moonslav59

He sure is! Too bad we didn't have any pieces to deal for him.

It's not that as much as him taking a more deserving player's slot. If we are down by 8, I could care less who comes in. Pitch Moreland again.

Yes, and with JBJ's slow start, his arb number might not be too costly. Then again, that also increases his trade value and amount of teams that can afford him.

We have so little depth in the OF, I'm not sure dealing JBJ is a viable choice, unless we sign a cheap OF'er. I do not think Swihart is loved or a high use OF option.

It's not hard to imagine, without any additions, a 100 point gain at 3B, C and 2B and maybe 50 at 1B. That could take up any slack we lose from those having great years this year. We might also see JBJ add 50- 100 points to his 2018 number. Beni could bust out. I'm not sure DD brings Kimbrel back, although his history with pens might scare him into doing so.

I remember, as a 16 year old, watching the 1975 WS, keeping score of every game, and many of the events of the series. Fisk's big HR. Bernie Carbo's. Luis Tiant running the bases (and almost overrunning them). Ed Armbrister's interference no call that handed a game to the Reds. My first Sox memories are with Tommy Harper, Yaz, Rico & Luis Aparicio. I remember us finishing second to the Tigers by a half game in '72 due to the unbalanced schedule the strike caused.

I remember my dad telling me he was offered 2 tickets to the 19-8 game, but forgot tot ell me. I have never forgiven him for that!

Explain why you think this is better than that? 2 IP Wright> 5 IP Sale> 1 IP Kimbrel vs 5 IP Sale> 2 IP Wright> 1 IP Kimbrel

I have the feeling that this is our best shot at the ring though. Mookie, Bogaerts and JDM are all having career years, JBJ has expelled his offensive demons, and we have what may be the best defensive outfield in baseball. I agree. As much as last year seemed like almost everyone had down years, this one seems almost like the opposite. While I can see potential improvements at 2B & 3B next year I can also see some regression from the four I mentioned. We might see Betts & JD (or Bogey) drop 50 to 100 points, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Beni, Devers, JBJ or Vaz add 50 to 100. We have a huge opportunity to gain 100-200 points at 3B, 2B and C and maybe 1B next year. 2018 Position OPS: 3B: .711 Devers is a career .760 hitter and has .850+ potential. Nunez has a .747 OPS since 2015 and could go higher 2B: .658 Pedey's return could give us a huge lift here, but I'm not counting on it. Nunez (.747 since 2015) and Holt's .774 OPS this year offer hope for a 100+ gain. C: .533 Vaz is a career .632 hitter but was at .735 in 2017. Leon is Leon, but even his career OPS (.626) is almost 100 points higher than .533. 1B: .794 Moreland is not likely to hit .894 next year, but maybe we can add a key piece here. Chavis, Ockimey & Dalbec are long shots. I don't think next years is going to be any better than this year, and if the Yankees get a competent manager they could very well be the odds-on favorite in 2019. I think a lot will have to depend on what our budget will be next year and how we fill Kimbrel's shoes.

Kimbrel and maybe Perce are the only crucial core members reaching free agency. The window is still open for another year.

I'd take any of the 4 AL teams against all the NL teams.

That's a big part of what baseball is all about. A 5 game series makes it nearly "all bets off."

Chip Haywire

Agreed, that's why a said "a playoff series" not this one.

Other than throwing BP... ...like making a playoff roster.

A quick look at 2019 before the big game tomorrow. 37 Players (listed by seniority on 40 man roster) Red- perhaps on roster bubble Pedroia Wright Vazquez Holt Bradley Workman Bogaerts Betts Hembree Barnes Swihart Rodriguez Porcello Johnson Hernandez Price Smith Leon Benintendi Scott Thornburg Sale (option) Moreland Velazquez Travis Maddox Lin Devers Nunez (option) Shepherd Martinez Poyner Walden Haley Cuevas Brasier Renda Rule 5: Victor Acosta Christopher Acosta Yoan Aybar Roldani Baldwin Trey Ball Juan Barriento Edilson Batista Eduard Bazardo Jordan Betts Marino Campana Rusney Castillo Michael Chavis Luis Colmenares Eduard Conde Harrison Cooney Jake Cosart Ricardo Cubillan Enmanuel De Jesus Chad De La Guerra Jhonathan Diaz Jerry Downs Nick Duron Junior Espinoza Willis Figueroa Devon Fisher Austin Glorius Daniel Gonzalez Juan Hernandez Darwinzon Hernandez Oscar Hernandez Tyler Hill Dedgar Jimenez Trevor Kelley Trenton Kemp Matt Kent Travis Lakins Marcos Lantigua Adam Lau Deiner Lopez Isaias Lucena Chris Madera Danny Mars Algenis Martinez Tate Matheny Kevin McAvoy Daniel McGrath Samuel Miranda Joseph Monge Mark Montgomery Jhon Nunez Josh Ockimey Angel Padron Yorvin Pantoja Yankory Pimentel Roniel Raudes Austin Rei Hildemaro Requena Denyi Reyes Eddy Reynoso Jeremy Rivera Jake Romanski Teddy Stankiewicz Kevin Steen Cole Sturgeon Josh Taylor Luke Tendler Josh Tobias Carlos Tovar Kyri Washington Jantzen Witte Kyle Wren

Vegas speaks... The Red Sox are favorites to advance against the Yankees in the ALDS, coming in at -145. While that’s not a big surprise, considering the Sox won 108 games this season, it speaks to the pressure they’re up against this month. Failing to advance to the ALCS for the third straight year would be a colossal underachievement, and likely lead to pressure being applied to Dave Dombrowski. This season is the apex for the Red Sox, as crucial members of their core will become free agents for the next four years, beginning with Craig Kimbrel this winter. Their roster likely won’t be this good again for a long time. In terms of World Series odds, the Red Sox are second, at 15/4. The defending World Series champion Astros are first at 7/2, and the Yankees check in at 6/1.

I hope they're not keeping Pom around for another reason.

Maybe it might be harder to hit Sale after seeing knuckleballs. It seems like he's looking to help Sale out, when one could also argue Wright coming in after Sale is just as effective, if not more, since Wright probably needs more of a boost than Sale... in theory. I also like Sale>Wright>Kimbrel more than Wright>Sale> Kimbrel. Wright could, in theory, boost Kimbrel.

They might have more to lose.

I thought it was April Fools Day.

Okay. I missed the post he was responding to. My bad.

Cause he's as good as Happ, right?

Let 'em try. Probably only players who know they can never make the bigs without juicing would take the risk. Some may try new, undetectable methods.

I read it twice the first time.