moonslav59

The funny thing is, Wong may end up being the largest prize.

I totally agree. What made it worse was not using the money saved until 2-3 years later, and then botching that spending.

And we can use the $25K to sign Yamo!!!''

There was no excuse not extending him is the better terminology.

Tanking in 2020 made Dugo's year one value useless. He really only helped us win in 2021. To me, he was a letdown, despite doing okay. I agree, we should have expected better than an okay player for Betts. The let down: 2019 (LAD) and 2020 (BOS:) Ages 23-24 .300 18 59 in 598 PAs .827 OPS (117 OPS+) 2021-2023 (Ages 25-27) .278 12 64 per 600 PAs .751 OPS (103 OPS+) Had he just repeated '19-'20 stats, it would not have been as bad.

What about Abreu's defensive instincts and range? I'm all for giving him and Rafaela a shot, but I think we need a better plan B than Mr. Platoon Refsnyder.

It's no coincidence that the pitchers that "got away" were the most expensive ones Bloom would have ever signed.

Yup! Yet another left fielder. Has anything really changed?

I don't see it that way. I will argue about why we should have extended him till the cows come home, but it's a separate issue. Yes, the trade was a by-product of that choice, but the choice I complain about is the failure to extend. It's not 'defending the trade" to separate it from that other choice. Of course, 10+ years of Betts is way better than 4 from Dugo and 5 from Wong (plus what you could get for the money imbalance.)

He's actually too good and too expensive for Bloom to ever sign.

I sure wish we had kept Betts, somehow- some way. Not extending him is a separate issue from the trade, IMO. Once we decided to trade him, and I might add, he was nearly traded to LAD in the summer of 2019 under DD, the teams that could afford him were few and far between. The trade, essentially was this: 1 year of Betts, and that year was the shortened COVID season, where Betts posted a 2.9 fWAR. Dugo has posted a 7.0 fWAR in 4 years with BOS. The team went nowhere, so that looks like a failure, to some. Downs was a complete bust. Wong looks somewhat promising and had a 0.8 fWAR in his first 159 games in MLB. None of the three pitchers we got for Dugo look all that promising, but if we get one year of Duvall for $9M, that could be counted into the value of the return. The 2020 money "saved" by trading Betts should not be counted as having any value to the 2020 roster, because it was not replaced until 2021 or 2022, which is after the Betts control would have ended, had he stayed. Again, I was a big fan of keeping Betts. I even suggested paying him something like $400M/14 or 12. That's how much I wanted him here, but getting just a comp pick would have been worse.

He's projected to make about $9M or more in his final arb year in 2024. That should be enough to sign Duvall (AAV wise) or add that $9M to a final offer for a top SP'er and maybe it seals the deal. That being said, our 26 man roster looks worse, today than yesterday, but we know moves are yet to be made.

Sounds a bit like a "rift."

Agreed. He could also be the next Kluber or Richards- only on a longer and more costly deal.

MLBTR reports... The Red Sox are considering a number of position player targets, including a pair of outfielders. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that the Sox are interested in Lourdes Gurriel Jr., KPRC’s Ari Alexander reports that Michael A. Taylor is another player of interest, and Boston is also looking at help behind the plate in Martin Maldonado, according to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome. (

I just said it is some evidence. I did not claim it proved a rift existed.

The results may be dragged out longer... Dugo gone- after giving us an 8.2 bWAR in 4 years. (7.0 fWAR) Downs gone Wong still here + 3 pitchers from NYY

Here's a wild trade suggestion that was actually called a minor overpay by the Sox on BTV: Mayer, Crawford & Mata for Burnes, Yelich, Adames & $55M (No way would MIL take this, I know.) Burnes would be our instant ace. Yelich fill the CF hole. (Rafaela/Abreu/Ref in RF) Adames at SS Story to 2B fills the other big hole. 3 of our biggest needs filled in one outlandish trade.

Benching him was some evidence.

According to cots, we went from about $54M to $63M on budget space under the first tax line. $83M to the second line. We do have a new hole to fill, too, unless we plan on using what we have. That might look like: LF: Duran/ Refsnyder (Maybe Yoshida when Duran is in CF or RF and we are facing a RHP.) CF: Rafaela (Abreu/Duran) RF: Abreu (Refsnyder/Duran) More likely, we sign Duvall at maybe a $7-9M AAV (1-2 yrs) and go with this... LF: Duran/Refsnyder CF: Rafaela/Abreu (one may start the season in AAA) RF: Duvall

NY returned the favor we gave them with Ottavino.

Monty, Stroman and Lugo.

Yamo & Lugo would please me. Monty, Stroman (or ERod/Imanaga) & Lugo would, too.

I'm fine with Lugo for 2 years. If ends up back in the pen, he should be fine at age 34 and 35. Giolito is young enough to think a bounce back is possible. He turns 30 in July.

I'm guessing Brez likes what he sees about one of these guys, or he did not like Dugo, much. The salary dump makes sense, but Dugo still had a +4.8 value on BTV, despite the 9.2 projected salary. That means they think his skill value is about $15M as a player. Maybe we can use the $9.2M more wisely, but that remains to be seen.