moonslav59

Batters in the HOF (including pitchers listed): https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_batting.shtml Starting at about an OPS of .840 and below (or #80), I'd ax most of 'em, but realize fielding is a big part of baseball.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_pitching.shtml By and large, the vast majority of pitchers with an ERA over 3.00 should not be in, but ERA is not my stat of choice.

He's not the only guy with 90+ bWAR not in my HOF. Here's a list of the top career WAR players. Cal is listed at 35th, so that seems like a lock. Not to me. (I also think his fielding was over-rated.) https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/WAR_career.shtml

Nope. It took 21 years to get those WAR cumulative numbers. He was a drag on his team for many years, especially during the end of the "streak." .788 career OPS (112 OPS+) Dwight Evans was twice the fielder Cal was and had an .840 OPS (127+). Cal had a few awesome years, no doubt, but it was the 21 years, his name and the streak that got him in.

I'm not sure Richards will do any better for us.

My updated top prospect list (sox prospects.com ranking): 1 (7) Houck 2 (5) Dalbec 3 (1) Casas 4 (2) Downs 5 (4) Jimenez 6 (3) Duran 7 (16) Whitlock 8 (9) Seabold 9 (11) Song 10 (6) Mata 11 (17) Rosario 12 (8) Ward 13 (14) R Hernandez 14 (23) Arauz 15 (10) A Ramirez 16 (29) German 17 (33) Winckowski 18 (22) Bazardo 19 (13) Yorke 20 (12) Groome 21 (19) Potts 22 (25) Wong 23 (26) Bello 24 (18) Lugo 25 (20) Jordan

Word here is they are very far apart.

Everyone as good as Cal and worse.

It should probably be 150-160 players.

Bauer Under Investigation?

How many are in the HOF, now- as players? (My guess is, I'd cut it by 33-50%.)

Thinking longer term, maybe Bogey opts out after 2022. I see Raffy as a solid 1Bman, if he does not pass the 3B test, this year. That means Dalbec plays 3B or DH, when JD moves on, of he proves he doesn't belong in the everyday line-up. I kinda like Bogey at 2B not 3B, but then what? We trade Downs?

Can we squeeze in Ty Cobb?

To switch towards maybe a more realistic discussion about who could be signed, this winter. Here is one recent list of the top FAs: 1. Greinke (37) At least he won't get a long term deal. 2. Verlander (37) Another shorter deal. 3. Scherzer (36) Maybe 1-2 years more than G & V get. 4. Kershaw (32) Hard to see the Dodgers letting him slip away. 5. Syndergaard (28) Young enough for a long deal 6. Rizzo (31) Do we need a 1Bman? 7. Belt (32) I would not sign him, even if we needed a 1Bman. 8. Freeman (31) Just say no to 1Bmen. 9. Conforto (27) Depends on how our young Of'ers are looking. 10. Kris Bryant (29) 3B/LF- got 'em covered. 11. Correa (26) In meat of prime, but we have Bogey (or do we, long term?) 12. Baez (28) Another SS. 13. T Story (28) Again! 14. Seager (26) and again! Nobody really jumps off the page. Others at possible positions of need: SP: Lance Lynn, Marcus Stroman, Kevin Gausman, Corey Kluber, Eduardo Rodriguez, Dylan Bundy, James Paxton, Robbie Ray RP: Kenley Jansen, Trevor Rosenthal, Brad Hand, Andrew Miller, Jeurys Familia, Archie Bradley, Raisel Iglesias, Adam Ottavino, Kirby Yates OF: Tommy Pham, Starling Marte, Kyle Schwarber (mutual option), Eddie Rosario, Corey Dickerson, Nick Castellanos (opt-out) 2B: Starlin Castro

All of the below. Yes, the HOF is small town in moonslav, USA.

Not to open a can of worms, but I don't even think Cal belongs.

We don't need Bloom here to know he'll be spending large next winter. The only question is, will it be big on just a few players or spread out over many players. How many positions will be filled from within the system may determine some of that.

To me, the HOF is not for "the best." It is for the best of the best.

then use him every other day.

It's always going to be easy to find the worst guy in the HOF and say ____ is better. The problem is, some don't belong in the first place, so does that mean we should allow other "undeserving" players in, too?

They ended up offering him very close to what the Cubs gave him. I was never convinced they actually hoped he'd take it. I do think he'd have taken that offer had the Sox come back with something near that, soon after their initial offer. Maybe, not, but I think he would have. Again, I'm not sue they wanted him at that price, of if that was just belatedly done for "optics."

I never said we will or might. I was giving my opinion, and I'm not for trading him right now. He also has an unseen value to this team as a leader who models self restraint and an incredible focus and determination (grit) to become a better player. That is something immeasurable.

I wanted Betts. I think I suggested $400M/14. I'm over it. I like Verdugo and Downs and having $350+M to spend over the next 10 years.

I do think Lester's first offer was damaging, but Lester had said he was willing to take a "hometown discount," and maybe the Sox took that to an absurd extreme. I do think it wouldn't have hurt, not just with fan optics, but I think they could have gotten him to agree to take the offer they ended up giving him as a FA. (I'm not sure the Sox even wanted him at that price, either.) Betts was different. His counter offer seemed absurd and one could say "insulting," but pick a number between the two- maybe 1/3 of the way between them and make another offer. It can't hurt with Betts, and it helps the fan's view.

Let's see how Betts ages. Dewey got better in his mid 30's. His defense never waned.