moonslav59

Sox should have waited on hiring Cora! Now, we missed out on the best manager in baseball history!

LOL.... 2016: Price 2017: Sale

$25M + $11.7M = $36.7M added to the luxury tax budget. Not happening.

Agree 100%. He's stuck in purgatory.

I think he can be a very good number two.

I don't think we are "desperate for a bridge to Kimbrel". We have Smith. Our top priority is a clean-up hitter that can play 1B, OF, 3B (Devers to 1B) or DH. Our second priority is a decent second player to fill the 1B or 4th OF'er role not filled by #1.

My point was that people called me crazy for saying I felt the CWS should trade Sale, Quintana, Robertson and Frazier. I even suggested a trade where we got all of them. I was told over and over that they were not rebuilding, and I guess they weren't until they were (yes circular). That's all I'm saying. On the Royals, yes they planned to go all out for a certain window. They planned for a cliff and should be in complete rebuilding mode- including Duffy. I'll pass on Hosmer, and we already have 3 OF'ers, so Cain will go elsewhere. I do have interest in Moustakas as a FA this winter.

You don't know my position by now? I was firmly against the Kimbrel & Pom trades, but not because I didn't think both would help the team. I thought we gave up too much and should have "saved" our prospects for deals like the Sale trade (and Quintana or possibly Stanton). P & K did a wonderful job for us in 2017. I am not against trading away top prospects. I suggest those type trades all the time. I loved the Sale trade and was okay with the Thorburg trade. We do have Devers and Beni to look forward to long term, but we need a balance of upcoming, cheap, young players to compliment the expensive vets. The balance will tip wildly in 2020 or perhaps with some massive spending, 2021. We are not the "Dodgers East", unless Henry decides to change his spending habits. Until I see it, I'm thinking "cliff". To me, it's close to being a sure bet we become mediocre or the top spender by 2021. Here's soxprospects 2021 "futures roster". Tell me how you fill in the many holes with a limited spending budget? Price _____ _____ ERod Groome, Mata, Scherff Closer: _____ (Houck) _______ _______ Barnes Workman Beeks Johnson, Shawaryn C _______ (Baldwin, Romanski) 1B Travis, Ockimey 2B Pedey SS ______ (Chatham, Lin, Hernandez) 3B Devers LF _____ (Lin) CF Beni RF _____ (Brannen) DH Chavis There's no way the prospect list we have now, fill enough holes. We are going to need massive spending and/or incredibly good luck with prospect development and signings between now and then. It blows my mind that some feel like keeping all of those prospects wouldn't have made a significant difference -not just in young talent but in cost control- in 2020 or 2021 and beyond. Moncada Kopech Margot Espinoza Dubon Basabe These probably won't amount to much, but one might: Logan Allen Asuaje Guerra Basabe (the other one) Diaz Rijo I like our recent draft and international signings, but I still think the cliff is far from "mythical". It is probable to highly probable.

The Yanks were over the luxury tax in 2017 and have stated they want to get under this year. That could be fluff, but if it is true, it's "cutting salary" through attrition.

Probably not. They just pay $44M towards the contract and keep a roster spot open for young talent. I think there have been trades of about equal contracts with both being salary dump types, but Stanton is not a dump.

My guess is DD puts all his eggs in one or two baskets. That means no 2Bman acquisition. --We'll hope Hernandez is healthy or go with Holt/Lin/Marrero until Pedey comes back. That means no SP'er acquisition. --We'll hope that one or two from Wright, Johnson, Velazquez, Beeks or Haley step up until ERod comes back or wait for a deadline deal. That leaves quite a few options- more if HRam can be counted on to play 1B not DH. We need a solid clean-up hitter. We need a 1Bman or DH (see comment on HRam). We need a 4th OF'er who could also DH. *** Stanton could DH and fill the 4th OF slot. This forces HRam to play 1B with Travis/Chavis/Swihart or we add someone like Duda, Morrison or ??? *** Sign JD Martinez to fill the same role listed for Stanton. (Could also sign a 1Bman) *** Sign Moustakas to play 3B, move Devers to 1B and let HRam DH all year. (Could also sign a 1Bman) *** Sign Hosmer or Santana and then try to improve at another position (4th OF/DH?) These look like the biggest and sexiest moves on the radar right now.

And, we'd have to pay someone to take Pedey, so I'm not getting the comp. The point is, the Marlins are looking to cut $25M from their budget. I'm not saying they will hand Dee away for nothing, but I doubt it takes as much as you seem to think it will. Also, trading Dee (and one more guy) might allow them to keep Stanton one more year.

I hope you're being sarcastic. Gray has many stretches better and longer than his 5-8 game stretch with the Yanks. AUG 2-3 2.70 (1.200 WHIP) SEP 2-4 4.58 (1.302) Hell, he had a better run with the A's earlier this year! He was better his first 10 starts of his career to end the 2013 season. He then started the 2014 season with 15 ERs in his first 10 starts (5-1 1.99 ERA). He had a 1.60 ERA after his first 14 starts of 2015. Later in 2015, he let up 15 ERs is a 9 straight starts. To me, Gray has a good shot at pitching like an ace or top #2 guy next year.

His plan must involve upgrading our power. I'm all about pitching and defense, but you can't field a team who plays half its games in Fenway Park and have such a disadvantage to your opponents in power. He might not have to nutty, but he needs to something rather significant.

JBJ is my favorite Sox player. I wouldn't call it "pushing him out the door", if Stanton is coming in the door. I'd rather trade Bogey, if we had to part with a "B".

The Marlins would be happy to part ways with Dee.

It's scary. Although the Yanks have been talking about cutting salary, they are losing enough salary to surprise with a big signing or trade. That would put enormous pressure on DD. I can see Kimmi's point of view, and I do think we can be very competitive next year without any major deals, and a little luck with injuries, but we've already set up the cliff in order to be at the top of mix and not to hang near the fringe.

Maybe Stanton and Ziegler ($9M/1 yr). We need a lefty RP'er and $9M is a lot. Then again... Let's go all in, then. Make them take HRam, but we'll take all their big deals: Trade: HRam ($22M luxury) 18:$22M, 19:$22M vesting option Plus who????? (Flores & Chavis) For Stanton ($25M luxury tax) 18:$25M, 19:$26M, 20:$26M, 21:$29M, 22:$29M, 23:$32M, 24:$32M, 25:$32M, 26:$29M, 27:$25M, 28:$25M club option ($10M buyout) Volquez ($11M luxury) 18:$13M Gordon ($10M luxury) 18:$10.5M, 19:$13M, 20:$13.5M, 21:$14M club Ziegler ($8M) 18:$9M [We could take Prado ($13.3M luxury) 18:$13.5M, 19:$15M, instead of Gordon.] That's $56M luxury tax dollars (2018 only) in exchange for $22M for HRam. That's a net $34M for us and savings for Miami in 2018. They save way more later. We'd still be under the second penalty phase. (Adding Prado would allow us to move Devers to 1B, but would put the net salary at $47.3M. I guess we could ask for just enough cash to keep us under, although I don't really want Prado (and others listed). How many prospects would we have to include to save the Marlins that much cash? 1) Gordon 2B > Pedey 2) Bogey SS 3) Betts RF 4) Stanton DH 5) Beni LF 6) Devers 3B (1B) 7) Morrison 1B (Prado 3B) 8) JBJ CF 9) Vaz SP1 Sale SP2 Price SP3 Pom SP4 Volquez SP5 Porcello SP6 Wright>ERod RP1 Kimbrel RP2 Smith RP3 Kelly RP4 Barnes RP5 Maddox RP6 Workman/Hembree RP7 Ziegler/Scott/Johnson> Thornburg/Ross

Shaw was my "sleeper prospect pick" for two years in a row- way back. I gave up on him too. His minor league career was full of good half seasons and bad-- more bad than good over his prior 2-3 years before his call-up. Then, he looked awful the last half of 2016. I was actually more upset about giving up Dubon than Shaw, and I was not alone. I realize there were a couple posters who were high on Shaw, and kudos to them, but I can't see getting upset over DD trading him at that point in his career. He guessed wrong, but it was not something anyone expected. Even the Shaw fans never expected him to do what he did in the small market town of Milwaukee.

The playoffs are a crap shoot. I'm not so sure we can reed too much into a couple series for each of our teams (Sox in 2016 & 2017 and the Yanks two series this year). Yeah, it's disappointing. Missing two opportunities is frustrating. I do believe in the "cliff". I'm huge on keeping a strong farm, but DD made the bed. It's time to sleep in it. No half way s*** the next 2 years. We need to try to get to be a favorite of co-favorite to at least win the AL in the next 2 years. That's not happening standing pat or signing Moreland and Nunez.

If he can't play 3B, he definitely can't play 2B.

I heard Brentz signed a minor league deal with us. Can't find where I read it. This from soxprospects.com... Rumors have swirled that Brentz is drawing interest from Japan, and it is possible he ends up there if he does not receive any major league offers after his great season.

I feel the same, and even then, I'm trying my hardest to get them to take JBJ and better prospects instead.

I think he's having winter surgery.

LOL! Let's do all of these: OF/DH Giancarlo Stanton for CF Jackie Bradley Jr., 3B Michael Chavis. RHP Tanner Houck and 1B Josh Ockimey. 2B/SS Brian Dozier for 1B Sam Travis, utility man Tzu-Wei Lin andMike Shawaryn. 1B/OF Eric Thames for 1B Ockimey or Travis (sub Chavis to make it work) and P Travis Lakins RHP Ervin Santana for P Bryan Mata & Brian Johnson RHP Joakim Soria for Jalen Beeks They also suggest the hilarious Josh Ockimey and Sam Travis as well as third baseman Michael Chavis would be in play for a trade for Goldchmidt.