moonslav59

Sometimes surgery actually works and helps a player going forward. I'm trying to be optimistic he returns when we need him, and he can be more dependable.

I agree that he is the most likely B to be traded, if one is traded, but I may not be disappointed. I'm fine with trading anyone for the "right return". If Stanton is the guy coming back, I'll be happy. (I'd rather trade Bogey and a better prospect than JBJ, but I'd love to see GS for the window and maybe beyond.

That actually could happen! He's a very good pitching coach. He may wait to see if he can manage somewhere else first. (Not likely)

Not for anything of value. That's the break even point. I think some GMs would pay the Sox $22M for Groome.

A whole lot were!

LOL. I was thinking more like HRam and Groome or Mata plus maybe someone like Holt or Swihart, if they're interested and have roster space.

True, but he was 2 for 21 vs the A's that year (.317 OPS). Amazingly, he then went 8 series in a row with an OPS over .900, including 5 straight over 1.080!

Almost any GM with money to spend would take HRam, if we gave them JBJ with him. Only cash-strapped teams would say no.

I get that, but 3 years of JBJ is too much, IMO. I'm a huge JBJ fan, so maybe I'm biased. You have any big contracts on your team, we could just flip?

Yup

MLBTR... The Cubs announced today that they’ve hired former Red Sox coaches Chili Davis and Brian Butterfield to their staff. Davis will take over for hitting coach John Mallee, who will not return to the organization. Butterfield will be the team’s third base coach, replacing Gary Jones. Additionally, the Cubs announced that minor league hitting coordinator Andy Haines will be the team’s new assistant hitting coach, replacing Eric Hinske, who took a job as the Angels’ hitting coach earlier this week.

Maybe because the view him as a classic AAAA coming off a big year.

If we traded for Stanton or signed JD, dumping HRam would help a lot. I think giving up JBJ is too much to offset 3/4ths of HRam's deal. Even without the $5M added, I still would not do it.

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.