moonslav59

Kaleb was the name of the best dog who ever owned me. He lived to be nearly 20 years old.

Ultimately, he wanted Breggy, or else he would not offer the highest AAV in Red Sox history for someone he did not want. Who cares who convinced him. He was convinced enough to want him. Then, he went out and got him.

We can see on display, today, that other top AL teams have as many or more weak areas as we have. The Yanks have sucked for nearly 2 months. (21-27 since June 7th) The Astros have several big holes. The Tigers are under .500 for nearly 2 months (24-26 since June 3rd) The Jays were playing as well as anybody for a long time, but have shown recent kinks by losing 5 of their last 6. They have several holes, too. SEA and TEX are playing well, but they too have several issues.

Very true, but answer me this: where do guys get most beat up and who do we always need to trade for every deadline? It's pitching and rarely OF, unless it's some minor Tommy Pham trade. We'd be subtracting from OF depth and adding SP depth. I still want us to sign a solid SP'er AND trade an OF'er for another one. (I'm pretty sure Brez would just do one without the other, so I get your point.)

The Crochet extension solidified the trade as being brilliant. I'd love to see a similar trade with Skenes, but being so close to the Crochet deal, I think they would see it as creating an unwanted unbalance between the here and now and future. Also, it would surely take giving up Anthony, Mayer, Campbell or Tolle- most likely one of the first two and one of the second two. (Mayer and Tolle or Anthony & Campbell) plus other top 12 prospects. I think a deal for Ryan or Keller is much more likely, this winter. I see an opportunity with Pittsburgh. They must feel awful about their Reynolds signing. He is already showing decline and 5 more years at $14M and then $15M x 4. That's a lot of money for PIT. Keller is owed $17M, $18.5M and $20.5M in the next 3 years. That is way too much for their liking. I'm pretty sure they planned on trading him, when they signed that deal. Here's my grand idea: A super blockbuster: To BOS: Skenes (still prearb!), Keller ($56M/3) & Reynolds ($76M/5) To PIT: Yoshida ($36M/2 as an offset for taking Reynolds and Keller's contracts) Pitt saves about $96M on those 3 players listed. Then we add: Duran ($8M in '26 then 2 more arbs) Reynolds plays LF and DH for us, but we lose one OF'er and our DH, so it frees up our OF/DH logjam by 1. Mayer (Prearb) He's injury prone, but looked like our 2B solution (or Story to 2B as Mayer plays SS.) We gotta give something to get Skenes. Campbell ($60M/8 fits the PIT budget) Again, we gotta give to get, and I'd prefer KC to giving up Tolle or Anthony. (PIT might insist on Tolle, buy see the next player.) 1 or 2 from Early, Sandlin, Perales or Paez. (If they insist, we could offer 1 from Clarke or Valera.) Add others like Mullins,, Castro or Cespedes, if needed. We'd fix so many problems with a deal like this, but we'd lose some great young talent and Duran. Our core would now look like this: Crochet, Skenes, Giolito, Keller, Bello (Tolle, Crawford, Dobbins, Houck, Fitts, Criswell and more) FA Closer, Whitlock, Slaten and the others. C: Narvaez & Wong 1B: Casas & Romy or FA (Alonso or E Suarez? Naylor/Hoskins?) 2B: FA (Torres?) or Grissom/DHam/Romy SS: Story 3B: Bregman LF: Anthony/Reynolds (Jh Garcia) CF; Rafaela (Anthony/ Jh Garcia) RF: Abreu/Anthony (Refsnyder/Jh Garcia) DH: Reynolds/Refsnyder or Romy Most likely, we'd have to give Tolle and keep Campbell or Mayer, and we would not need to sign a 2Bman or 1Bman. It actually fits our needs more, as we'd be loaded in our rotation and have less need for Tolle, but I really hate to trade Tolle. Mayer at 2B not a FA would help. Campbell as a 1B option would likely mean we would not sign a FA 1Bman and have more money to fill the closer role and 2B need. I know, I know- not too realistic, here.

Nice reply to a nice post by Max. It was a 3 year delay. I fixed it for you. I love great SS defense, and I was thrilled, when we signed him. I knew his Coors numbers skewed his numbers on O, but .750 and GG type D is great for a SS.

Why not call up Campbell & demote Toro? Would that hurt team morale?

He's been hurt, so much, that I think we should cut him some slack for the early games, this season, and not see it as being wildly inconsistent. He needed time to readjust and find a groove. That being said, he's always been a high K guy with a tendency to be streaky, as well as being "helped" by home field advantages at Coors and now Fenway. I am not expecting .825 to .875 from him. I'm not sure he will ever have another .800 season, but I do think he can give us .750 to .799 offense, along with plus defense at SS or 2B, going forward. That would be great, to me.

and one of those options is to trade one... LOL I totally agree with your point, but the issue is this: the only way all 4 of our OF'er can be in the line-up vs RHPs is for Rafaela to play 2B (or SS) or one to DH. The DH choice is fine, by me. The Rafaela to the IF is NOT, unless in emergency short term situations. As long as we have Yoshida at DH, with maybe Refsnyder or Romy platooning with him, it can't happen enough times to keep all 4 on the field. We easily say, "Cora can find a way," but there really isn't unless he benches Yoshida, If that happens, you might as well trade him and his contract for nothing (fine by me,) but until that happens, we will see wasted talent on the bench. With Bregman back in 2026, and everyone healthy, one could see how Romy would be squeezed, unless we platoon Mayer. Romy could platoon at 1B with Campbell (a fellow RHB) Casas or Toro or a 1Bman TBD's, but he might be forced to DH or ride the bench vs LHPs. That CANNOT happen. If refsnyder retires, he'd have a better chance at finding DH time, but I'm hoping Ref returns. We could see ref platoon with Abreu in RF, but that further squeezes the 4 man OF, as it is. I haven't even talked about the RHB Jh Garcia, yet. He is depth and an "option," too. Campbell could play OF, as well, if we don't use him at 1B. It is great for Cora to have so much depth, flexibility and "options" to work with, but unless we can get an OF'er to play 1B, we need to find another home for Yoshida or just cut ties with him.

Maybe we could have kept Teel & Meidroth by adding Campbell, but I still absolutely love the Crochet deal. (This from someone who really values having a good farm system.)

IMO, we had several other prospects like these three, and even some slightly better ones that could have been packaged for better pitchers or a RHB 1Bman, but without knowing what was out there, I can't get specific and prove Brez should have done better.

And it goes deep into low A ball and DSL/FCL! Look at all the promising pitchers who could start a game for the Sox in 2026: Crochet, Giolito, Bello, Sandoval, Crawford, (Houck will not) Dobbins, Harrison, Fitts, Criswell (Hicks, Murphy, Wink & Whitlock used to start) That's 14 pitchers with MLB experience as starters minus Houck & Whitlock and probably Murphy makes 11. Now, add these guys projected to be MLB ready during the 2026 season: Tolle, Early, Sandlin, Perales, Uberstine and maybe Wehunt, Drohan & Mullins. Let's just say 4. That makes 15 on the depth chart before any additions. The pen has a long list, too, and it could include some of the SP'ers listed above. We do need a closer, but here's a look at the rest: Slaten, Whitlock, Weissert, Hicks, Bernardino, Murphy, Kelly, Guerrero, I Campbell & Burdi. That's only 10 for the 7 slots beyond our closer TBD, but some of those SP'ers will pitch from the pen. Here is the minor league RP depth that will be MLB ready in 2026 (not listed as SP'ers above): Mata, Moran, Hoppe, Mills, I Coffey, Harris, Olds, Anderson, Liu, Bolden, Webb, Brand and maybe Wu-Yelland, McShane or Ingrassia. Maybe say 10, here. That makes about 20 pitchers looking at those 7 slots= more like 15 looking to make the final 2 slots on the 8 man MLB pen. The depth of our farm pitching has taken a big step up under Brez. Soxprospects.com lists 8 pitchers as starting or PB Starters on Woo, next season. Some of them could be counted as AA starters, thereby pushing other level starters down a level, but let's roll with what they project: AA: (They have Mullins in the AAA pen) : Clarke, Paez, Rivera, Holobetz, Rogers & Dean A+: Valera, Witherspoon, Phillips, Eyanson, Aita & Tygart (WOW!) A-: Fajardo, Neely, Travieso, Y Ruiz, Patton, B Morgan & D Brown FCL: Cason, Delzine, D Reyes, Zink, Cordero & Frias SPs.com has taken the liberty of projecting some SP'ers to the pen, and certainly some will be and have to be, but these lists could be even longer..

Dobbins outperformed Campbell in 2025, unless KC comes back and gives us plus play down the stretch.

Max, ERA for RP'ers, especially those who often come in a game with 1-2 outs and just face a few batters is skewed. They can come in with 2 outs and bases loaded, walk 3 guys and get the last out and have a 1.00 ERA for that game. In those 10.2 IP you cited, he allowed 10 hits and 6 BBs. Of those 10 hits, 2 were Hrs and 3 were 2Bs! He had a 1.500 WHIP, which amazingly was his best month of the year. 1.765 April 1.556 May 1.778 June 1.500 July The guy is worse than a waiver wire pick-up. 1.650 WHIP for the season (1.846 last 2 weeks) .847 OPS Against for the season and 1.028 last 14 days. We have 5+ guys on our 40 man roster in AAA better than he is. One just pitched a gem of a game and was demoted. This is not THE TIME to keep as many options in the system. It's THE TIME to have your best pitchers on the 26, and when every pitcher you have on the 40 and not the 26 is better than Alcala, that equals DFA TIME!

I think I counted 18-20 open slots on the 40 after the 2020 season. (replaceable roster slots) After 2021, things looked better, but there were still 8-12 openings. It slowly got better as 40 man roster depth was built up to at least near mediocre levels. Last winter, we needed: SP (Pivetta>Buehler) SP (Criswell + Wink = 24 GS in '24 to within system + Sandoval) Closer (Jansen>Chapman) Set Up (Martin >Wilson) 3B w Devers to DH/1B (Bregman) 2B (Left to within system) OF (O'Neill to within system) C (Wong/McGuire>Jansen to Narvaez & Wong) 1B depth (Toro) That was 6-8 openings minimum. This winter, we could get by with 3-4 major additions and one could be by trade of an OF'er or midlevel prospects: 3B (hopefully Bregman, but E Suarez might work) Closer (hopefully Chapman of one of the top closers traded this deadline) SP2 (replace Buehler with M King, Cease, Valdez or vis trade) 1B (E Suarez or Alonso, or maybe roll the dice with Campbell) Maybe add 2B depth and another pitcher. Maybe replace Wong, but these 2-3 minor moves are not essential, unless we go weak on a few of the other 4 add-ons. 3 Major add-ons might be enough: Framber Valdez or Cease (M King?) Hesley, Diaz or Chapman Bregman or E Suarez (Alonso and play Mayer at 3B?) Can we pay just 3 of these guys and stay near the tax line?

I'd offer Chapman $12M/1 with team option for $10M year 2 with $2M buyout. Essentially, a $22M/2 or $14M/1 contract. Offer Bregman $150M/4 ($37.5M x 4) I doubt Casas brings back much, at all. I still think the guy can be an .850 batter, but should only DH and play emergency 1B. (That might lessen his injury chances.) Yoshida trading is difficult, unless we pay all but $3-6M of his deal or take back a sunken cost player in return, but just not a DH. We could also try to lessen the financial hit by tacking on a good player or prospect with Yoshida, but this idea would suck, if JH does not spend at leat to the tax line, going forward, and maybe over, once in a while, when a push is needed. Yoshida & Sandlin for Arenado? (Offer Guerrero, to?) Sonny Gray is owed $35M in 2026, which is about what Yoshida is owed for the next two years combined. What would we have to add to get Gray? STL might love to dump Arenado's contract by parting with Gray, but they'd want something good, if they took Yoshida. Yoshida, Fitts & Romero for Gray & Arenado? (Sub Dobbins for Fitts? Sandlin for Romero?) I kicked around a million ideas like this, last winter: none made sense to the other team. I think we'll be stuck with Masa and Casas with hopes they comeback and give us something plus.

The framework for 2026 looks like this: SP1 Crochet SP2: _____ SP3: Giolito SP4: Bello SP5: Sandoval, ____, Crawford, Dobbins, Harrison, Fitts, Criswell> Tolle, Early, Sandlin, Perales Closer: ______ RP2: Whitlock RP3: Slaten RP4: _____ RP5: Weissert RP6: Hicks RP7: Bernardino RP8: Murphy (SP converted) Wink, Burdi, Kelly, Guerrero Line-up: 1. Duran LF 2. Bregman 3B 3. Anthony DH/RF 4. Story SS 5, AbreuRF/ Refsnyder DH (Romy?) 6. Rafaela CF 7. Mayer 2B (Romy?) 8. Narvaez C 9. Campbell/Romy 1B or _____ Bench: Wong, KC or Romy, Abreu or Refsnyder, Jh Garcia

I was the worst on how Brez neglected the pen. Many of the guys I wanted him to sign have sucked. It's another example of how these guys know more than we do. Had we not lost 4 of our top 7 or 8 SP'ers (Crawford, Houck, Sandoval & Dobbins- 5 if you count trading away Priester) we'd have been able to use some in the pen and not even needed Matz. Brez has made some mistakes, most easier said in hindsight, but he's really done a nice job building up the team and farm. Keeping Cora and adding Bailey has worked well, too. This team is fun to watch, and the farm is still looking nice, despite many graduations (Anthony, Mayer, Narvaez, Campbell & Dobbins, plus Fitts & Guerrero.) That's quite a class of rookies. Last year, we graduated Rafaela, Abreu & Slaten! The rebuilding era is over, but we need not empty the farm to fill the few holes we will have, this winter. We'll have Devers & Buhler money plus more. We only need to add a SP, closer and maybe a 1Bman, if Campbell does not win the job by then. Maybe another SP and Wilson replacement would help. That's not much for the money we should have. (Assuming Bregman returns.)

He and others.

I messed up. They demoted Criswell and Bernardino for Matz and May. They moved Houck, Dobbins & Guerrero to the 60, recently. Burdi came off the 60, so 3 for 3, and no other moves are needed, That being said, I'd DFA Alcala, next. It's crunch time. The best pitchers need to stay on the 26.

Guerrero moved to 60 Day IL. Burdi reinstated and optioned to Woo. Kelly off the IL and sent to Woo. May is activated. (Bernardino was demoted for Matz.) MLB 13 man Staff: Crochet, Giolito, Bello, May, Buehler Chapman, Whitlock, Wilson, Weissert, Matz, Hicks, Murphy, Alcala ________________ Everyday 13: Narvaez, Wong Toro DHam, Romy Story Bregman Duran Rafaela Abreu, Anthony Yoshida, Refsnyder ________________ 15 Day IL: Mayer ________________ AAA: Harrison, Fitts, Early, Sandlin, Uberstine Bernardino, Burdi, Kelly, ICampbell, Moran, Mata, Hoppe, De Leon Zavala, Tromp Campbell Grissom Sogard Romero Rosier, McDonough Jh Garcia, Sikes Eaton, Thompson Hickey

Good point- and Brez, too.

POR won 4-1. Tolle 4 IP, 1H, 0ER 2BB 6K Clarke got lit up: 0.2 2H 3ER 3BB 1K. Taylor homered. SAL up 6-0, late. Fajardo is poised to jump in the rankings: 5.2 1H 0ER 0BB 8K. Ju Gonzales 3-4 w HR & 2B & BB.

Yes, his spreadsheet said all offers were net negatives.

Our pen pitched well, again, today. It is currently ranked 5th in fWAR, 2nd in ERA- and 5th in FIP. When the season began, just about all of us felt the pen was our weakest area. Many of us questioned signing an 80 year old closer and adding only Justin Wilson to help. Can we give some props to Cora for managing this pen to such a high level of production? PAs against (OPS Against) 210 Whitlock .540 195 Weissert .663 184 Bernardino .566 163 Chapman .423 143 Wilson .682 103 Kelly .788 (IL) 90 Slaten .465 (IL) 85 Newcomb .791 (IP as RP only) 72 Guerrero .530 (IL) 69 Alcala .719 68 Murphy .625 (coming off a long time off) 59 Hendriks .692 53 Criswell .828 as RP 52 Wink .622 (IL)