moonslav59

Adding Hosmer for free, McGuire (2 years remaining), Pham (an option for '23) plus 2 rising prospects for Vaz and DFA worthy Diekman seems like it really helped our longer term outlook without really hurting the 2022 club, overall.. Minus at C Plus at 1B Plus in OF Plus farm Plus budget in '22 and beyond.

They should concentrate on converting Dalbec to a hitter.

Year one, there was no "reasonable cost." He had to slash the payroll, bigtime (Betts/Price) just to have enough to sign Martin Perez & Co. Year two, he had a bit more, but he had so many open slots on the 40 man roster, he had to go cheap or 2nd/3rd tier. He did get some "half-decent" players from the deadline on 2020 to the deadline of 2021: Pivetta Whitlock Kike Renfroe Ottavino Schwarber, Iggy, Shaw I, Robles I & Davis and others. (He missed on quite a few, too.) This past off-season was his first real chance at spending, and i has not looked good, at all. The JBJ money added was the big head-scratcher, to me. The Story signing had me wondering, too, but Story may still pan out. The Paxton deal exposes Bloom's eye to 2023 and beyond than 2022. Wacha, Hill, Diekman and Strahm, combined, probably earned their keep, but very little more, thanks to injuries and Diekman's implosions. The Refsnyder and Schreiber deals look like his best ones, and they were the most under-the-radar moves of these listed. This next winter will be the telling moment in Bloom's career and may set the tone for the Sox direction for the next 3-5 years.

Bloom knew all along, he had an ace in his pocket: Refsnyder. What are you guys complaining about? LOL!

Me, neither. My guess is, we get neither.

Bloom finally added the RH'd bat, but forgot we need CF/RF not LF.

If Bloom had signed all these guys, then I could understand the need for some to blame him, but he is responsible for signing Paxton (more for 2023 and beyond: hint, hint), Wacha and Hill.

Yes, Ben 2. DD 3 Bloom 3+ or 4+ or more, if you count 2020 or not.

Let's keep it "realistic."

I'm not against trading away players or prospects, assuming we get equal or greater value in return at a position of higher need. I do see some positions with duplicated values, even if some of those values saw a tumble in 2022. I one way, it makes sense to keep as many as possible, in hopes one rises to the top, but too many crowds the roster and creates a situation where a manager has to trial and error until he finds one, if he ever does. 1B: Casas, Hosmer, Dalbec C: McGuire, Wong, RHern (Cottam) LF: Dugo, Pham, Duran I'd be fine trading 1 or 2 from each group, although some would bring back very little. Make the choice early and live with it. Choose to upgrade not to add quantity. Bloom's early task and strategy was to add quantity: this winter is the time to focus on adding quality over quantity.

I think when Casas is ready, he's going to be on the 26- maybe even this year. I think a free Hosmer will remain on the 26 for much longer than some expect. Of course, if he slumps, that changes. He was literally, the poster boy for up-and-down seasons over his first 8 years in the bigs: odd-good/ even-bad or so-so. Since then, he has a .743 OPS (2019-2022.) While that is not what we hope to expect from 1B, it's not awful, either. (162 avg was about: .270 20 90 w 50 XBHs.) I can see both being on the roster for a while. I don't like the idea of Hosmer at DH, but I get the feeling we will have to go "light" somewhere in the line-up, and DH might be the best choice, in terms of flexibility and the ability to easily fill via mid-season trade, if needed. We may choose the catching position (McGuire/Wong/RHern), 1B (Casas/Hosmer/Dalbec) or 2B (Arroyo/Downs) to go light, but I think 1B/DH will be Bloom's choice. I think we add, at minimum, a Catcher, 2B/SS, CF, RF and Pitching.

He could have said, "hit in the dinger," too.

I'll be glad when Plawecki is gone. I was hoping it would be before the end on 2022. Let's see what McGuire, Wong and RHern can do!

...under Henry...

Very true. He could also easily begin a slow, then more quick decline. Who knows? I hope we can keep Devers & Bogey, but if Henry keeps restricting budgets over the next few year, not having quality players supporting these two, it won't do any of any good.

It was a good point. One funny thing about all our GMs, is about which one took the longest amount of time to win a ring.

Yes, and during a 60 game season, at that. My point was about the differing checkbooks each was handed in their first 3 years.

Would Friedman be Freidman if told to cut massive salary year one? Would Bloom be Bloom had he been hired to be the Dodger GM and been given a blank checkbook? I'd say, "Hard to know."

The edit function only works sporadically.

So, you have your answer why they traded Vaz.

That is more than balanced by the fact it pissed you off.

We just know OG is not his natural position. DH is where he fields best.

Casas is likely a better fielder at 1B than Hosmer. If they both are in the line-up, I think Casas is at 1B and Hosmer DH.

Well, I've heard we are NOT trading Casas. (I agree. I don't think the A's are looking to trade prospects, unless they like the prospects they gat back more. I think most teams would love to get Bello. I'd make him more untouchable than Casas.

Indeed- Paxton, too.