moonslav59

That's how I see it, otherwise, everyone else should just stop bidding, unless they want to push the Mets to absurd level, while risking Cohen says no to some number. I like how the Sox put this ask.

That would indicate that Covid brought the Betts demand down.

That's the part I'm not so sure about, in the context of Betts preferring LA to BOS, or not. I have a feeling, he'd have taken the Ddger offer, had we countered with the same, before the trade. If not, he may have taken it, had he stayed with BOS and Covid hit. These are things nobody really knows- maybe not even Betts.

Did you miss Pablo Lopez and Hoffman, too? Yes, Monty is expensive, but we shed Yoshida & Rafaela's contracts, too.

It can make sense, both ways. Betts wanted to test our free agency, because he felt he was not being offered "market value" by BOS. Once Covid hit, the market value became more unknown and speculative. Maybe that is why Betts jumped at the Dodgers offer before hitting free agency. Events changed the decision-making process.

I can understand the Sox reasoning for asking for a "number you will take." If Soto truly wants to play in Boston, he could just name a number and not worry about the possible $50M more from the Mets. (Hell, the tax differential might eat most of that up, anyway.) I can also understand Soto choosing to wait, thinking the Mets will add $50M to the final best offer anyone else makes. If it's all about maxing out the money, he will choose this, but again, the tax thing might even the money out, more of less. The Sox may not want to miss out on other top FAs by waiting too long on Soto, just have him sign with the Mets.

Soto does fit nicely into the Fenway situation. It might raise the likelihood of trading some players, where LF & DH might be their only landing spots: Yoshida/Refsnyder (if not platoon DH'ing) E Valdez Cespedes Castro and maybe JH Garcia or Nelly Taylor, someday

Somebody told me it was probably a Texas variety of oranges used for juice, only. (They were very juicy.)

Only 6 wins better than 2024?

I'm not for the idea of skimping on pitching to add to an offense that already has multiple top non pitching prospects banging on the door, but what would this team look like? Sign Soto, Adames or Bregman and Hoffman, plus trade Mayer, Abreu, Fitts and Cespedes for Pablo Lopez & Jeffries. Trade Yoshida (+ cash) Rafaela & Meidroth for Monty Lopez, Houck, Monty, Bello, Giolito Hoffman, Chapman, Hendriks, Slaten, Whitlock, Winckowski, Crawford, Wilson 1. Duran CF 2. Soto LF 3. Devers 1B/DH 4. Adames or Bregman 3B 5. Casas DH/1B 6. Story SS 7. Anthony RF 8. Campbell 2B 9. Wong-Jeffries C Bench: Jeffries or Wong, Refsnyder, DHam, Grissom

Yes, but with a twist. The "Lime tree" died after a harsh winter freeze, and I cut it down, but the tree was actually a lime tree grafted onto an orange tree roots, so when it came back, it was an orange tree. The oranges were not very sweet, but my neighbor loved them.

It's hard to keep oneself from getting hopes up on Soto. The guy in a generational player. Signing him would also go a long way in repairing the fans' view of JH & Co. We cannot stop at just Soto. Adding just Soto, Eovaldi and Danny Jansen would be an improvement, but we'd still be a fringe playoff team and not a top ring contender. I suppose, if everything gelled at once, we could see a repeat of 2021, or better, but injuries and unexpected decines happen, every year.

I planted a Mexican Lime tree in my yard, a long time ago, but it transitioned into an orange tree. It told me, "I was born an orange tree." The State of Texas now has my yard under surveillance. I may face charges.

My pie in the sky... Sign: Soto ($660M/15), Fried ($182M/7) (Total $70M AAV) Trade: Yoshida ($18M AAV), Arias & Cespedes For: Arenado ($25.5 AAV) ____(Total $7.5M of AAV)___________________ Trade: Mayer, Perales, Meidroth, Fitts & Sandlin For: P Lopez ($18.4 AAV), Jeffers ($5M ard) and Jh. Duran ($3M plus 3 more arbs) Total: $26.5 of AAV TOTAL: about $105M in AAV (close to second tax line) 2024 Sox: SP: Fried, Lopez, Houck, Bello, Giolito RP: Duran, Chapman, Hendriks, Slaten, Whitlock, Crawford, Winckowski, Wilson 1. Duran LF/CF 2. Devers 1B/DH 3. Story SS 4. Casas DH/1B 5. Arenado 3B 6. Anthony CF/RF 7. Abreu RF/Refsnyder LF (platoon) 8. Campbell 2B (DHam-Grissom platoon) 9. Wong-Jeffers Bench: Wong/Jansen, Abreu/Ref, Rafaela, DHam or Grissom (one in AAA)

I'd say $660/15 ($44M x 15) I guess, if it took $675M/15, what's another $15M? If Cohen beats that by enough to balance out the taxes, then so be it. $690 or $700M seems like an overpay on an already major overpay. (I doubt the league agrees to $700M/16. They may not even allow 15 yrs, despite Soto's young age.)

If it comes down to Adames vs Bregman, I'm not sure who I'd want. Both bat RH'd. Adames just turned 29 and was a good SS for several year, but dropped off on D, a lot, this year. Was it a fluke or outlier? Can he play 3B well? 118 OPS+ in '24 (106 last 2 yrs and 108 last 3 yrs) 112 last 5 yrs. Bregman has proven he's pretty good on D at 3B, and he can play SS, in a pinch, but never would for the Sox. 118 OPS+ in 2024 is exactly the same as Adames, but Bregman turns 31 near opening day. His OPS+ over the last 2, 3 and 5 years is better than Adames, but the age thing might cancel that out: 120 OPS+ last 2 yrs, 124 last 3 yrs and 122 last 5 yrs. Signing either would allow us to move Devers to 1B/DH and either trade Casas or have Casas and Devers share 1B and DH duties. (Trade Yoshida?) The Teoscar vs Santander choice is pretty close, too, but it just seems like OF is our strongest area- on D and O. I know that's where Soto plays, but he's a major game-changer, while these two are not. Could our plan B end up as Fried, Adames, Holmes, Danny Jansen and trade Casas, Abreu Fitts and Sandlin for Pablo Lopez and Jhoan Duran. SP: Fried, Lopez, Houck, Bello, Giolito RP: Duran, Holmes, Chapman, Hendriks, Slaten, Whitlock, Wink, Crawford 1. Duran LF/CF 2. Devers 1B 3. Adames 3B 4. Anthony CF/RF 5. Story SS 6. Abreu RF/Rafaela CF (platoon) 7. Yoshida/Refsnyder DH (platoon) 8. Campbell 2B (DHam-Grissom platoon) 9. Wong-Jansen C That's a pretty nice bench: Abreu or Rafaela, Wong or Jansen, Yoshida or Refsnyder and Grissom or DHam.

Probably means no Soto to LA, but I do wonder if someone like the Sox or NYY (or NYM) might jump in on Teo, if they lose out on Soto.

Every now again, we still get a Bagwell mention or even Babe Ruth. It's never going away, even if Betts declines quickly.

Well, he'd bring back someone really good, and we'd have the big RHB in RF. I'm a huge Anthony fan and am not for just handing him away, because we signed Santander or Teoscar. There are others we could trade, instead (like Abreu + Rafaela), and put Duran or Anthony in CF. LF: Teoscar or Santander CF: Duran RF: Anthony But, we aren't getting a pitcher like Burnes or Fried for Abreu, Rafaela & ____.

Good read. A lot is stuff we assumed, anyway, but good to read. I do wonder what the 2019 trade to the Dodgers, which was "better," actually was.

I'm not a fan of Bregman, nor do I think he'll be worth what he gets, but I think he'd be included in the group where 2 or more would need to be signed to make this winter a good one: A) Burnes, Fried B) Adames, Teoscar, Bregman Two Cs= one B: Flaherty, Manaea, Eovaldi (assuming just one from Burnes or Fried) RP: Scott, Eovaldi, Hoffman or (Holmes + Estevez) RHBs: Alonso/Walker (trade Casas for pitching) or Santander L-R (trade Abreu or Anthony for pitching)

Will the lawn sign have his picture on it?

I expected someone to complain we were outbid by the A's.

The med staff should have known he was going to dive and wreck his shoulder. Damn them!

But, it's not on MLBTR!!!