mvp 78

No.

He was 5.8 bWAR per 162 in COL. He's 4 bWAR per 162 in BOS. If he didn't miss so much time, we'd have a better read on him. That's a very big IF since he came as damaged goods and it may be an instance where it's going to continue going forward the further he gets into his 30's.

Well, the pen was 30th in fWAR from 7/21 - end of season last year. Bad: Kelly, Bernardino, Horn, Keller, Booser, Sims and Anderson (not sure any of these are on the Opening Day roster) Good: Martin, Weissert, Guerrero, Jansen, Slaten

Swanson was a year later. Good case to be made that Swanson ages well and his defense provides value for a long time.

Who? Xander? Xander was worth it in 2023. He was injured last season. Time will tell. The Padres overpaid, but I think the smaller Sox deal we were discussing at the time still would have made sense.

Yes, people were EXCITED for JD. People didn't give a s*** about Story. JD coming here was a big deal as the Sox were trying to win a WS. Story wasn't a big deal as the Sox were clearly a waning franchise.

Mookie would never lie to us.

Not according to Zack Scott if you want to believe a former Assistant GM of the Sox. He would have signed with the Sox for less than LA's number, the Sox just didn't get there.

The nonfinancial penalties are a tougher sell than the tax penalties IMO.

I wouldn't say "rots." They were 14th in fWAR last year. It's a very AVERAGE bullpen. Some metrics are above average, some below. I think they have room for improvement for sure.

How many alternate realities would we have to create until that one occurs?

Story was NOT a big signing. It was an afterthought. JD Martinez was seen as a big fish that we landed. The 2B/SS's in the '22 offseason ahead of Story at the time: Correa Seager Semien Baez (moon's guy at the time if I remember correctly) Story's contract was only the 10th highest of that offseason and the contract came right before ST. Most people really didn't see the fit. For FA's that offseason, he had the 30th highest fWAR from 2021. JD was a guy that was targeted the whole offseason. He was coveted. He had a clear fit. There was excitement when he signed. That's not the case with Story.

Bregman's favorite ballplayer at one time was Pedroia and his best friend is Blake Swihart. However, when it came to naming his current dogs, he didn't choose any Sox names (Jeter and Koufax). This is what Bregman said about the sign stealing: "I am really sorry about the choices that were made by my team, by the organization, and by me. I have learned from this and I hope to regain the trust of baseball fans." Is he the only player to vaguely admit to wrongdoing? Most others acted like they didn't partake. They smoked, but "didn't inhale." Also, the allegations weren't just about the trash can banging, but also potential buzzers in 2018 after Cora was gone.

I think Raffy's biggest issue has been his arm. I think he'd be an average 1B at worst. He's not a "butcher" at 3B, the ball just gets away from him once it's headed towards 1B, especially on slower plays where he has time to think. At some point, not this year, I'd move Raffy to 1B. To me, that would happen once Casas is either traded or uses up his ARB years. Could he eventually be a DH? Maybe for the last year or two of his contract? I just don't think there's value of putting a 300M guy at DH especially when Yoshida is still on the roster. You aren't getting anyone to eat Yoshida's salary so it's too much CBT space for a position that doesn't take the field. Devers earliest 1B: 2025 if Casas is traded Devers latest 1B: 2029 once Casas leaves via FA (so 4 more years of Devers at 3B) Devers earliest DH: 2032 I know it was mentioned on the TS podcast that teams may start signing 300M DH's, but I really don't see it anytime soon due to the current CBT constraints. DH has always been a position that has been underpaid by the market because they don't get on the field. Not sure that would change now simply because the NL has the DH.

I don't necessarily believe that to be true.

People just need something to talk about.

At the very least, it shows they are a little more serious this offseason. Last year, they mailed in the Yamamoto signing after the "full throttle" nonsense. Prior to that, there hasn't been a big outside acquisition since JD Martinez.

Time to fire up the Fire Cora thread again!!!!!!!!!!

Could have done Power Rankings instead?

Pivetta for 20M for another year isn't a big deal. For another 3? Nah. I'm good. It's time to turn the page here. I think the Sox should get high end FA talent for the rotation. They are clearly able to develop a bunch of 4/5's internally and possibly will have more soon (Fitts, Priester, Dobbins, Early).

Sweet summer child

That's what I'd do with him, or have him ready for the Opening Day rotation in case Giolito or someone else isn't ready. Option him to AAA after and wait for the next injury to recall.

His sinker, not his slider.

74th in HR/FB% 73rd in HR/9 7th most in FB% 69th in IFFB% 5th highest in Hard Contact % Since Pivetta gives up TANKS, his xFIP can be ignored as it uses an MLB average of HR's allowed rather than Pivetta's actual HR's allowed in the calculation (unlike FIP). That's why his FIP is closer to his ERA and his xFIP is way lower. xFIP assumes that he'll stop giving up bombs, but he has a history of being a guy who gives up more HR's than an average MLB pitcher. He has a great k/bb%, but just gives up loud contact that often reaches the bleachers.

It's just a bad argument. There is a PR hit with Chapman, but it's nothing compared to the ongoing PR hit that they'd get with Bauer.