mvp 78

Once our robot overlords overwhelm the umpires union, more and more catchers will look like Sanchez.

This starting pitching staff is way more unsettled than it was in 2012. Sale will be out for half the season. ERod is a huge question mark due to COVID. Maybe they grab Bauer and another starting pitcher? They would have to in order to compete. I just don't think Bloom is a Bauer guy. I think Bloom goes for more under the radar guys at this point. I don't see them making a big splash. I think they'll fill out the roster better than 2020, but they aren't going to go for the top 5 FA's. Maybe they splurge on Kim? Does signing Odorizzi and Hendriks make them championship contenders? IDK. Beni and JD are two rather large question marks going into the season too. If you told me that they won 2021 because of bounce back seasons from JD and Beni, while Verdugo puts up huge numbers and the pitching staff is top 10 I could see it. I could also see them struggling to be above .500.

If Sale and Erod were certainties for 4/1, I think you make a run at the playoffs. I think right now they are on the outside looking in.

Never read Rob Bradford: But the Red Sox need a full-time centerfielder for 2022 and as we sit here right now --

Sanchez revenge tour and Tauchy plays OF.

He's probably a better fit somewhere else. If he was LHH he'd be sticking around.

Per BTV: Chavis for Sanchez and Tauchman

Yanks want to trade Sanchez. Let's give them Chavis for him.

As Betts in LA? No. Betts is coming off a WS season and playing for a new crowd that hasn't seen him yet.

I didn't want to go over my notes on that! Would have been too snippy. I'm just glad the Sox didn't move Devers to another team. They won an WS and were able to keep him around. Somehow, DD identified that Devers was their best prospect and he was right to keep him.

I think you deal prospects if you are close to competing. I'm not sure they are quite there yet. I mean, maybe if you're trading for a young controllable pitcher? If they traded any of those guys, I'm not sure I'd be up in arms at this point.

Per MLB Network interview: @redsoxstats Rodriguez says he feels great. He’s been riding a bike, running a little, and started his throwing program. He starts lifting weights next week and says he’ll be 100% ready for next season.

And that's why I said it's hard to state the impact until fans come back in 2021. Cora said Verdugo was the team MVP in 2020. If he plays as well and with the same enthusiasm, I bet his jerseys will sell really well too.

Betts was #3 in 2019. Hard to say what the sales will be like for Verdugo after he's been here a few years (Betts was 14th highest in 2017).

Per review of 2017 realistic season view posts: Mea culpa. You did use lots of "I don't think he'll be ready until 2018-2019, but trust management to call him up when he's ready." I think that's terrible fence sitting and a stance I'd never take. However, that's the stance you took at the time. Over and over you stated that they needed to find a bridge for 2017 because Devers wouldn't be ready until 2018. You kept saying he was 1-2 years away. You even wanted to trade him for Quintana after lamenting that DD gutted the farm to get Sale. Prior to his promotion you stated that you "doubt they'll give him a chance in September." But I guess that you couched it with "I trust the management to make the right call" once or twice. At least you weren't one of the posters who said the following: In regards to Devers promotion: "panic move" and "a mistake." "(Sam) Travis will outhit Devers." Outright stating that playing Devers isn't an upgrade from Marrero since Marrero had a better glove. (Marrero had 0.2 fWAR, his only positive fWAR season while Devers had 0.8 fWAR in fewer games). However, the worst part of doing this research was all of the references to Daniel Flores.

Hard to state that until fans come back.

I heard that they revamped his swing by the time he got to Summer Camp. Maybe you'll see a different Duran in 2021 ST.

I could use my cudgel, yes.

I'm a very petty person, but not petty enough to pick out the old posts where you told me that I was wrong for thinking Devers would get called up in 2017.

Chavis will be dealt this offseason IMO.

A ways away? I remember you saying the same thing about Devers when he was in AA. If Casas hits like Devers or Beni did in AA, we'll see him this year.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/11/offseason-outlook-boston-red-sox-11.html Veterans Jake Odorizzi, Jose Quintana or Masahiro Tanaka could bring some stability, as odd as it would be to see Tanaka pitching on the other side of the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry. Corey Kluber or James Paxton could be had at relative bargain prices given their injury-marred 2020 seasons, or Taijuan Walker or Garrett Richards could be pursued after their bounce-back campaigns. If the Red Sox want to add a veteran to just eat some innings, they could turn to old friends Jon Lester, Rick Porcello, or Martin Perez. Boston declined its $6.85MM club option on Perez, perhaps a bit of a surprise considering their need for pitching, but Perez posted some pretty middling numbers in 2020. If Bloom’s time with the Rays tells us anything about the approach he’ll take with the relief market in Boston, he’ll eschew going after bigger names like Liam Hendriks and the lucrative multi-year deals required to land top-of-the-market relievers. The market should have plenty of short-term options available — former Rays Kirby Yates, Sergio Romo, and Brad Boxberger among them — not that Bloom will necessarily be predisposed to look at former Tampa Bay arms. The Red Sox could also explore a reunion with Collin McHugh, who signed with the club last March but didn’t pitch after some lingering elbow problems led McHugh to opt out of the season. That leaves second base as the glaring weak link. The Red Sox liked what they saw in Arroyo last year and it seems too early to give up on Chavis, so the backup plan could be to use these two and Munoz at the position and see what develops. However, second base is also the most obvious spot for an external solution, especially since some solid options exist in free agency. Beyond LeMahieu as the biggest get, Tommy La Stella, Cesar Hernandez, Kolten Wong, and Korean star Ha-Seong Kim are available. Since star prospect Jeter Downs (whose potential debut in 2021 shouldn’t be ruled out) might eventually end up as the second baseman of the future, Boston would probably prefer to seek out shorter-term rather than longer-term contracts for any second baseman they might pursue.

I would try to keep Devers at 3b too. When Casas comes up, they need to think about moving Dalbec elsewhere (if still hitting like 2020). If Devers really can stick at 3b long term, maybe Dalbec's big arm can play better in LF? I know it's kind of wasted in Fenway, but it could turn a lot of wall ball doubles into singles.

Per Baseball America: Best Hitter for Average: Triston Casas Best Power Hitter: Bobby Dalbec Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Triston Casas Fastest Baserunner: Jarren Duran Best Athlete: Gilberto Jimenez Best Fastball: Bryan Mata Best Curveball: Jay Groome Best Slider: Tanner Houck Best Changeup: Connor Seabold Best Control: Thad Ward Best Defensive Catcher: Kole Cottam Best Defensive Infielder: Matthew Lugo Best Infield Arm: Bobby Dalbec Best Defensive Outfielder: Jeisson Rosario Best Outfield Arm: Gilberto Jimenez

Bogey has 2 rings.