moonslav59

Agreed. My statement was not meant to suggest he should have tried to get more instant gratification by drafting college players, instead, so as to prolong his tenure with the Sox, but more about his strategy being geared more for the extended future over the here and now. I'm not saying he'd still be around had he drafted more college players, but it does look like his drafting should help Breslow more than it helped himself. Much of Bloom's prospect additions are still speculative in value. We don't really know how well he did, in the long view. His additions that helped during his tenure are: Whitlock (Rule 5) Winckowski (trade) Wong (trade) Abreu (trade) Bernardino (waivers) Z Kelly (MiFA) Speculative (SP's rankings) 1. Anthony draft 2. Mayer draft 3. Teel draft 5. Bleis IFA 6. Yorke draft 10. Cespedes draft 12. Zanetello draft 14. Meidroth draft 16. Joh Garcia IFA 17. Hickey draft 19. Romero draft 20. Jordan draft 21. Monegro IFA 22. DHam (trade) 23. Anderson draft Dobbins, E R-C, Guerrero, Hoppe, Arias, Troye, Rogers, Brannon, Gambrell, C Coffey, I Coffey, Paez, Asencio, Yuten, Ravelo, K Campbell, Cepeda, Sena, Reimer, Rosier, Sogard, Soto, Early, Judice

While Giolito might have been the only SP'er on our staff with a full season of very good pitching under his belt, the others all have some pretty long stretches of very good pitching, so may all hope in our rotation is not lost. That being said, I find it very difficult to have confidence in our top 5, 6 or 7 SP'ers for this season. We simple need way too much to go right to come close to expecting it to happen or to even think there is a really good chance it might happen. Here is some data that might offer some optimism for our rotation: Best stretches or starting pitching... Bello: First 14 GS of 2023: 3.04 ERA/3.74 FIP or First 26 GS of 2023: 3.71 ERA/4.19 FIP (Looks like solid #2/3 type numbers) (Career: 102 ERA+ and 4.37/4.11 in 41 GS) Pivetta Sept 22, 2020 to June 10, 2021: 14 GS and 3.51/3.42 (18th best fWAR is 1/2 SP) or first 20 GS as a Red Sox pitcher: 4.06/ 4.10 (solid #3/4 numbers) First 16 GS of 2022 is perhaps his best stretch: 3.23/3.67 are solid #1/2 numbers (He still had a 3.98 FIP after 25 GS in 2022.) 2023: not a long stretch, but last 5 GS: 2.37/2.73 are ace numbers. (Counting RP games, from May 25th to the end of 2023: 3.05/3.27 in 97.1 IP, which included 8 GS) That's three pretty long stretches of doing well to very well in the last 3 seasons. Not bad. Crawford: June 1 ro Aug 29: 15 GS and 3.71/3.92 (solid #2/3 numbers) or June 1 to end of 2023 season: 21 GS and 4.20/3.64 (The ERA is solid #3/4, while the FIP is solid #2/3 range.) Houck: Fisrt 8 GS of career (2020-2021) 1.69/2.31 (WOW!) 2021 season (13 GS and 5 as RP) 3.52/2.58 (3.68 as SP) is solid #2 material 2022 season, only started 4 games, but pitched very well (3.15/3.30 in 60 IP) Whitlock: Only has 19 scattered career GS at 4.76 with a .791 OPSA. You have to really reach to find a decent stretch of SP'ing with him. I found one 6 GS stretch in '22, where he did very well in 5 games: 25 IP, 9 ER (3.24 ERA) He should be in the pen, IMO. Winckowski, Criswell and others have nothing worth mentioning as SP'ers.

It's a no brainer and even more so when you see how little has been invested in making 2024 anything special.

I totally understand the strategy, but as a GM on an apparent 4 year plan, you are shooting yourself in the foot to maybe help the next GM replacing you.

Yes, something that has been happening since the latter Theo years. I'm fine with the strategy of taking the best player in your slot, but we stopped adding quality and healthy pitchers in other ways.

Toss the 5: you have 4 of a kind in 3's! It's no biggie, this choice, but go with the better players or ones with highest upside.

I guess Sale is giving ERod pointers on how to spend time on the IL.

Top Spring OPS (25+ PAs) 1.238 Wong 1.150 Devers 1.035 Story .965 Westbrook .900 O'Neill .896 Rafaela .807 Casas .769 EValdez .754 Duran .740 Contreras .723 Casas .694 Yoshida .670 R Gonzalez .667 Reyes .595 Abreu .329 DHam

Even if Joely wasn't a lefty, I'd rather have him on the 40 than 2-4 others there, now.

Bloom was really taking the long look approach, and it might have been a contributing factor in his short stay with the Sox. 2020: first 2 picks from HS 2021: 1st and 4th pick (2nd from college did not sign) 2022: first 3 picks 2023: 2nd and 3rd picks

I doubt Joely has impressed enough to get a slot on the 40. I think we should add Cron and keep Dalbec in AAA. (DFA Jacques.)

...and the team getting him will owe about $5-6M, not $16M.

Isn't today the Crin opt out day?

Oh, I get it, everytime.

Criswell has 17 K's, too.

I think one or both spend some time in AAA to get PAs, even if they end up trading Refsnyder and keeping Yoshida at DH FT. Of course, if O'Neill gets hurt, or should I say when, there is room for everybody, including Ref.

Ride him for 2 months, then. We can be pretty sure Houck and Whitlock will not go 33 starts for 180+ IP, so sit one (put in pen), now.

I'd be fine with choosing Whitlock over Houck. Both will likely get several chances to win a rotation slot, no matter what. It's not like Whitlock has blown Houck away in ST'ing.. Both have 16 Ks, but Houck has slightly less IP (15.2 to 15.0) While Whitlock has only 2 BBs, Houck has allowed just 3. Houck has allowed 3 less hits (13 to 10). Both have allowed just 1 HR. ERA: 2.40 Houck 3.45 Whitlock Criswell has pitched more IP than any Sox pitcher (18.1) 2.95 ERA 17 K: 3 BB 16 hits 0 HRs .

I'm not sure 200 PS for Abreu or Rafaela is what is best for them, at this point in their development, but I guess if you see Abreu as a 4th OF'er, 200 is okay.

JD signs with the Mets for $12M.

They won't want anything to be left to guess or suspect, too.

Looks like Criswell earned a slot on the 26. Should he start and Whitlock begin in the pen? I'd say yes, but I think we all know the answer.

I hope this is not a reoccurring thing. I'm not aware of past injury prone issues, but I'm not sure.

The Spx AAA roster might be squeezed, this year as numerous top prospects are slated to start the year in AA: 1. Anthony 19 years old 2. Mayer 21 3. Teel 22 9. Wikelman 21 17. Hickey 24 (make or break time?) 18. Paulino 21 20. Jordan 21 24. Dobbins 24 28. Bastardo 22 30. Hoppe 25 Also: Rosier, Troye, Penrod, I Coffey, Olivares, Sykes, McDonough, Zeferjahn & Lugo may knock on AAA's door with a strong start to 2024.) Some AAA players that may be moved: Dalbec, especially if we keep Cron, may be traded or DFA'd. Criswell, Fitts (not on 40), Walter or some other pitcher may be promoted to MLB. DHam, Sogard (not on 40), Yorke or a catcher like Heineman may be promoted, if needed. AAA trade material : Yorke or Meidroth AAA DFA possibilities: Jacques, Dalbec Might move on: R Gonzalez, M Contreras, D Guthrie, J Westbrook, S Scott or M Kolozsvary, E Alvarez, Cam Bosser, Shugart, Politi, Adon.

About 10 Yankees are China Dolls.