moonslav59

Funny how Van Gogh is my favorite painter, too. Maybe we get Neto for Rafaela and Arias? (Add Phillips or valera, if needed?) I might do Mayer and Rafaela for Neto or KMarte plus MAYBE a prospect. Now, Contreras at 1B over Alonso makes much more sense. We could still do the Durbin trade. The money for KMarte might mean no Sonny Gray, but for Neto we coulda done it all.

Narvaez will be our FT catcher. Contreras will be our FT 1Bman. I have no idea if Contreras will suddenly show signs of decline. It could happen at any time and to various degrees. He turns 34 in May. That is post-prime. He has done very well from age 30 to 33. That may mean something or not, but I took issue with someone saying he has shown signs of decline more than Bregman and Alonso. I'm glad he's no longer crouching in a catcher's stance half the game.

Re-work the fleece.

Yes, and at what other time is that true than when you are in a 3+ year window with a bunch of talented players in prime or neatring primes, all at once? We've disagreed on going all in every year, but to me, this was/is that time. I don't view prospects as suspects, like you, but I was willing to part with Tolle & Mayer for KMarte. I'm not sure what LAA wanted for Neto, but I'd give up an overpay to get the guy we need- not the better value guy. Hell, go ahead and get Durbin and trade Mayer for Neto. Value and better.

Playing it halfway or no way was worse than doing the opposite of whatever. I wanted to sell, but I'd have been happier if we bought than doing nothing.

Rafaela is my favorite Sox player, right now, but I think I was one of the few posters who suggested trading him to keep the OF offense strong and to help add some beef to the infield.

I merely said the mix of 4 guys is not as big a step down and the gain we'd get from adding KMarte or Neto over Mayer/Durbin/IKF or DHam, had we not made the trade for Durbin. I don't want to trade one of our best bats. I just think we are wasting Duran (or Anthony) at DH. Duran's value as an OF'er is much higher to another team than to us as a DH.

Lower AAV and less years- music to Brez, JH & Co's ears.

Bregman aged early. There is no gymnastics to it. He's been basically a half season hitter for a while. In 2024, he started very slowly. In 2025, he ended very slowly. He had a little up blip in 2022 at age 28, but then went right back into a downward trend until the half season in 2025. Sure, he has the chance to have a couple more good and better seasons, but I don't see why we should project anything better than his 121 three year OPS+. Yes, Contreras is already old. However, his age 33 season saw him hit 123 and his 3 year number is 127. I think he has a very good chance at out-OPS+'ing Bregman in 2026. I think not catching should help him out, a lot. There is no way anyone can look at the recent trends of Bregman, Contreras and Bregman and say Willson is showing more decline. Use the age angle- fine.

No, I meant in hindsight the Garcia/Sims deals turned out badly. Yes, many of us wanted us to sell everything not tied down for a year or even 2.

Thanks for finally getting specific, although you are totally wrong. OPS+Contreras Best seasons: 2024 138, 2019 127, 2022 126, 2025 123, 2023 123 (4 of his best 5 years are the last 4 years!) Worst: 2018 94, 2020 106, 2021 109, 2017 118. 2016 122 ( 5 of his 6 worst seasons were 2021 and before.) It's just not true. He is aging very well and no longer has the physical burden of having to catch. Bregman- OMG!!! You are totally off base. 147 OPS+ '17-'19 124 OPS+ '20-'22 121 OPS+ '23-'25 (If it wasn't for his half season to start 2025, it was 119 from '23-'24) Alonso had his 3rd best OPS+ season in 2025, so age does not seem to be hurting him, however, he did have his 2nd and 3rd worst OPS+ seasons in 2023 (123) and 2024 (122). 140 OPS+ his first 2254 PAs 130 OPS+ his last 2062 PAs ('23-'24)

I understand his view and stubbornness, along his propensity for making hyperbolic statements then backing down. I understand the negativity and feelings of doom & gloom. I lived it for over 3 decades of following the Sox. I'm not happy we are not taking full advantage of this clear and present window. I just don't need to talk in absolutes and black & white formats. It's not all or nothing. There is no need to make deceptive and untrue statements to make the point. I actually agree with the main point being made- that we coulda-shoulda done more/better, this winter. But, why say we should have spent more when we could have gotten Alonso with the money we spent, and apparently he's all we need to be a ring competitor. When I say it's not worth arguing, it's about his failure to address the specifics of points like this one I just made. If my point is made, it's on Brez not JH, and he gets in his fair share of Brez bashing, too, but then goes full circle back to JH and the stale Revenue v Spending ranking from 2 years ago as the be-all-end-all point. I guess in a perfect world the MLB spending by teams would fall exactly in line with revenue, and if it doesn't, the owner who falls below his slot is a liar and a bum. It's just silliness, to me. Then the doubling down and circular reasoning. The fact is JH has spent more "new money" in the last two winters than he did in the previous 3-4 seasons combined. That doesn't mean it's "enough," but to say he's "not spending" or "cheap" is changing the meanings of the English language.

He's just a "suspect."

Oh, I know, but make em squirm and divert and whatever. These guys are pansies.

Good. A non hyperbolic post.

Why not try to explain how Alonso adds that mush of a difference? Contreras is a good hitter and better defender.

Nor was Contreras. IMO, he will out OPS Bregman in 2026-- maybe tied. I do wish we'd have gotten KMarte or Neto.

You can't argue with someone who thinks the difference between Alonso and Contreras + Gray is a possible ring to a sure fire 4th place finish.

We coulda-shoulda worked on on a fleece package.

He probably will be a "better value" at the financial and trade capital cost measurement, but we needed top quality.

It's a way of judging the pace he hits HRs. It's not a projection. You know this.

We should have done one ot the other in '24. TOTAL Sell in '22 and '23.

I thought we should be sellers a couple of those years. The year we got Garcia and Sims for the pen did not work out well, and we coulda gone bolder, but they were not really as bad as the D May deal. In hindsight, yes.

Dalbec need replacing, despite having 11 HRs on July 31st. He was hitting .216 with a .260 OBP and .659 OPS.

His sample size was small in '25 and '24. It is a concern, but maybe just a slump or a slow starter.