moonslav59

That's because you are in tremendous shape and all buffed out and all.

Make that 3!

...something WAR does not capture.

I know we differed on the "desire" thing last year, but I still feel like we didn't have enough of it. Sure, having fun and winning more is part of it, but we had some nice stretches last year, and I just didn't see all that much. There are no stats to back it up, but it's what my gut was telling me last year. Yes, I blamed JF for much of it.

More on next year's 40 man roster. We currently have 44 players on the roster, counting 4 guys on the 60 day DL (Pedroia, M Hernandez, C Smith & A Maddox). 6 Free Agents or re-sign? Kimbrel Pomeranz Pearce Eovaldi Kelly Kinsler One has to believe we either keep Kimbrel or replace him (and Kelly) with one or two very good RP'ers. Starting the season without Pom & Eovaldi or any out-of-system replacement would be a gamble. No depth beyond Sale, Porcello, Price, ERod, Wright, Johnson & Velazquez. It's hard to imagine not replacing Peacre with someone who can bash lefties. Going without Kinsler or a replacement might be doable. We've talked about the high probability of Ockimey, Chavis and H Hernandez being added to protect them from rule 5, so here is how i see the roster shaping up for next year (subject to change, of course): Bubble = Red 9 Starting Pitchers: Sale, Porcello, Price, ERod, Wright, Johnson, Velazquez Haley, Shepherd 12 Relief Pitching (counting 1 signing): ______(Kimbrel), Thornburg, Barnes, Hembree, Brasier, C Smith, Workman, Poyner, Walden R Scott, A Maddox, Cuevas 4 Catchers: Vazquez, Leon, Swihart Butler 3 First Base Moreland, Ockimey Travis 4 Second Base Pedroia (retire?), Holt, Nunez Renda 3 Third Base Devers, M Hernandez, Chavis 2 Shortstop Bogaerts, Lin 4 OF Betts, Beni, JBJ, JD (DH) There are 41 names on this list, including Kimbrel or his FA replacement. Any signings would force a bubble player off the roster. Here are the bubble players I listed above: Renda Butler Travis Cuevas Shepherd Haley Scott Maddox No big loss with any of these guys, IMO.

Let's hope he's our new Rich Hill. Gotta love it!

Phew!

Show some grit!

I know adding JD was a big boost, but I really love how Cora has gotten this team focused and loving the game.

Were you going to say, "Dog Catcher?"

Eovaldi for Mayor! Porcello for Governor!

Judge is a freakatoid. That kind of ML blossoming is pretty rare, except with players called up at very young ages with less than the 1500+ PAs Judge got on the farm before his call-up. I'm not giving up on Ockimey. I've always valued him higher than Travis, but chances are he won't make it big.

How many of these prospects/players do we need to capably replace soon-to-be free agents? Feltman > Kimbrel Wright/Johnson/Velazquez> Pomeranz/Eovaldi Poyner/Walden/Maddox> Kelly Lin > Kinsler Ockimey/Chavis> Pearce Johnson/Velazquez/Shawaryn> Sale Velazquez/Shawaryn> Porcello Chatham> Bogey Ockimey/Chavis> Moreland Lin> Holt/Nunez Shawaryn> Thornburg ???> Betts ???> JBJ ???> Wright/Leon/Smith How many can we realistically expect to do so?

I'd like to see Peacre in the line-up- somehow- someway.

He's not so young anymore. He turns 23 this October. This is his 6th year in our system. He was called "raw" for years. He hasn't shown much improvement with the K rate. He's rule 5 this winter and will likely be placed on our 40 man roster or traded, but the chances are, he won't every get over the high K rate. Some players can be successful in the bigs despite having high K rates, but he will have to show more power than he's shown so far. One thing in his favor has been his good OBP, which isn't always easily transferable to the bigs (see Cecchini). Ockimey OBP .370 AA 2018 .372 AA 2017 .388 A+ 2017 .367 A 2016

Both the Yanks and Sox have had their share of injuries. I've said from the start, I like our bench and depth, despite our "weak" farm. The Pearce, Kinsler & Eovaldi pick-ups have been a huge success, as was the dumping of HRam, but the rest of our depth has done a very good job. Moreland Holt Wright Johnson Velazquez Brasier Poyer/Walden

Yes, as was the Rusney maneuver. We got away with that one, and it took a while to change the rule. It's probably worth a try, and maybe not go so extreme like my example.

I guess it's all about how we define "awful." JBJ's career numbers are greatly affected by his horrific start to his career. I'm not holding him to those first 530 PAs over 2013 to 2014. I don't think that "straining," since I do the same for all hitters. Yes, he's looked horrible for significant stretches since 2015. I'm not glossing that over or ignoring it, but the fact is, his numbers are not awful over his most recent 3 1/2 years. I don't think that's cherry-picking. 2015-2018 .293 54 297 (2400 PAs) Bogey (.350/.438/.788) .247 61 234 (1800 PAs) JBJ (.330/.437/.766) JBJ's .766 OPS ranks 96th out of 175 with 1500+ PAs since 2015. That's average not "awful". Also, he's had about 20 HRs per 600 PAs- not bad power.

Very true. I don't see Henry letting Betts walk, unless some clown GM grossly overpays him. Tough decisions ahead. Sale & Bogey after 2019 plus JD's opt out. Betts after 2020.

Who knows what they might or could do about it.

Exactly, and did you see Sale, the animated cheerleader, in the dugout? This team is pumped up and focused.

Good idea. Why not take it further and make it $1M a year for the final 10 years, where he could be used as a coach, if he's done playing by then. $300M x 10 plus $1M x 10= $310M/20 ($15.5M AVV).

His opt out is after 2020. At that point, he will be owed $218/7 ($31.2M/yr) counting the $10M buyout for 2028. It will be $233/8, if the option is taken ($28.9M/yr).

I agree on Travis. I do think we'll have plenty of room for Chavis on the 40 man next year, at least to start the season. It's no biggie to me, if he is traded. He is still our #1 prospect according to soxprospects.com... like him or not.

Andujar was playing 3B, but it was all the pitcher's fault for not running at the runner.