moonslav59

Oh, I wonder along with everyone else. I just don't think it's "unreasonable" for a rich guy to do what it takes to get even more rich, instead of paying his employees more. The "reasons" are obvious and commonplace, whether we agree with them or not.

cots has our opening day budgets at.... $181M in '23 $207M '22 $180M '21 74M '20 (pro-rate to $185M) $236M in '19 $233M in '18 $197 in '17 $198 in '16 $184 in '15 $156 in '14 $154 in '13 If you figure in inflation, and not just MLB top contract inflation... WOW!

The winter spending budget was huge, and if you want to add the $10M they spent on Kike, it was even more. The offset was that contracts sky-rocketed and we also had to replace: Bogey Nate JD Wacha Hill Strahm (We did lose the half-Price contract from '22 to '23.) The money kinds shrinks when you take those two things into consideration. Still, Bloom blew it. I heard on the soxprospects podcast there were concerns about Kluber's shoulder, when they signed him. Just a major cluster-you-know-what!

I would not say that. It's also about being able to trade top prospects. We could spend up to but under the tax line in 2024, but still be competitive, if we made a big trade or two.

Indeed, and that was kind of my point. If we spend $100M more, this winter, but 29 teams spend $150M more, would anyone be happy with JH? It's all relative.

I like our manager. I don't know who the best GM would be, even if I knew what the team philosophy is going to be. If we are going to go real cheap, I would not hire someone like DD. (I know blasphemy.)

I wish I would have thought of that! Why should our GM spend more than another GM? If we were Orioles fans, wouldn't we be wondering why we don't raise our spending budget by more than Boston might do? To me, it's all relative. I wish we spent more than others, but I don't think it's unreasonable when we don't.

Even the ones who cry poverty are raking in money. There are also some side businesses that are run by the same owner: the cable station,, the concessions stands and the team shirts and jackets are often making money as a separate business entity. Then, the big kicker is when the current owner decides to sell his team. BAM! Now, that is when the real doe is raked in!

Do you ever wonder why many GMs do the same thing? If they all spent more, would it make a difference, except to the players' rising salaries. Every GM spending 20% more would not change the Red Sox situation, so what we are really asking is that our billionaire owner spends more than other billionaire or multimillionaire owners do, and there is no reason why he does not. In that light, is it more "acceptable?"

I'm not so sure.

These damn plebeians!

lol!

I really don't know much about Breslow in this sort of role. I usually say I trust the Sox brass knows what they are doing, but I'm having my doubts, these days.

There are many owners in MLB who are rich enough to spend more and more, but choose not to do it. They pocket as much as they can. Some even pocket revenue sharing. This is nothing new in the business world. We all question why JH feels the need to cut the player salary budget, from time to time. I sometimes wonder, if we all also question why other companies maximize profits at the expense of paying their workers more money.

You don't accept the reasoning for budget cuts, or that they actually happened?

The comment was made to am poster who said the team's owner made money. Cutting a budget is one way owners make more money, right?

The podcast spoke of players facing a "pivotable off season:" (Some points and quotes) Bryan Mata: out of options, so he needs to make the 26 man roster. Could he be traded? Might we keep him on the 40, until ST'ing, at least? Bleis: Did not look all that good, last ST'ing, and now the injury "dropped his stock" quite a bit. Hickey: His time as a catcher might be over. 129 SB Against with just 10 CS. Drohan: Needs to find a 4th pitch or choose between the slider and cutter and perfect one. Song: needs to put in some work to get back to close to his 2019 self. He turns 27 in May. Needs to "figure out who he is..."

Soxprospects.com released a podcast that discusses how it looks like an overhaul of the pitching development system is underway. http://news.soxprospects.com/2023/10/podcast-ep-298-search-is-on.html

I think Hagenman might be protected. Luis de la Rosa was my sleeper prospect for a while, but I doubt anyone grabs him. I think Stephen Scott may be the only non pitcher protected, but there seems to be many of his types out there for the grabbing, who don't need a 40 man roster slot. I doubt we start the season with just 2 catchers on the roster, so that is why I mentioned him.

I'm thinking maybe 5-6 prospects will be protected from Rule 5. Those in red plus 1-2 others in bold.

Rule 5 Eligible: December 2023 Rivaldo Avila Angel Bastardo Brock Bell Royman Blanco Brainer Bonaci Zach Bryant Maceo Campbell Allan Castro Brendan Cellucci Felix Cepeda Juan Chacon Casey Cobb Nathanael Cruz Luis De La Rosa Nick Decker Kelvin Diaz Jordan DiValerio Shane Drohan Juan Daniel Encarnación Alex Erro Albert Feliz Ryan Fernandez Ryan Fitzgerald Grant Gambrell Jhostynxon Garcia Wikelman Gonzalez Bryan Gonzalez Justin Hagenman Alexis Hernandez Gabriel Jackson Lyonell James Gilberto Jimenez Christian Koss Robert Kwiatkowski Chih-Jung Liu Eduardo Lopez Matthew Lugo Elih Marrero Yorberto Mejicano Ryan Miller Andrés Núñez Yusniel Padron-Artiles Eddinson Paulino Zach Penrod Luis Perales Railin Perez AJ Politi Jose Ramirez Oscar Rangel Jorge Rodriguez Ronald Rosario Cesar Ruiz Johnfrank Salazar Stephen Scott Cody Scroggins Reidis Sena Chase Shugart Karson Simas Nick Sogard Noah Song Dylan Spacke Joey Stock Luis Talavera Nate Tellier Michael Valera Brian Van Belle Diego Viloria Jeremy Wu-Yelland Ryan Zeferjahn

Indeed. I think the splurge in spending from 2016 to 2018 paid off, and the budget cuts afterwards likely paid off, too.

I remember thinking the Yanks were toast after Martin and Jackson went after each other in the dugout. It was after they won, I started doubting the whole "team chemistry" concept.

That was wild. Then, Click argued that Vaz should play more, but Dusty refused. I guess Dusty believes in CERA-related skills more than Click.

They seem to thrive when their backs are against the wall.