moonslav59

It's too complicated to get Duran to play near FT. Renfroe's .697 OPS vs RHPs does not warrant a platoon, due to his D. (.713 career) Verdugo's .511 vs LHPs, maybe. (.692 career) I guess he could take a few PAs away from Verdugo and Renfroe, but these guys are not weak areas needing fixing. That leaves 1B & 2B for Kike to play, so Duran can get enough PAs. This not only weakens the defense in the OF, it does in the IF, too, and for what? Are so sure Duran will out hit Dalbec and/or Arroyo? Dalbec: .603 v RHP/.831 v LHPs (.683/.887 career) Platooning can make some sense, but with Kike? Arroyo: .699 v RHP/.799 v LHP (.685/.661 career) Platooning here makes little sense. Kike: .733 v RHP/.795 v LHP (.682/.817 career) They all are about .680 vs RHPs. No platoon makes sense, here.

Draft Day 2021- Denver, CO 7:07 pm ESPN (Day 1) Round 1 and Comp-Balance A 1:00 pm MLB Network (Day 2) Rd 2-10 and Comp-Bal B 12:00 pm MLB Network (Day 3) Rd 11-20 Baseball America projects: 1. Mayer 2. Lawlar 3. Jobe 4. Leiter 5. Watson 6. Davis 7. Rocker 8. House

On the farm... Worcester got drilled. Houck 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 3H & 4 BB Duran 0-4, BB & 3K Cordero 2-3 Portland swept a DBL-HDR Crawford 6 IP, 2 ER, 3H & 0BB w 10 Ks Ro Hernandez 2-3, HR and 5 rbi German 4 IP, 2 ER, 6H, 2BB

Well said, oldtimer. Well said. I do think we act to improve our weakest areas. Some look like they might be handled from within the system, assuming no other major players gets injured. Sale Houck Brasier/Bazardo/Valdez/Ort Duran Wilson/Cordero Wong Trades may help us add at RP SP (move someone to the pen) 1B Players who may be replaced: Santana/Chavis Andriese/Brice Rios Workman (Marwin is very doubtful)

Looks like Cole found a new and undetectable sticky substance. (Will he share it with Chapman?)

BTV accepted these deals. (I am not saying I'd make them.) Groome, Ward and Chavis to KCR Danny Duffy, Carlos Santana & $2M (just enough to keep us under) to PIT Tyler Anderson, Richard Rodriguez & Gregory Polanco (dump) ________________________________ Groome, Ward, Chavis & Lopez to DET Matthew Boyd & Jose Cisnero to TEX Kyle Gibson Ian Kennedy to COL CJ Cron & Jon Gray __________________________ A wild one... Groome, Ward, Chavis, Ro Hernandez & Yorke to MIA Starling Marte Richard Bleier Jesus Aguilar

I think the pen will be improved when we add Sale, Houck and maybe Brasier/Bazardo/Valdez (Ort). I'd still like to see us deal for a pitcher. As for the bench, I doubt we trade for a catcher, so I assume you mean replacing Santana/Chavis and/or Marwin. I think it's close to zero eprcent chance we trade or DFA Marwin, so it comes down to Santana/Chavis. I have no issues with trading to upgrade here. I have no issues with calling up Duran, if they think he's ML ready, and he'll get enough playing time to keep sharp and growing. Since Kike can play 2B and 1B, we could probably juggle him around to find enough time for Duran to play. The question is do we want to? It looks like trading for a LH'd hitting 1Bman might happen. (Carlos Santana?)

We got Betts in the 5th round, so...

According to cots, we are $4.53M under the tax line. If we assume we want to stay under the line, we can make a trade or two that adds a net salary of about $4.5M. Here are some players who are owed that amount or less on teams that are out of it or may be by the deadline. The salaries are pro-rated to about 1/3 the seasonal luxury tax amount. Remember, these players will take the place of a player we are paying about $250-300+K minimum for the remainder of the season, so that can be deducted from what we add. I will start with the worst teams: (I list mostly salary dump type players, because I feel they will not need much return value to acquire.) AZ K Marte $1.7M +$4.8M in 2022 + option for 2023 + 2024 BAL Mancini $1.7M +1 arb Means $200K + 3 arbs (would cost a lot in return) PIT Polanco $3.9M/1 (used only to lessen the return not to play) Frazier $1.5M + 1 arb Anderson $800K Rodriguez $600K + 2 arbs TEX Gibson $3.2M +$9.3M in 2022 Gallo $2.1M + 1 arb Kennedy $800K KCR Duffy $4.4M Santana $3.0M + $8.9M in 2022 COL CJ Cron $400K/1 J Gray $2.1M/1 Marquez $2.9M + $8.6M 2022 & 2023+ option '24 MN Berrios $2.1M + 1 arb Buxton $1.7M + 1 arb Rogers $2.1M + 1 arb MIA S Marte $4.2M/1 Aguilar $1.5M + 1 arb Bleier $500K + 1 arb DET Boyd $2.2M + arb Cisnero $320K + 2 arbs I will look at these teams, later: WSH STL PHI Cubs ATL LAA TOR

Just hours to go, and we'll know who we have. I'm curious about who we et second round and beyond, too, but I have to admit, I've never paid this much attention to a MLB draft as this one.

It must be a complicated game these kids and their agents play. Underslot agreements vs what 3 picks away underslot amounts to. Which slot brings the most money and other factors some players might prefer.

When is the last time we made a bid deadline deal where we gave up a top 3 or 4 prospect for a rental, and did it work? I agree, we will likely make moves like 2018. Something in between.

I agree, too, and I don't want to put words in his mouth, but I think that is what he meant. I think his position is... Improving the bench and lessening a GMs options are more important than keeping a prospect playing and growing in AAA.

Taylor is second on the Sox in 8th inning appearances. He's been pitching really well for a long time. Taylor, Ottavino and Barnes have been able to allow a hit or walk or two when they come in and then get out of their own mess. I'm not sure how Cora was supposed to know this was the game that would not happen.

Yes, and what about this year sets it apart from others? I get the point about planning for the future, and maybe we never have a chance like this over the next 3-4 years, and we could look back and say, this was the summer we should have done something to get us over the top, but it doesn't seem to have that feel, to me. I'm not saying I don't like our chances, but I don't get the sense our window is closing, soon. It seems to be opening wider in near-future years. If we look at the deals we made in 2018, that seemingly put us over the top, no top prospects were dealt. I see maybe something like that attempted.

I don’t think you trade great prospects for rentals every year you have a good chance of making a strong run at a ring. It’s all about timing. I agree on your Cubs example. I’m not sure this Sox team and situation warrants big moves.

Tying what record?

I found one: our top 4 hitters in the opening line up got on base 7 of 14 times with 1 HR.

There goes the run differential.

Andriese is out of options. He’d have to clear waivers first.

I think he meant “rather than” not “while,”

Not at all, and you know I have been advocating DFAing Santana and Andriese. I was also for demoting Dalbec a while back. I do tend to think players deserve longer looks than you and others, but I am not against giving up on non-performers. Can I ask if you think Renfroe should have been benched after his horrific April? If no, how is he different from Santana or Dalbec? Also, I have said over and over- when Duran is ready, I want him called up. I will never pretend to think I know when he is ready more than Bloom knows. If you feel differently, that’s your choice. On calling up a prospect that needs to play everyday just to MAYBE improve the bench, and yes it is certainly a maybe, does not appeal to me or any of the 30 GMs in MLB. I think the onus is on you to explain why you know more than all 30 GMs. Please don’t take that as me busting your chops. I can understand the desire to try and put the best 26 out there everyday, but this is a 162 game season, and there are so many factors involved with every choice like this one.

That’s a certainty. Nobody uses just outside sources to value their players or ones the want to trade for or sign. My guess is, when. New GM comes in, he may not value inherited prospects as highly as the previous GM who acquired or developed them. Of course, even players acquired may lose perceived value over time.

Yes. He may replace them with someone else or 3-4 players to replace those 2. He does not have to run the Sox like he did the Rays.

Were there more on their last list?