moonslav59

I'm fine with blasting away at '22-'23 and with his firing. JH was not going to fire himself, and Bloom did not earn the right to continue.

"Box of Rain" was his walk-up song on the farm! (Just kidding)

Did I say "title?" I thought I said "winning team or close." You listed a bunch of waiver wire type pitchers that Bloom added. That was what he had to spend- waiver wire money. Yes, we had the worst ERA. Was that Bloom's fault? I'm sorry if I read too much into your reply, but the talk was blaming Bloom for the state of the 2020 staff. Could he have done better than the mish-mash he added? Sure, but you get what you pay for, and he paid next to nothing. The staff last Price and Porcello and others from 2019. Sale and ERod missed the whole year, and the one starter who pitched missed 25% of his starts. The sad part was the one good guy he picked, Springs, was traded.

Yes, I said your points make sense, but there are other factors that show we fought back and it was the Yanks that caused the playoff game to happen.

I'm not sure the Verdugo suggested trade fits what I'm about to say, but there are times when you have to just take the best you can get for someone you know will not be back the next season. It's not about getting back equal value. It's about doing better than nothing or better than a comp pick, in some cases, like Nate and Bogey.

Had we been sellers, and Cabrera was the best we could have gotten for JT, then yes, it would have been wise, but yes, by itself, it was not reason enough for firing. The Sale suggested trade could be, though. Imagine we were full out sellers in 2022 and 2023. Many fans would be more irrate, but they are just about maxed out on that scale, as it is, so how much worse could it have been? Okay, okay....lost ticket sales and viewership matters more than what I think. I get it, but IMO, we have a pretty solid foundation, going forwards, as it is. Imagine we added players and prospects in trades for Paxton, JT, Duvall, Sale, Hill, Wacha, Nate, Strahm and yes, even Bogey, as I feel he'd have okay'd a trade, if he saw a total sell-off going on in 2022. Our roster might look almost like the Astros from a few years ago.

The official soxprospects.com EOY rankings will be released December 1st, and we may see some significant changes from their current list, but here are the biggest changes, so far: Graduated 2. Casas 17. Murphy 27. Kelly Bernardino Robertson Jacques The drops: 5>27 Mata 7>18 Romero 9>15 Walter 10>20 Paulino 13>45 Lugo 15>21 EValdez 16>27 E R-C 21>33 Alcanatara 23>37 C Coffey 29>47 McDonough 34>40 Ravelo 36>56 F Encarnacion The risers: 11>2 Anthony 14>8 Wikelman 48>10 Cespedes 22>11 Bonaci 24>12 Abreu 37>14 Joh Garcia 30>16 Meidroth 33>17 Castro 56>30 Bastardo 46>32 Hoppe 42>36 Rogers (mostly from attrition?) NR>38 Gambrell (my new "sleeper") NR>44 Rosier The newbies: 5. Teel 9. Zanetello 24. Anderson 25. Monegro 28. Dobbins 42. Yuten 43. Arias 46. ICoffey 48. KCampbell 49. Penrod 50. B Bell 51. J Riemer 54. F Cepeda 55. R Sena 58. E Lira 59. M Duffy 60. N Song

Well said, Max. I've enjoyed the whole season, despite the disappointing W-L record. Watching some kids improve their standing and outlook has been wonderful. Casas Bello Duran's resurgence Crawford & Wink Wong & Mcguire (only one year apart in age) along with some brief yet promising stints from Abreu, Rafaela, Murphy and EValdez. Hell, even Dalbec has raised some faint hopes. Watching vets like Martin, Devers, Jansen, Duvall and particularly Turner perform well has been joyous, as well. Of course, some players were painful to watch. I won't get into names, here. We all know who I'm talking about. A few guys got our hopes up for brief or even extended moments: Sale, Paxton, Schreiber, Houck and Bernardino, but ultimately, they fell short of what we needed. I'm not going to say it was a good season for the Sox, but I was entertained.

I like Urias but do wonder, if he'll be worth his 2024 contract.

Or, like last year, trying to walk the line as a buyer and a seller. Even the Diekman for McGuire trade, which was a good one, was not a significant difference maker. Maybe getting Abreu, EValdez and Rosier will be, but we could have gotten great prospects by going full sell mode. It's not easy being a GM in BOS. You are bashed if you buy, bashed if you sell, bashed if you do both and based if you do nothing. Of course, not doing any very well at any doesn't help, either.

I do appreciate your opinions based on actual sightings. It's not like it's meaningless. My feelings shift on prospects, based mostly on the opinions of others and what they write and the stats I see. Right now, I might go (and this could change by next week!) 1. Anthony 2. Teel 3. Mayer 4. Bleis 5. Cespedes 6. Rafaela 7. Wikelman 8. Perales 9. Zanetello 10. Abreu 11. Joh Garcia 12. Yorke 13. Castro 14. Monegro 15. Anderson 16. Romero 17. Hickey 18. Meidroth 19. EValdez 20. Walter (I put gaps where I think a significant drop off occurs.) Overrated by SPs: Drohan, Bonaci, Paulino, DHam, Jordan Underrated: Gambrell, ICoffey, Mata, Scott

Cabrera reminds me of DHern.

I'm justified in being critical, here. This is not about Red being a fan or not. A fan that mocks others for rooting for their team and being optimistic when they are doing well deserves to be criticized for it. Many fans gloat. I'm fine with that, although it seems a bit childish, IMO. Nobody is asking him to get "giddy" when we are winning, but to ridicule others for doing what most fans do: root for their team and try to be positive when things are looking good is questionable behavior. I know I was one of the first to "give up on our chances" at winning in 2022, but I still watched every game and rotted for us to win. I wanted a fire sale, so our team would be better in 2023 and maybe much better beyond. I don't think I came back here and gloated about being right, and ridiculed those who felt we should have been buyers last summer. I didn't mock you guys for believing in the 2022 team at the end of July. I'm not claiming o be a great fan. I have my faults. Lord knows Red calls me out on anything and everything. He even invents my positions for me, just to have more to tear down. Mocking loyal fans deserves to be pointed out and criticized. Whether he is a true fan or not is not my intention, here. (It was in the past.)

People often say soxprospects.com gets giddy over our prospects, but if you read their summations, I'm thinking they are conservative. Here are their summations on my top 5 prospects: Mayer: Potential above-average regular. Ceiling of a regular all-star. Has all the tools you look for in future everyday shortstop and the offensive upside to hit at the top of a contending team's lineup. Game comes easy to him. Potential for four above-average-or-better tools. Should be able to stick at shortstop and hit for a high average with power. Hit-over-power at the plate at this point, but both tools project as at least above-average. One of the best, if not the best, defenders in the 2021 draft. Complete profile on both sides of the ball gives him an all-star ceiling. Anthony: Very intriguing power prospect with the ceiling of an everyday outfielder. How his hit tool develops will determine how much of his power potential actualizes. Power is a carrying tool and is very impressive for his age. Should develop into a solid defender also, but what he does at the plate will be his calling card. Bleis: Potential everyday player who adds significant value in all facets of the game. High-risk prospect with a wide variance of outcomes. Checks all the boxes you look for in a prospect his age. If he reaches his potential, all five tools could grade at least as average. Raw power is his best current tool, but has the potential to hit for average as well. Has the highest upside of any Latin American prospect in the system. Scouts praised him as the best position player they saw in the FCL during the 2022 season. Teel: Potential defense-first catcher whose upside will be determined by how much he hits. Likely will develop into a hit-over-power type, and if he hits he has everyday potential. High baseball IQ and leader who should be able to handle the rigors of catching at the major league level. Described as having a very carefree personality. Great value pick at number 14 overall in 2023 that comes with a high floor due to his defensive profile. Cespedes: (no summary, yet.) Red Sox top signing in the January 2023 IFA class. Per reports, offense-first infielder considered by some scouts to be one of the best pure hitters in the January 2023 IFA class. Quick wrists, compact swing, solid-average raw power with the potential for more as he fills out. Good approach for his age. Excellent eye-hand coordination and bat control. Will expand the zone. Will start at shortstop but may need to move to second or third base eventually. Average arm, average speed. Solid makeup.

How many times have you seen the others? Couldn't you just have had some luck seeing them play on their best days? I'm not downgrading the guys you've seen, just saying...

I think some say it to express their feelings that the player would be the last guy(s) they'd trade. It's hard to imagine anyone saying no to a Mayer for Witt Jr. and Singer, because Mayer is "untouchable." I agree, though, nobody should ever say that. Even if you are a total farm maniac, we could always trade our best farm guy for some other team's best 3 farm guys.

I just know what I read, and they both seem pretty damn good, but the word is Anthony is going to jump in the end of year national rankings. He may be our best prospect. It's nice having 4 guys to talk about like this, and I feel Cespedes will be joining the conversation, next season.

While all 100% true, one does not usually associate a collapse with a team that finished the season winning 8 in a row to force a playoff game. They also won 12 of their last 14. It was the Yanks who lost to CLE 9-2 on the final game of the season to force the tie. not the Sox, and although they won 6 in a row before that, they went 9-4 in their last 14, as the Sox went 12-2. It was all about that Bucky-freakin-Dent game, otherwise, we'd be calling it a Yankee collapse. I'm not sure one game should swing a season to a label of "collapse," but I can see how your points can lead someone to think that.

Please tell me how any GM does better with a budget under $20M and several gaping holes on the field as well? I'm sorry, but I think it is 100% silly to blame Bloom for not building a winner in 2020, or even close. Could he have done better than a .400 team? Okay, maybe, but in a 60 game season, 4 or 6 more wins would have brought us near the middle of the pack in Sox history rather than the 12th worst winning % ever. Yes, I expected he'd be better at dumpster diving, but he had just taken over a team in the midst of a tear down, COVID and a massive budget cut. Then, Sale and ERod miss the whole season. No Porcello or a replacement. Nate missed 25% of his starts. Was it also Bloom's fault JD hit .680, Beni .442 and Devers .793? It's nothing short of silly. Honestly. You guys would blame the GM for not winning, if he was handed a little league team on opening day.

It's hard for me to be critical on this, as it would be hindsight. I thought we should have been sellers, last year and buyers, this year. I guess, in hindsight I'm at .500. The haul we could have gotten by a massive 2022 firesale would have blown away what we'd have gotten for JT, Duvall and Paxton.

Still can never understand why rooting for your team to win while trying to stay optimistic bothers you so much. If a fan can't get excited, when the team is winning, because deep down "they should have known we really suck," then what the freaking f***? Go on gloating all through the winter. You were right all along. We suck. Throw it in our faces. It seems to bring you more joy that had we won, and you know, if we were on pace for 88-90 wins, you would not be here. You'd be convincing yourself you don't watch the game anymore, because "it's watered down," yet now that we are losing, again, the game is exciting enough for you to start watching more. What a bizarre way to be a fan, and this from someone who attempts to speak for "the majority" of Sox Nation. I hope to hell most Sox fans aren't like you.

Sorry, but you'd be bitching, if this team had Betts and Bogey and were on pace for 90-95 losses, because of the putrid players around them forced by the budget constraints those two would have placed on the GM.

Maybe they did better than we think, but Bloom just couldn't pull the trigger on the guys they said were good, like Eflin. They also seemed to just miss the timing on guys like Springs & Martin Perez. Looks like a possible major swing and miss on Yoshi- "the guy they wanted," since he was in diapers.

A hornets nest.

It is possible our two best pitchers in the system just aren't great.t That being said, I like them both. Wikelman has a .599 OPS Against, but is not yet at the AAA level at age His 168 Ks in 111 IP shows he can get batters to swing and miss, but 70 BB/111 has been what has held him back. SP's has this to say: Had a breakout 2021 season with a strong showing in the FCL and in Low-A, jumping from the back end of the SoxProspects rankings into the top 15 by season's end. Participated in the Fall Performance Program in 2021. Name was misspelled "Wilkelman" on official rosters and the like until April 2022 due a misunderstanding caused by its pronunciation. Potential high-quality, multi-inning relief arm. Ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. Potential for three above-average-to-better pitches, but still a long way to go to get there and must significantly improve command and control to reach his ceiling. Still unclear whether his future home is as a starter or in the bullpen. Needs to throw more strikes and be more efficient with his pitches to last deeper into games. Does not have the typical size you look for in a starter. Has simplified his delivery over the course of his career, which should make it easier for him to keep his arm in sync with the rest of his body. If command does not improve, that, along with his size and delivery, could push him to a short relief bullpen role, but with his stuff he could thrive in such a role. Perales has had injury issues, which worries me, and his .703 OPS Against is not a WOW. The fact that he is not at AA, yet, makes those numbers very unimpressive. 115Ks in 90 IP is nice, but like Wikelman the 50BBs in 90 is concerning. SP's says this: Was not a highly-touted amateur prospect out of Venezuela. Began to show much higher promise after signing, particularly in the Tricky League in the summer of 2019. Emerged quickly as a prospect to follow. Was limited to one game due to injuries in 2021. Organization heavily monitored his workload in 2022, limiting him to no more than three innings per start. Still broke out and rose quickly into the SoxProspects top 20 by the end of the season. Potential back-end starter. Ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. Wide variance arm with a high ceiling and low floor. Size, delivery, and inconsistent command and control profile might push him into the bullpen. Has shown among the best raw stuff of any arm in the system and was identified by scouts as the top pitching prospect in the Florida Complex League in 2022. Will flash two plus pitches, with three at least above-average. All have shown bat-missing ability. Next step in his development is finding consistency with his delivery and showing he can handle a full season's workload.