Is this 2026 Red Sox team…CONTENDERS or PRETENDERS?

[notin]

16 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Once again are you going to tell all the uniform personnel in the Red Sox dugout you don’t think they are good enough to invest in now to make the team better? As for the question you asked didn’t being under 500 with a low 14 games under 500 warrant saying they weren’t good enough at that time? With their current 12 game winning streak, and currently in a wildcard spot doesn’t that change the whole equation? As always the here, and now. It’s not that complicated, but it seems to be for some. The whole league is the weakest I’ve ever seen it, so it’s not like any other year, and to me the the postseason this year will be wide open, so not trying to improve the team is a LOSER all the way around. L O S E R.

And actually, I have NEVER said this team isn’t good enough to win, unlike you.  I said it was risky to push their young pitchers too deep into the postseason.  Not remotely the same at all.

But hey, misrepresenting what other people say was always your strong suit…

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

And actually, I have NEVER said this team isn’t good enough to win, unlike you.  I said it was risky to push their young pitchers too deep into the postseason.  Not remotely the same at all.

But hey, misrepresenting what other people say was always your strong suit…

He gets cranky when we win and joyous when we lose.

[Old Red]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

The funny thing is, we are suggesting trades to help the team, and he screams we don't want to improve the team.

A couple weeks ago, he was making fun of those who remained optimistic or said we were better than the record indicated, but of course only the record matters to him.

Now our record is over .500, and he acts like he's been all in on this year from day one.

At least he's not bashing Brez anymore, but that will change after a 2 game losing streak.

OMG! You think you suggesting trades that never happen is a measuring stick of something. They never happen for a reason, and usually your trade suggestions are just trying to pawn players off you don’t want, and nor would the other teams, and that’s why they never happen, or would happen. Are you trying to say that now that the team is over 500, and at present time in a wildcard spot is a reason to change someone’s mind. It certainly is to me, and from what I’ve been hearing it’s changed a lot of minds in RSN, and it doesn’t take too much at least for some to see that. Also plenty of fans in RED Sox Nation were bashing brezLOW when the team had sunk to 14 games under 500, so I don’t know what kind of point you’re trying to make there, but you DIDNT make one.

[Old Red]

15 minutes ago, notin said:

And actually, I have NEVER said this team isn’t good enough to win, unlike you.  I said it was risky to push their young pitchers too deep into the postseason.  Not remotely the same at all.

But hey, misrepresenting what other people say was always your strong suit…

Where did I say not good enough to win? Where, where, where? I said good enough to invest in, and make better, and it’s right there in black and white.Once again you’re trying to spread a FALSE narrative.

[FredLynn]

17 minutes ago, notin said:

And actually, I have NEVER said this team isn’t good enough to win, unlike you.  I said it was risky to push their young pitchers too deep into the postseason.  Not remotely the same at all.

But hey, misrepresenting what other people say was always your strong suit…

No, but you no doubt THOUGHT it when we were 14 games below water. If people here are being honest no one thought we could be buyers around now. The team looked absolutely lost. They sucked. Sonny Gray admitted as much in an interview. Well now they are on a roll. They will NOT play this well for the rest of the year. No team does. A few weeks ago I was STRONG SELL. Now its more like 50/50-but DO NOT hedge and pick up some irrelevant players and claim you are improving the team. Either sell or buy, but go all in, one way or the other. 

[moonslav59]

Ole Red ranted "The Illusion of Contention" on and on.

It didn't take long for me to go back and find this...

"I’m open to listening on the Con Man too, but after so much time the Red Sox have spent the past few years trying to find a capable 1B it would take more than a real lot to deal him IMO, and if so he would have to be replaced, which wouldn’t be so easy to do."

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

No, but you no doubt THOUGHT it when we were 14 games below water. If people here are being honest no one thought we could be buyers around now. The team looked absolutely lost. They sucked. Sonny Gray admitted as much in an interview. Well now they are on a roll. They will NOT play this well for the rest of the year. No team does. A few weeks ago I was STRONG SELL. Now its more like 50/50-but DO NOT hedge and pick up some irrelevant players and claim you are improving the team. Either sell or buy, but go all in, one way or the other. 

I don't think Jeffers and or BLowe are irrelevant, but they are not "all-in" buys, either.

I do agree, that I'd rather sell by trading Gray than buy just some utility infielders and Luis Garcia/Lucas Sims type RP'er or Paxton/DMay type SP'er.

 

[Old Red]

21 minutes ago, notin said:

Are you f***ing serious?   What on Earth does telling the Sox about my views matter?  Do you think they would listen to anyone here?  Would you have told them that you wanted them to tank 3 weeks ago?

You have leapt to the front of the hypocrisy charge.  All year long, you told us “Fred was right about everything” while Fred was begging the team to tank and lose.  But the team wins a few and now you’ve adopted this new stance that thinking the team should sell is so wrong and cowardly. 
 

On the bright side, all it takes is one 5 game losing streak and you’ll reverse your position again.  And then once again claim you never did…

The main point being that you, and others not wanting to invest seriously, or invest at all to make the Red Sox better are telling the players that  they  aren’t good enough to invest in. It’s not that hard. You keep regurgitating what was said before when the Red Sox were  a low 14 games under 500 like the team is still 14 games under 500 now. They are not. What was said then was warranted, and what is said now is warranted. Yes a 12 winning streak changed all that. Listening to many fans now on other venues they have changed their tune as well. It’s everywhere, it’s everywhere.if you can’t understand how someone can change their mind when a team is 14 games under 500, and now has gone on a 12 game winning streak' and is over 500 for the first time since the second game of the season then there isn’t enough N’S in the world to change that. Yes if the team goes on a losing streak then minds will change again. That’s how it works in the here, and now. Of course if you are out in La La land you won’t grasp that. Here’s your sign.

[Old Red]

10 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:Ole Red ranted "The Illusion of Contention" on and on.

It didn't take long for me to go back and find this...

"I’m open to listening on the Con Man too, but after so much time the Red Sox have spent the past few years trying to find a capable 1B it would take more than a real lot to deal him IMO, and if so he would have to be replaced, which wouldn’t be so easy to do."

You make it sound like you struck gold. What was the Red Sox record when that was posted? What is the Red Sox record now? Your gold turned out to be fools gold.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

You make it sound like you struck gold. What was the Red Sox record when that was posted? What is the Red Sox record now? Your gold turned out to be fools gold.

I'm not the one claiming I said the opposite.

I'm not the one calling posters discussing trades to improve the team "losers" for not wanting to improve the team.

I'm going back "behind the curtain," but do us all a favor...

SHUT THE "F" UP!

 

[notin]

23 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Where did I say not good enough to win? Where, where, where? I said good enough to invest in, and make better, and it’s right there in black and white.Once again you’re trying to spread a FALSE narrative.

And if I did, given your history wuth me, you should shut up and accept it. 
 

Like I said, you kept saying Fred was right about everything while Fred was calling for the Sox to tank and sell.  You repeatedly insisted the Sox were only as good as their record anytime anyone was slightly optimistic (which was me as I was the sole voice of optimism). But in the last 3 days, you e leapt on the bandwagon finally and keep trying to pretend you have been on it all along. 
 

You’re a complete fraud, which is just stupid in an anonymous forum…

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Ah berated the new word for the day.😭😂

If one was late to berate someone, but would they be belatedly berated?

[moonslav59]

This team still has the same holes it had before this stretch. They will come back to haunt us at some point.

The good thing is, other AL teams have as many or more holes than we do, or their holes are deeper or more profound. This was a known on day one of the season.

Can a couple midlevel trades be enough to get us to be a top contender?

Some think we already are, and I'd agree we are a top 3 AL contender, now.

Do we really want to trade away our very top contenders for one or two major pieces? A few weeks ago, many calling for an all-in approach felt we were a lot more than 2 players away from  being ring-worthy,

[notin]

19 minutes ago, Old Red said:

The main point being that you, and others not wanting to invest seriously, or invest at all to make the Red Sox better are telling the players that  they  aren’t good enough to invest in. It’s not that hard. You keep regurgitating what was said before when the Red Sox were  a low 14 games under 500 like the team is still 14 games under 500 now. They are not. What was said then was warranted, and what is said now is warranted. Yes a 12 winning streak changed all that. Listening to many fans now on other venues they have changed their tune as well. It’s everywhere, it’s everywhere.if you can’t understand how someone can change their mind when a team is 14 games under 500, and now has gone on a 12 game winning streak' and is over 500 for the first time since the second game of the season then there isn’t enough N’S in the world to change that. Yes if the team goes on a losing streak then minds will change again. That’s how it works in the here, and now. Of course if you are out in La La land you won’t grasp that. Here’s your sign.

I have no problem with people changing their viewpoint.  I do have a problem with folks changing their viewpoint and then suddenly deciding it entitles them to call anyone else out.  

The only reason I ever wanted the team to sell was because of the fragility of the young staff.  If you think that is all BS, you’re in luck because it’s the featured topic on this site TODAY.   And I probably haven’t said I think the Sox should sell for a few days, back when you were still deriding anyone for being optimistic about this team. 
 

Shall we all assume when Roman Anthony resumes hitting, you will quickly jump on that bandwagon, pretend you didn’t cite his HR and RBI totals as evidence of his failure, and then chastise everyone for ever having lost faith in him as well?  Yes, we shall.  And we will be right, too…

[Old Red]

18 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm not the one claiming I said the opposite.

I'm not the one calling posters discussing trades to improve the team "losers" for not wanting to improve the team.

I'm going back "behind the curtain," but do us all a favor...

SHUT THE "F" UP!

 

Yes go back behind the curtain, and regurgitate again, and😭😂.

[FredLynn]

26 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I don't think Jeffers and or BLowe are irrelevant, but they are not "all-in" buys, either.

I do agree, that I'd rather sell by trading Gray than buy just some utility infielders and Luis Garcia/Lucas Sims type RP'er or Paxton/DMay type SP'er.

 

We need a good RHH so Jeffers could fit the bill. However we already have two catchers so we would need to get rid of one of them-which is probably a good plan. We have a few other guys who can catch too. Lowe is a LHH so he’s lower (so to speak) on my list. The OF seems set unless we can dump Duran. I doubt anyone would take him and provide any return at all. I like our IF except that Monasterio could be replaced by a better hitter. If they want to be buyers it’s swapping catchers and a SS with power like Neto. 

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

I have no problem with people changing their viewpoint.  I do have a problem with folks changing their viewpoint and then suddenly deciding it entitles them to call anyone else out.  

The only reason I ever wanted the team to sell was because of the fragility of the young staff.  If you think that is all BS, you’re in luck because it’s the featured topic on this site TODAY.   And I probably haven’t said I think the Sox should sell for a few days, back when you were still deriding anyone for being optimistic about this team. 
 

Shall we all assume when Roman Anthony resumes hitting, you will quickly jump on that bandwagon, pretend you didn’t cite his HR and RBI totals as evidence of his failure, and then chastise everyone for ever having lost faith in him as well?  Yes, we shall.  And we will be right, too…

What part of the here, and now don’t you understand? Up until now little pinky Anthony has been the BIGGEST flop of the season IMO, and to others on other venues, and not just Michael Holly. Now if he ever gets back on the field, and starts to rake I’ll stand up, and applaud. You know the old what have you done for me lately, and the here, and now. You seem to have a problem with that. Oh well.

[notin]

33 minutes ago, Old Red said:

The main point being that you, and others not wanting to invest seriously, or invest at all to make the Red Sox better are telling the players that  they  aren’t good enough to invest in. It’s not that hard. You keep regurgitating what was said before when the Red Sox were  a low 14 games under 500 like the team is still 14 games under 500 now. They are not. What was said then was warranted, and what is said now is warranted. Yes a 12 winning streak changed all that. Listening to many fans now on other venues they have changed their tune as well. It’s everywhere, it’s everywhere.if you can’t understand how someone can change their mind when a team is 14 games under 500, and now has gone on a 12 game winning streak' and is over 500 for the first time since the second game of the season then there isn’t enough N’S in the world to change that. Yes if the team goes on a losing streak then minds will change again. That’s how it works in the here, and now. Of course if you are out in La La land you won’t grasp that. Here’s your sign.

And you’ve been critical of this team and of Breslow for all but 3 weeks of this season.  And while there was certainly material, how many players, managers abd executives would you have walked up to and expressed the same opinion? Which players would you have told they weren’t good enough?

I can go back to your original wuestion.  As recently as the All Star break, I would most definitely have taken the opportunity to walk up to Breslow and say “You should sell.  Your team is too dependent on young arms that will struggle if pushed too deep into the post-season, which could jeopardize 2027 as well.  Then you go into next year with no Gray, likely no Bennett, likely no Early.  Thats a lot to replace.  Take a step back and reload for next year.”

But there is nothing there he doesn’t already know, and it would not impact his decision coming from me.

So what about you?  You were on board with selling not too long ago.  Would you have told the Sox personnel if you had the chance?

[notin]

6 minutes ago, Old Red said:

What part of the here, and now don’t you understand? Up until now little pinky Anthony has been the BIGGEST flop of the season IMO, and to others on other venues, and not just Michael Holly. Now if he ever gets back on the field, and starts to rake I’ll stand up, and applaud. You know the old what have you done for me lately, and the here, and now. You seem to have a problem with that. Oh well.

Applauding is fine.  But you will also put down anyone else who denigrated him and pretend you never did yourself…

[FredLynn]

9 minutes ago, Old Red said:

What part of the here, and now don’t you understand? Up until now little pinky Anthony has been the BIGGEST flop of the season IMO, and to others on other venues, and not just Michael Holly. Now if he ever gets back on the field, and starts to rake I’ll stand up, and applaud. You know the old what have you done for me lately, and the here, and now. You seem to have a problem with that. Oh well.

Anthony is going to be fine if he ever gets healthy. I’ve said so from the beginning. He has excellent recognition of the strike zone and can hit with power. You could get an early start and begin applauding him now. 

[Old Red]

25 minutes ago, notin said:

And if I did, given your history wuth me, you should shut up and accept it. 
 

Like I said, you kept saying Fred was right about everything while Fred was calling for the Sox to tank and sell.  You repeatedly insisted the Sox were only as good as their record anytime anyone was slightly optimistic (which was me as I was the sole voice of optimism). But in the last 3 days, you e leapt on the bandwagon finally and keep trying to pretend you have been on it all along. 
 

You’re a complete fraud, which is just stupid in an anonymous forum…

Shut up? While you keep piling up N after N. Yes I kept saying Fred was more right than the rest of you, but I was never into the tanking thing. When the Red Sox sunk to a low of 14 games under 500 there was a lot more fans out in the Nation than just Fred, but of course you wouldn’t know that just hanging out on here. The Red SOX were only playing as good as their record when they were 14 games under 500 when they couldn’t hit home runs, and score runs, and now they seem like a whole different team hitting home runs, and going on a 12 winning streak. That’s quite a change is it’s not? With that change comes a change in opinions of the team. You can’t quite grasp that for some reason. Yes I’ve leapt on the bandwagon just as thousands of other fans have in RSN. If that’s a fraud I’m in pretty good company with once again thousands of other fans. Someone calling someone else a fraud when they have NN in front of their name is meaningless, and has NO EFFECT.🤮

[Old Red]

9 minutes ago, notin said:

Applauding is fine.  But you will also put down anyone else who denigrated him and pretend you never did yourself…

NO! He 100% deserved it.

[notin]

1 hour ago, FredLynn said:

No, but you no doubt THOUGHT it when we were 14 games below water. If people here are being honest no one thought we could be buyers around now. The team looked absolutely lost. They sucked. Sonny Gray admitted as much in an interview. Well now they are on a roll. They will NOT play this well for the rest of the year. No team does. A few weeks ago I was STRONG SELL. Now it’s more like 50/50-but DO NOT hedge and pick up some irrelevant players and claim you are improving the team. Either sell or buy, but go all in, one way or the other. 

The issue isn’t that you were down on the team, and no longer are.  The issue is one guy who was down on the team, no longer is, and with his sudden enlightenment now feels he must berate anyone who was down on the team.

 

Big difference…

[notin]

5 minutes ago, Old Red said:

NO! He 100% deserved it.

I do disagree, but that’s a matter of differing evaluations…

[JoeBrady]

40 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

A few weeks ago I was STRONG SELL. Now its more like 50/50-but DO NOT hedge and pick up some irrelevant players and claim you are improving the team. Either sell or buy, but go all in, one way or the other. 

Part of the fun, and challenge, is to try to see what the team is capable of, and not merely regurgitate our W/L  Anyone can look at a team's record and tell if they should buy or sell.  I'd rather look at a team like the Tigers, for example, and try to extrapolate their chances of the playoffs and beyond, by looking at run differential, the return of Skubal, etc.

IRT having only two options of going all-in or all-out, absolutely not.

• In 2018, we made two small-to-middle level moves giving up only Espinal and Beeks, and that won it for us.
• In 2013, we only picked up Peavey.
• In 2007, we only picked up Gagne.
• In 2004, we picked up Minky and OCab.  Better, but neither were big names.

If you want to improve, you usually just need to focus on your weakest positon in the field and in the lineup, and eliminate the weakness.  You don't necessarily need the shiniest toy in the store.  Pitching is different, since there are more variables.  But your field team only needs strategic upgrades.

[notin]

7 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Shut up? While you keep piling up N after N. Yes I kept saying Fred was more right than the rest of you, but I was never into the tanking thing. When the Red Sox sunk to a low of 14 games under 500 there was a lot more fans out in the Nation than just Fred, but of course you wouldn’t know that just hanging out on here. The Red SOX were only playing as good as their record when they were 14 games under 500 when they couldn’t hit home runs, and score runs, and now they seem like a whole different team hitting home runs, and going on a 12 winning streak. That’s quite a change is it’s not? With that change comes a change in opinions of the team. You can’t quite grasp that for some reason. Yes I’ve leapt on the bandwagon just as thousands of other fans have in RSN. If that’s a fraud I’m in pretty good company with once again thousands of other fans. Someone calling someone else a fraud when they have NN in front of their name is meaningless, and has NO EFFECT.🤮

You said he was right about everything.  Now Youre picking and choosing.  Convenient.

It’s not the being down on the Sox part I’m calling you on. <sigh>

[FredLynn]

Duran is due

[vegasbob]

6 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Duran is due

to be DFA'ed ?  Oh wait, Anthony is not quite ready

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

If one was late to berate someone, but would they be belatedly berated?

No prorating allowed.

[FredLynn]

14 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

to be DFA'ed ?  Oh wait, Anthony is not quite ready

 

14 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

to be DFA'ed ?  Oh wait, Anthony is not quite ready

Masa is an outfielder…..of sorts