moonslav59

I would hope so. The comps are not really that good, since Bags was traded as a prospect and Betts is proven and making $28M+.

Yes, but Dan D did provide a nice foundation for Theo to work with. Plus, I think Theo was given a fatter checkbook. We went from an $81M budget in 2000 to $127 in '04 and $143 in '07.

My point was about NOT letting Bagwell go and Not letting Betts go, either. With the lousy comp pick we might get for Betts, we'll be lucky to get a decent RP'er.

I'm not saying we don't have a history of meddling, but I will say not all of it bad. All I'm saying is Lucchino is not around anymore. He was the punching bag for a lot of posters. Maybe the people who might "meddle" in the future will have a more positive influence. Maybe they won't meddle, and we'll wish they had. I'm just saying, "Who knows?" I don't know much about this new guys, so I'm not about to say make him king and anoint him the only guy who makes decisions. Many successful teams and businesses make team/group decisions.

2016-2019 WAR 34.9 Trout 30.7 Betts (Mookie is closer to Trout than Yelich) 25.4 Yelich 24.2 Rendon 23.2 Lindor 22.8 Altuve 22.6 J Ramirez 22.4 Arenado 21.7 Bryant 20.5 Bregman 19.8 Freeman 19.7 Y Grandal 19.7 Bogaerts Other notables: 17. Machado 18.1 19. Judge 17.8 25. Harper 15.6

I've been on the sign Betts band wagon a long time. If Betts was going to be 32 when we sign him, I'd be signing another tune, but when you can get maybe half the years of a deal in prime and a couple more near prime, I'm okay with a couple bad years at the end. I know, some will say, wait 7-8 years and say that, and I get that point of view, but this is Mookie freakin' Betts we're talking about! Here's a look at the best WAR seasons by a Sox player since 1972, which is when I became a Sox fan: 10.4 Betts 2018 9.5 Ellsbury '11 8.9 Boggs '87 8.8 Boggs '85 8.6 Boggs '88 8.6 Lynn '79 8.3 Boggs '89 8.3 Betts '16 8.2 Valentin '95 7.9 Pedey '11 ... 20. Betts 6.6 in 2019 (Go back to 1967: 11.1 Yaz '67 10.4 Betts '18 9.6 Petrocelli '69 (WOW! Rico better than any year by Boggs!) 9.5 Ellsbury '11 9.3 Yaz '68 8.9 Boggs '87 8.9 Yaz '70 Bogey's best? 6.8 Dewey's 6.6 Beltre's 6.4 Papi's 6.3 Mo's 6.3 Youk's & AGon's 6.2 JD's & Devers's 5.9 Manny's 5.8 (Bett's also had a 5.3 in 2017.)

I don't know enough about anyone that might be meddling with the choices of our next GM to know if it would be a negative or positive influence.

Theo was pretty young when he first stepped in as GM. This guy is supposed to be real smart. I'm going the optimistic route on this one.

Red Sox Interviewed Chaim Bloom for GM Opening "ESPN’s Jeff Passan adds that “multiple sources” believe Bloom will ultimately get the job." https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/10/chaim-bloom-interviewed-for-red-sox-gm-position.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

fangraphs has it at 41.3% and 44.6%, so who knows? These metrics should be rounded up and blown up.

Betts is the real deal. Letting him get away will be worse than letting Bagwell go. Much worse.

I guess Betts could get run over by Machado, too. Note: Pedey will turn 38 right as his contract runs out. If we signed Betts to 10 years right now, he will have turned 37 just as his contract expires. If we sign him after next year as a free agent, he'll be the same age as Pedey after his 10 year deal expires. Here's some major differences, though. Pedey signed an 8 year deal, so his contract years run from age 31 to 38- virtually all the but maybe 2-3 years are post prime. If Betts signs a 10 year deal at 2 years younger than Pedey was when he signed his deal, he'll have all but 4-5 years post prime. That's huge. Pedey's OPS before the signing: .861 2011 .797 2012 .787 2013 (signed extension 7/24/13) Betts's OPS before signing: 1.078 2018 .915 2019 ____ 2020? Pedey plays a more physically demanding position (2B) than Betts (RF). People claim speed does not age well, but power does. Betts has way more power than Pedey ever had. Pedey never had a SLG% above .493. Betts has been at .535 the last 4 years combined and .578 the last 2 years. I think Betts will be highly productive at ages 29, 30, 31,32. I think he will be productive at ages 33, 34 and maybe 35 He might be okay, but below his pay value at ages 36, 37 & 38. (How much below might be the biggest worry.) 6 or 7 good years and maybe 3-4 not worth the money years. Yes, it will suck, if he gets hurt or declines sharply at an early age, but this is the guy I'd break the guidelines for.

I think it means they stopped taking (or using) his advice a couple years ago.

there goes any chance we have at winning again!

100% yes? So MN had an equal chance as the Yanks? (And Mn wasn't even the worst team in the playoffs!)

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.