moonslav59

You lost your closer, and I'm not even talking about Nasty.

Pretty much all but Sale are on Bloom, now. This is nearly a complete Bloom team. We may end up top 5 in spending, and that is why I see this season as being fully on Bloom. I don't see 2020-2022 in the same light. I don't expect others to see it the way I do, nor do I think I am right and they are wrong. I just see it the way I do and say what I feel. I'm optimistic about our future- something I haven't felt in a long time- even under DD. The farm looks as strong and deep as I've seen since Theo. We have some young players who recently graduated that look very promising. We have Devers forevers- something I have wanted for years. I like the Yoshida signing. I think we made some good deals getting Turner, Kluber, Jansen and Martin. I'm worried about Duvall's D and Mondesi's health. I'm worried about a lot more, but so are almost all teams. I like our chances, this year, and I like the extended future, even more. I know many fans disagree. Let the games begin!

I don't really see it as "defending Bloom," but I can see how it looks that way. The guy had an incredibly tight budget, year one. Even after freeing the Sox of Betts' contract and half of Price's he was handed about $20M but had over a dozen high need slots to fill. I think you'd agree 2020 was not a year we could have added a costly ace, nor did we have prospects to trade for one. 2021 saw some more money to be spent, I think like $40M, but again, we needed 8-10 slots filled. Had we signed an ace, we'd have very little to spend on the other slots. We needed more than one SP'er, but I'm fine with thinking it would have been better to sign one, instead of Richards ($10M) and Perez ($6M). Add Paxton's money, too. I'm not sure Bloom was allowed to match their AAV for more years, though, but if yes, I'd agree he had a hand in making a questionable choice. Even all 3's money plus Marwin and a couple other duds, don't get us who could we have signed, longer term? To me, I'm not even sure Bloom was handed a decent budget until the Story signing. It seemed like an afterthought or reactionary decision by JH. If he had that money, at the start of 2021-22's winter, who should he have signed? I'm just not seeing anything that jumps out as a big miss by Bloom or any GM. I've always wanted us to build the rotation from the top, but that doesn't mean just grab the best SP'er on the market each year. The thing about this winter is that Bloom had a big budget. If you count Kike's summer extension, he had enough to sign an ace, if he wanted. True, it might mean no Yoshida and others, but it was his choice. Again, though, I didn't see any ace I felt was worth large and long. A large and short might have been there, like Verlander, but at his age, I can see why he passed on him.

Last winter, I did not like the FA market and suggested shorter term deals for older guys like Verlander or Scherzer. This winter, I'd rather we signed Verlander at $43M x 2 than deGrom or Rodon, and I didn't like anyone else. I liked Castillo, but SEA gave up a lot, then extended him near FA market value. I don't mean to beat around the bush, but I just haven't seen anyone, recently, where I said, yes, that was a good deal. BTW, I thought the Price deal was an overpay, but I expected much better from him than I do from Rodon or deGrom. In earlier years, there was Bauer (OMG!), Cole (OK) and Starsburg (Ugh.) In hindsight there isn't much better. I'm not pissed we haven't added an ace, because I haven't seen a deal even close to my liking.

But, what do I know? I thought Price was one of "those guys" you go all in on. (I also liked Scherzer, the year before.) I liked the Sale extension.

To me, yes. He's had 2 good seasons in his whole career (age 28 & 29) and totaled 310 IP in those two seasons. From 2016-2020 never under 4.04. From 2017-2020 never over 121 IP and a combined 97 ERA+. 2017-2019 averaged 82 IP. Yes, too risky for me.

Yes, that's what I meant by "what money?" (Instead of who?) Note: No way would I have chosen Rodon to pay large and long.

Try something. This is likely his last gasp.

I think 12 is fine (4 -three game series.)

With what money or prospects traded?

Would it matter much, if Sale missed all 2023? I'd say no. He's basically the only guy on the 26 that was not really Bloom's choice. When you look at the 40 man roster by seniority. Sale is #1 and Devers is #2. While Devers is technically not "Bloom's choice," until the extension kicks in, this is now formly Bloom's team. No excuses. If a bunch of old or injury-prone players get hurt, that's on Bloom for signing or keeping them around. I do see a slim chance Bloom sticks around, if we suck, but it would be a complex and convoluted position to present. I'll say it again, this is Bloom's flashpoint season and will be his legacy winter.

I could be wrong, but I thought they said they were planning on spending more. Keeping Lopez would not have cost much, anyway.

Bad for TV money. Bad for fans that love rivalry games. Good for the Sox chances in 2023.

How can a team like the O's not go all in on someone like Wacha? I'd be really pissed as an O's fan. These guys have scrimped and saved for years and finally have a solid group of young players and they traded away Lopez and did next to nothing this winter.

True, but I think McElveny has more upside.

I think it was an option. He did get a procedure, and his elbow was already causing decreased velocity on his throws at SS in 2021. I do agree, that he was slated to be our SS, but that might have changed with this latest issue.

On paper, before the season began: 1. 2021 2. 2023 3. 2022 4. 2020

I think the improved defense at catcher and the fact that Plawecki brought down the team catcher OPS to .694 makes the 2022 and 2023 catching tandem equal, but I'm fine with rating it as a slight drop off. While I agree Kike > Duvall, Kike missed a lot of 2022 and hit poorly, last year. His 2022 back-ups did piss poorly. I think we have better offense from CF than we did in '22 but worse D- call it a push. I'm hopeful our SP'ers can do better than 2022: 45-51 4.49 (1.352 WHIP and .763 OPSA) I'm fine with anyone saying the 2023 rotation looks worse, on paper. Maybe Mata, Walter and Murphy outshine Seabold, Wink and Crawford, but if the don't, maybe the second years from Wink and Crawford will be better.

I don't think anyone is "worrying" about the schedule. Some things have changed that appear to aid several teams over others. Not much talk has been directed at the loss of the shift and how that might affect teams that were helped or hurt the most by it, in the past. Clearly, some teams got better, on paper, while others stayed about the same of got worse. This will likely matter more than schedules or shifts, but then again, sometimes teams just go in the gutter for a season or play over their heads. It's hard to get a feel for this team as we are so different from last year's opening day roster. Red= not here anymore Blue= change of position 2022 Nate Pivetta Houck Wacha Hill Whitlock Strahm Barnes Diekman Robles Brasier Davis Sawamura Crawford (#27) Valdez (#28) Vazquez Plawecki Dalbec AAA? Story IL Devers Bogey Verdugo Kike JBJ JD Shaw Arauz Arroyo

Here I thought I was obsessed. LOL!

Probably the catcher is the only one in this group with a chance to see the bigs.

I'm dying to see this team on the field. It looks like a healthy mix of knowledgeable vets and promising youngsters. I think we are better than many realize, but maybe I'm just being a homer. I do have OCD tendencies. Living away from New England the last 18 years has taken away those Red Sox discussions I used to have almost everyday with various friends and family members. This site offers and outlet for my OCD and fills the void of conversations missed. I appreciate your comments and contributions to this site and thread. Let the games begin!

Write up on prospects #56-60 on soxprospects.com: http://news.soxprospects.com/2023/02/2023-countdown-to-spring-training-60-56.html

The Sox were 52-34 outside the division, last year. Playing 24 more games outside the division looks pretty good, to me. Nobody had a worse record vs the AL East than the Sox. Playing 24 less games against them, looks pretty good, to me. Nothing is guaranteed. We are not the same team- nor will be our opps, but in theory, we should be helped out more than all the others. We still have to play the games- one-by-one. I guess others don't see it that way. I think we are better at more positions than we are worse at. I guess others don't see it that way. I'm hopeful the injury bug doesn't hit us as hard as 2022. Maybe others think we are doomed to have every question answered in the negative, or at least enough of them to keep us in the cellar. We'll see. ST'ing games begin, soon. I can't wait!

So would a lot of other rule changes.