moonslav59

Watching Suzuki catch for the Nats should be a wake up call for all those wanting an offensive first catcher.

Maybe Odorizzi and hope for an increase in IP.

I've never faulted Grady for that choice. Pedro was the best pitcher the Sox ever had. I'll take him at 75% than anyone else.

Getting rid of JBJ would put us just under the line, so the $22M saved on JD would be the spending budget, unless we dump more salary somewhere else.

Stros look snake-bitten, but I wouldn't count them out of the series.

Possible Free Agents This Winter 2020 MLB free agents by position WWW.MLB.COM Although a number of star players signed contract extensions before the 2019 season commenced instead of testing the open market this offseason, the current free-agent class still included many interesting names. Below, you'll find the list of this year's crop of notable free agents. The list will be updated throughout

He moved up from #7 to #3 while pitching just 4 IP the last 2 years. True, Chavis & DHern graduated, but still. My point was more about the lack of other prospects looking good enough to pass him or just stay ahead of him, where they were before the season started. We had some guys move up that show promise, but nobody that is getting the attention of national ranking services. Thaddeus Ward Gilberto Jimenez Noah Song (Mata moved up from #10 to #2.) I'm trying to be optimistic, but it's not easy.

We won't stay over the threshold, but even that better comp pick won't be worth nearly as much as we can get for Betts. Trade Betts, JD & JBJ for something really good. Sign some decent FAs that will be part of the new rebuilt contender but stay under the tax line. Reset. Go into the next winter with the idea of signing Betts of using $30+M to improve the team at 2-3 positions.

How will these fans you speak of feel when he signs elsewhere and we get a lousy 4th round comp pick? Look, I'm not for trading Betts and crawling into a hole. I'd like to trade Betts and try to resign him. I'm one of the few on this site who is fine with offer $300+M/10 after 2020. We can spend this winter, with the long term in mind, using the money saved by trading JBJ & Betts and maybe JD. Stay just below the tax line. Then, go big next winter (Betts or other big names).

One perk with living in Central Time is the 7:08 start times.

I don't think we need any statement from Betts saying he isn't likely to come back here for most fans to understand trading him is the right thing to do, assuming we've offered a reasonable deal and we are 10-15 down in July..

I could see JBJ & JD traded this winter and Betts in July, but I think my original prediction is more likely.

If we're talking about just the biggest contracts given to pitchers over 30 or 31/32, IMO there are too many that worked out well or okay to use the word "always". It's not like there are hundreds and hundreds of bad big deals for aging pitchers. There are certainly some real duds, especially in the early days of free agency. How many of these do you think were bad to awful? How many were okay? How many were good to great? Highest paid pitchers of all time (some were under 30 when signed): Starting pitchers The highest-paid starting pitchers, by average annual value: 1. Justin Verlander, $33,000,000 (2020-21) 2. Zack Greinke, $32,500,000 (2016-21) (reduced for deferrals) 3. David Price, $31,000,000 (2016-22) … Clayton Kershaw, $31,000,000 (2019-21) 5. Clayton Kershaw, $30,714,286 (2014-20) 6. Max Scherzer, $30,000,000 (2015-21) 7. Jacob deGrom, $27,500,000 (2019-23) 8. Jon Lester, $25,833,333 (2015-20) 9. Justin Verlander, $25,714,286 (2013-19) 10. Chris Sale, $25,600,000 (2020-24) 11. Felix Hernandez, $25,000,000 (2013-19) … Stephen Strasburg, $25,000,000 (2017-23) … Jake Arrieta, $25,000,000 (2018-20) 14. Zack Greinke, $24,500,000 (2013-18) 15. CC Sabathia, $24,400,000 (2012-16) 16. Cole Hamels, $24,000,000 (2013-18) … Cliff Lee, $24,000,000 (2011-15) 18. Patrick Corbin, $23,333,333 (2019-24) 19. CC Sabathia, $23,000,000 (2009-15) 20. Johan Santana, $22,916,667 (2008-13) 21. Masahiro Tanaka, $22,142,857 (2014-20) 22. Jordan Zimmermann, $22,000,000 (2016-20) 23. Johnny Cueto, $21,666,667 (2016-21) 24. Matt Cain, $21,250,000 (2012-17) 25. Yu Darvish, $21,000,000 (2018-23) 26. Rick Porcello, $20,625,000 (2016-19) 27. Tim Lincecum, $20,250,000 (2012-13) 28. Roy Halladay, $20,000,000 (2011-13) 29. Adam Wainwright, $19,500,000 (2014-18) 30. James Shields, $18,750,000 (2015-18) 31. Carlos Zambrano, $18,300,000 (2008-12) 32. Roger Clemens, $18,000,000 (2005) . . . Barry Zito, $18,000,000 (2007-13) . . . Jeff Samardzija, $18,000,000 (2016-20) 35. Tim Lincecum, $17,500,000 (2014-15) . . . Homer Bailey, $17,500,000 (2014-19) 37. Jake Peavy, $17,333,333 (2010-12) 38. Josh Beckett, $17,000,000 (2011-14) . . . Jered Weaver, $17,000,000 (2012-16) . . . Nathan Eovaldi, $17,000,000 (2019-22) . . . Miles Mikolas, $17,000,000 (2019-23) 42. A.J. Burnett, $16,500,000 (2009-13) . . . John Lackey, $16,500,000 (2010-14) 44. Andy Pettitte, $16,000,000 (2007) . . . Andy Pettitte, $16,000,000 (2008) . . . Justin Verlander, $16,000,000 (2010-14) . . . Anibal Sanchez, $16,000,000 (2013-17) . . . Hiroki Kuroda, $16,000,000 (2014) . . . John Lackey, $16,000,000 (2016-17) . . . Scott Kazmir, $16,000,000 (2016-18) . . . Rich Hill, $16,000,000 (2017-19) 52. Jason Schmidt, $15,666,667 (2007-09) 53. Jake Arrieta, $15,637,500 (2017) 54. Felix Hernandez, $15,600,000 (2010-14) 55. C.J. Wilson, $15,500,000 (2012-16) 56. Max Scherzer, $15,250,000 (2014) 57. Mike Hampton, $15,125,000 (2001-08) 58. Kevin Brown, $15,000,000 (1999-2005) . . . Derek Lowe, $15,000,000 (2009-12) . . . Hiroki Kuroda, $15,000,000 (2013) . . . Hisashi Iwakuma, $15,000,000 (2016-18) 62. Roy Oswalt, $14,600,000 (2007-11) 63. Mark Buehrle, $14,500,000 (2012-15) . . . Jake Peavy, $14,500,000 (2013-14) 65. Mark Buehrle, $14,000,000 (2008-11) . . . David Price, $14,000,000 (2014)

I never said the winningest teams always win, but there is a clear correaltion, and it's not "anecdotal evidence." You can argue my sample size is too small, maybe, but I am trying to capture the state of MLB today not many years ago. Go ahead and throw out the wild card game and make it the top 4 vs the bottom 4, and if it was a pure "crap shoot" (not that you are saying it is a 100% crap shoot), you'd expect something close to a 50% break down of WS attendees and winners. 66% of the teams that go to the WS are top 4. That's is pretty far from 50-50. Yes, it's closer to 50-50 than 100-0, but it is clearly a significant correlation. The 73% winning it all number, which could be 75%, if the Astros win this year is what I was really arguing, and winning it all is very far from a crap shoot. 73% (11 of the last 15) is a very clear correlation.

Baaahhhhh Hummm bug. Not one person on the board has said BA is not at all significant. I think I'd have remembered that, and it would have caused an uproar. People have said it is not as important as OBP or SLG or other stats or metrics, but never "not at all significant."

My top 10 (not that I know more than soxprospects.com): 1. Casas 2. Mata 3. Ward 4. Dalbec 5. Jimenez 6. Groome 7. Chatham 8. Houck 9. Song 10. Padron-Artiles

I'm sure that's part of the potential calculation. I hope they are right. We could use a SP'er from the farm. It's been a while.

Maybe he should be number 3.

I see two possibilities: 1) Our farm is so weak, we have to put a totally unproven, operated on player in our 3 slot. 2) He is really good and just need to prove it.

The Fall soxprospects.com rankings are out: https://soxprospects.com (Note: Chavis & DHern graduated, so + 2 is essentially staying even) 1. Casas 2. Mata +8 from April 3. Groome +3 4. Jimenez +12 5. Dalbec -1 6. Duran +7 7. Houck -2 8. Noah Song (NR) 9. Chatham -1 10. T Ward (NR) 11. R Zeferajahn (NR) 12. Aldo Ramirez (NR) 13. Matthew Lugo (NR) 14. Chris Murphey (NR) 15. N Decker -3 16. Cameron Cannon (NR) 17. Brayan Bello (NR) 18. Antoni Flores -11 19. Ceddanne Rafaela (NR) 20. Marcus Wilson (NR) Other notables: 24. Feltman 27. Shawaryn 32. Fitzgerald 42. D Reyes 45. Ockimey 52. K Hart 58. Yusniel Padron-Artiles

We might be tight on every dollar. He really does not offer us the two things we might need: 1) A bridge to 2021 player 2) A longer term player as part of the rebuilding A third could be added: Innings needed.

I thought the same thing. This guy is always hurt. He's worse than Buchholz.

There is room for all of them, and I doubt some of these guys would be picked and need to be protected.

MLBTR The Reds discussed Jackie Bradley, Jr. with the Red Sox last offseason, relays the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Bobby Nightengale. While there’s no indication talks progressed very far or have picked up since, it’s still noteworthy to hear Cincinnati’s front office liked the player not too long ago. Bradley’s one of the offseason’s most obvious trade candidates, as we’ve already heard rumblings Boston would shop him this winter to ameliorate payroll concerns. MLBTR’s Connor Byrne recently explored Bradley’s market in full and noted that the Reds have some uncertainty in center field if they believe Nick Senzel to be more valuable at second base. Bradley didn’t have a banner 2019 season and comes with a rather significant arbitration projection ($11MM), but the free agent market in center field isn’t particularly robust.

Yes. Same with JBJ.