moonslav59

If our top 4 remain near this, anything Crochet gives us near average will keep us way above everyone else. Move Bello to the pen, and pray for no more SP'er injuries.

None. I had quit for a week or month a few times over the years. I had scaled back for a while, so it wasn't cold turkey. I never felt any physical symptoms every time I quit. It was more mental and yearning. It had become a daily routine, and routines are usually tough to break free from. I don't really miss it, but when I spell someone smoking some primo, I do feel like a wanna toke. When I go back to Maine every summer, I usually partake a night here or there. Once or twice a year is it, now.

POR won 1-0, and the big news was they K'd the opps 20 times! Wehunt went 5 IP, 4H with 11 Ks and 1 BB. Halligan fanned 6 in 2IP and Adams 3 in 2IP. This after Bennett K'd 11 in 5 IP. yesterday for a record. Alcantara went 3 for 4. The team had just 4 hits. Woo scored 4 in the first and lost 9-4, despite walking 7 times. Other games were rained out or in a rain delay.

This is why the theory of building up your farm and trying to keep the better looking ones under team control into prime makes sense.

Here is my ETAs: This weekend: Coulombe July 1st: Crochet July 15: Anthony, Romy & Oviedo August 1st: Crawford 2027: Story & Houck Will never play a game for the Sox: Sandoval

We have no idea if the Brewers won the Priester trade. Quinn has been on the IL all year. The return: YRod .897 OPS (10 Hrs in 33 games) Holobetz 4.83 ERA, but a bad 2 game stretch of 10 IP and 11 ERs killed his stats. Phillips not off to a great start Harrison is off to a good start, but he's only gone 46 IP. The return has not looked good, so far: Durbin doing horrifically Monasterio .682 w BOS Seigler: .820 in AAA

I'm surprised the record is just 11 Ks. I'm more surprised Bennett did it in just 5 IP.

American League Only SP'er ERA- Rankings 69 Qualified 5. Tolle 48 6. Suarez 56 14. Gray 68 21. Early 77 63. Crochet 146 69. Bello 225

From 1977 to about 2004, I smoked more than this whole site combined. The last 20 years- hardly any.

True dat!

We won't sell, IMO. I would if the deadline was today. That can change.

I can understand the belief that longtime vets like Bregman & Alonso have a better chance of turning it around than 2nd year Durbin. That being said, I'll take my chances with Suarez & Durbin over Alosno & Bennett or Bregman & Bennett. Expand it to this and to me, it's I choose the same... Contreras, Gray, Suarez & Durbin vs Alonso, Bregman, Harrison & Bennett

The thing is, one big bat likely jumps us over CWS, MIN and a couple other teams. It's still not worth it, to me. We aren't winning a ring.

Sorry. You answered to my Braves question but clearly said the A's. My bad. I don't have issues with trying to extend young and promising players beyond their years of control. Most are signed into prime years. When they become FAs, they want contracts beyond prime and for more money, if they are good. It's risky, but to me the bigger risk is signing guys like... $21M Buehler $18M Sandoval $10M Kluber, Richards, Hendriks & Paxton $7M Wacha $5M Hill and also... $140M Story $95M Pablito $90M Yoshida $88M HRam $39M Giolito

If the deadline was today, I'd sell. This does not look like a ring team, even if we somehow squeak into the playoffs. Things can change, especially if Crochet and Anthony return and help. If things change, yes, a bat is the top target. I would not trade Arias or Eyanson to get one, though. I'd avoid moving Gonzales and Godbout as well.

We did what they did with their young core, but ours did not do great out of the gate. Of course their deals are not identical to ours, but... Harris $72M/8 (8/22) Had just turned 21 and had zero MLB experience before the season. He was hitting over .800 in 2022. From 2023-2026 he has hit .740. Riley $212M/10 (8/22) He was 25, so very different signing. He had an .898 season in 2021. He's hit .813 since 2021, .743 since 2024 and .715 since 2025. Strider $75M/6 (10/22) He was 23 when he signed. He had a 2.67 ERA in 20 GS in 2022. He went 20-5 in 2023 3.86 ERA, but from 2024-2026: 4.41 ERA and just 28 GS in 2.3 seasons. I'm not seeing great three signings here. The difference is ATL is winning with other players: we are not.

If Harrison returns to earth, the trade could end up being a push, although the negative input from Durbin might keep the deal a bad one. I'm not writing Durbin off, just yet. Monasterio and Siegler won't likely make a significant difference. Yes, the Comp pick might be the best part of the trade. The Priester trade got us Phillips.

This whole talk of DHam was and still is silly. Harrison is another topic. Durbin, Monasterio & Siegler are too.

Bogey: 4.1 bWAR 2024-2026 combined (295 games) 4.2 bWAR 2023 (155 games) 5.7 bWAR 2022 (150 games) Story: 4.7 from '24-'26 0.8 in 2023 2.5 in 2022 Apples to Oranges

We made it (barely at T#9 & 10) to the middle tier in the AL, but the AL is so weak, it's nothing to brag about. The Sox are ... 0.5 from #8 MIN 1.0 from #7 SEA 2.0 from #6 TEX (currently the last WC team) 3.0 from #4/5 Athletics (Leader of the west/2nd WC team) 3.0 from #4/5 CWS (1/2 WC team)

Crochet: Expected return: First or second week in June Status: Threw his third side session in the span of a week, this time two innings, on May 20. Will throw one more short bullpen before facing hitters at some point early next week. Coulombe: Expected return: Possibly start of homestand on May 22 Status: Made second appearance of Minors rehab assignment on May 19, allowing a hit and a run over two-thirds of an inning for Triple-A Worcester. Anthony: Expected return: Will miss at least several more days. Status: Anthony tried to resume swinging on May 18, but experienced soreness. He will try to pick up a bat again at the start of the next homestand on May 22. (Updated 5/18) Story: Expected return: Will miss several weeks Status: Went to Philadelphia to seek a third opinion from Dr. William Meyers on the best source of action for his sports hernia injury. If Story has surgery, he could be out six to 10 weeks. Sandoval: Expected return: Mid to late June at earliest Status: Threw a side session for first time in several weeks on May 15. (Updated 5/15) Crawford: Expected return: No earlier than June Status: Has been playing catch out to 90 feet and will continue to increase volume of throws and distance as he goes. (Updated 5/12) Oviedo: Expected return: No earlier than July Status: Will soon start forearm strengthening exercises with an eye toward throwing by mid-June. Romy: Expected return: June at earliest Status: Has been playing catch in recent days and hopes to start swinging on May 15. (Updated 5/12) Casas: Expected return: June or July at earliest Status: Expected to visit a doctor soon to gauge if any progress is being made. (Updated 5/12) Houck: Expected return: Aiming for late '26 Status: Making 75 throws out to 105 feet three days a week, and 30 throws at 60 feet three days a week while throwing changeups those days. Targeting mound work in late June. (Updated 5/13)

MLB.com Injury Report on Crochet (updated yesterday) Expected return: First or second week in June Status: Threw his third side session in the span of a week, this time two innings, on May 20. Will throw one more short bullpen before facing hitters at some point early next week.

Duran could easily be the key to 2026. Maybe Anthony could be more impactful, but as of right now, Duran looks like the difference maker. Much of his jump is over these past 2 games, so we should be cautious about over-pumping him up, but who else looks like they can or might step it up a couple notches? Since going to the #1 slot on May 1st: .310 OBP and .514 SLG but it was .270/.379 in the 16 games before Tuesday's game. We needed a third guy to step up, and hopefully he will do it. Now, who can be the 4th guy? Anthony or Mayer? Narvaez? Does Rafaela have another notch to climb? .794 Narvaez after first 12 games (last 21 games) .643 Mayer in last 26 games .555 Durbin after first 6 games Yoshida has been heading downwards. .770 Gasper in 10 games .732 Sogard in 4 games .682 Monasterio in 26 games (.769 last 14 games) .674 IKF after first 4 games (last 20 games) .850 last 12 games

It helps having good pitching. Earned Runs Allowed in last 23 games: 60 (2.63 ERA) Zero ERs 3 times 1 ER 4 times (7 out of 23 was 0-1 ER!) 2 ERs 7 times (14/23 was 0-2 ERs!) 3 ERs 4 times (18 out of 23 games saw 0-3 ERs allowed) We are 13-5 in those games.

BTV has Duran's current value at 16. That seems about right. A few days ago, I might have said it's bit too high. The have Anthony 52, Rafaela 48, Tolle 47, Arias 46, Mayer 45, Abreu 44, Early 39, Crochet 38 Narvaez 26, Witherspoon 17 Duran & Durbin 16, Suarez 14, Eyanson & Soto 13, Phillips 11, Azocar & Gonzales 10 Slaten 9, Godbout 8, Cespedes 7 Valera & Romy 6, Holobetz & Bennett 5 -37 Story (owed $48M) In theory, we could trade him and "save" 9M to be even. -19 Yoshida (owed $31M) We could maybe "save" $12M trading him. -15 Bello (owed $49M) They say he will bring $34M value to his team! -5 Sandoval (owed $9M) "save $4M?" LOL -4 Gray (owed $18M) -3 Chapman, Houck & IKF -2 Crawford & Whitlock, -1 Casas & Oviedo