 

2018

2019

 

2022

 

Some observations:

1. Once the 3rd year in a row penalties were added, the Sox have never gone 3 years paying the tax.

2. Going over 2 straight years has been common.

3. Staying under for 1-3 years has been the range ( 1 year twice, 3 years once, since 2004. (4 years from 1999-2003- mostly pre JH))

 

I think we go over in 2023 or 2024 but not both. The nation is restless and grumbling, but the second criteria for spending big- having a rising young core is not quite there, yet.