A Realistic View at 2024: Part I

[Hugh2]

It's literally just a title, they could have named him supreme chancellor of pro scouting. This is what front office baseball has turned into all around the league. A guy is really good at his job, he could leave you and go elsewhere, you throw more money and a title at him, and move on.

 

Some teams don't have more than 1-2 assistant GM's but rather have 3-4 assistant Vice Presidents. THis is nothing to be upset about.

[Hugh2]

Bloom definitely has his dithering moments. But clearly h he was given limited time to maneuver. Breslow appears to be in the same boat…

 

If promoting within and giving people all sorts of titles in the front office with a pay bump is "dithering" then literally BASEBALL is having a dithering moment, not the Boston Red Sox.

[Bellhorn04]

It's literally just a title, they could have named him supreme chancellor of pro scouting. This is what front office baseball has turned into all around the league. A guy is really good at his job, he could leave you and go elsewhere, you throw more money and a title at him, and move on.

 

Some teams don't have more than 1-2 assistant GM's but rather have 3-4 assistant Vice Presidents. THis is nothing to be upset about.

 

The real concern is how much authority Breslow has.

 

With the Dodgers, you can be pretty damn sure Friedman has a whole pile of authority.

[Hitch]

This is nothing to be upset about.

 

My prevailing feeling on most of the moves that have happened so far.

[Hugh2]

The real concern is how much authority Breslow has.

 

With the Dodgers, you can be pretty damn sure Friedman has a whole pile of authority.

 

Would you feel better if they were doing the same job but all had a different title????

[Old Red]

The real concern is how much authority Breslow has.

 

With the Dodgers, you can be pretty damn sure Friedman has a whole pile of authority.

 

I’m guessing Breslow’s name wasn’t at the top of the big board in the Red Sox War Room when they were starting the process of who they wanted for the HOBO job, but had to cross off so many names who wouldn’t even interview. That’s pretty sad in itself, and definitely didn’t line up with Sam’s way of thinking that Boston is the place that everyone would want to be.

[Hugh2]

I love how people make an assumption, purely based on their own cynicism. Then use that assumption as the basis of their opinion.

 

Why can't we just argue the facts and when we do have conjecture base it in reality and precedent.

 

I mean, you call something sad, something that you just guessed.

 

I'm currently running 2 jobs on indeed. All those people come to me. I would be willing to bet if instead I approached people and tried poaching them from other positions, I too would get a lot of people who are already happy, well paid, and established on the other side of the country with their family. When you do that, you're obviously going to get no's. Another baseless opinion based purely on cynical driven pessimism that no one wants to come here.

 

Like, there's only 30 of these jobs, if someone really wanted to a be a GM, they likely would have interviewed for it. I seriosly doubt there was one guy who turned us down who would have accepted an offer in NY/Toronto/Baltimore etc etc.

[Bellhorn04]

I’m guessing Breslow’s name wasn’t at the top of the big board in the Red Sox War Room when they were starting the process of who they wanted for the HOBO job, but had to cross off so many names who wouldn’t even interview. That’s pretty sad in itself, and definitely didn’t line up with Sam’s way of thinking that Boston is the place that everyone would want to be.

 

The Sox front office keeps saying stuff that ends up making them look like a joke. It's no wonder my confidence is shot.

[Hitch]

I love how people make an assumption, purely based on their own cynicism. Then use that assumption as the basis of their opinion.

 

Why can't we just argue the facts and when we do have conjecture base it in reality and precedent.

 

I mean, you call something sad, something that you just guessed.

 

I'm currently running 2 jobs on indeed. All those people come to me. I would be willing to bet if instead I approached people and tried poaching them from other positions, I too would get a lot of people who are already happy, well paid, and established on the other side of the country with their family. When you do that, you're obviously going to get no's. Another baseless opinion based purely on cynical driven pessimism that no one wants to come here.

 

Like, there's only 30 of these jobs, if someone really wanted to a be a GM, they likely would have interviewed for it. I seriosly doubt there was one guy who turned us down who would have accepted an offer in NY/Toronto/Baltimore etc etc.

 

While I agree with the vast majority of this, I think it's more than possible (and reported to be the case) that some people just didn't like the look of the job based off the way the owners had acted/are acting. It's certainly fair to ask if Boston may not be the draw it once was, right now.

[Old Red]

I love how people make an assumption, purely based on their own cynicism. Then use that assumption as the basis of their opinion.

 

Why can't we just argue the facts and when we do have conjecture base it in reality and precedent.

 

I mean, you call something sad, something that you just guessed.

 

I'm currently running 2 jobs on indeed. All those people come to me. I would be willing to bet if instead I approached people and tried poaching them from other positions, I too would get a lot of people who are already happy, well paid, and established on the other side of the country with their family. When you do that, you're obviously going to get no's. Another baseless opinion based purely on cynical driven pessimism that no one wants to come here.

 

Like, there's only 30 of these jobs, if someone really wanted to a be a GM, they likely would have interviewed for it. I seriosly doubt there was one guy who turned us down who would have accepted an offer in NY/Toronto/Baltimore etc etc.

There were 10+ people who declined to interview for Bloom’s job. That’s not an assumption, but a fact, and not a good look no matter how you want to slice it, and dice it. You made more sense when you were in hibernation.

[Old Red]

The Sox front office keeps saying stuff that ends up making them look like a joke. It's no wonder my confidence is shot.

 

Yes, but how many fans on here, and everywhere bought in to the full throttle statement like the Red Sox were going to go out, and land the Yam Man, or a Snell, and or Monty? I never did, and I’m still waiting for some trades that might not happen either' and then I’ll be with you, but not quite yet.

[Bellhorn04]

Apparently Imanaga's contract only includes about $30 million of guaranteed money.

[Old Red]

Apparently Imanaga's contract only includes about $30 million of guaranteed money.

 

Heyman says complicated deal of around $30M guaranteed that could go up to $80M.

[moonslav59]

You just have to wonder if this is where all the apparent dithering is coming from. Maybe it wasn't just Bloom. Maybe Breslow is being put in the same position.

 

I think the GM can make minor moves, pretty much on his own, and Bloom & Brez have done that, quite a bit.

 

Trading Sale, and to a lesser degree Dugo, probably involved approval. Supposedly, Bloom had approval to trade Sale, before and stopped short. It appears Brez is more decisive. Let's hope that's a good thing.

[Elktonnick]

I think the GM can make minor moves, pretty much on his own, and Bloom & Brez have done that, quite a bit.

 

Trading Sale, and to a lesser degree Dugo, probably involved approval. Supposedly, Bloom had approval to trade Sale, before and stopped short. It appears Brez is more decisive. Let's hope that's a good thing.

I think Bloom was hired to trade Betts. Henry knew that would cause a firestorm. Bloom was his scapegoat and sacrificial lamb. (Sorry for mixing metaphors)

Breslow was hired to revamp the Red Sox entire approach towards pitching. I do not think free agents signings enter much into his thinking which is why Henry signed him.

[Hugh2]

I think Bloom was hired to trade Betts. Henry knew that would cause a firestorm. Bloom was his scapegoat and sacrificial lamb. (Sorry for mixing metaphors)

Breslow was hired to revamp the Red Sox entire approach towards pitching. I do not think free agents signings enter much into his thinking which is why Henry signed him.

 

You know I'd believe that at one point. But why hold onto him for 4 years if he was hired for that one thing? Anyone could have traded Betts to the highest bidder.

[moonslav59]

I think Bloom was hired to trade Betts. Henry knew that would cause a firestorm. Bloom was his scapegoat and sacrificial lamb. (Sorry for mixing metaphors)

Breslow was hired to revamp the Red Sox entire approach towards pitching. I do not think free agents signings enter much into his thinking which is why Henry signed him.

 

Agreed.

 

I am hoping the FA avoidance is just temporary, and that they are just waiting for "the right time" and "the right guy" to pounce.

[moonslav59]

You know I'd believe that at one point. But why hold onto him for 4 years if he was hired for that one thing? Anyone could have traded Betts to the highest bidder.

 

Well, the part not mentioned goes hand-in-hand with the betts trade: they, arguably, did not replace the Betts and half-Price money until March 2022's Story signing. Bloom's window to proves something was 2022-2023.

 

I think, if he knew that, he might have drafted more college players in 2020 and 2021.

[notin]

You know I'd believe that at one point. But why hold onto him for 4 years if he was hired for that one thing? Anyone could have traded Betts to the highest bidder.

 

Henry could have ordered Dombrowski to trade Betts and then fired him for doing so…

[moonslav59]

BTV Accepts:

 

Duran, Houck & Mata for Braxton Garrett (5 years of control)

 

Yoshida (+$16M) & Paulino for Keaton Winn (6 years of control) & Carson Whisenhunt (higher rated SP'er than Wikelman & Perales)

 

Sign: Soler (DH and LF)

 

SP1 Garrett

SP2 Bello

SP3 Giolito

SP4 Winn

SP5 Pivetta

RP1 Jansen

RP2 Martin

RP3 Winckowski

RP4 Crawford

RP5 Whitlock

RP6 Schreiber

RP7 Slaten (Rule 5)

 

1. R Grissom 2B

2. L Devers 3B

3. R O'Neill RF

4. L Casas 1B

5. R Soler LF/DH

6. L Yoshida DH/LF

7. R Story SS

8. L Abreu CF/ R Rafaela CF

9. R Wong/ L McGuire C

Bench:

Rafaela or Abreu

Mcguire or Wong

Reyes

Refsnyder

 

Rest of the 40: (possible additions to 40 during 2024)

SP: Max Castillo, Murphy, Walter, Wikelman, Perales (Gambrell, Fitts)

RP: Bernardino, Campbell, Criswell, Weissert, Kelly (Guerrero, Hagenman, Benitez, Olivares)

C: (Scott, R Perez, Teel)

1B: Dalbec (Kavadas, Jordan)

2B: EValdez (Yorke)

SS: DHam (Mayer)

3B: (Meidroth, Lugo)

OF: (Rosier, Anthony)

DH: EValdez, (Hickey)

 

 

 

[moonslav59]

Henry could have ordered Dombrowski to trade Betts and then fired him for doing so…

 

DD was ready to trade Betts in 2019, but as they approached the deadline, they won 5 out of 6 * out of 11,) and apparently they decided not to sell.

 

(They then lost 8 in a row from JUL 28 to AUG 4, followed by a 4-4 stretch, and the rest was history.)

 

What would DD's legacy have been had he been pinned with the Betts trade? (My guess is, still pretty good.)

 

How would that have affected the Bloom legacy and expectations upon his singing?

[Bellhorn04]

You know I'd believe that at one point. But why hold onto him for 4 years if he was hired for that one thing? Anyone could have traded Betts to the highest bidder.

 

I don't believe the only hired to trade Betts part.

 

But I don't think the sacrificial lamb part can be ruled out.

 

If anything the approach this offseason seems even more Bloom-like than Bloom.

[moonslav59]

I don't believe the only hired to trade Betts part.

 

But I don't think the sacrificial lamb part can be ruled out.

 

If anything the approach this offseason seems even more Bloom-like than Bloom.

 

I don't think any of us expected the Sox to not even come close to replacing the Betts- Price money, or the Porcello money, either.

 

The Covid season was kind of a blurr.

 

It wasn't until 2021, that we realized just how entrenched the new budget had become. (We ended up over $20M below the tax line.)

 

I think Bloom was hired to be a bargain basement GM and to try and replicate the "Tampa Bay Way." The success of the 2021 team only emboldened the Sox to continue trying to be like the Rays for a longer period, and Bloom looked like "the guy" to maybe pull it off.

 

That seemed to continue until or maybe beyond the late winter signing of Story for the 2022 season. Surprisingly, they inched over the tax line in '22, due to Bloom's failure to make a sell trade or two at the deadline.

 

The penny-pinching rotation building was the obvious downfall of the idea and of Bloom.

 

IMO, as simply put as I can do: Bloom was hired to pinch pennies and still try to make the team competitive.

 

Throw out 2020, does Bloom still have a job, if we finished....

 

2nd (to ALCS), 4th and 3rd?

2nd (to ALCS), 4th and 4th?

2nd (early exit), 3rd and 3rd?

 

 

[Hugh2]

I don't believe the only hired to trade Betts part.

 

But I don't think the sacrificial lamb part can be ruled out.

 

If anything the approach this offseason seems even more Bloom-like than Bloom.

 

Oh without a doubt. I think the Sox are willing to spend when they feel the time is right. They want to spend when they think they're good enough to compete and then it's worth it to them to go over the cap. But they want the flexibility to get under in a year or two every time they go over, which is why they're weary of long term deals.

 

They likely wanted to emulate the Atlanta model, build up the farm, extend the young core, and when they're ready go for it.

 

One thing I can reconcile, that I will probably be ex-communicated for is that it's not a bad strategy. The thing is.....they didn't execute it. Bloom didn't deliver, and I think that's why he was ultimately fired.

[notin]

I don't believe the only hired to trade Betts part.

 

But I don't think the sacrificial lamb part can be ruled out.

 

If anything the approach this offseason seems even more Bloom-like than Bloom.

 

That’s because Bloom actually made moves. They may have been unpopular, but he did make them…

[notin]

Oh without a doubt. I think the Sox are willing to spend when they feel the time is right. They want to spend when they think they're good enough to compete and then it's worth it to them to go over the cap. But they want the flexibility to get under in a year or two every time they go over, which is why they're weary of long term deals.

 

They likely wanted to emulate the Atlanta model, build up the farm, extend the young core, and when they're ready go for it.

 

One thing I can reconcile, that I will probably be ex-communicated for is that it's not a bad strategy. The thing is.....they didn't execute it. Bloom didn't deliver, and I think that's why he was ultimately fired.

 

I don’t think they are willing to spend, at least not as much as fans want.

 

Henry wanted Rays-level efficiency. Bloom didn’t deliver. Next up - Breslow. But at no point d did the Sox say anything about going back to being a large market.

 

Kia Sedona’s have full throttle,too…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Oh without a doubt. I think the Sox are willing to spend when they feel the time is right. They want to spend when they think they're good enough to compete and then it's worth it to them to go over the cap. But they want the flexibility to get under in a year or two every time they go over, which is why they're weary of long term deals.

 

They likely wanted to emulate the Atlanta model, build up the farm, extend the young core, and when they're ready go for it.

 

One thing I can reconcile, that I will probably be ex-communicated for is that it's not a bad strategy. The thing is.....they didn't execute it. Bloom didn't deliver, and I think that's why he was ultimately fired.

 

A lot of this was also Moon's wishful thinking a few years ago, but after four winters they beat the spark out of him...

 

... and that's a sin by Red Sox management, sucking the life even out of their staunchest optimistic fans.

[Hugh2]

A lot of this was also Moon's wishful thinking a few years ago, but after four winters they beat the spark out of him...

 

... and that's a sin by Red Sox management, sucking the life even out of their staunchest optimistic fans.

 

Moon or Bloom? what does it matter. I don't think anyone in Sox nation would be complaining if we had the Braves roster right now. We'd be expecting to compete for a world series next year.

 

A good plan can look like s*** if there's no execution. None of their middling moves help to win in the interim, they havent' put any real effort to bring in and develop young pitching talent, and they've refused to make trades that could of helped the teams future at the dealine (Bloom 2022).

 

But yeah, you know the FO is f***ing up when even the more optimistic fans have turned a little cynical.

[mvp 78]

So, who takes Toboni's place?

 

Did not the MIA director of player development get let go, recently?

 

The MIA org isn't very good at the moment. Not sure if that's due to scouting or development.

[mvp 78]

Bloom definitely has his dithering moments. But clearly h he was given limited time to maneuver. Breslow appears to be in the same boat…

 

*Buzzer sound*