moonslav59

And you say I speak like what I'm saying is fact not opinion. What do I have to be embarrassed about? My optimism was not realized?

I'm not embarrassed by any of my positions, even the many I got wrong. I was far from a Bloom basher. I was never a Bloom "supporter" or part of any "Legion." I was hopeful he did good. I thought many of his moves were good, even in hindsight. I thought many were bad, some at teh time and some in hindsight. I think he did a good job rebuilding the farm, but that remains to be seen. I think he had some very difficult conditions to overcome, and he failed to overcome them. I wear my positions proudly, and they have not changed because he was fired, and more than my beliefs have changed about DD, ben and Theo.

Thanks for finally, after years of asking, giving a name. Why did it take so long? Everybody knows what? The guy was subject to an onslaught of off-base attacks, some totally false and some lacking serious context. Pointing out flaws in someone's attacks does not mean that person supports the person being attacked. He was handed a very difficult situation. Just because you don't care about that does not mean I like what Bloom did. I could give you a long list of Bloom criticism from me, some where people were saying I was going overboard, like saying the JBJ trade was a "head scratcher." The rebuffs went on for weeks. I'm not embarrassed defending what I think is true and pointing out what I think is wrong. Did I take "his side" more than you and Red, yes, and I guess that's all it takes for you to make faulty conclusions- like some of your attacks on Bloom.

That's funny. You used to deny you were a Bloom basher. I criticized Bloom many times. I defended Bloom more times, for sure, because so many lack of context attacks were made by you and "your legion of bashers." Yes, I was optimistic when we hired him that he could do what was most needed. I thought he'd be better at finding "gems in the rough" as he was, although he did find a few. (I've said that phrase over and over, but you and others only see a counter to your baseless or faulty attacks as a sign of support. It is your fatal flaw. If someone disagrees with your attack, we must support the other side. Everything is black and white, to you. I've taken part in discussions about what grade he deserves long before his firing. My grades for him were not out of line with most others, even those who wanted him out very soon after he was hired. The guy who wanted him out before he was even hired hardly ever gave a grade, except to hard on wins and losses and how "the majority of fans see it that way." (Like that matters, at all.) You don't value farm and foundation building, like I do. That is fine, but that doesn't mean I think Bloom did a good job at building winning teams. He didn't. The team played about .500 ball under him. I gave that a C- or D+. I said I was fine with people giving him a D or D- for that. I didn't just say that after he was fired, either. I do think the rest of his work should be part of his final grade, and I gave him better grades for farm building and foundation/budget aspects than others, and was clear to point out that the farm grade was purely speculative. If that sounds like a supporter, you need to look up what supporter means. I think he deserved to be fired. I provided the link on Bloom's hiring for you to go back and look.

There was no "Legion of Bloom," and everytime we ask anyone to name just one poster other than maybe Max, we get nothing. I'm sure you probably think I was one, and if that's true, you will confirm you are full of BS.

Ya-ba-da-ba-DOOoooo!

I'm a big DD supporter. I wish he could have stayed. I'm not sure how he'd have done under the same budgets and what I call mandates Bloom was given. I don't think he was happy about the change happening during his last year in BOS. He was and still is a skilled and very capable GM. It was a loss, and so was the change brought on by the top brass.

Apparently, he was playing hurt that last year in COl, too. I'm not sure how much the injury affected his bat, but .801 was not bad. That's worth $22M a year for a GG SS. (BTW, he was at .910 in his last 55 games in COL, so was he really "trending downwards?" Of course, his home road splits were always an issue. He had a 102 OPS+ in 2021 and 2022. That is not $22M levels. GG and his career 108 OPS+ is close.

Has been a sunken cost. The future is TBD.

Yes, and now the issue is resolved. Inflation has increased healthy player values. I think you might be surprised how much some GMs might value Story, right now. (Maybe I would be, too : to the good and or bad.)

How is 2020 just 5% less? Less than 2019 or less than the tax line?

Indeed, and that's why I mentioned "playing while injured." Certainly his value is lower after these two seasons, but I do not think GM place value on sample sizes like his. He's also still a great defender.

I'm not sure I'm buying the excuse. It's like Manny's grandmother dying before spring training 5 times in his career.

Are you talking about now or 2020? I thought this was about no massive cuts from 2019 to 2020.

I doubt many teams are asking about Story, but GMs don't make decisions based on small sample sizes, especially from players who were playing injured or returning from long times off due to an injury. Many GMs would like Story on their team- just not the contract.

Is Bloom part of his "family?"

That just arose?

You are being too kind with the sandbag part. Insert "rocks."

LOL. It is getting absurd, right?

Bloom may be the one laughing at Cora! "Good luck, skipper!" "Have fun, right hand man!" "Enjoy the dysfunction, man with Henry's ear!"

I thought you were saying the whole ship is still dysfunctional. Plus, you never wanted Cora back, anyway. Now, he seems to be your hero.

That was the real mistake made.

I do think the "mandate" was to cut significantly below the tax line in 2020. Despite the sunken cost of Sale, Pedey and half-Price in 2021, we still stayed under by about $4-5M. That was an increase from 2020, but still not really near 2018 or 2019 levels. It wasn't until the Story signing we got back near the 2018 level, and by then several teams had passed us and stayed ahead.

You still don't even grasp nobody wanted Bloom kept around.

I'm fine with your opinion and the facts. It's just a never ending stream of vitriol. How is this for something to chew on... Bloom stabbed Cora in the back for years by giving him crappy players, including no SS for '23. Cora got him back. Bloom got off the dysfunctional ship, while Cora is going down with the ship. (Not my opinion, but as valid as yours.)