moonslav59

Exactly. JH was NOT on board with continued high spending. If DD could not convince JH to spend for Kelly's return, let alone Kimbrel's, it was over and done with after 2018's season was over.

Yes. (Tigers not Cubs, but yes.) I have not heard his name, but I think DET might listen on an offer for their one year 2Bman.

Agreed, but if we end up platooning Mayer with Romy, having Mayer at 2B works better. I don't like this idea: 3B Platoon: Mayer & Eaton 2B Platoon: DHam & Romy This looks way better: 3B: Paredes (or even Vientos) 2B: Mayer & Romy platoon

Read this on MLBTR about the Skankees... Weathers should fortify the rotation with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt all opening the season on the injured list.

Thank God for that QO!!!!

I was for moving Devers to 1B many years ago. I guess you can say I lived with it, but I'd have moved him day one (okay, after some practice), if I was the manager/GM. Contreras will probably be in BOS for 3 years, since his 2028 option has a $5M buyout, so 1B look out for a Suarez move. I suppose Suarez can DH year 3, as Yoshida is out by then, but that's 2 years od bad and further declining D at 3B. It's not ideal, but we need the bat, and I think the left-side infield defense will be way better, so maybe we cancel out the bad 3B defense. Paredes is my first choice.

Aren't we all tired of banking on a comeback? Richards Kluber Paxton Wacha & Hill (did okay) Giolito (did fine year 2) Hendriks Sandoval (TBD) Buehler

This sounds like a joke. I know he fits the age criteria, as the Sox have extended players near that age for many years, but I just can't see it happening. I also do not think Bichette fill the power void we have. I've also learned that decent to okay defensive SSs may not be decent on defense at 2B. Please pass on Bichette. Go for Paredes and maybe a #2 SP. Bichette might get $230/8 or more. I'm not a fan of Framber after his 2025 antics, but he might go for $160M/5. I'd rather have Ranger Suarez at $125M/5 or so. I'd rather have E Suarez at $50M/2 or $70M/3. Hell, both Suarezes cost less than Bichette. I don't think adding Gallen (Cost too much for me) or Gio ($35M/2?)would help, unless one allows us to trade Crawford, Sandoval or Harrison with others for a big add at 3B or 2B. Don't be surprised if we sign Realmuto ($32M/2) and Nick Martinez. ($28M/2) which is about the same AAV as our Bregman offer.

That's how I see it. They may have been fine had he declined the QO. BTV has his value very close to his pay, and I agree on that. I think DET might consider a trade for him- just maybe or likely not the one I suggested. While DHam and Wong are not close to being as good as Torres and their catcher, it was 3 years for 1 on each. Adding Harrison might be something DET really likes, but maybe not.

One added issue, now, is that precious little is left over on the market that fill the specific high needs we have. If we miss out on Suarez, I'm not sure signing 4 good RP'ers does the trick. I doubt we sign a #2 SP (Ra Suarez or Framber are the only two that fit that bill, to me- not Gallen.) Trades are possible, and we do have some logjams, but adding Bregman costs us no players or prospects lost.

Agreed, but I'm not sure we were dishonest or deceitful with Breggie. I think he loved it in BOS and probably wanted to return, maybe even at a little less money.

You do know you used the banned "C" word, right?

That's exactly how I see it and felt the same way at the time. I seriously doubt DD would have wanted to be here after being forced to trade Betts and watch big contract after contract come off the ledger with no to little money going back into the winter spending budgets.

Agreed, and it's also nice to have an emergency Catcher on the 26 man roster, too. Our D still needs addressing, especially at 3B.

I thought Max wrote an excellent post. I'm not asking anyone to give Brez a pat on the back. Max mentioned how the pitching carried us in many ways, and I fully agree. I felt it should be pointed out that Brez and maybe Bailey are one reason the staff did much better. If there is one area Brez can be "patted on the back," I would say it would be how quickly and how well he has rebuild the pitching system from nearly top to bottom. He's only been here 2+ years. He's made mistakes, for sure, with pitchers, including his two biggest moves: trading Sale and signing Buehler to the highest AAV for a SP'er since the Sale extension and the Price FA signing. The Priester deal looks bad in the short term, as well, but otherwise, we've seen some major gains on the staff as well is down on the farm. The Crochet trade and extensions top all pitching moves made since maybe the Sale trade and Price signing. The Gio signing from 2024 ended up paying off to a significant extent in 2025. I felt we needed much more than Chapman and Wilson added to the pen, last winter, but Brez proved me and many others wrong on that front, too. The Chapman extension looks like a good idea, for now. Dugo for Fitts & Weissert looks like a steal. The Slaten trade, too. Smaller moves like Criswell, Matz & Booser maybe cancel out the DMays and I Campbells. On the farm, 8 of our top 11 prospects are pitchers, and in two short years, Brez is accountable for adding 6 of those 8! I know they are just "suspects" to you, but all great players were once prospects. Having more highly regarded pitching prospects is a good thing- not a bad thing. 1. Tolle (drafted 2nd rd.) 4. Witherspoon (drafted 1st rd.) 6. Bennett (traded for Perales) 9. Sandlin (traded for Schreiber) 10. Phillips (CB draft pick) 11. Eyanson (drafted 3rd rd.) I'm also very high on #16 Holobetz (part of Priester trade) Brandon Clarke was a Brez draftee and was a big piece in the Sonny Gray trade. Fajardo was acquired in a trade for Booser and was needed in the trade for Contreras. Travieso was a Brez INT'L signing and helped get us Oviedo. None of those three are "suspects." Brez might deserve some kicks in the butt, but he also deserves a few back pats from time-to-time, despite being our "12th pick" for GM. 😜

To me, the mindset changed before 2019. They clearly chose to extend Sale & Nate, but were looking to trade Betts mid season '19. Not only did they let Kimbrel & Kelly walk, they did nothing to replace them, even with cheap arms. (They did bring back Pearce, too.) It all started before DD left, and IMO, that was a part of why he left. This may not fit the narrative that DD was able to convince JH to spend, and that he alone could have kept the ball rolling, but there is ample evidence the change began after we won in 2018, not after 2019.

It was a QO, right? Hey, the team was thinking of trading Skubal, so I doubt it's about keeping 1 year players.

Contreras looked okay at 1B. He's way better than Casas, on D. 2025 DRS at 1B: -2 Contreras -9 Red Sox We got better at 1B and likely WAY WORSE at 3B. If Mayer/Romy play 2B they should be better than the -9 DRS the Sox had at 2B in 2025 (mostly due to Campbell's awful D.)

Bichette also does not give us the power we need, but he's close to Bregman in that area. To me, the best option is a 3Bman, and Paredes jumps out as a player about to bust out while stuck on a team with 5 infielders and a guy they want to DH FT (Alvarez.) After watching Altuve in the OF, he is not being slotted there, this season. Paredes is worth more than the $12M BTV gives him, but he won't cost us a top 3 or 4 prospect. (No Tolle- No Early- probably no Weatherspoon.) Get it done, Brez! I won't be happy with Vientos, but he won't cost much in return and offers some hope at filling the power void. 2B is an option, too, but 3B works better, as Mayer and Romy can platoon 2B better than 3B.

I will say to Max: while saying the pitching was a big part of our nice season, who put the staff together, including the depth to handle Houck sucking plus about 5 SP'ers going on the IL for all or most of the season?

Yep. Max is not alone.

Now, the day we signed Pablito and HRam, that had a different feel, but I still had the thought that we spent a ton and got a couple nice bats.

I'm thrilled! Seriously. I am!

Indeed. It almost seemed unfair.

Exactly- typical and no different than many others.