moonslav59

This is one of the most encouraging articles I've read about the possible future of Sox pitching. I'm hopeful change will begin to be seen, very soon.

Everyone? And no, a 17 year old drafted 17th during a COVID season with nobody playing baseball is not always expected to be ML ready after 3 years of minor league ball. Oh, and by the way, soxprospects.com says he should be ML ready b y late 2024, so that sounds pretty close. I'm not expecting great things from Yorke and never did. However, I have not lost hope he might do well. I'm looking for a 1 season fiz at 2B in hopes that Mayer and or Yorke can be an impact in 2025, as Story has hopefully re-established himself as a plus-plus middle infielder. BTV shows Yorke with some trade value. I'd prefer to trade him than a big 3 one.

It would improve the team, but not really the long term outlook. If we don't do enough to compete in 2024, at least add only guys that will be just as good or better from 2025-2027 or beyond. I'd still be bummed, but at least 2025 would look better.

Agreed. I'd rather we just sign one guy- Yamo, and then go all in, next winter. That's a better "punt."

I mis-typed.

He was high on my wish list, and I liked the shorter deal.

Some of those FA SP'er signings over the last few years look like steals, now. The Castillo extension, too.

Something will happen. I just hope it's more than Stroman, Imanaga and a 2Bman.

I’m fine with trying, but his comments make me think he’ll want more than $250/6. If I’m wrong, might make the trade at $250M/8.

True. I remember hating the Kimbrell trade for the same reason, but his "FA market" contract cost looked like a bargain a couple years later. I'm just thinking Burnes is looking at Ohtani's numbers, and will see Yamo's soon, and he may demand the sky to extend. I do like him better than Monty and Snell, but I'm not sure I want to pay him significantly more plus lose a good prospect or two, as well.

Our plan C's are drying up. Our plan B's look less and less appealing, such as Burnes wanting a bundle for an extension. Is it better to be the Raiders East or the Rays North?

Sounds like a plan, along with signing Bauer and Clevinger.

If Burnes wants to be "blown away" by an extension, we might was well just sign him as a FA after 2024, or we should just "blow away" Yamo with an offer, or outbid everyone for Monty and or Snell. Fall back to getting one of Monty or Snell plus one from Imanaga, Stroman or Giolito and then spend big, again, next winter. It does not make sense to trade something valuable for the right to extend Burnes at today's FA value.

If they want Mata, giving him would ease the 26 man roster choices for opening day. (Hell, I'd give Mata and Walter for Dury and $2-3M)

Another third tier fall-back SP'er is off the boards. Flaherty to DET for $14M/1. Also, Burnes has stated he'd have to be "blown away" to sign and extension after a trade. (I'd scratch him off my wish list.)

This trade was assuming we do more, like signing Monty and maybe another pitcher and a 1 yr catcher or OF'er. Monty, Sandoval, Stroman, Drury, O'Neill and Garver looks like a pretty serious improvement.

Yes, I often do not get bad jokes. My bad.

Yes. I'm not just dumping Yorke or trading him fo a player at a position of low need.

The second list is value before money is factored. Yes, the younger players would project to less in '24.

You are talking me into this. 5.8 fWAR 2021-2023, while ranked 20th at 2B, it is a big improvement over what we have had. .806 OPS (4th best by 2Bmen since '21) and his .493 SLG is second only to Altuve. His D has mixed metrics: -2 DRS (28th out of 42 2Bmen with 900+ innings at 2B) +3.8 UZR/150 (9th out of 42) +5 OAA (24th out of 111) BTV accepts: Bleis, Yorke and Wikelman for Sandoval (3 yrs) & Dury (1 yr)

Very well stated. Also, how any sort of display of optimism is met with a 2 by 4 to the noggin, then gloating and self-back slapping by the eternal pessimists.

Maybe a one year deal sort of guy. Polanco has 2 years. Maybe we get him and trade Yorke or EValdez. Then, hopefully, Mayer comes up in 2025 to solve our MI issue for a while.

I don't put a lot of trust in all the BTV numbers, but according to them, we look okay to pretty well set at 2B, CF and LF: 34.0 Duran (they list him in CF) 12.3 Rafaela (OF, but can play 2B) 8.1 Valdez (2B) 7.8 Abreu (OF- maybe the hardest guy to place a firm value on) 5.7 O'Neill (OF) Take away the money and they see their and others' projected productionvalue as suck: 323/10 Devers 87/5 Casas 78/4 Yoshida 60/5 Duran 34/4 Story 25/6 Abreu 20/6 EValdez 19/6 Rafaela 11/1 O'Neill 6/2 McGuire 4.4/5 Wong According to BTV, Catching is our biggest non-pitching need. Maybe we try to add a short term catcher to carry us to Teel.

Of course, I'm assuming a healthy season from Story and continued growth from Wong, Casas (on D), Abreu and or Rafaela. I've never said we have studs in all but 3 slots on the 26. Yes, we could certainly improve at more than 3 slots on the 26, but to me, we have only 3 "major" holes, and they are at key and expensive positions: SP1 SP2 or 3 2B (RH b at) Once could argue our catching tandem in weaker than the norm, and the 2023 numbers back that up and the CF/RF situation depends a lot on 2 of these 3 guys to come through: O'Neill, Rafaela and Abreu. I suppose Duran could play CF, but I prefer he not do that. Also, while I was talking about 2024, it's nice to know our top 4 prospects- 3 maybe ready by late '24 or early '25 play in areas we need help the most, beyond pitching: OF: Anthony SS: Mayer (Story to 2B?) C: Teel I think we are better than the norm at ... DH (Yoshida) 1B (Casas) SS (Story) 3B (Devers) LF (Duran/Refsnyder) We look near the norm at... CF & RF (O'Neil, Rafaela, Abreu) C (Wong & McGuire) Our bench will have Rafaela or Abreu + Refsnyder in the OF Reyes + EValdez in MI 1B depth is questionable Add two top SP'ers, and IMO, the rest of our rotation looks near norm or better and IMO, or pen will look top 3 in skill and depth. SP1 SP2 Bello Sale Pivetta Houck, Crawford, Whitlock Jansen, Martin, Winckowski, Schreiber and Slaten (Rule 5) or Mata (out of options) This minor league pen depth looks fantastic: Campbell Bernardino Fitts Murphy Criswell Weissert Kelly Walter & Gambrel Guerrero & Hagenman (Wikelman, Benitez & Olivares) If we end up trading for one key need, and he's not expensive, then we could fill the other 2 slots through free agency and have some funds left over to upgrade C and OF, too. Maybe both.

You have said every one of your posts are perfect.