moonslav59

Look at every other AL team. Sure, some look better, on paper, but not by enough to think it would take a near miracle to beat them in a series. That is the one reason I want us to try, this year. We don't have to trade a top 4 to make a couple impact trades. We might be able to "help enough," without trading a 5 to 9 prospect, either, but Brez would have to excel. Trading a top 4 or 9 prospect for a pitcher with several years of control would shorten the window to some extent, but it could be a 3-4 or maybe 5, if we get lucky, playoff window. Let's say we trade Anthony and his window of 2026 to 2030 (and other midlevels) for a SP with 3.3 years of control (2024 playoffs plus 2026, 2027 and 2028,) we'd be shortening the window by 2 years, but that does not mean we'd suck in 2029 and 2030. Sure, if the pitcher fizzles, we might be worse in 2024 to 2028 and worse off in '29 and '30 as well, but we can't win without pitching, and our farm does not look like it will give us one, anytime, soon. I respect your opinion, and part of me feels the same way. Why sacrifice anything from the future for a longshot in 2024, when it seems like we've already given up on several recent seasons to build up what we have now: a solid foundation of everyday players on the 26 and 40, and 4 mega prospects on the cusp of making our 13 everyday players, perhaps the deepest and best in MLB. How do we get the pitchers we need, if JH won't spend large and long? It has to be by trade(s.) Maybe waiting to this or next winter makes sense, in terms of maximizing the window fro 2027 and beyond, but that is making the rebuild timeframe 7 years! (2020>2026) That is too long, for me, and I'm a pretty patient guy.

The thing is, Meidroth is not one of them. He should be okay at 2B and can play 3B, and area where we lack depth. Valdez has a ML bat as a strongside platoon. I have no doubts on that. DHam is not a plus on D, but has looked okay, and he can play SS, if needed. Yorke and Lugo are already playing LF, in hopes of finding a position they can play without us getting burned. The problem is, our OF is overloaded on the 26, 40 and farm, and LF is the least need area in the Sox system. Campbell will likely end up in LF, but he may be able to improve at 2B. Mayer looks fine on D and is a legit defender at SS. Cespedes and Zanetello have a long time to improve, but neither are sure bets on middle IF defense. (Zanetello might.) Paulino was just traded. Romero can't stay healthy. Arias is very far away.

Agreed, but I think the looked at it this way: Gio +180 minus Sale 100= +80 Bello +20-30 more Houck, Crawford and Whitlock +30-80, each. Pivetta +20-40 from 2023, where he spent time in the pen. Counting on just 6 pitchers, plus the longshot Criswell was clearly a big mistake, but in terms of projecting IP, it did look like we had more with Gio over Sale. Thinking that was enough was the fatal mistake. Now, we have to back-peddle and overpay for deadline pitching, or sit another playoffs out.

Of course, it's okay. I was with you and just about everyone else on our need to add at least one more quality SP'er, and many wanted more pen help and depth, too. Brez messed up- bigtime. Now, we are hoping against hope we can get a serviceable SP'er without a major overpay. I'm glad you moved away from focusing on just one move that back-fired, horrifically. How many years have we gone through, recently, where injuries left us high and dry, using 10 openers or below replacement level SP'ers while still near a WC slot? GMs should count on losing 2-4 or their top 10 SP'ers on the depth chart. We lost #1/2 Giolito, #3/4/5 Whitlock and #7/8/9/10 Murphy. Some of the others, like Criswell, the one depth guy Brez added, was on the IL for a bit, too. The budget cannot be blamed for not adding more Criswells. That's on Brez. The Sale trade made some sense, at the time, and those reasons do not change in hindsight. He was undependable. Our 2B position was our worst position over the last 4-5 years- even worse than SP'ing as a whole. Grissom offered a hope that many baseball people felt was legitimate. He had 5 years of control. The trade was not without merits. It just failed on both ends. The Gio injury made it worse, and not adding a pitcher, especially after knowing Gio was out for the year was a MAJOR blunder. It might be the one thing every poster agree on.

Is there any word or hope for a Martin or Slaten return? CBS has these earliest dates: 8/2 Slaten 8/9 Martin 8/23 Hendriks We can't wait: trade for arms, NOW!

I'd add Luetge to the 40 and give him a shot. He has a .649 OPSA, which is the best with Woo, right now. I'd take him over... .693 Shugart (55 IP) .706 Guerrero (39) .718 Gambrell (84) I might give a shout out to Penrod (.718 in 11 IP AAA and .558 in 36 IP at AA)

I get the reasoning, but pick a lane. (We all know what that lane should be.) Cashman has kept you guys from finishing in last place, which is kind of nice, but that is not and never has been the standard for the Yankees.

Our starters hit the wall, weeks ago. Our pen has been hurt by injury, overuse, and perhaps some luck running out. Last 2 weeks have gotten even worse. OPS Against: SP 1.267 Crawford (2GS) .989 Houck (1) .864 Pivetta (2) .788 Bello (3) .490 Criswell (1GS) Pen 1.250 Anderson (demotion time) 1.183 Kelly 1.180 Bernardino 1.148 Jansen 1.089 Horn .917 Wink .683 Weissert .536 Booser We need a solid SP'er and 3 RP'ers. (I'm not counting Paxton.)

Catchers can't catch 150 games. McGuire has sucked. What's not to get? Wong can play 1B or 2B when not catching, so we add a 2nd RHB option.

You seem to say this every year, then kind of waiver. I've said it for years, Cashman is the best Sox GM we've had in a while. (Boone as manager, too.)

NYM get OF Jesse Winker from the Nats.

I'm not against holding onto our top 4 prospects, or even the top 9, but I do think we can afford to trade some #10 and lower prospects for some pieces that can significantly improve our chances, this year. I also think we can try hard to make a move, using one or two top 9 prospects for a SP'er under team control for 2.3+ years of control. I don't think our window needs to be planned on opening in 2027 or 2028. Some of our young core players will be FAs in 2028 and 2029.

I'm hoping Brez is still on the phone 24/7, but who knows?

I did not say or imply Grissom could or will equal what we lost in Sale, but I do still think Grissom has a good chance to make a difference in the next 4 years. As for evaluating our own players, nobody expected this from Sale. BTW, did we evaluate Verdugo (for Fitts), Robertson, Santos (for O'Neill) and Ryan Ammons (for Slaten) well enough? Max, we got one wrong, and it was not unjustifiable. Our big issue with our staff had been relying on oft-injured pitchers, and we made a move to lessen that risk. It back-fired. It does not mean Brez is an idiot, because Sale has done the unthinkable. Nobody expected this Sale after 2020, after 2021, after 2022 and after 2023 at age 35. To call out our GMs abilities over one move is just not what I think is fair. If he botched most of his winter moves and goes on to make more and more moves that back-fire- have at it. We still have 4 years of Grissom. I'm hoping for the best but not expecting it.

A good fielding, RH'd bat for SS would improve the balance of our line-up and defense- both at middle IF and OF. It would greatly strengthen our bench as we'd have O'Neill, Abreu and Ref to play corner OF and some DH. It would actually allow us to trade Abreu for something very nice.

Massive kick to my gut!

We need to trade for 4 RP'ers. No joke!

We got one....

We start with one.

RP'ers are being traded, left and right. Waiting for the deadline might mean 2 more losses.

We have a decent record, when you say this.

True, but it should not have been a difficult play. He needs to run fast to the spot, then slow down at the wall and make the easy catch.

Toatl sickness!

One of many mistakes, but really bonehead.

The two Abreu missed were much more difficult.