SoxFanForsyth

The Sox will never hit Hellickson because he pitches backwards, this team is insanely susceptible to a good change up

Good, love playing from behind. Thanks Demp

I certainly think need to figure out how Taz and RDLR and any other options respond to the role before we just stand pat, but looking internally first should and then making a decision in July as to what direction we should go in appears to be the best option

To be fair, Sergio Romo has 3 career saves before becoming the Giants closer mid season last year, and they won the WS with him striking out Cabrera to win it. Jason Motte had 3 career saves before becoming the Cardinals closer mid season in 2011 and the Cards win the WS that year. Motte actually provides a very good parallel to Tazawa. Struggled in 09 (4.76 ERA), figured it out in 2010 (2.24 ERA), and in August, 2011 had a 1.73 ERA, and was bumped to closer. He followed that by saving 9/10 opportunities and allowing 3 runs in 12.1 IP in the pot season.

It's purely an offensive comparison

Both he and Ranaudo could have a big impact on this team at some point this season.

No thank you to Napoli in 2014. He will move on to another team. His strikeouts are not worth his 8 HR. Not sure WMB is going to hit enough to be a 1B. I think that's a trendy idea, but I don't ever see it happening unless WMB can start taking walks. As much as I love Iglesias, the jury is still out on him. I am starting to believe that he can hit enough to be an above average SS, just need to see more. We all loved Ciriaco around this time last year too. My guess would be Bogaerts at SS, WMB at 3B, Iglesias as the utility guy/LIDR or dished this offseason. I also think that Cecchini will end up as the long term solution at 1B. EDIT: I'm surprised one of the more obvious choice of Bogaerts/Middlebrooks isn't up there.

Nobody is saying to give up the kitchen sink, of anything even significant. A package around Brentz and taking on the salary is the most I would part with

Uehara can't pitch often enough to be a closer. Tazawa is a great option but again, no closer experience, and how will he react in a bounce back situation? Breslow is not a closer. He's a very good middle reliever, but he's not even a relief ace.

Ball signed for 2.75mm, 400k less than slot. Jackso, you were wrong here. That's a very significant amount less. Jordan Sheffield, come on down. That's almost 650K now that the Sox are under slot.

Well, I'm trying to look at it from both sides to be honest. In favor of trading for Pap, Tazawa has not looked all that great lately, and has no closing experience, and he's really only been on a competitive team and throwing meaningful innings for 3 months, so how he reacts to a big game blown save is very much unknown, Uehara can't pitch in back to back games outside of only every once in a while, and RDLR is having some command issues in Pawtucket. Yes, it's going to cost prospects but if you're going to trade for a RP, Papelbon is a very well known commodity, he has had success in Boston, and has won a World Series so you know the pressure is not going to get to him. His K/9 is down but he's still got an 8:1 K:BB ratio which is more than enough to be an effective closer, he's not had any injury concerns, and he is having a lot of success in Philly, which is a market a lot like Boston. In favor of looking internally, closers can appear out of no where, meaning players rarely come out of the minors and close. Most of the time it's a conversion from a very strong relief ace situation, much like Tazawa is now. RDLR clearly had the stuff to be a closer and it's well documented that control and command issues have significant correction when moving from a starters role into a relief role, and K rates increase as well (see: Andrew Miller), so just because RDLR is having those command issues from a starters role doesn't mean they won't be corrected in a relievers role (again, see Daniel Bard minor league conversion). Also, Jason Motte and Sergio Romo had little to no closer experience before their respective teams won the World Series over the past 2 seasons. So, the question is whether you go with a reliable guy like Pap and know what you have or you roll the dice, hope one of your options catches a little lightening in a bottle a la Romo, and you are ok. Personally, I would like to see the Sox give Taz and RDLR a couple opportunities to close out some games between now and mid July to see exactly what are options are. The worst thing would to go into the deadline blind about your depth options because you were trying to build Baileys confidence, the same Bailey who you demoted in the offseason for Hanrahan.

Of course Amaro said they have no desire to trade them. They're going to get asked about them, and they're going to give that answer every time. As soon as they say that Pap and Lee are available, they lose the 'you have to convince me to trade them' leverage

Hahaha. Some Phillies fan commented that the Phillies would need to get something better than Bradley Taz and Ranaudo for Papelbon. Wow. Casual baseball fans are so bad at trade propositions

That's not true. It's being disciplined in what bad contracts you pick up, and how many of them you pick up. The sox got into their 2012 situation because they had bad contracts, at the time, with Lackey, Beckett, DiceK, Jenks, and Crawford. That was about 65-70mm in bad contracts. Taking on a 14mm closer is not going to turn this team into 2012.

It's Pap and the money with a lower ceiling prospect or Crain and dealing a much more significant prospect. The Sox aren't at all cash strapped, so they can certainly take on some salary. There are really no great closers out there, which really sucks. Perhaps the best option is still Bailey, or going with a guy like Tazawa or developing De La Rosa into a late inning reliever in August and seeing if he can turn into your closer

Trey Ball to be introduced at the Sox game today. Passed his physical. Signing slightly under slot.

We are 8 games away from being halfway through the season, and the Sox have the best record in the AL and the 2nd best record in the MLB.

I thought about this, but it seems a lot like what the Yankees did when they signed Youk to cover for ARod. Get a player coming off injury to cover for an injured player. Generally doesn't work out well, so I'm hesitant on that. But I would be interested in Pap, who will likely be available

Absolutely freaking disgusting move Farrell. Absolutely disgusting

Wow Farrell gave Bailey the 9th. I could not disagree with this move any more. Doubront has absolutely cruised, and Bailey has been on struggle street. We have a 1 run lead. Terrible decision.

You gotta give Doubront the 9th. Keep Bailey warm just in case, but Doub should start the 9th no question

Say what you will about Salty (I hate his K's, defense is weak, and he doesn't get on base at a high enough clip), but the guy is tough as nails. Catching both ends of a DH today and had to be overruled after the 14 inning game against TB bc he wanted to play the following day.

This Jake pitcher said 'I like my eggs like I like my last name" :rimshot: See what I did there?

Particularly when you've got the guy right behind him hitting .211

Weather.com has this rain stopping at about 7:30. Not sure if they would try to squeeze the rest of this game and the 2nd game in tonight or just finish this one and push the night cap