moonslav59

Which is better on defense only? LF Schwarber CF Kike RF Verdugo LF Verdugo CF Kike RF Renfroe When we were about to start ST'ing, this year, I thought it was going to be: LF: Renfro/Cordero CF: Kike RF: Verdugo (If Kike played 2B, Cordero to CF was my thought/wonder)

I really like Schwarber, but I agree. We can do better.

Not much, but maybe a little. For what it's worth, BTV has him making $7.6M and worth $9.2M. (Net +$1.6M) He also has one arb year left, which has some value.

I think he has some trade value.

So, Dalbec is written out of the picture?

I'm pretty certain we will be adding a pitcher or two to the roster, but here's a look at what innings we lost, and what we might gain, assuming the impossible 100% health: IP Pitcher ERA/WHIP in 2021 158 ERod 4.74/1.389 It is likely Sale will not be able to add 158 IP to the 43 he has in 2021, but it's not super unlikely, either. Maybe Pivetta can add to his 155 IP in 30 starts, but we are not really filling an empty slot by adding innings to Sale and Pivetta. 137 Richards 4.87/1.595 (110 as SP 5.22/1.650) 114 Perez 4.74/1.509 (100 as SP 4.77/1.520) Here's where it gets difficult without adding another starter. We may also lose Houck's 60 IP as a SP'er. We may add 120-160 from Whitlock, if he is moved to the rotation. Wacha might take 100-160 innings, in 2022. Seabold and Winckowski look to be the best internal options, without moving Houck and/or Whitlock to the rotation. 62 Ottavino 4.21/1.452 37 Andriese 6.03/1.768 25 Robles 3.60/1.360 26 Richards 3.42/1.367 in relief 14 Perez 4.50/1.429 in relief This is about 160 IP, but with others like Workman, the total is really more like 200. It's not like who we need to replace did great, but it's not always easy finding good RP'ers. A lot depends on what we do with Houck. I'm expecting many more IP than 59 as a SP and 10 as a RP'er. It's possible we lose his 59 IP as a SP'er but add 60-120 innings to the pen. Maybe Barnes can go from 55 to 65 (+10), Brasier from 12 to 52 (+40) and Davis from 17 to 47 (+30). That would essentially cover the lost innings, but I hope we can do better than from what we have, now. All-in-all, let's add some pitching!!!

I keep waiting for some significant Sox news, as the rest of baseball is going nutty.

And they say I'm not critical enough on Cora & Bloom!

Cora needs to tell the players they need to bear down and hit better when it counts.

Whatever they did, they should have done more! ' LOL

$13M/2 Will anybody be left, after today?

I know. I make fun of this kind of thing when others do it, and here I am saying silly things like that. My favorite is when people say something like this, "Cora needs to sit down with Kike and tell him he needs to get on base more often."

I mentioned Greinke or Verlander on short deals, earlier in the off season. I know their ages are high, but the short terms take away some of the risk. I don't see Schwarber as a fit, unless we trade Dalbec or an OF'er (Renfroe?). I doubt we do either. I'm not sure Taylor will be worth what he gets paid, but looking at the going rates, I guess we'll have to pay big to get value.

Yes. Maybe they have already. My point was trying "extra hard" to sign Devers. "Devers Forevers!"

Exactly. I think we stayed under the lux tax 3 years in a row, one time under Henry. already and 2 years once or twice more. This isn't new. I think they look at the trend of the team and decide when spending big maximizes our chance at a ring. It has worked well. Only the 2013 team won without being a major spending season. We did well in 2021 while staying under, too. My guess is, we will try to keep Devers and then replace the lost salaries, next winter, with some big signings. I thought (maybe more hoped) they might view this winter as a splurge winter, because we have a one year window with Bogey, Kike, Eovaldi and others, but it does not look that way, as of now.

With so few options left, not counting trade targets, I'd seriously think about it. I guess I need to raise my cost numbers to reflect reality.

I'd like to see him as our SS (and Bogey at 2B.)

I thought he did a pretty good job building up the bottom of our 40 man and even beyond the 40, but I do still see 5-7 names that could be upgraded. I was hoping we'd add 4-5 solid players and push everyone else down by attrition, and squeeze out the bottom few players by trade or DFA.

There is also the trade route, but seeing these mega contracts, one has to wonder what trade asks are going to be. I erased the names from the list provided to reflect who I think we might make a play for- not a wish/ not a prediction: Schwarber Taylor Stroman Rodon Kershaw Greinke Some are rather doubtful.

Yes, and it will be interesting to see what he would do with a big winter budget- assuming someday he gets one. Next winter, we lose a lot of salary, and he'll have some big shoes to fill, so even if the directive is to keep the salary more or less the same, he'll have a lot to spend.

The list is dwindling. When you take away positions we don't need, and guys like Correa, who will cost too much, who is left for the Sox?

It does. It also makes me think, we should have tried extra hard to lock up Devers.

You mean "wishes?" (not predictions.) What a clown.

I think Bloom will sign the right player at the right cost to a multi-year deal, but he just has not won a bid or has not found "that guy," yet. Maybe 2023 is the "splurge year." Maybe we won't see another splurge under Henry. I do think we'll always be near the tax line, at least, under him.

Scratch Semien, too.