moonslav59

Now that the Thornburg issue has been solved, here's a look at our roster construction choices to be made. First, let's look at the rosters (25 and 40 man) before any trade or acquisitions are made. Current 25 Man Roster (Red= has options remaining) 13 Pitchers SP: Sale, Price, ERod, Porcello & Velazquez RP: Workman, Hembree, Barnes, Brasier, Taylor, Wright, Brewer, Walden 2 Catchers Vaz & Leon 1 First base Chavis 2 Second base Holt & Hernandez 1 Short stop Bogaerts 2 Third base Devers & Nunez 1 LF Benintendi 1 CF Bradley 1 RF Betts 1 DH Martinez 60 Day IL: SP: Eovaldi (due back soon) 2B: Pedroia (may never play again) 10 Day IL: SP/RP: Johnson 1B: Moreland & Pearce Others on the 40 Man Roster that have or may play this season: SP: Weber, Reyes RP: Poyner, Lakins, Shawaryn, DHernandez, J Smith, Kelley 1B: Travis, Curletta IF/OF: Lin We do not really have a 40 man roster crunch, as we'd barely notice losing Curletta, Kelley, D Reyes and maybe even Weber, Shawaryn or Smith. Here's my view of what we do when these players come off the IL: Eovaldi to closer: demote Walden to AAA. Moreland to 1B (Chavis to 2B): trade or DFA Nunez (likely will demote Marco) Johnson to 5th starter: demote Velazquez to AAA. Pearce to 1B/DH: trade or DFA Pearce or Nunez (or demote Hernandez or Taylor/Brewer by going with 12 pitchers) Personally, if everyone was healthy, I'd trade Pearce and Nunez along with whatever cash was needed for basically nothing. I'd keep Marco, Holt, Chavis & Moreland as right-side IF'ers. This would be the "healthy" 25 Man Roster Sale, Price, ERod, Porcello, Johnson Eovaldi, Workman, Hembree, Barnes, Brasier, Wright, Brewer, Taylor Vazquez & Leon Moreland & Chavis Holt & Hernandez Bogaerts Devers Benintendi Bradley Betts Martinez Gone: Pearce & Nunez- maybe keep 1, if we want to go with 12 pitchers (Taylor or Brewer to AAA) Now, to trade possibilities: Most likely, we will trade for a pitcher. It looks like SP'er is the first priority, unless Eovaldi struggles with his health or performance as the closer. Taylor or Brewer would likely be demoted to make room. Without Nunez on the roster, I doubt we'd demote Hernandez. Maybe the best idea would be to try and include Johnson in any trade for a SP'er, since he is out of options and would squeeze the pen out of a better pitcher. If we trade for a RP'er, we may look to trade a current pen piece to make room- not that demoting Taylor or Brewer would be the end of the world. Your thoughts are welcome.

I still disgaree. totally, and I don't think the shift is in any way ruining or extending the games.

Now that Sale is warmed up, his velocity is as low as it was last April. He's not back to his velocity norm or even close. He is inconsistent and being pampered.

Only that we'll have an open roster slot.

I hate the juiced ball, but the shift has been around for a long time. Making it illegal would be changing the game to the bad. I like the pitch clock and think it should be enforced- maybe allow a team 3-5 overages before a ball is called.

I disagree. All of our big 4 starters have been good to excellent for most of the time over the last 2-3 years (or longer). I don't see it as being unreasonable to expect these guys to return to their recent 2-3 year norm over the remainder of the season. There was a sign they were coming around in May, and I'm hopeful the last 29 game sample size is just a slump about to end.

There are lots of names being mentioned already, and some teams may decide to be sellers in the next few weeks. Even teams like Cleveland were reportedly looking to trade Kluber, Carrasco or Bauer- knowing they had a shot at winning their weak division. Here are just some names I've heard: Scherzer de Grom Syndergaard Kulber Bumgarner Bauer & Carrasco Stroman M Boyd John Means Caleb Smith Wheeler Leake Cashner Aaron Sanchez Dylan Bundy I'm sure there are more as of right now, and will be even more added to this list in the next few weeks.

Nunez and or Pearce would be throw-ins instead of hard cash. They could take either and play him or trade him or cut him.... or like you said, just give cash and we could trade or DFA one or both.

If soxprospects.com is not your cup of tea, I found this on Dalbec's defense: SB Nation: Along with all of that, it’s worth noting that Dalbec is an underrated defender at third base. His pitching background gives him a big arm to work with, and his work with the glove is average-at-worst. There probably aren’t Gold Gloves in his future, but he’s above-average out there. Live Scouting Reports: While he probably won’t win any gold gloves, Dalbec’s footwork and range at third is passable and he can make up for mistakes with a strong throwing arm. Even if he’s forced to move across the diamond long-term, his offensive profile will play just fine there as well. But for what it’s worth, the Red Sox moved Chavis to first instead of Dalbec. Take that how you want to. 20-80 Baseball: Field 50 50 XL frame is surprisingly agile at 3B. Feet work, hands are soft; think he stays at 3B long term. Throw 60 60 Former college closer, arm-strength shows up from the hot corner; plus arm w/ velocity and low line across the infield. Arm strength bails out his first step, allows him to play a step back.

Everybody's arm strength should have been built up by now, yet we are still seeing inconsistency, reduced velocity, pampering and ineffectiveness from our top starters (some only one or two from my list of words). June 6 to Present (last 29 games) 6.54 Porcedllo (6 GS/ 32 IP) 4.55 C Sale (5 GS /30 IP) 4.21 E Rod (6 GS/ 36 IP) 3.99 Price (6 GS/ 29 IP) If these 4 don't start pitching like they are capable of and were expected to do, then no realistic amount of trades will help us get over the hump.

Depends if KC agrees to pay a chunk of his salary or takes back some offset salary (Nunez & Pearce) as part of the deal. (I believe we got Tampa to pay part of Eovaldi's deal last year. Tamps of all teams!)

LF'ers are a dime a dozen. We could trade Shawaryn for one tomorrow, beside Holt, JD, Moreland and Pearce can play LF...maybe even Nunez, Vaz or Lin. Bieber's addition would outweigh the loss in LF, IMO.

Better chance, for sure.

Offer Beni, Johnson & Thornburg (salary dump).

...until the big bidding begins on his services by the 20 contenders in MLB currently.

Kinsler & Eovaldi did help us win a ring, so there's that, but I get your point. I don't think many here cared much about losing Beeks. I do remember some wondering about Buttrey, and why we never gave him a shot with us. Does anyone think Shawaryn is the next Beeks or Houk is the next Buttrey?

Sale has lost and regained his velocity several times over the last 1.5 seasons. His last 4 games of 2018 were almost identical to the first 4 of 2019. The rest of 2019 looks like the first 7 starts of 2018. https://www.fangraphs.com/graphs.aspx?playerid=10603&position=P&pitchgraphs=true&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2018&end=2019&rtype=mult&gt1=15&dStatArray=FA&ymin=&ymax=

Yes, and it's really too small a number to blame our poor numbers over the first 30 games... maybe once or twice through the rotation, but not 6 starts by all 5 starters. I'm not defending Cora on rightfully preparing the team for game 1, but I think some are going overboard with the blame game.

...plus, it's worst only in blown saves, which do not capture all the times our pen went 5, 6, 7 and even 10+ innings pitching very well in helping us win many games. Our pen is 16th in OPS Against .750.

You'd think all the extra rest in ST'ing and pampering in April, May and June, we'd see strong starters now, but we are not. I'm hopeful it pays dividends in October, too.

...as long as he's not on the Yanks, all is good!

That means very little to many teams. In the past, teams have been sellers (TB & Pitt come to mind) while in the heat of a playoff run. AL Sellers 100% sure 5-BAL, DET, KCR, TOR, SEA 75% sure 2-CWS, LAA 50+% sure 1-TEX NL 100% sure 3-MIA, NYM, SF 75% sure 4-CIN, PIT, COL, SD 50+% sure 2-STL, AZ I have 14 teams as very likely sellers (75%+) and 3 more that are about 50-50 now. Things may change by the deadline, but I'm guessing 15+ teams will be sellers. I certainly may be wrong, but I think close to 15 teams will be shopping players- some may not be good players, and some may be just salary dumps.

We'll see. I still think there will be more pitchers available than needed, and the prices will be low on some decent pitchers.

...anything to get the dumb game over with quicker.

Individual ERAs since June 6th: 9+ IP unless noted SP'ers: 2.16 Johnson (8.1 IP) 3.99 Price 4.21 ERod 4.32 Velazquez (8.1- some as RP'er) 4.55 Sale 5,73 J Smith (some as RP'er) 6.54 Porcello 9.00 DHern (3 IP) 13.50 Weber (1.1 IP) RP'ers: 1.38 Workman 1.93 Hembree (5 IP) 2.77 Brasier 2.93 Brewer 3.86 Lakins 4.11 Taylor 4.50 Wright (6 IP) 7.43 Barnes 8.53 Shawaryn 8.53 Walden 15.00 Poyner (3 IP)