sk7326

I think Soto ends up at 1B - just a matter of when

Trade where it makes sense. If the Red Sox landed Soto, then there is room to trade one of the better prospects, including Casas.

Oh yeah - that said, Jack Flahrety was basically unplayably bad for the Orioles ... dem's the breaks I guess.

Oh this all makes sense. I think management could have pushed harder. What I was arguing is that if they wanted to leave a runway for younger players and whatnot, fine. At SOME POINT you have to be close enough to want to make a big splash competitively. I was very much for keeping Eovaldi, looking at more starters like Flahrety. That said, they did make a starter move but again, the player did get struck by lightning.

I am not defending ownership - but when people talk about spending money, what are they saying? I'd like a bigger payroll, but I don't know what free agents were going to save the world in 2023 and 2024. If management thought the team was not close enough in terms of existing talent to go big in free agency, I can at least get the rationale. If management likes the young talent on the team and feel like they are in a position to add big free agents to fill in gaps, perhaps they will open the wallet. Their big splash of course was Story (in free agency) which has gone very badly, though almost all of it is pure, straight up, uncut bad luck.

1B, DH or LF is probably where he will end up as he ages. That is probably true for Devers too. So that leaves Casas as a possible valuable trade piece.

For me, the mistake with Betts was not dealing him at the deadline in 2019. If you KNEW you were not going to pay him, trade him where you could drive a bidding war and where a team could get him for 2 playoff runs. And of course, the team valued the David Price salary dump more than actual baseball players.

Sign Soto (odds are low, but shoot your shot), use Casas as a centerpiece to try to trade for Sandy Alcantara. If Eovaldi wants to come back on a 1-2 year deal, worth listening also

100% - guys his age don't hit the market often so the $$ is destined.

I think Soto is heavily likely to stay in Noo Yawk for somebody. That said, I think Boston's interest in sincere. Now, longer term - Soto is going to be a LF/DH type - the Manny comp is a fine one here. But he doesn't HAVE to be blocking any of the team's big time outfield prospects ... and if he frees up one of Casas or Devers to be moved for quality pitching so much the better. The other thing I think that works here for the Sox to be REALLY interested is Soto still only being 26. This is a case where the Sox will be buying mostly prime years. These opportunities in free agency just don't happen that often. Now, while I certainly ripped Boston for how they handled the Betts business - the basic decision about whether someone with Betts' profile would hold up in his 30s was at least a fair question.

Happy 20th to the day sports stopped hurting me https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42018147/red-sox-2004-world-series-yankees-2024

Duran is their best trade chip from a position of strength - so looking to deal him for starting pitching help is understandable. Whether that pitcher exists is another question and whether that would be decisive in winning a bidding war is another issue.

Yoshida is going to be hard to move. That said, he is useful for what he is ... you just sort of have to overlook the contract and live with the player.

I have zero illusions about Rafaela turning into Yook ... but I do think there is at least some upside in swinging at more strikes. He is fun - and doesn't need to be amazeballs with the CF defense as you note.

I'll play C: Wong obviously has played well. Maybe keep Teel at AAA and add some veteran flotsam. At the same time, with Teel being a LHB, doing the platoon thing is fine. 1B: Casas is worth extending 2B: Grissom at least looked in September like a big league caliber something. Campbell is fascinating, but he made such a leap so quickly keeping him at AAA is perfectly okay. 3B: Devers SS: Story. Probably can't trade him for a good return. But he had a solid season when he was healthy, and I do admire the leadership he showed actually working to come back this season. CF: Rafaela. Maybe he will learn how to take an extra pitch or two, but the defense in CF could be elite. LF: Duran is a terrific player. I'd be tempted to sell high though. RF: Could be Anthony. Could be Abreu with a platoon partner. Abreu is another guy I'd consider in trade. SP: Honestly, my first call would be to Miami to see what it would take to land Sandy Alcantara. Yes, he is coming off TJS but might be worth taking the plunge anyway. His deal is good for a top starter. The free agent crop for pitching is meh. They can also look to the White Sox as well for Garret Crochet, but I am not sure there is a price match, unless they are willing to move Mayer. (and to me that is dependent on how the team views his medicals)

Yeah the contract probably makes trading hard - though it is not a crazy deal. He was fine with the bat this year - more average than good, but the best in a while. But he is a good player - if he can stay healthy I think he will be a solid 3 win player.

Until the sport figures out how to change the pitching paradigm, it's going to be a gray area for sure.

i don't wish any ill will on Sale - I just found this objectively funny.

With that contract, I'd be willing to buy it blind and bet on the health - if it can get him before the season starts

Sale out with back spasms ... which, as a Sox fan, feels like a comfortable place

Sale back spasms, scratched for Game 2 I do not wish Sale ill, but him suffering a deus ex machina injury like this is a comfortable place for me. Just familiar.

No. But I wouldn't not have bet on Chris Sale going a full season without being struck by an Acme, Inc. anvil either. I do give him massive credit for coming back. And it was a legit freak injury he got this time.

Can they put a good enough offer for Sandy Alcantara?

I am gueesing Priester was probably the best arm they could get for Yorke.

Giolito will be interesting. Whitlock at this point has just had so much trouble staying healthy I am worried. The FA pitching list does not look super amazing - though I am very curious how the bidding shakes out for Shane Bieber.