It made total sense, and I didn't take it like a criticism.
Devers reminds me of Adrian Beltre as a batter.
When all the other Sox players couldn't figure out a pitcher in a groove, Beltre would slug a 3 run job to put us in the game.
It's about more than just Verdugo & Co.
The savings on the budget will bring us player after player for years and years plus Verdugo and anything we get from Downs and Wong.
It makes more sense to think of it this way, but that's not how it's taken.
True, you did not say "better than," so you were not wrong.
Wording it the way you did here make it more clear.
Here are the best team in the AL by record - the 2 numbers to the right are their AL rankings in OPS and ERA-:
CWS 3-1
TBR 8-2
OAK 7-5
BOS 4-4
HOU 1-8
CLE 12-6
NYY 9-3
SEA 15-9
LAA 6-11
TOR 2-10
KCR 11-7
DET 13-13
MN 5-14
TEX 14-12
BAL 10-15
NL
SFG 3-4
LAD 2-3
NYM 10-1
CHC 5-11
MIL 14-6
SDP 9-5
CIN 1-12
STL 12-9
PHI 8-7
ATL 4-10
WAS 6-8
MIA 13-2
COL 7-14
PIT 15-13
It sure looks like you have a better chance at being a winner, if your pitching is top 5 or 6, but there seem to be a few exceptions to the rule, and there are teams winning more than it appears they should be.
The guy was up and down his whole career. Why do we need a special excuse, this time?
He may even get hot, like many years past and end up over .700 or even near .800 again. This is who he is.
I miss him, but his time, here, was up.