moonslav59

No. It was the first time we led the league in spending, despite you claiming we have for years, and we only had two big money free agents playing on the team- Price & JD. We outspent the next team by $27M not $50-84M. If the trend continues, yes, I will will feel a bit ashamed that our team is doing what I always despised the Yanks for doing year after year after year. I'd have preferred we won without spending so much, and our actual playing roster was not the highest paid, if you subtract Pablo & HRam, but I suppose other top spenders have dead weight, too. My point was that I don't want us to lead the league in spending, especially by wide margins, years after year. It's not just about feeling like a hypocrite, because my opinion on buying championships has not changed just because we won one while spending more. Teams have closed the gap this year, and I fully expected others to pass us this year after LAD and NYY reset their tax, but I guess the league is changing while the Sox were on top. I'm not bothered now, but I will be if we hit 3 years in a row outspending teams by $20M or more each year. It still won't be as bad as 15 years in a row by the Yanks with several years having obscene differentials.

Stanton & Andujar to the IL. Are the Yanks made of glass?

Could it affect arb numbers?

It might very well be... 2B: Pedey/Holt LF: JD CF: Beni 1B/DH: Chavis 3B/1B: Devers 3B: Dalbec C: Vaz/Swihart It may not be a bad bottom of the order.

Spoken like a true Yankee fan.

You have to admit, winning it all while spending less than the Yanks and Dodgers should feel better than winning it all while outspending everyone by $27M or more, right?

When a team outspends all other teams for 15 straight years with 10 of them by more than $22M, 8 by more than $35M and 5 by more than $55M, yes, I think that's much different from a team on their way to leading the league by $27M and then (likely) less than $20M. The Yanks outspent the Sox by 32 31 32 41 78- we won 34 40 44 79 76 46- we won 74 84 57- we won 35 No way is that the same as 27 ~20

I agree, but you are wrong about several years running. Last year was the first time we were number 1 in spending. We are likely to make that two in a row, unless someone spends heavily this summer. 2 years vs 15 years in a row is a little different, don't you think? Almost every Sox fan lambasted Yankee fans for "buying championships." My point with the Sox was about going forward. Being the highest paid team for a year or two is no where near what the Yanks were, but by not resetting soon, I was fearing that we'd approach the Yankee record of decades of blowing other teams away in spending (by much more than the Sox.) I've been thinking we'd reset. Now, I'm not so sure. If we keep spending like the Yanks did (on free agents or whatever), then the argument is sound, and I agree. 2018: Sox (SFG $27M behind) 2017: LAD (NYY $31M- BOS $32M behind NYY!!!!) 2016: LAD (NYY $10M- BOS $31M behind NYY!!!) 2015: LAD (NYY$53M- BOS $32M behing NYY!!!) 2014: LAD (NYY $32M- BOS 4th $41M behind NYY!!!!) 2013: NYY (LAD $12M- BOS $78M behing NYY and WS Champs!) 2012: NYY (PHI $23M- BOS $24M behind NYY!) 2011: NYY (PHI $29M- BOS $40M behind NYY!!!!) 2010: NYY (BOS $44M!!!!) 2009: NYY (NYM $76M!!!!!- BOD behind NYY by $79M!!!!) 2008: NYY (NYM $72M!!!!- BOS $$76M!!!!!) 2007: NYY (BOS $46M behind and a ring!!!!) 2006: NYY (BOS $74M!!!!) 2005: NYY (BOS $84M!!!!) 2004: NYY (BOS $57M!!! and a ring) 2003: NYY (NYM $35M- BOS 6th and $53M behing NYY) The Yanks led the league for 4 years (199-2002) 1998 BLA led the Yanks by $6M. 15 straight years the Yanks blew away the others. The Sox are on their way to leading the league for 2 years in a row by $27M last year and less than $20M this year.

Can you read? I've said all along we are doing what we used to hate the Yankess for doing.

The Sox have two big FA signings on the roster. JD. We had Price a while back. HRam & Pablo combined were a big commitment. Lackey-Crawford- Manny... As late as 2013-2014, the Yanks signed 4 of the 13 free agents offered a QO in ONE YEAR! (Ellsbury, Bektran, McCann & Kuroda) The Sox have never come close tot hat kind of massive FA signings.

Since Bogey's deal does not change his salary this year, I'm under the impression the tax hit will be $12M this year and then $20M for the next 6 years, assuming no opt out.

If we stay just $1M under the max line every year, we can avoid a "cliff." I still don't think that is the plan, but with all these extensions and talk of more extensions, I'm not so sure.

I care. I feel like I'd be a hypocrite, if I didn't.

The sample size is small, but I do wonder...

I hope you are right, and although Henry is not the micro-manager and general a-hole Steinbrenner was, I hope we are not viewed like the Yankees were for decades. There will be no "cliff," if we don't reset. I've always thought we would reset at some point, but it's looking like we won't.

So, it's... $millions 31 Price 26 Sale 22 JDM 20 Bogey 17 Eovaldi 14 Pedey 4 Vaz____ 133 under contract Arb estimates ~ $ millions 28 Betts 12 JBJ 8 ERod 5 Barnes 5 Beni 2 Hembree 2 Wright 2 Workman 2 Swihart___ 66 Total Arb costs $199 TOTAL (16 players) $16 (24 players- pre-arb & minors) $15M Benefits $230M TOTAL (No Porcello, Moreland, Pearce, Nunez, Holt, Thornburg) No reset after this year, unless we trade serious salary. 2020's luxury tax line will be $208M. $228M line will be crossed $248M line can be avoided by spending under about $18M. If this is the goal, we can keep Holt and sign a decent pitcher or two. The rest will have to be filled by Chavis/Dalbec, DHernandez & Lakins/Feltman/Poyner

cots has it wrong. Yes, add $3M.

Porcello, JBJ, Moreland, Pearce, Nunez & Holt. Replaced with DHernandez, JD to the OF full time, Dalebec & Chavis at DH, 3B or 1B, and Chatham at 2B, unless Pedey stays healthy. No pen upgrades. Scary bench. Maybe no "cliff," but we'll need some surprises to stay strong, unless we keep spending near the max line.

My whole "cliff" premise is based on the idea that the Sox will reset after 2019 or 2020. If we do, we will not be highly competitive that season. If that sounds like a walk back of the "cliff" talk, so be it. I'll be happy to eat crow. If Betts makes $28M in arb, we cannot reset next year, unless we deal salary. (see the Realistic thread for my update on the 2020 budget.)

I love the Sale & Bogey deals. I wish we could get Betts to take a discount, but I don't blame him for wanting the biggest payday possible.

Assuming we do extend Bogey at $20M x 6. Here's what 2020's budget looks like: in $ Millions 31 Price 26 Sale 22 JDM 20 Bogey 17 Eovaldi 14 Pedey 6 Vaz____ 135M under contract Arb estimates ~ $ millions 28 Betts 11 JBJ 7 ERod 4 Barnes 4 Beni 2 Hembree 2 Wright 2 Workman 2 Swihart___ 62 Total Arb costs $197 TOTAL (16 players) $16 (24 players- pre-arb & minors) $15M Benefits $228M TOTAL (No Porcello, Moreland, Pearce, Nunez, Holt, Thornburg)

I'm toast. I usually do two pools, and my second choice was Mich St. Nobody took them out of 49 entries!

I said "probably," but let's see how their next starts go. One could surmise they should be where they were last year after ST'ing and begin to dominate. I hope the payoff in late season was worth it.

Are you beginning to rethink the idea that we might be able to keep more pieces than we thought?

Is it $18.9M x 7 for the luxury tax or $12M for 2019 and $20M x 6?