moonslav59

What winning team adds just a Houck in a 5 year period? That's a huge aspect to overcome for any GM. One way to overcome it is to have budget space to fill the holes. Nope, that was used up, too. That's the second huge aspect we could not overcome. The injuries in 2022 were very significant, but other than Sale's injuries and ERod out for 2020, we were pretty healthy from 2019-2021. I was talking about the full 4 year period from 2019-2022, but it was 5 years from the devers to Bello call-ups.

Judge will kill your budget for 7+ years. Until and unless your budget grows, and I see no evidence it has been or will significantly, you are probably right. That is one reason I hope the bidding gets very high and you guys overpay him.

Good summary, jacko. Boone has to go, ASAP. I've thought Cashman should be fired for at least 2-3 years, so nothing changes there. The offseason starts with Judge, and who knows what will be left on the winter spending budget after him. You need to trade a top prospect for a solid pitcher. You need to build up the pen, again. You need to get away from all or nothing batters.

Again, you miss the point. I'm glad he made the trades. They worked. I didn't think he needed to make so many, but it worked. That doesn't mean Kopech, Margot, Moncada, Dubon, Espinal and a few others would not be helpful, now. That doesn't mean getting only Houck from the farm in 5 years didn't hurt us.

More from SP: Stephen Scott had yet another big week at the dish as well. The catcher made three starts and went 4 for 11 with a couple home runs, a walk, and four RBI. In nine games this fall, he is batting .400 with a 1.232 OPS. Among qualified hitters, he is leading the AFL in slugging percentage at .800. Wilyer Abreu turned in a strong week, going 4 for 14 with a double, three RBI, and a stolen base. Niko Kavadas added three hits in nine at-bats, including a double. The first baseman also walked for the 10th time this fall, raising his OBP to .546, which would be second in the league, but he doesn't quite qualify for league leaders. On the mound, Jacob Webb had a really nice week, tossing three innings without allowing a run. He gave up just three hits with one walk and three strikeouts. He also saved a game, his second save of the fall. Ryan Zeferjahn also had a decent outing, as he did not allow a hit over two innings. He did give up three runs, but just one of them was earned. He struck out three and walked a pair. Aaron Perry struggled mightily in his first appearance of last week, allowing six runs on seven hits while getting just one out. His next appearance went much better, tossing a shutout frame with two strikeouts. Triston Casas is having some issues with a knee injury, as he headed back to Boston to get it checked out after just three plate appearances this past week. He went 0 for 1 with a pair of walks. Victor Santos tossed a couple innings and allowed just one unearned run. The right-hander struck out three, giving him six punchouts so far this fall in four innings. Chase Shugart made his fall debut and struggled a bit, surrendering two earned runs in 1 1/3 frames. He had one strikeout and one walk. Enmanuel Valdez also made his fall debut and had a great week. He went 5 for 16 (.313) with a double, an RBI, and a couple runs scored.

I'm not sure there is a single poster who is totally upset with DD's reign in Boston. Maybe Kimmi was by the most. I'm very happy he was our GM. It was the perfect set-up for him. Personally, I think he went a little to far trading away so many prospects, but the end result paid off, bigtime. Liking what he did for us does not mean I have to ignore the consequences of his actions. Between Devers' arrival in 2017 and Bello in 2022, only Houck has given us any significant production from the farm. That is reality. It has also been a major factor in our lack of success from 2019-2022. The contracts he gave out helped us win 3 division titles and the amazing season of 2018, but many became a hinderance from 2019 to today, and with Sale, perhaps even longer. The farm he left us was not great, but he did not trade away the inherited Devers, and several of his lower level prospects additions are just now looking to make positive impacts (Casas, Bello and maybe Mata, Rafaela and Walter.) He may have a lasting positive affect on the team, eventually, but the 5 year stretch of just Houck and some bloated contracts will be hard to balance out, when we view his after affects in totality. To me, the after effects were worth it. Others, maybe no so much. Still others seem to want to minimize the effect he has on the 2019-2022 era.

6 straight ALCS by the Astros. 4 of 6 WS appearances by the Astros. They let Springer go. They let Cole go. They let Correa go. They let lessers but still productive or semi-productive Morton, Keuchel, Greinke and McHugh go, too.

He does, but he's also way better than Correa on O and now D.

I'm not for signing Judge. I'd consider Turner and Nimmo for 7 years, but not mega bucks for Nimmo. I'd only go 7 to bring down his AAV on him.

As I've always said, I'm fine going all in, when the window is open. I do think DD went a bit overboard, but the results negated the long term negative impact, IMO. The Phillies are in the WS. Already, it has been worth any sacrifices he made to the future. The bigger point is that he has not significantly hurt the farm by getting them there. The Castellenos deal may look bad, right now, but it was $100M/5 not $210M/7 like Price. Schwarber got $79M/4 not the $145M/5 Sale got. There is "large and long" and then there is larger and longer. He inherited some other bloated contracts, but he's getting production from all of them- Harper, Realmuto & Wheeler. Something DD was not getting from HRam and Pablo, when he took over BOS or what Bloom was getting from some of the big contracts he was handed.

I do believe Correa is significantly better than Bogey on D, even before you presented these facts, but he is not the same, on D, as he was a few years back and may get worse, despite the no shift rule change. His offense is inconsistent. His health is always a big concern. He's not the guy I go 7+ years on, even though he is younger than most stud FAs. The only FAs, I'd go 7+ on, this year, are T Turner and Judge. Nimmo, if the AAV is right.

True, but I'm trying to temper my enthusiasm.

The Ms were 17-21 before being swept by us in May, after going 3-3 vs NYM & TOR. Later, they were 26-31 (including 4 losses vs us) when we took 2 of 3 vs them in June. They had just won 4 straight series vs HOU, at BAL, at TX and at HOU. They were not a bad team, then.

Would Correa's deal make extending Devers almost impossible? I just don't see us going 8+ years on an up and down player with injury issues and a significant dip in D, this year- one of his high mark skills. OPS+ 155 in 2017 (109 gms) 99 in 2018 (110) 137 in 2019 (75) 93 in 2020 (58 out of 60) 131 in 2021 (148) 140 in 2022 (136) These last 2 years are his only back-to-back 110+ game seasons. DRS 10 11 9 7 20 3 in 2022 UZR/150 -3.8 -8.6 0.9 -2.2 3.1 1.9 -2.3 I'd pass on Carlos. I'd rather go 6 on Bogey at $160 max or $115/5 on Swanson.

No GM hits on all his big FA signings, and this wasn't a 7 year deal. I was pointing more towards not trading away over half the top prospects.

I'm hopeful for a 2024 ETA.

Maybe, he learned a valuable lesson.

Many times, yes, but some play4ers just have a knack for hitting out of the K zone pitches. It's rare, so chances are, he needs to adjust in a major way.

We are not adding 5-7 All Stars to fill our 5-7 high need areas. I think the idea is to try to improve at all or almost all of those 5-7 with maybe 1-2 being significant improvements.

SP: Scottsdale scored a bunch of runs this past week, and Sox prospects were a big part of it. Nick Yorke led the way by going 7 for 17 this past week, roping three doubles with three RBI. He also drew a couple walks and scored three times. In 66 plate appearances this fall, Yorke is batting .340 with a .911 OPS.

Exactly. It was Fred who influenced Ralph!

And the Mariners had a losing record vs the Sox, so what perspective does that show?

He seems to be able to hit almost anything, even if out of the K zone. He does need to refine his approach, but he has some encouraging hitting skills.

Kinda begs the question on why would they be complaining about the farm, if DD barely touched it?

Agreed. I think he'll have a higher BA, too.