moonslav59

Richards does not have a choice. It's a team option for 2022, and I think he likes being in the pen. Verdugo is a better defender in LF than Renroe is in RF, but Renfroe's cannon has saved the day enough to make him okay in Fenway's large RF. I'm not sure what kind of pitcher someone gives us for Verdugo + Dalbec, Signing Schwarber and trading Verdugo could work out.

When we signed Richards we knew it was a big gamble. He made $10M because he used to be a great pitcher. It was ONLY $10M, because nobody knew if he'd pitch 5 innings, 50 or 150. I think he's proven he's healthy. The tough part about placing value is the position change from starter to RP'er and possible closer. Unlike Perez, he has a hefty buyout clause of $1.5M. Basically, we pay him $10M for 2022 or $1.5M to say bye-bye. It's effectively an $8.5M choice, which seems fair to the team. I think we take his option, say no to Perez ($500K buyout or $6M). I also think we say yes to the Vaz option of $7M vs $250K buyout.

It's a dream to think it's even close to average. Our left side D and 1B, combines are horrible. Devers is the only one approaching average. Force Kike to 2B, and no slight on Cora, who loves his 2B D, our If sucks- BIGTIME on D! Maybe Devers finds consistency. He has shown he can be plus. Maybe Dalbec improves, but as of right now, our D sucks.

My responses to Oldtimer... The way you listed the pitchers in your list as Scherzer, Sale, __Trade for Bogey__, Eovaldi, and on implies the addition would be a third starter type. That's how I read it. Bogey has 8 recorded errors this year to date, so I presume you are looking for a replacement with additional range. I do recognize shortstop to be a very important defensive position as do perhaps 100 % of those who post on this site. I also mentioned that Bogey will become a FA in 2022, so that has to factor into whatever Bloom decides to do. Being listed behind Scherzer and Sale does not mean you are a typical 3rd starter like maybe ERod. How good the pitcher we get depends on years of team control. I'm not handing Bogey away. He has enormous value. Maybe we trade him for someone Bloom views as a great closer plus a top prospect arm. Scherzer would be a costly signing. Would you sign him for more than one year? He won't take one year, but he won't get 5+ like Syndergaard and Gausman will likely get- warts and all. I'd offer a 2 year deal with a team option for 3 and a hefty buyout to make those 2 years very enticing. I'd probably settle on 3 years $93M. I pointed out that there will be a lot of competition to sign Iglesias. That will make him expensive, but worthwhile if we can get him. I'm usually not one to think spending big on a closer is worth it, so I'm not sure about this one. Maybe a trade for a closer is best. To the question of Dalbec, Bogey and Devers, I pointed out the many questions and difficulties that Bloom faces in trying to retain player prospects while improving the defense. Those problems will not go away because we or Bloom wish them to. Your suggestions I took as creative but instead of responding to the issues I mentioned you went on the attack mode asking me for a solution to the very knotty problems facing Bloom. I'm sorry for the attitude I took. Your points were well thought out and logical. I do get a sense that you so love these guys offense, that you are willing to roll back a replay of 2021 just to keep watching our great offensive players booting balls allover the place on D. Yes, I would prefer Schwaber in his prime years over JDM in his post prime years for the DH role. No dispute on Schwarber over JD from me on 2022, but if JD comes back, we are basically packing our D in for 2022 by having both on the roster. I'd be fine with Schwarber and JD, but only if we made a radical improvement on defense at SS or 1B & 3B combined. (That's not easy to do.) I have no idea if Devers would be better at 1st base than Dalbec. I do believe Casas will make an appearance on the Sox roster later in 2022. He is a natural first baseman with soft hands and is our #1 prospect. If he continues to progress he should make the team and should not be traded. In all seriousness, nobody can be worse than Dalbec- the 2021 version. Devers is very quick-reflexed. I'm not sacrificing what's best for the team in hopes that Casas comes to the rescue as early as 2022. BTW, what do we do with Schwarber, JD, Dalbec, Devers and Casas squeezed into 4 slots, in which 3 will be sub par defense? If you really want Casas in the 2022 plans, then either JD has to opt out ot be traded, Schwarber not signed or Dalbec traded. Devers isn't going anywhere. I have no desire for the Sox to get rid of Dalbec as he has blossomed as a power hitter. He credits Schwaber, by the way, as helping him to improve. I don't want to get rid of Devers either, and that is where Bloom must make some tough choices. Do we trade Bogey, move Devers to first and Dalbec to DH as you suggest and then trade Casas since he would be blocked. Not sign Schwaber as you also suggest. Then pick up an aging SS and an all star 3rd baseman? I'm fine with Schwarber in LF until he moves to DH in 2023, but I'm not weakening LF defense and keeping our IF D the same. I can't support that. If Casas wins the job, then we trade Dalbec. I would not trade him, until we see Casas succeed. How does he get playing time to prove it? It's like Duran 1A. Look, I love Dalbec. I think I was the last guy saying he might need to be demoted during one of is long slumps. The guy can hit. I'm still hopeful he can bring his OBP up to respectability, so it outweighs his poor D. I also expected to see his defense improve, and I think he is better now than earlier, and he makes some nice plays. He has just made so many brutal errors and countless non plays not listed as errors. Luckily, I'm not huge on feeling great D is needed at 1B (or LF). I want to keep Dalbec and his low cost contract in the fold and slotted for 1B/3B/DH, next year- maybe sitting a few more games vs RHPs than a FT player usually sees. Maybe Schwarber can play 2-3 games out of 10 at 1B and 1 at DH. I guess what I'm saying is, with such high needs at pitching and defense, as much as I love Schwarber, unless we trade a big contract and poor fielder (Bogey or JD), I'm not sure Schwarber should eat up such a big chunk of our winter spending budget. If I felt like you did about Casas in 2022, it would be a no brainer to trade JD or sign Schwarber- not have both for 2022. I don't have an equivalent set of suggestions for Bloom, but trust him to evaluate the pros and cons and take action accordingly. I take him at his word that he is trying to develop our prospect list such that we can bolster the team with a few low cost players a year to keep us competitive year to year. We both trust Bloom, and I would not be surprised if he does something surprising- like trading Bogey or JD or shifting some defensive positions around. I would not bet on it, but I think he does something creative or shocking..

Stones = madness?

I have to think it's a minor injury. I can't see all the love shown to Santana. I thought he'd be DFA'd a dozen times, already.

Steinbrenner would never have stayed under the tax line 2 years in a row. Blame Henry, if you have to attack someone. BTW, having Scherzer would not even make us the AL front runner.

Welcome aboard! Opinions are often set by early numbers that create impressions hard to overcome. If you asked most fans if it's better to hit well in April and May or August and September, they'd choose the later, but in reality, a horrific start taints all further numbers- making it look like the kid sucked most of the year. Here's some fun with Dalbec's numbers: He was at .507 on May 6th and had several downturns after showing signs of life here and there, afterwards, but the May 7th to now sample size is rather large. .879 OPS in 91 games and 307 PAs (20 HRs, 38 XBH and 64 RBI) Double that, and we're looking at .266 40 128 in just 614 PAs! When you look at his awesome 23 game/92 PA start in 2020, once can view his first 26 games and 92 PAs of 2021 as the outlier- not the "hot streaks." That being said, he has been an extremely streaky hitter. Most hitters have some very nice streaks and bad slumps, but Bobby D takes it to the extreme. Here's his career chopped into incredible disparities: 2020: .436 first 19 PAs 1.227 middle 52 PAs .756 last 21 PAs 2021: .374 first 28 1.041 in 29 PAs mid April .175 in 35 PAs up to May 6th 1.103 in his next 41 PAs .283 in next 40 PAs .986 in next 59 .511 next 74 1.293 last 93 PAs While many players have ups and downs, I'm not sure anyone tops this. Here is a bigger chunk breakdown of his career: .959 in 92 PAs in 2020 .507 first 92 of 2021 .860 next 118 .538 next 100 .872 last 89 Career (568 PAs) .248 29 86 (.823 OPS) Projected to 650 PAs .248 35 102

By playing Santana in LF? BTW, Verdugo started in LF, Tuesday and we had Thursday off. It's been 2 games of Santana in LF.

Dalbec's defense has been horrific, and this is from one of his biggest supporters. How is his dWAR misleading? If anything, I'd have expected it to be worse. He also has a -7 DRS and -5.6 UZR/150 for a -11.0 fangraph's d rating. Others: -11.0 Dalbec 1B -6.5 Renfroe RF -3.3 Duran CF -3.3 Verdugo LF -2.6 Verdugo CF DRS -7 Dalbec -7 Devers -6 Bogey -6 Verdugo CF -6 Duran CF -1 Kike 2B +11 Kike CF +8 Verdugo LF +3 Arroyo 2B +2 Renfroe RF Of course hitting is very important, but it didn't work too well for decades. It wasn't until we seriously improved our pitching and defense, the rings started coming. We don't need a 7 GG team, but being the worst at any high need area is something very hard to overcome in other areas. Yes, those flashy lineups look nice. Who wouldn't want one like that? I'm for improving our defense, while you seem to be for making it worse than worst. Moving Kike from CF to 2B makes both positions worse. Schwarber over Verdugo in LF is a big decline on D. I agree, there are no easy solutions to fixing our D, especially this year, but making it the worst it can be is not the direction I'd like to see us go. I do think a game here and there could see the dream line-up you mentioned and I did, too, but moving Kike from CF, unless it's an emergency is not something I can support. We're already trying to compensate for Bogey at SS, Dalbec at 1B and Devers at 3B, so why weaken 3 more positions just so Dalbec & Schwarber play everyday? The upgrade of Dalbec v RHP over Verdugo v RHPs, if it even is one, is just not worth it. Verdugo is a nice plus in LF but a disaster in CF. Arroyo can actually hit, too. He was hitting better than Dalbec, when he went down and still has a similar OPS.

Looks like SEA & OAK gain on everyone, if their leads hold.

Straight down the pike.

Golden chance to gain on everyone. DAMN!

Is this like "Morgan Magic?"

Is PH'ing for Kike a gut punch, or what?

Damn! Another sharply hit out.

The speedster on second with the tying run!

As bad as it sounds, it might be Santana or bust.

A walk would have been nice, but I think they are against Vaz's religion, or something.

Bobby Dee is the only Sox player allowed to hit a non solo HR.

Damn! With a man on first, it means we can't hit a dinger!

Yup! Robo UMPS, Now!

I guess, if we want to be realistic, the best we can hope for is a solo blast.

Let's see if Kimbrel still knows how to throw gas on a fire.

Is there ever a game, he doesn't walk the first guy. At least this time, e economized his pitch count by only taking 4 pitches for the walk.