moonslav59

It looked like we tried to spend right up to the line, last year and missed on the upsida. I thought that was stupid, but since they never planned on going over, this year, I guess is was no big deal. We still spent a lot, and the Devers extension kicks in next year, so there does seem to be a movement towards longer and bigger deals. Story March '22. Yoshida '23 Devers '24 You were right to question the "up to the line" beliefs many of us had. I'm not sure another $6-9M, depending on what budget source you use would have made a big difference. Even Eflin over Kluber, despite his injury, would have made us a stronger contender.

And you roasted Bloom for the Vaz deal- though mostly about how they handled telling him he was traded..

Most believe we don't know enough to throw blame on anyone but the top brass.

Yes, I did and I meant it and still do. It looks like JH does not think the same way, and I have seen improvement in several areas, including farm infusion and the promise or more steady farm infusion. I would not be upset, if they fired Bloom, this winter. I do not think they will. I wrongly assumed we'd spend right up to the line. I hoped we left room for deadline deals for pitching, but I was wrong.

I did not forget. I mentioned it.

Will he be the next Bear Claw?

OK. I was asking if you could go beyond "maybe," but you won't. That fine.

I brought up a relevant example of Bloom not always being on the dumpster side of trades. He also traded for Urias, this summer. Again, I wish he had traded for 2 SP'er and kept Houck in the pen, but he didn't.

You obviously believe what you want to believe. Yesterday, you presented two seemingly opposite quotes and said, "How can we ever know?" I agree, JH is not in on every deal, especially if it is minor one- perhaps like the Urias trade, but I do think they have met and set top priorities, like avoid trading top prospects for a rental. There probably was some talks about the general direction to take at this deadline. I suppose it is possible Bloom was told he could trade some prospects, if he liked the deals, but he chose not to. Again, until I know what those possible deals could have been, I find it hard to blame Bloom for not trading Mayer & Bello for Verlander, as an example. If I knew some deals were available, that I liked, then yes, I'd be all over Bloom.

My very first thought on the JBJ trade was WTF and "head scratcher," the term I used and got grief over. My first thought on not spending to the tax line and only adding one SP'er, last winter was WTF and why isn't the rotation a higher priority to Bloom. (This goes beyind farm vs 26 man roster, because Bloom had a lot of money to spend, and he spent it on kike, Mondesi, Braiser and Kluber, instead of better SP'er. That was my first thought and I expressed those thoughts over the winter and spring and through the season. There is a lot of things I disagree on with Bloom, but when people bash him for things I don't think is his fault, I will present the facts.

Well, you are wrong. My point is usually "I don't know who is making the call, so maybe it's not Bloom," but I don't see that as "defending." I'm pretty sure Bloom did not want to trade prospects for pitching, at the deadline, but the whole upper brass might have decided that the farm was a higher priority. Do you think this is possible? If yes, why is your first thought to blame Bloom?

Why ask me? I wanted us to add not one but 2 SP'ers at the deadline. I'm not defending the Sox on this, despite many thinking I defend everything they do.

Can you list your 11, and put them into 2-3 categories? Must keep Should keep Bubble keep

Huh?

If the "sacrifice" was a true sacrifice, meaning it gained something later- like maybe 2-3 wins, it might not be so stupid. Every team packs in some games. This one seemed like a weird choice, but with the open over-taxed, I think the plan was drawn up before the game started with fingers crossed on Sale and Bear Claw. All the extra pitches Sale had to pitch to get 4 outs in a couple innings might have tipped the plan a little, but needing Bear Claw to do well is never a good plan.

About a week ago, the playoff bound Astros left in a pitcher for 11 hits, 2BB and 10. It happens. BTW, who was that against?

Like Workman and Hembree for Pivetta?

I don't disagree, but there should not be a rule 5 issue, this winter. We currently have 45 guys on the 40, counting the 5 guys on the 60 day IL (Kluber, Mondesi, Mills, Kelly and Ort.) Assuming we don't bring back Paxton, Kluber, Mondesi, Duvall and Turner, we are not down to 40. Obvious DFA candidates are Ort Weiss Barraclough Llovera Garza Jacques That's 6 slots for FA signings and Rule 5 protectees. We could possible non tender, not take the option or trade: "Bubble List" Joely Mills DHam Walter EValdez Murphy Mata Kelly But I doubt we lose more than 1-2 from here.... Let's work with 7-8 slots: FA1: SP FA2: SP FA3: MI/CF depth and 4-5 Rule 5's: Wikelman- for sure Perales- for sure S Scott- I'd protect him Gambrell- I'd protect Drohan? Allan Castro? Who gets picked off? Paulino? Bonaci? Fernandez? Lugo? B Gonzalez? Angel Bastardo? Luis de la Rosa? J Salazar? Song? If you think any of these guys are better than on the "bubble list," then swap 'em out or trade a couple bubble guys, assuming someone wants them.

They could package Bear Claw and Llover and get an ace!

Bello has pitched very well in 3 of his last 4 starts, and I'm not trying to bring him down, but over his last 7 starts, including those 3 good starts, he's at... 4.46 with a 5.13 FIP. Can't complain about the team going 5-2 in those 7 starts. When Crawford is your ace, you are in trouble. It's sad to think that despite Crawford's 3.71 ERA since joining the rotation in early June, the team is 7-8 in his starts, including losing 3 of his last 5 starts.

No doubt. He is Freakin' Chris Sale and no longer Chris Freakin' Sale. He teased us with a 12 game stretch of 3.75 pitching (3.23 FIP,) but that's all it was- a big tease. His last 3 starts: 14 IP 5.79 ERA 4.06 FIP He'll have to go 4-1 to end the season to bring back some respect . I don't see that happening.

The schedule being tough is a double edge sword. Yes, we have to beat some good team, but facing the teams ahead of us gives us the opportunity to insure they lose while we win. Doing that is another thing, of course. We failed, last night, and we only have 8 more games vs HOU and TOR combined. (O vs SEA) 3 v TEX 3 v TOR 2 v HOU

We need one more team to do us that favor, as well.

I'm sure the game had a bad effect on everyone, including me, but it was one game. It was actually a good one, until Bear Claw's meltdown. It's not the first time a team has offered up a sacrificial lamb to save the pen for the next few games. If we lose these next two games, it will all be for not, and the hatch jobs will multiply exponentially. I had higher hopes for this team than most, but I still did not project 90+ wins. I'm happier with this team than I expected, because the players who are returning (Jansen, Martin, Urias, Reyes...) and who were big question marks (Casas, Duran, Bello, Crawford, Wink, Wong...) played well or better than I had hoped for. I think our farm looks better, now than in March, despite several graduations. I think the team is on the right path, but it sucks having to watch too many games like last night, knowing we were just 1-2 solid pitchers away from making this season more competitive than it has been. I'm not happy, but I have really enjoyed watching this team. Despite losing Bogey, JD and Nate, this year was more fun. I hate thinking we will likely lose Turner, but with Yoshida and casas looking more and more like DH's, going forward, I think it has to happen. I'm still holding onto a sliver of hope for 2023, but it's not looking good, at all.

Looking at our rotation, who is the "stopper?" Who can be? (When you figure we need about 4 stoppers, it looks bleak.)