moonslav59

They may have already been decided. (Devers may be on hold for longer.) We, as in us fans, don't "need to know." We'll find out, eventually. More and more, I think we will re-set in 2023. If my calculations ar correct- concerning arbs and the Paxton/Pham options, we should have about $55-65M to spend in AAV. We can argue all day about what priority is #1, but I think we all agree we need, at bare minimum... 2 solid pitchers (RP or SP depends on where Houck and Whitlock are slotted and their health) SS RF/DH IMO, we need 3-4 pitchers, a SS and a FT RF'er (5-6 key additions) If we settle on 5 players and $60M, that's $12M per player. For every guy we sign for more, another guy or two gets less. I do hope we make a trade for one key slot, so we'll have $60M to spend on 4 slots- not 5, but if the longer term plan is still the number one priority, I doubt it happens, unless the guy we trade for has 4+ years of team control (maybe 3, if a great one.) I'd love to have a lock-down closer as much as anyone, but I'd also love to have a great SS, and cae and a decent RF'er to go with the pen upgrade.

Our pen was actually pretty good for the brief time Houck and Whitlock were in the pen, without one being a piggybacker. The sample size is too small to know anything, for sure, and I certainly share your concerns about naming one the closer for 2023. I do think their career sample sizes are big enough to have a lot of hope that one can be a big plus in the closer or relief ace role. (Most great closers were once not closers.) Career OPS Against .591 in 595 PAs Against Houck (.570 as RP'er) .635 in 609 PAs Against Whitlock (.603 as RPer) _____________________ .529 Kimbrel .544 Jansen .588 Uehara .592 Papelbon .598 Diaz .653 Foulke We will have to skimp somewhere, if we go heavy on a closer. IMO, getting 2-3 solid set-up men for the price of one great closer is a better route to take. It does not mean I de-value the pen more than others. I also see a high need at SS and maybe RF. Those guys play everyday, and their defense, alone may matter as much as one RP'er who pitches 55-65 innings.

I'm not aware of any top closer on the trade market, so for argument's sake, let's say we sign Diaz for maybe $20M per year. If our budget is $60M, how do we sign Bogey, a RF'er and 2 SP'ers? Plus, we need more than a closer in the pen. Let's go with Houck and Whitlock as SP'ers with Bello taking the 5 slot, then we'd need a SS, RF'er and at least 2 more solid pen arms as set-ups for Diaz. How do we do that with $40M. $25-28M might go for Bogey, alone. (Maybe $20M for Swanson or TAnderson- both steps down.) That would leave $12-20M for RF, RP, RP and maybe some depth. We'd be looking at 2 Diekmans and an OF'er like Pham. I'm not against building the pen up, but great closers cost a lot. I'd rather add 2-3 solid pen arms, and I don't mean spending $3-4M like Strahm and Diekman or Andriese, last year. Maybe we get lucky and find the next Uehara- who was not a "closer" when we got him.

Enjoy the brief moment of elation.

Did you pick them as your sleeper after going 1-0?

OPS Against .505 Kelly .570 Schreiber .584 Sale .589 Valdez .594 Feliz .608 Houck .639 Whitlock .646 Strahm .664 Sawamura .670 Wacha .676 Barnes .721 Danish .743 Davis .744 Diekman .760 Hill .765 Bazardo .774 Nate .776 Bello .794 Crawford .803 Brasier .812 Familia .831 Robles .844 Wink .852 Ort 1.194 Seabold 1.376 DHern 1.539 German

We have 15 players with an OPS at .697 or better. (10 with over 172 PAs) .927 McGuire .894 Refsnyder .878 Devers .839 Bogey .801 Almonte .789 Casas .782 Davis .774 JD .759 Vaz .737 Story .736 Dugo .735 Arroyo .733 Chang .727 Pham .697 Cordero .648 Kike .638 Wong .636 Dalbec .578 JBJ

He's up to .179, but with the 14 BBs, his OBP is a decent .343. It's interesting to see our OBP leaders, so far... (Note: some tiny sample sizes.) .407 Ja Davis .400 Chang .398 McGuire .389 Almonte .387 Refsnyder .380 Bogey .355 Devers .343 Casas .341 JD .331 Verdugo .321 Arroyo .321 Pham .311 Hosmer .303 Story .300 Cordero .295 Wong .294 Kike .287 Plawecki .283 Duran .280 Dalbec .257 Sanchez .214 Downs .000 Shaw & Arauz

I am not trying to claim having the 8th best AL record negates the losing record. I do think it would be a small accomplishment. If you don't, fine.

Sox are 2 behind MN and 3 behind CWS for the 8th best record in the AL. 8th means: 7 teams worse/ 7 teams better. 8 games to go. Something to play for!!! (LOL)

On base, tonight: 4 Pham 3 Devers 1 Bogey 2 Verdugo 3 JD 4 Casas 2 Ref 1 Kike 2 Wong 11 Hits 8 BBs 3 HBP 1 SF 24 outs, counting SF

Casas up to .789. Looking pretty good!

No joke®?

Berrios looked real good, again, tonight.

He's got a lil Kimbrel in him.

You owe me your house.

Barnes will shut them down.

8 walks to zero. That's the difference. (3 HBP: 2 Sox hitters and 1 O's.)

The mansion with the cement pond!

Is 20 going to be enough to win tonight?

Are you watching the game?

Bogey has to make teams pay for walking Devers to face him. It's that simple.

I mentioned our needs shift, if Houck or Whitlock is made into a SP'er. If they both stay in the pen, as I pointed out as part of my suggested plan, we'd need 2 SP, 2 RP, SS, RF. If one goes to the rotation, then it becomes a simple adjustment: 1 SP, 3 RP, SS, RF. Again, one of those "solid RP'ers" could be a closer, but if we can get two much better set-up men by not spending big on one closer and much less on teh 2nd RP'er, I'd have to weigh the choices. Either way is fine with me. We disagree on our belief that Houck or Whitlock can be a plus closer, but we bot agree we need one defined and in place for 2023.

I didn't miss anything. Adding two solid RP'ers is NOT "pretty much the same." It's two more than we had this year. (Two out of the six slots I think are our highest priority.) One could be a closer, but I would be fine with 2 solid set-up men and using Whitlock and Houck as Relief aces or choosing one to be the traditional closer. That makes Schreiber the 5th best RP'er in the pen and maybe Barnes as the 6th best. I'm also counting on better health from Houck & Whitlock and defined roles, but I did not think I has to mention that.

I hope Brainer Bonaci makes the bigs, someday.