Red Sox Acquire Curtis Mead for Connelly Early

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, Old Red said:

You guys crack me up that you are so protective of the Suspects on here compared to all the other different venues.

You mean the corner near your house and local bar stool? 

[Old Red]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

The whole idea that everyone had super high projections for all our top prospects in year one or even two is a strawman position.

Of course we hoped they would do great right out of the gate, and almost all of us expected more than we've gotten, so far from Anthony, Mayer and KC. Injury has been a major factor on Anthony and injuries to Mayer surprised nobody. Many were upset we rushed KC- some wanted Mayer over KC to start the '25 season on the 26.

It's just plain hogwash that the hype was way too high. The fact that we did not trade Duran is evidence enough that Anthony was not penciled in as a sure bet. The trade of pitchers and DHam for 3 infielders is evidence enough that we were not counting on Mayer as a 100% lock on a FT job. Cora and other repeatedly stated he has not yet earned a FT role. He barely won a platoon role as it was. KC was demoted pretty quickly and never given  another chance in the bigs- rightfully so. Not a single poster suggested he be given a chance at the 26 to start 2026, so where were the lofty expectations for the big 3 to start this season? Anthony- yes to maybe, but the others were clearly not too high.

Look at Early and Tolle- the prospects every team wanted last summer, last winter and even now. They were probably listed as 8th or 9th on the all healthy SP'er depth chart and maybe even lower. I don't think anyone, especially in Sox management overly counted on them. Hell, we added Suarez, Gray and Oviedo specifically so we wouldn't have to.

There simply is very little evidence to support we put too much hope on the kids. Anthony comes the closest to a yes, and certainly Tolle and Early were expected to get 2026 IP, but for those two- not out of  the gate.

Ah The Man Behind The Curtain bringing out his old friend the Strawman. Your Hogwash is just dried up, and your analysis of why Duran wasn’t traded is NO evidence at all, and Nothing, but pure speculation on one of your wild theories, and there is definitely NO proof to prove otherwise. In other words pay NO attention to the Man Behind The Curtain.🤮

[moonslav59]

11 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

You mean the corner near your house and local bar stool? 

LMAO.

His connections and hand on the heartbeat of Sox Nation are always far superior to ours.

Plus, why should the majority of any group of people prove a truth to begin with?

[Hugh2]

37 minutes ago, notin said:

They say he isn’t giving himself up for an out, which is why the statement is limited to sacrifice bunting…

Yes, sacrifice bunting is stupid.  I don't mind the main objective moving a guy to 2nd/3rd but you should also be trying to reach base. 

[Old Red]

10 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

You mean the corner near your house and local bar stool? 

You would like to think that, but like I said the other day I heard on three different venues people calling little a a flop. As I’ve also said living far away from Boston kind of keeps you isolated from what’s being said out there, and thought in the vast reaches of RSN. 

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

LMAO.

His connections and hand on the heartbeat of Sox Nation are always far superior to ours.

Plus, why should the majority of any group of people prove a truth to begin with?

As with you most often being on the wrong side of Memphis, and being in the minority being something  matters to being right, or not. It’s a curse, and not a gift. I’ve never said my connections on the heartbeat of RSN make me superior that’s your analysis.  hanging out on TS, where I learned most of the time it’s not the overwhelming opinion. Of course some are happy just being isolated to a small group.

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, Old Red said:

You would like to think that, but like I said the other day I heard on three different venues people calling little a a flop. As I’ve also said living far away from Boston kind of keeps you isolated from what’s being said out there, and thought in the vast reaches of RSN. 

The views on here are very similar to what I've seen on other internet forums, Reddit and other social media platforms. They may differ from call in radio shows, but I think that's because they are for a different purpose altogether. 

"Yes caller, you want to talk about how the Red Sox are doing ok and you are somewhat happy with how some of the prospect have turned out? That sounds like terrible radio. Sorry, maybe call back another time." 

"You want to talk about how mad you are at Sox development, medical staff and how Breslow is a blowhard? You're on next!"

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

The views on here are very similar to what I've seen on other internet forums, Reddit and other social media platforms. They may differ from call in radio shows, but I think that's because they are for a different purpose altogether. 

"Yes caller, you want to talk about how the Red Sox are doing ok and you are somewhat happy with how some of the prospect have turned out? That sounds like terrible radio. Sorry, maybe call back another time." 

"You want to talk about how mad you are at Sox development, medical staff and how Breslow is a blowhard? You're on next!"

My venues that I listen to, and watch are all local from Maine to Boston. I know some on here think they are taboo, but as I see it TS is just in another form with people scattered all over the country. I don’t think you can get the same feel, or pulse as I like to say living in Fla, or Texas as being more local not just to Boston, but Woo, and Portland as well. I hear a weekly interview with the Sea Dogs manager, and have for years. Many of the Boston writers, and even TC get interviewed frequently on the Portland station, and one of your favorites Dan Shaugnessy gets interviewed twice a week, and has for years.

[notin]

33 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Yes, sacrifice bunting is stupid.  I don't mind the main objective moving a guy to 2nd/3rd but you should also be trying to reach base. 

I like sac bunting if runners are on 1st and 2nd with no one out and the 8 or 9 spot hitter up.

Unless the pitcher walked both runners on.  Then take a few pitches in case he still hasn’t found the zone…

[notin]

22 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

The views on here are very similar to what I've seen on other internet forums, Reddit and other social media platforms. They may differ from call in radio shows, but I think that's because they are for a different purpose altogether. 

"Yes caller, you want to talk about how the Red Sox are doing ok and you are somewhat happy with how some of the prospect have turned out? That sounds like terrible radio. Sorry, maybe call back another time." 

"You want to talk about how mad you are at Sox development, medical staff and how Breslow is a blowhard? You're on next!"

Bad news sells.  Even in sports…

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, notin said:

Bad news sells.  Even in sports…

Unless the news is really bad. Then you have to hide it on Friday nights. 

[Old Red]

12 minutes ago, notin said:

I like sac bunting if runners are on 1st and 2nd with no one out and the 8 or 9 spot hitter up.

Unless the pitcher walked both runners on.  Then take a few pitches in case he still hasn’t found the zone…

I agree. I think baseball is a better game when there are bunting, hit, and run, and stealing bases in it compared to just station to station. Tracy is more that way than Cora.

[Hugh2]

25 minutes ago, notin said:

I like sac bunting if runners are on 1st and 2nd with no one out and the 8 or 9 spot hitter up.

Unless the pitcher walked both runners on.  Then take a few pitches in case he still hasn’t found the zone…

Personally I like the sac bunt when the bases are loaded, there are 2 outs and your 40 HR hitter slow as fudge is at the plate.  Nothing gets me more excited. 

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Personally I like the sac bunt when the bases are loaded, there are 2 outs and your 40 HR hitter slow as fudge is at the plate.  Nothing gets me more excited. 

Drag bunt, or push bunt?

[notin]

21 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I agree. I think baseball is a better game when there are bunting, hit, and run, and stealing bases in it compared to just station to station. Tracy is more that way than Cora.

Im still disappointed with how infrequently this Sox team tries to steal.  They have the wheels; why aren’t they rolling?

[Hugh2]

7 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Drag bunt, or push bunt?

I was joking, but the thought of a Jacoby Ellsbury throwing down a drag bunt and being half way down the line by the time his bat hits the ground is pretty exciting. 

Maybe Duran needs to learn to bunt. 

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I was joking, but the thought of a Jacoby Ellsbury throwing down a drag bunt and being half way down the line by the time his bat hits the ground is pretty exciting. 

Maybe Duran needs to learn to bunt. 

Bunting would certainly help Duran get on base more.

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, notin said:

Im still disappointed with how infrequently this Sox team tries to steal.  They have the wheels; why aren’t they rolling?

They are 11th in SB. Duran having a 254 OBP and Story being on the IL doesn't help. The others seem to be about where they were last year.

[Hugh2]

4 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Bunting would certainly help Duran get on base more.

He needs all the help he can get.  Maybe just getting on base and being able to do something productive on the offense side will help him swing for the fences better too. He needs to try something, the team is so much better when he's going. 

[mvp 78]

The problem with Duran is that baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

The whole idea that everyone had super high projections for all our top prospects in year one or even two is a strawman position.

It's just plain hogwash that the hype was way too high. 

There simply is very little evidence to support we put too much hope on the kids. 

In April 2025, Fenway Park employees at the gate gave my son a t-shirt of Campbell, Anthony and Mayer. It's a cool shirt: the trio sits side-by-side smiling, with each wearing and holding up a big red foam Red Sox forefinger (get it? 1 + 1 +1 = the Big 3).

The promotional giveaway was at a big league game, a few months before two of those guys even made the majors.

I went to a lot of games when I was a kid. But they never gave me a t-shirt of Fisk in 1972 or Lynn and Rice in '75 or Lars Anderson playing guitar...

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

In April 2025, Fenway Park employees at the gate gave my son a t-shirt of Campbell, Anthony and Mayer. It's a cool shirt: the trio sits side-by-side smiling, with each wearing and holding up a big red foam Red Sox forefinger (get it? 1 + 1 +1 = the Big 3).

The promotional giveaway was at a big league game, a few months before two of those guys even made the majors.

I went to a lot of games when I was a kid. But they never gave me a t-shirt of Fisk in 1972 or Lynn and Rice in '75 or Lars Anderson playing guitar...

The organization put more on the kids (hope, expectations, extensions, etc.) than the majority of fans. The idea of it being "The Big Three" came from within the FO. This probably caused a lot of more casual fans to buy in and and the feel burned. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

In April 2025, Fenway Park employees at the gate gave my son a t-shirt of Campbell, Anthony and Mayer. It's a cool shirt: the trio sits side-by-side smiling, with each wearing and holding up a big red foam Red Sox forefinger (get it? 1 + 1 +1 = the Big 3).

The promotional giveaway was at a big league game, a few months before two of those guys even made the majors.

I went to a lot of games when I was a kid. But they never gave me a t-shirt of Fisk in 1972 or Lynn and Rice in '75 or Lars Anderson playing guitar...

No doubt there was hype. My point was against a poster saying "everyone" when it might not have even been one or two saying or implying these 3 would be great on day one.

Even the T-shirt made no promises for instant greatness. The team had very few big stars, if any, so they went with that marketing ploy. 

I don't recall a single poster saying even 2 of the 3 were going to be stars on day one. Many felt Anthony might or probably would be but nobody I know was certain about anything. Most of us know baseball enough to never speak in absolutes. Only one poster does that.

It's one thing to create a strawman point that nobody made and then argue against it for weeks, but to say "everybody" said it and continue the argument for months gets into absurdity & hogwash territory

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

The organization put more on the kids (hope, expectations, extensions, etc.) than the majority of fans. The idea of it being "The Big Three" came from within the FO. This probably caused a lot of more casual fans to buy in and and the feel burned. 

...and there is nothing wrong with getting excited about having 3 nationally high-ranked prospects so close to promotion time all at once.

Knowledgeable fans usually know to temper expectations, at least for year 1 and 2. 

To say "everyone" blah, blah, blah was building a strawman as big as the Statue of Liberty.