moonslav59

Sounds like a big differe3nce from your thoughts on Bloom out of the gate and every day afterwards. They both had no experience. I thought you'd feel more apprehensive. I'm not sure how playing for the Sox, long ago, gives him all that much more perspective on how the front office works, and people are gone, who were there when he pitched for us. It does seem like he was not the first choice, but it's hard to know, and being a 5th or 6th choice does not mean it's a bad one or that they settled. I'm not trying to push you for a firmer opinion, because it seems hard for anyone to have one. I'm hopeful- perhaps more than with Bloom's signing, but I was hopeful, then too.

What is the word you are hearing on your enormous corner? To me, he seems like a pretty good choice for what we need. He seems to have a focus on pitching that expands into the farm scouting and developing aspect. He seems to be good with analytics- something many fans don't care about or even dislike. The lack of experience as a GM is a big concern, as it was with Bloom. What are your feelings on Breslow, after you've had some time to read and hear about him?

It's unlikely he adds any value.

As it turned out, trading Jansen, Paxton, Duvall, Turner and maybe even Martin, would have really bolstered our future, even if just to give us more trade pieces for this winter. (Note: I wanted us to be buyers, this past summer.)

I don't disagree, but he could lose value by getting hurt or sucking in 2024.

I just don't keep track of non Sox players that closely. On Snell, if he's hardly every hurt, why does he only have over 24 GS'd 3 times in 7 years? (Over 27, twice.) I know he walks a lot of batters, so that keeps his IP'd down, but he's never gone over 181, and the Rays are famous for over-pitching their starters. I'd like to see us sign Morton and Gray. Gray did miss a few starts in 21 & 22, but nothing major. Last 5 years: 31 of 32 11 of 12 26 of 32 24 of 32 32 of 32 That's only 8 missed starts in 5 seasons. Nola has been a horse. He has not missed more than 1 GS in 6 straight seasons and had 27 in 2017. Giolito has 29+ GS'd for 5 straight years. (I'm counting 2020, since he missed no starts.) If we get one of the top SP'ers on the market, I have suggested we go after Morton on a 1 year deal. It give the future budget some flexibilkity, but gives us a guy that should turn out much better than Kluber and Richards. Yes, at 2-3 times the cost, but I like the one year aspect. He has over 30 GS in 5 of the last 6 seasons and had 9 of 12 possible starts in 2020.

How many available pitchers have very little injury history, these days?

I'd be fine getting a younger, longer term closer, but yes, Jansen is fine. At $16M/1, he's not a burden.

Congrats to the Rangers. They deserved it.

Remember when Jacko used to talk Nate trash?

That's easy: he's going to keep the players he thinks are better.

I think Urias and McGuire will both be back with the Sox and playing a bunch of games in 2024. Urias should beat out Reyes for 2B. EValdez is so bad on D, I'm not sure he plays much 2B in 2024.

It's in my nature to wonder. My guess is, they'd have signed Abreu and Yoshida with no Turner and Duvall. It might have meant no Jansen or Martin. Had Nate said yes to the offer made, it's hard to know where we'd have spent the left over money. I'll leave that for you to wonder about. LOL

Well, in some ways, those years were a bit of a rollercoaster ride, as well. The 2011 season was one in itself. Of course, we did not see the horrible seasons we've seen after Theo left, but his "rollercoasters" with within certain seasons. I think Theo's worst season was 86 wins in 2006- right before the 2007 ring season.

Indeed. He did show signs of life in the playoffs, but that was a short sample size. I think I'd rather have Yoshida than Abreu. I wonder, if the plan was to get both.

What a horrible start he has to 2023. .515 on May 14th. He did go .745, after that, and did well in the playoffs, but I'm sure glad we missed out on him. Turner did much better.

That was horrible. I was older, then, and the culture of losing was so prevalent, it was almost expected. Still, it hurt like hell. I felt we finally had the pitching, that year, but it just didn't work out. Sox fans that have been watching for 45-50+ years have certainly had our share or grief, sorrow and disgust. This is one reason, I don't get as angry at the current situation as some seem to get. I'd be more upset, if I didn't feel like the future looked brighter, but I think we are headed in the right direction. I had hopes it would not take 5+ years to get to this point, which is still short of the type of roster needed to be a serious contender. I truly feel like we are just 3-4 major pieces away. In some ways, that does not sound like much, especially when you figure, we could spend near $50M without even going over the tax line. (There is also no reason to think we can't go over that line by $18-19M, either.) I know it's not easy to add two top of the rotation pitchers in one winter, along with a solid RHB, when few are available on the FA market at positions of high need for the Sox. I will understand, if we hold firm on the idea of not trading any top prospects for a quick fix, or even a longer term solution, but I think we can afford one such trade, this winter. To me, we will need to do one of two things, this winter, to add those 3-4 players needed and be considered a top contender: 1. Spend up to but below the second tax line. 2. Spend near the first tax line AND make one big trade involving a top 5 prospect and maybe 1-2 second tier prospects for one of those key pieces. Has the culture changed enough for either or both of these things to happen? Stay tuned.

I don't know if Breslow was on anyone's radar, early on. The more I read about him, the more it seems like a good choice, but it's hard to know, when there is no history as a GM. Bloom seemed like a good choice for that situation, but I think the priorities have changed. It's hard to know that, for sure, though. Maybe the rebuild continues until Mayer, Anthony and Teel are fully established, and then we "go all in," again.

I try to think of the play at 1B as a McNamara blunder. All season, he took Buckner out, late in games. The game that counts the most, he got sentimental and "wanted Buckner on the field for the celebration." Instead, he crushed Buck's reputation to many.

'75 was so exciting, and the Reds seemed like heavy favorites. The Carbo & Fisk homers, along with Tiant's greatness cushioned the blow, a bit. Yes, that '78 loss was the stab in the heart. That was a great '78 team.

I was so much older then, I'm younger than that, now. The trifecta of the '75, '78 and '86 losses broke my heart and soul. The wins in '04, '07, '13 and '18 mended it all and brought the kid back in me.

Looks like the Rangers have this one wrapped up.

It gets you Turner & Duvall (2023.)

$20M is about 30% of the A's player salary budget. It's about 1/3 of BAL's opening day player budget and 1/4th of AZ's.

Bloom's choice was apparently Jose Abreu, so you were not alone on near misses.