moonslav59

I really think we are striving to get our organization to be like theirs. They tanked to give themselves a boost, but it takes time to set it all up. I thought out farm was getting close to "that point," and maybe it still is. Without serious and positive infusion of youth coming in, yearly, it's hard to win with that model. Think of all the players who have left the Astros in the last 4-5 years. Some were clearly past prime, and some were not "homegrown," but had the not had anyone coming up through the system or some freed up budget space to fill other needs, they'd be crying like Sox fans are, now. Verlander- this year's Cy Young winner and not a tear shed Springer Correa Cole Keuchel Morton Greinke (Lessers: Odorizzi, Giles, McHugh, Musgrove, Beltran, MCCann, Brantley, Osuna...)

Yup, but I could care less if people hate JH: just win rings, baby! (as in more to come)

I'll be pissed, but if this strategy brings us wins and more sustained winning, season-by-season, I'll be fine. I still want Devers Forevers, and I've said I think JH will spend large and long when the timing is right. I'm not sure he views this current roster as being 1-2 big players away from the top, so maybe it's not Devers Forevers time on JH's ROLEX watch.

Jacko doesn't even think it's odds on Yoshida outhits Duran+ Pham+ Cordero + JBJ.

Yes, I heard you and many others say exactly that.

I didn't say upgrade. Maybe via trade. maybe $6M and a little less elsewhere. 12+12+12+6 might still keep us under.

Maybe 3-4, but I agree. SS $12M SP $12M RF $12M C $4M

They are still spending- just not on glitzy names. Glitzy name signings do not have a great track record. Bell, don't fall for this.

I believe, with some, they just said: "We need a closer," or "We need to fix the pen." Sure, they probably felt more was needed last March, but that was a very common refrain.

$6M/ 1 year was something the Sox might have afforded, but I'm fine, if they spend it elsewhere and well.

I get the frustration and even the anger, but I waited over 30 years for a ring. One ring gives JH a lifetime pass, IMO. Four has to be at least 4 get of jail free cards. Maybe some feel he's used them up: departments of Theo, Tito, Lester, Betts, and Bogey is five, but I don't count Betts. IMO, there is a long way to go for me to be on the "Go Away Henry Bandwagon."

You guys got your closer. You said that was what we needed.

I know Henry will continue to spend in the top 6-8. I know when we get close to being highly competitive, JH has taken steps to get us over the top. 4 rings in 20 years vs zero in the 30 years I followed the team before JH. We lost Lowe and Damon and won. We lost Pedro and won. We lost AGon & Beckett and won We lost Lester and won. Some of these were not "homegrown," but we have lost what many of us felt were essential and or well liked players and kept winning. I'm not seeing why I should expect that to change. The next owner may not do what it takes. I'm pretty sure JH will, despite his major faults.

Or, seagull

Not much, if not net negatives, so far: TOR + Bassitt, Swanson & Kiermaier - T. Hernandez, Stripling & Phelps TBR + Eflin - Kluber, Zunini, Kiermaier NYY + Kahnle - Taillon, Chapman, Britton, Gallo, M Castro So far...

My kind of trade! One decent player/prospect and 5 scrubs to clear up roster space for promotions up the line.

I thought we were looking to add a catcher. Is Contreras bad with pitchers or on D.

Good one!

The Braves gave up 6 players/prospects! People laugh at my 4 for 2 deals.

The known is almost always the safer option.

We've spent about half of the winter spending budget, but it's not looking great.

It was a stunning contract- almost rivaling Seager's. Make you think we should have signed 6 good guys, last winter.

Not only do I think it is realistic to expect better from Kike, Story, Devers, Dugo, Barnes and others like more PAs from Casas and more IP from Bello, I think the odds are better than 50-50 on all of them. Of course, not all will do better, but as a group, I expect them to improve. I realize guys like McGuire could go back to hitting .580, and Casas & Bello may experience some growing pains, but we also have a chance one of the many younger players we have that are ML or near ML ready may bounce upwards by way more than we expected. We've seen it on other teams for far too long. Maybe it's our turn, and I'm not saying that as a luck thing: we have some very talented young guys that may pull a Whitlock or something. Mata, Kelly, German, Walter, E Valdez, and of course Bello & Casas. Even one unimpressive guy like Crawford, Wink or Seabold could step it up a hefty notch. Barnes & Taylor? Maybe one excels to past levels. There are so many options for improvement, and we don't need them all to improve to see a step up from the team carried over from 2022. Add $80M or so in new additions, and there is reason to be optimistic, although I don't expect to see it here.

Well said. On the Bogey-Story comp, yes they were close to even 2 years ago, but the double pay for Bogey came just one year after Story's contract. Now, the Story signing looks much better, right.

MLB innings only, yes. Bello: 57 MLB + 96 minors= 153 Winckowski: 70+62=132 Crawford: 77+25=112 Seabold: 18+87=105 Minors Only: 152 Murphy (pretty far down on the depth chart) 145 Santos (way down the depth chart) 83 Mata (might work his way up to 7th or 8th on the chart)