moonslav59

The Astros did pay large and long for Altuve, but $163M/7 is less of a tax hit than Sale or Story and is about what we paid JD per year. The Bregman extension ate some arb years, I think, so it's hard to judge $100M/5). They have short deals like Verlander and many mid range deals. I think they are the model we are striving towards, not LAD. Henry will not spend like them.

What surprises me is that it's the old school posters cheering most loudly to bring him back at whatever it might take to keep him, or for more than the metric guys seem to want to fork over.

I'm fine with trading Ref & Schreib, if we can get something good. I was hasty placing them on my firm keeper list, but I fell better about them, next year than many others on the 26, right now.

I wasn't joking. The joke is holding onto 2 month players and getting nothing. Anything is better than nothing. Bloom just needs to hit on a few of the deals he makes.

A far away prospect or two that maybe does not need to be on the 40, next year. Hell, we got Pivetta and Seabold for Workman and Hembree, so I'm holding out hope, Bloom can make 2-3 of his 9-11 deals work out.

My point was the fanbase was hurt on every loss listed, except Manny. I wasn't trying to claim the choices were wrong, in fact I think almost all were the right calls, considering all the factors involved. We'll get over losing Bogey. I already have.

Well, if the rebuild is a 5 year plan (2020-2024), then Dugo will be gone by the time Duran can play another OF position, so keep em both still makes little sense.

Based on Cora is the manager and refuses to play Dugo anywhere but LF.

$16 is Price. We may be able to save $6M on DH going from JD to _____. The rest just needs to be replaced with equal dollars, minus arb raises. We lose 9 contracts- some won 't be missed. Some were good players who were hurt or underperformed, this year. Lux Tax $$$M 22 JD 20 Bogey 17 Eovaldi 7 Kike 7 Vaz 7 Wacha 5 Hill 3 Strahm 2 Plawecki Let JBJ go, and that's another $12M. Maybe find a way to dump some of Diekman(4) and Barnes (9)deals. There should be some ways to rebuild stronger than we are now, but Bloom needs to be at his best.

Wouldn't that be selling low? Or, are you expecting further stock decline?

If Henry keeps going on spending reductions every few years, can any GM build a strong enough supporting team, when you factor in 4 large and long deals: Devers, Bogey, Sale & Story, especially if Sale never gives us anything and Story underperforms to a significant degree? (I'm not saying the answer is no, but it's an extremely hard thing to do.)

At least with Lackey, they built in a contractual clause designed for an expected lost year to injury.

The Yanks did a piece-meal rebuild themselves, yet he denies it works.

They will trade JD & Nate, so...

No doubt. I said it wasn't all about one play. Plus, we have 2 LF only OF'ers, and that hurts the team, if one plays somewhere else or wastes a bench slot. One should be gone by next year.

They are run by a Tampa Bay dude, too. They have quietly pulled tqo within 2 games of the mighty Yanks. They haven't had a high pick in a long time. They traded Josh Fields for Yordan Alvarez. Framber Valdez was signed as an amateur FA- kinda like we hoped Bloom would do. I could go on. The two guys they locked up longer term, Altuve & Bregman have not done great after signing, yet here they are.

No fan is a bigger cheerleader for bringing Devers back than me, but if they create a longer, more consistent method of building a winner without mega deals, and it works, I won't complain. It does seem like a more sustainable plan, but yes, Henry should not keep jumping ship on methods, although it has always ended up turning into a ring.

Our farm has improved greatly, in part because several DD additions have risen farther than many of us expected, but nobody is saying the farm is where we think it needs to be, right now. Most of us know building a farm is not easy and takes time- usually a lot of time to do it right. We are not at the point where we can expect 2-3 significant farm additions every season. One expected to reach the bigs, this year (Casas) got hurt right at the wrong time. Blowing up the farm to make a run for it this year seems to still be a pipe dream for a poster or two, but I think the rest of us realize a strong and deep farm is needed to sustain winning year after year. Even the Dodgers, who outspend everyone, always has a strong farm. Look at the Astros- same thing with the fram, not so much on big spending. I'm not going to blame injuries. Other teams were hurt more than us, when we were winning, so maybe we were just due, but the fact is, half our team are AAA players filling in for injured players over this recent horrific stretch. Couple that with playing top competition was just too much for this team. It seems blaming someone is the way of the land, so it's not unexpected to see the blame game is full force, these days. I guess, if it helps people deal with the frustration and move on, then that's the way it goes. I don't blame Henry for easing up on spending from time to time. Overall, he keeps our budget top 5 or 6, every year. Does he make mistakes in hirings? Maybe, but each GM hire has led to a ring, not counting Bloom, who is still here and trying to get us there. I don't blame Bloom, because I look at the context of the team/farm and budget limits he was handed. Has he made mistakes? Certainly. All GMs do. Has he done what his main priority had to have been: to build up the farm and roster depth to a point where we can compete? I'd say yes, despite this recent blip and the 10 & 20 start to the season. I'm fine with others disagreeing, and they have some strong points. I might oversimplify his time here as overachieving in '21 and underachieving in '22 while working a budget that includes $29M for Sale and $16M for Price, not to mention significant rbi drop offs by $22M JD and $20M Bogey and a decline from $17M Eovaldi. $24M Story is on him, but let's not pretend he built this budget or set his own limits. I don't blame Cora, because I think he knows his s*** and has shown an ability to get the most out of some mediocre rosters. He was king in 2018, but he's had challenges, since then. I think he was a big part of the rise in 2021, but he makes mistakes, too. This year's roster looked pretty close to '21's, and somehow we have fallen flat and lost our fundamentals. That is traditionally a manager's "blame area," so I don't think it's unfair to be critical of him, this year. I just don't "blame him." I don't like singling out individual players on any team I root for. Of course, I get upset when a few fail, too often, or play like dopes, but it seems like a confluence of bad seasons has come upon us. Too many players have not lived up to expectations, all at once. I'm not going to name names, but certainly we can all point to a few guys as having let the team down, this year. I guess, if I have to blame, I'd spread it around nearly evenly.

Greedy bastards. We shoulda had 5-6 rings, not 4. Fire Henry!!! Ok, ok, I'm really going to bed, now.

Lowe Pedro Damon Manny Ellsbury Lester Betts It's amazing how the Sox lost every single fan after these guys walked but were able to rebuild a new fanbase, everytime. Too bad Bogey we can't do it after Bogey walks.

Ok, I misread your implication. BTW, it's not the first or only time Henry put the brakes on spending- sometimes for 2-3 year spurts.

One listen to "Why Can't We Be Friends," and you'll be a convert.

I think I've done enough damage for the night. Time for bed. I'll make way for the Stork and other trolls, who love to prey on miserable fans.

I do have some Snickers.