moonslav59

I don't really want Haniger and or Garver, but getting Miller and unloading Yoshi would make them acceptable budget offsets, even if we cut them both. It would be nice to count on Garver as the #2 catcher, but I think those days are past. Haniger might be okay as a DH, and maybe could stay healthy and provide RH'd power.

This makes a lot of sense. If SEA insisted on a player worth neat $4M, we could probably find someone (40 man roster or not.) I was thinking maybe Wink, Weissert, Kelly or Wikelman, if they are okay with adding to their 40, otherwise, maybe Castro, Zanetello or Hickey.

Wouldn't trading haniger create a need for Abreu? Even with haniger, Abreu would fit w SEA.

I'd say almost any bat is trade fodder, but I pointed out that the drawback to choosing Campbell is that he is the only one that bats RH'd. L Anthony L Casas L Mayer L Teel (Even Duran & Devers bat LH'd- Abreu, too.) I get the fact that trading Casas makes Campbell the hardest one to fit into the infield, but we could play Story or mayer at 3B and the other at SS. Both would be better on D at 3B than Devers. I also think Devers would end up better on D than Casas. I'm also thinking we should not have to trade 2 out of Casas, Anthony, Mayer and Campbell. We can trade for one SP and sign 2-3 other pitchers as FAs. IMO, if we don't trade Casas, Mayer would be my second choice, although middle infield is a bigger need than OF. In terms of need areas, trading Anthony makes the most sense, but he looks scary good. Scary good gets us a better pitcher, but I keep coming back to starting the package with casas and Abreu, so we can keep Anthony, Campbell and Teel. If a second deal is needed, make it Mayer not Campbell, despite Campbell's worse D at SS. Just my take. I can understand choosing Campbell over mayer due to our lack of a decent SS, if Story gets hurt. I do NOT want Rafaela at SS in 2025.

Why would SEA want Baty over Abreu?

He's the one RHB, though... and a good one, at that!

Maybe Mayer can play 3B, Story SS and Campbell 2B.

4-3 and a sweep of MIN, while not likely, is not impossible. I doubt it happens, but I'm not giving up, yet. Close, but not yet. (It's not like the Yanks are playing real well, too.) 22-28 NYY since June 19th 16-22 TBR since July 31st. 19-22 MIN since July 29th, including 4 of last 5, 6 of last 8. 4-9 TOR since Aug 27th and 18-20 since July 30th. Granted, we have sucked since the ASB, but we are playing teams that are not doing well. That keeps a sliver of hope alive.

That is the most likely scenario, assuming we are intent on trading him. Anthony in RF with Abreu-Ref at DH and 4th OF makes a ton of sense. Anthony may improve on Yoshida's bat right out of the gate, and at no cost! If we actually spent the "savings" on a Yoshida trade on better or more pitching, it would be a net win-win. If we can work Campbell into the 2B mix, we could improve again, at no cost. A healthy Story would, as well. (Mayer would be gravy.) Trading Casas with others for a very good pitcher and moving Devers to 1B and Campbell to 3B could improve the D without hurting the O, plus gain bigly on pitching. Lot's of roads to take, this winter.

I totally agree on not spending enough, and in some ways the Story and Yoshida signings did not even come close to replacing who we lost beforehand and afterwards. My point was that we spent on batting not pitching. It was not to imply we have spent enough. I disagree on the Devers signing "not counting." His contract was nearly 50% higher than any other one ever handed out by the Sox, and it marked a radical change from choices to trade Betts and ley Bogey walk. Had we let Devers walk and signed a $300M pitcher, it might have made a bigger difference. Hell, we could have signed two $155M pitchers with his money. That blows away the $39M/2 deal handed to Gio. Three major points: 1. When we spend big, it is on batters. 2. When we spend on pitching, we swing and miss badly, most of the time. 3. We spent $36M/2 on Jansen, $18.75M/2 on Barnes, $17.5M/2 on Martin- all RP'ers. These total costs are 3 of the highest 4 contracts given to pitchers since Nate & Sale back before 2019. We have not focused on the rotation for 5 years. It shows.

We have done better on the road, so maybe that helps. I do admit, it's hard to see us going 5-2 on this trip. 4-3 might be asking too much.

We have given out contracts that could have netted very good to great pitchers (Devers, Story & Yoshida's,) but instead we spent it on batters. We paid Gio almost $19M a year, which is nearly as much as the highest two combined, from 2020-2023. There are signs of spending- just not on pitching, and when we have spent on pitching, we have swung and missed, badly. Will that change? Who knows?

They may not view Yoshi as a big plus batter. They may not like the fact that Abreu looks like a platoon batter, right now. They may not like taking on salary, when they could just sign a batter. They may value Miller more than we think. The 4/5 slot pitcher still starts as many games as the #1.

What player will we offer a QO to? Jansen? It won't be Martin, O'Neill or Pivetta.

That does not effect his value one penny. If we trade Yoshida, he can DH. We don't need to include him in the SEA deal. We could also trade Anthony for a better pitcher and just keep Abreu for 5 years.

Woo won 7-0 and J Alexander pitched a gem: 7IP with just 2 hits and no BBs. 11 Ks out of 14 outs! The pen struck out 3 for 14 Ks and 0 BB on the night. Maybe the bigger news is Grissom going deep and 2-3 w a BB (up to .773, now.) Meidroth continues to defy all the metrics by going 3-5. Anthony 1-4 w BB. Campbell 1-2 was replaced mid game. Teel 0-3 w BB and 2 runs scored. POR lost 8-4 as Wehunt struggled in his first start at AA (5ER in 5IP and just 1 K and 0BB) Marrero homered (.834 OPS.) Jordan 2-5. Romero 0-5. The farm season is winding down.

Pop and circumstance. Gotta like the 33 SBs in 37 attempts in just 317 PAs. That's a pace of over 65 in 650 PAs with 16 HRs and close to 55 XBHs. He may need to improve on his .303 OBP to stick around. His D at 2B is pretty decent.

The Sox have their backs against the wall, and now have two teams to pass. I'm not going into Seattle's chances, although they may be tied with us, after tonight's game. Here are the current standings (not counting SEA's game.) 83-64 BAL (-1.5 from NYY) 80-66 KCR (-2.0 from BAL and +6.0 on BOS) 78-68 MIN (+3 on DET and +4 on BOS) 75-71 DET (-3.0 MIN and +1.0 BOS) 74-72 BOS (-4.0 MIN and -1.0 DET) Games remaining by series, starting this weekend: BOS @ NYY 4, MIN v CIN 3, DET v COL1 & BAL 3, KCR at PIT BOS @ TBR 3, MIN @ CLE 4, DET @ KCR 3 BOS v MIN 3, DET at BAL 3, KCR v SFG 3 BOS @ TOR 3, MIN v MIA 3, DET v TBR, KCR at WSH 3 BOS v TBR 3, MIN v BAL 3, DET v CWS, KCR at ATL 3 16 games to go. I'm thinking 10-6 minimum, if we sweep MIN or 11-5, if we take 2 of 3 v MIN. It might take 12-4, something we have not done, this year, but we have just gone 4-2, so maybe the tide is turning. GO SOX!

vs RHP per 670 PAs .280 28 100 (.876 OPS) Umm... yes... "A- Oh- Kay!" Nice D in a tough position to play well, too.

I think harmony is right about SEA saying no. They might even say no to: Casas, Abreu & Yoshida for Miller, Haniger ($15.5M in '25) and Garver ($13.5M in '25) (We are down $9M in '25 but up $18M in '26 and '27 for a net +$27M. Essentially, SEA pays Yoshi $9M x 3 yrs, which seems reasonable.) Now, Ref can retire and we have a RHB back up in RF to go with Anthony. We have a RHB to DH (Garver) and be a 3rd Catcher. Most of all, we get a very good SP'er for 5 years, at a low cost. We'd need to fix 1B (Devers?) and then 3B (Meidroth and or Campbell?) C: Wong & Garver (Teel, when ready) 1B: Devers (Meidroth/Romy) 2B: Mayer, DHam (Campbell) SS: Story (Mayer, Romy) 3B: Campbell, Meidroth LF: Duran CF: Rafaela RF: Anthony, Haniger DH: Garver/Haniger- DHam/EValdez We take a hit on O but improve the D and pitching for $9M a year plus what Miller gets in arbs.

I think you are underselling Abreu or overselling average middle inning guys. Who is an average middle inning guy? Bernardino? Kelly? Wink? I don't see an average middle man being equal to a good defensive RF'er that is top 30 in OPS and has 5 years of control at a low cost. I do think he's more of a major piece in a package with a better player, but stand alone, he gets 2 mid guys or a very good 8th inning guy or maybe a decent #4 SP or top #4 type.

TIP O'Neill with the megabomb! WOW!!!

Another bite by the snake.

I thought about adding Haniger and Abreu w no Mets involved.

Most RP'ers, even the good ones, have periods of ups and downs. My guess is, both of these guys, along with I Campbell get long looks, next spring and maybe into summer. I'm not sure I'd write him off, so quickly. His 3.90 xFIP from the start of '23 to July 15th, 2024, ranks top 60 among MLB RP'ers with 59 or more IP. Weissert has a 4.00 xFIP from 2023-2024 (73 IP.) soxprospects,com wrote this: Slider: 79-82 mph. Plus pitch, heavy usage. Sweeping two-plane movement. Fastball: 93-96 mph. Throws both a four-seam and sinker at about the same velocity and release point, the sinker just has more movement to it. Average potential for both pitches.. Previously threw a low 90s cutter, has seemingly phased that pitch out of his arsenal. Changeup: 83-86 mph. Shows late fade down and away from lefties. Show-me pitch. Career Notes: Rated as having the best slider in the Yankees' system in 2021. Was the International League Pitcher of the Year in 2022. Acquired from New York with Richard Fitts and Nicholas Judice for Alex Verdugo in December 2023. Summation: Potential solid depth reliever. Ceiling of a middle reliever. Has a funky delivery and bat-missing ability with his fastball and slider combo, but held back by inconsistent command.