moonslav59

Red Sox release Peralta. Next up: Pablito

I was talking about the big "what if" we still had Espi. Maybe Espi, Groome, Travis and Chavis might have come close.

On the Luxury Tax penalties, I think I was wrong about the non monetary penalties kicking in at the $20M over tier. They actually don't kick in until after going over by $40M. That's good news for the Sox. Here's what I found: Clubs that exceed the threshold by $20 million to $40 million are also subject to a 12 percent surtax. Meanwhile, those who exceed it by more than $40 million are taxed at a 42.5 percent rate the first time and a 45 percent rate if they exceed it by more than $40 million again the following year(s). Beginning in 2018, clubs that are $40 million or more above the threshold shall have their highest selection in the next Rule 4 Draft moved back 10 places unless the pick falls in the top six. In that case, the team will have its second-highest selection moved back 10 places instead. It appears that if we reset the tax this year or possible next, the following years would be taxed as such: Year 1: 20% (32% on money spent from $20M to $40M with the 12% surtax and $42.5% if we go over $40M plus our draft pick moved back 10 slots.) Year 2: 30% (42% on anything between $20-40M and $45M on anyhting over $40M plus draft pick moved back 10 slots)

The equation may look like this: Option A: Pay Castillo $11.77M (off the luxury tax books) + Pay a free agent $3-6M to be our 4th OF'er $15-18M Total Option B: Pay Castillo $11.77M to be our 4th OF'er + $2.36M in luxury tax (20% first year) $14M Total

Chavis is top 100, isn't he? Kopech (or Espi) is not as high as the Jimenez, but maybe the CWS would have liked the others we could have offered more. 20 Kopech 96 Chavis It would probably have taken Espi & Groome or Kopech & Groome to get Q.

If you win a division with an 84-78 record, it can't have been too hard. I agree on the more balanced schedule, but for the fans and travel costs, playing more games in larger regional divisions would be a money-maker. For more balance, the schedule could be set up in various ways: 4 games vs other division foes (2 home and 2 away or alternate 4 game series home and away year by year) 4 x 24 teams= 96 games. This would leave 66 games for your own division foes. 4 teams x 13 games and 1 team x 14 games. 5 games vs other divisions (3 H + 2A alternates with 2H + 3A) 5 x 24 teams= 120 games This leaves just 42 games vs your own 5 division rivals. 3 teams x 8 games and 2 teams x 9 games. (Or, you could play 9 games vs all div rivals and lessen some numbers vs other teams.)

lol

I've always loved Quintana and his low cost contract. He's got 3.5 years of team control.

Then, would Kopech, Chavis, Travis and Beeks have been enough. I'm not talking either-or with Sale & Q. I'm talking both.

I never said "I think he will be promoted" or that I think he should be. I just said I would not give up on the idea by selling at his all time lowest stock value. He's still got upside, and I guess some team might see that and want that, but I doubt, even as a throw in, his trade value is worth anything right now. I'd keep him at this point, and hope he turns things around. If he doesn't, we haven't lost anything more than by trading him now.

Last I heard, his whole season was in doubt, but I'm in Maine now, so I'm out of the loop.

Oaky then, Groome and Travis for Judge.

I like the idea of doing away with the NL and AL. I know the purists shudder at the idea, but going with a totally geographic divisional allignment would create some incredible new rivalries (NYM-NYY, NYM-BOS, PHI-NYY, WAS-BAL, LAD-LAA, OAK-SFG, KC-STL, CWS-CC, CIN-CLE and on and on...). I like the idea of five 6 team divisions (play 18 games vs your 5 division foes for 90 games and 3 games vs everyone else for 72 games- 3 x 24 teams). You get 3 wild card teams with no play-in needed. Seed the playoffs by best record with division winners getting no special preferences for winning a division with an 84-78 record.

Wonder if we could have gotten Quintana for Espinoza, Chavis, Travis and Beeks.

I suggested trading Swihart countless times, for many of the reasons 700 mentioned, but that was when his stock was high. Don't sell low. Our best hope is to have Swihart build up his stock value and then trade him or one of our other catchers. With our catcher's hitting always in question, I still think the idea of having Swihart on the 25 man roster, assuming he's healthy and playing well, would allow us to pinch hit for our catchers more often. Swihart would have to be more than a third catcher in this scenario. He's have to be our 4th or 5th OF'er (LF only) plus maybe learn how to play 1B or 3B depending on hos well Devers or Travis are doing.

I did not mean McHugh, because I don't think he's due back soon. I've been halfheartedly following the Astros, since moving to Sugar Land 8 years ago.

Move the Rays to North Carolina. It is a baseball rabid area that deserves a shot at a big club. The problem might be location. I'd try to place the stadium close enough to Charlotte but also making it easier for the rest of the state to go to a game. (Maybe off highway 85 near Harrisburg or Concord.

That's not really what you said. You suggested we trade him now- before any signs of character issues.

I agree, but if we stay under the second tier penalties, Henry might think it's worth playing Castillo and paying a $2-3M tax over paying someone like Young over $4-5M a year. Henry could "save" by spending. I seriously doubt we ever see RC in a Sox uniform.

Yeah, McCullers is already back. My bad.

Wow! Quintana was the guy I have wanted for years. He is paid less than Sale and has one more year of team control. This makes the Cubs a very strong team for the next 4 years. I'm not saying we should have offered this, but does this deal outweigh what the Cubs got from the CWS? Devers, Travis, Lakins & Beeks? Devers, Groome & Ockimey? Groome, Travis, Lin & Lakins or Beeks? Or, would it have taken all our big 3?

You seemed to imply the sins of the father are passed to the son by suggesting, even if sarcastically, we trade Groome.

The Astros are about to get their two best starters back from injury, and I'm near certain they will make a significant move (or two) at the deadline to address their rotation. Their pen has looked strong. My guess is Vegas has them with better odds than us at winning the AL. We're probably close to the Guardians.

I was irate over the Masterson signing. If Young hits lefties well over the second half, as I expect he will, then signing him at $7.5M next year would not be terrible, but I'm against it. When we signed Young, he was expected to play LF vs LHPs and be our 4th OF'er vs RHPs. We don't need that next year. We lust need a capable LF'er who can maybe play 1B or 3B or both. IMO, that could be Holt. Maybe we even get Lin or Marrero to learn how to play LF. Maybe Swihart makes the 25 man roster as a 3rd catcher, 4th OF'er and deep depth at 1B or 3B. I just see too many better options than bringing back Young.

Even though Henry will still be paying Castillo next year whether he's on the 40 man roster or not might play into adding him to the roster and paying the tax, but I'm not sure they think he's "good enough" to take Young's slot or worthy of making the 25 man roster. If he's not going to be on the 25 man roster, he shouldn't be on the 40 man. The idea is probably under consideration, and how Castillo finishes 2017 might improve or lessen the chances it happens. If we trade for Prado or Harrison, we won't need a 4th OF'er, especially if Holt is expected to be on the 25 man roster next year. The option I think is most likely is where we sign someone to take Moreland and Young's roster slot in one person. A LF/corner IF type who does not need to be as good as either, since I feel we plan on giving Travis and Devers a strong chance to win the jobs. The money saved would allow us to pay all our arb and option raises and stay below the second tier penalty level of the luxury tax. We may want to keep a few million under the limit, so we could make a move at next year's deadline that involved adding salary, if needed.