moonslav59

My question is, did JH insist on them spending on everyday players over pitching or just hand them a budget framework and let them sign who they wanted? If the latter, then the GMs deserves a lot of criticism. They chose Story and Yoshi over pitching. They chose Devers over signing several pitchers. Even Breslow chose to pay O'Neill over adding a moderate pitching salary. O'Neill did well, but still, when you consider we spent a net less dollar amount on the rotation as compared to 2023, then the choice of O'Neill looks questionable. 2023: $41M $27M Sale $10M Kluber $4M Paxton 2024: $37M $19M Giolito $17M Sale Spending O'Neill's $6M on pitching would have tipped the balance to 2024, slightly. Brez chose not to sign someone like Lorenzen over the O'Neill trade and budget addition. $1M Criswell

Maybe $14M/1 for Flaherty or $15M/2 for Fedde are too expensive to call depth signings, but neither was a huge long term risk. Here might be some that fit the bill: Gibson 131 IP 4.26 ERA ($13M/1, maybe too pricey, as well) Severino 134 IP 4.17 ERA ($13M/1) Lynn 106 IP 4.06 ERA ($11M/1) Lorenzen 113 IP 3.73 ERA ($4.5M/1) It's interesting to note than maybe the best SP depth signing for uner $4M, last winter was Cooper Criswell at $1M (63 IP 4.02 ERA and a 1.1 fWAR. That 1.1 fWAR is tied for 88th best in MLB among all pitchers and tied with Severino, Lynn, Bello and others. It's better than Montas, Cole Irvin, Detmers, Flexen, Scherzer, Cole, Luzardo, Monty, Paxton and many others. Maybe, this area was not as bad as we think. After all, we have used 9 SP'ers, this year, not counting openers: 24 Houck 24 Crawford 22 Bello 19 Pivetta 13 Criswell 6 Wink 4 Whitlock 3 Paxton 1 Anderson We lost Gio, Whitlock and Murphy as options to start. Other teams, like the Astros, have lost as many or more, so this is not an excuse, but Brez did have 9 options for 5 slots, and Criswell did okay. What hurt, a lot was counting on Bello to do at least as well as 2023, but he did not. Houck and Crawford have done better than expected, despite recent woes. Pivetta has done about as expected. Wink was in the dog house for a while and has done about as expected. Paxton and Anderson failed.

I just find it hard to blame Brez for not signings someone like Imanaga, if you were not for it, last winter, especially after seeing what he signed for. Sure, it's fine to point it out, but it seems a tiny bit hypocritical to blame him, if you never said you thought he made a mistake at that time. Also, many of us wanted Montgomery signed, at the time, and thought that was a major mistake, once we knew Gio was out for the year. It turns out, Brez did a good job not listening to us on him.

.931 since June 24th (169 PAs) 6 HRs and 31 RBI comes to over 25 and 125 per 650 PAs! His higher OPS is surprisingly fueled as much by his SLG (.517) than his OBP (.414.) At the risk of being called a Bloom apologist (or worse) several of the moves he made that were absolutely roasted or deep fried, are looking better or slightly better, now. Yoshida DHam in the JBJ trade Abreu for Vaz Extending Ref Not trading Duran while many of us suggested it. Jansen signing Wink for Beni Wong worked out better than Dugo & Downs combined His draft and IFA choices

The schedule to Sept 1st: BOS: 2 @BAL, 3@HOU, 3 ARI, 5 TOR, 3 @DET (then 3@NYM, 3 CWS, 3 BAL) KCR: 2 @CIN, 3 LAA, 3 PHI, 4 @CLE, 4 @ HOU (then 3 CLE, 3 MIN, 3@NYY) MIN: 2 @TEX, 3 @SDP, 3 STL, 3 ATL, 3 TOR (then 4@TBR, 3 @KCR, 3 LAA) It looks like we may need to pass KCR by Mid September. Catching MIN could happen closer to the end of the season, as MIN ends with: 4 @ CLE 3 @ BOS 3 MIA 3 BAL (It may take a MIN sweep to do it.)

Oh, I understand why they passed on 4 years for Imanaga, and yes, it may end up being the right choice, as Shota turns 31 in just days, but $13M a year was a good risk-reward number.. I also understood the points many made here against the Lugo signing, as his history as a SP'er was short. I saw the lack of tons of IP as a plus, since the guy has excellent stuff. (He may turn out to be a meh signing, as well, but his deal was just 3 years long- one more than Gio's.) The $14M for one year of Flaherty was no chump change, but yes, lower cost depth signings were there for the taking, and not adding any was a gross oversight by Brez or a super cheap greedy demand by JH.... maybe a little of both. Either way, that has to be the most inexplicable mistake made, this winter (in foresight.) The Sale deal was clearly #1 in hindsight. Spending on Gio and not others on my list and other lists is worthy of debate, as well. (I remember much of the talk was Gio vs Stroman.)

I went to an opening day game in TB, once. We lost in the 9th in the "closer by committee" season. I thought it was kinda nice, there. There will never be a big fan base, there due to Yankee and Sox fans outnumbering available Rays fans.

So many SP'ers have options or opt outs, it's hard to know what the pool will be, but of course, Burnes has to be number 1. I think he would be worth one of those once a decade offers like we gave to Price. Cole has an opt-out, as does Snell, but I'm not all that high on either. Verlander on a 1 year deal? Fried might be a more likely get. Bieber is too risky. Nate might be the guy we end up with. IMO, trading for an ace and signing a #3 makes more sense.

Not many poster were high on Imanaga, even after we saw what the Cubs paid him. I'm not bragging, here, because I also like Montgomery, but I was also super high on Imanaga ($53M/4 is a much less AAV than Gio) and Seth Lugo ($45M/3, which is just $7M more than Gio but with an extra year.) I do not recall having many posters agreeing on those two. I also liked Sonny Gray, due to not needing a long term deal ($75M/3) and Wacha $32M/2.) I thought Flaherty at $14M/1 was a low risk, good deal. Depth signings like Lorenzen at $4.5M/1 and others were discussed, as well.

ERA by 9 game intervals: 6.67 last 9 5.00 July 28-Aug 6 6.40 July 14-27 4.38 July 5-13 4.61 June 23-July 4 3.49 June 13-22 4.22 June 2-12 5.13 May 24-June 1 3.84 May 14-22 3.62 May 3-13 2.73 April 23-May 2 2.60 April 13-21 2.47 first 14 games

I do think the "limitations" JH placed on Bloom & Brez (and even DD in 2019) are a major factor in our GM's lack of winter success stories, but I'm not so sure JH is demanding the GM spend more on everyday players over pitchers. As bad as our pitching has been, it seems strange (and wrong) that we continually spent way more on everyday players than pitching, starting the day after the Sale and Nate contracts were inked. We let Kimbrell, Kelly, Porcello, ERod, Nate and then Sale's contracts go without coming close to replacing their cost with new blood pitching. No new pitchers were signed for more than 2 years: $38.5M/2 Gio $32M/2 Jansen $17.5M/2 Martin $8M/2 Diekman Yes, we extended Bello ($55M/6), Whitlock ($18.75M/4) and spent $18.75M/2 on Barnes, but they were not additions or replacements. When you look at these above contracts alongside the $10M/1 on Kluber and Richards, $10M/2 on Paxton, and $7M on Wacha, $6M on Perez and $5M on Perez and Hill, you have to shake your head in disbelief, knowing they had to know this was no where near enough to even stay even with those we lost. Now, the money spent on everyday players after the Sale, Nate and Bogey extensions: $314M/10 Devers $140M/6 Story $90M/5 Yoshida (+$10M in fees) $24M/3 Kike (2 contracts added together) This makes me shake my head at the GM choosing to make everyday players a higher priority. The differential is not even close. Sure, the pitching money was spread out more- on shorter and less expensive deals, but you get what you pay for, which was mostly crap. We need to focus on more spending (JH) and more of a priority on pitching (Brez) as well as spending on the right pitchers (Brez.)

I think it is pretty close to 50-50, now, but for me, I have another year or two in me. I'm pumped up over our farm and young player base of everyday players. I think we have a decent core of cost-controlled pitchers that look like more and better the last few years. The staff is still far from top tier, but it is not totally bad. To say we are 4 major pitching additions away from being "good enough" is not putting a feather in the cap of our staff, but that should not (emphasis on should) be an impossible task, this winter. We are losing the contracts of Jansen, Martin and Pivetta, which total $31M AAV. We lose O'Neill's ($5.8M) and some partial payments for the rentals we just acquired and some scrubs, here and there, so maybe about $40M total. Assuming we spend no FA money on everyday players, we should be able to spend that $40M on pitching plus maybe another $10M and stay under the tax line. JH has shown he can set the bar lower, so this is no guarantee or projection on my behalf, but $50M should be there to spend, without paying a dime in taxes. If you figure our minimum needs for building up the staff are these, how do we do it? SP1 _____ ($23-27M AAV) SP3 _____ ($9-13M) Closer ____ ($12-16M) RP2 _____ ($7-10M) That is bare minimum needs, IMO and about $50-65M in costs, if added via free agency only. This also means no mistakes can be made in any of the 4 signings, unless someone like Hendriks, Fulmer, Slaten, Crawford, Bello, Criswell, Gio or ____ step it up, bigtime in 2025. I'm not going to count on that, although it is possible. So, the money supposedly available is not far from what could be needed, but that is assuming perfection in acquisitions of FAs. In reality, we will swing and miss on 1-2 additions, minimum, so we really need to look at adding 6 quality pitchers or 4 high quality (lower risk) pitchers and 3-4 depth signings. Here is where the money comes into play: either JH has to agree to go over the tax line, even if for one "planned year," or he has to okay or insist on a blockbuster trade or two significant ones to fill 2-3 of those 6 slots needed. To me, this makes the most sense, and while I am a big fan of farm building and homegrown, inexpensive talent joining the 26 man roster, in the next 1-3 years, I think we have some bottlenecks at everyday positions and not only can afford to deal some away, but have to do it. When I say I think trading Anthony makes the most sense, it is not out of any sense of not liking him or thinking he has the biggest chance at failing. I don't. I just see another LHB who plays OF, our strongest position in both quality and quantity and at low prices for the next 3-5 years. I just see our need at middle IF as much higher, and thus the need to keep Mayer and Campbell or Arias. I just see the catching position as being one of the hardest positions to keep a plus, and so keeping Teel makes more sense, to me. Although middle IF is still a high need area, especially if we plan to keep Rafaela in CF FT and due to health concerns on Story and maybe even Grissom and Mayer, I do think we could look at trading Campbell, Arias or Meidroth (who also plays 3B.) I'd like to keep the RHB, Campbell or Jh garcia, but we have to give to get, and Arias is probably too far away to bring back his value in trade, this winter. (Same with Cespedes and Bleis.) This basically boils down to a trade package or two that involves: Anthony Campbell or Jh Garcia Meidroth Fitts, Sandlin, Perales, E R-C or Dobbins can be added, because we would be upgrading our pitching by adding a pitcher with 3+ years of team control. Throw-ins could include: Hickey, Romero, Zanetello, Castro, Murphy, Wikelman and Jo Garcia I think one big package or two moderate ones from this list can get us 1 TOTR pitcher or 2 very good ones.

They can hold off DFA'ing Mata due to his injury. Smith needed to stay on the 26, so that was why he was the correct choice to go. I suppose we could have demoted Romy (.790) and DFA'd Mata, or Dalbec, or...., but Romy can play 1B, too.

The under 28 Rankings: 1. Devers 27 2. Duran 27 3. Houck 28 4. Anthony 20 5. Mayer 21 6. Teel 22 7. Abreu 25 8. Casas 24 9. Rafaela 23 11. K Campbell 22 12. Montgomery 13. Crawford 28 14. Bello 25 15. Cespedes 18 16. Arias 18 17. Whitlock 28 18. Slaten 26 19. Arias 18 20. Sandlin 23 21. Perales 21 22. Bleis 20 23. Wink 26 24. Sandlin 23 25. Fitts 24 26. Jo Garcia 19 27. Dobbins 24 28. Valera 18 29. Romero 20 30. Monegro 21 Others: Meidroth 23, DHam 26, Grissom 23, Romy 27 Criswell 27, I Campbell 26, Tolle 21, Paez 20, Cason 18, Early 23 E Valdez 25, Castro 21, Zanetello 19, E R-C 21

My top prospect list: 1. Anthony 2. Mayer 3. Teel 4. Campbell 5. Montgomery 6. Cespedes 7. Arias 8. Bleis 9. Jh Garcia 10. Sandlin 11. Meidroth 12. Perales 13. Valera 14. Tolle 15. Jo. Garcia 16. Fitts 17. E R-C 18. Dobbins 19. Romero 20. Monegro 21. Early 22. Paez 23. Cason 24. Castro 25. Zanetello 26. Mullins 27. Wehunt 28. D Reyes 29. Neely 30. Wieklman

Sox OPS (250+ PAs) .967 Devers .901 O'Neill .856 Refsnyder .855 Duran .843 Abreu .795 Yoshida .790 Wong .713 DHam .707 Smith (DFA'd) .705 Rafaela Others (under 250): 1.012 Jansen .831 Casas .790 Romy

Don't look, now, but Yoshida is nearly at the .800 mark.

JH should just hire Thunder.

Jansen should be given a medal.

Priester pitched a gem in Woo's 3-0 win. 5IP, 2H, 0ER, 0BB, 1K Meidroth 3 BBs Bobby Dee 2 rbi POR won 8-2 as I Coffey pitched well. 5IP, 3H, 1ER, 1BB, 9K Another gem with GRE in a 1-0 win. Wehunt 5 no hit innings (1BB and 6K) SAL won 6-2 in what looked like a pen game.

You may not think $140M/6 is not expensive, but was the 4th highest FA contract given out in Sox history and $30M more than the next one (JD at $110M/5.) Look, I'm not arguing JH is spending more than he was before, but he is still spending.

Think of how many guys like him never get to sniff the bigs. I hope the Domer does well.

Great D.

I was a huge Sale fan, but 5 years of waiting and what ifs tired me out. Then, when I kept seeing us sign injury-prone pitcher after injury-prone pitcher the whole concept of "hope and prayer" rotations sickened me. I was not a Gio fan, but I did expect us to at least get 28 starts and 170+ IP. We are snake-bitten.

I forgot we even traded Kavadas. Let's see how he does in the bigs.