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The Red Sox never traded Burks

Well, per Fangraphs. They’re the only ones with values attached (except BTV) and Fangraphs has very limited levels…

I said he went after the wrong pitchers 3 times. Now 4…

It’s not. Even Gibson returned Spencer Howard (BA#27) Bloom got outspent by people with better prospects

What we know is Scherzer was traded for anything better than the Sox had. That’s a fact. It’s like if Bloom was at an auction and only had $100. And everything he bid on went for $200. And then you got mad at him for not spending his $100. Now what Bloom should have done is ignored Scherzer and Berrios and focused on other SP. Even Kyle Gibson netted a prospect (BA#27 Spencer Howard) better anyone in the Sox system on several scales. Not sure who you think Bloom was supposed to deal to get Scherzer, considering he was traded in a deal that sent back two highly ranked prospects in Keibert Ruiz and Josiah Gray, both of whom already reached MLB. Maybe if Jeter Downs wasn’t flopping this year, Bloom would have had better chips. Maybe if Mata and Ward didn’t miss the season with TJ. No idea if he would have sent them, but not having those three is a big, big deal. Heck I thought the main reason he acquired Schwarber was to make Duran available. I have no idea if it’s true, but it makes more sense than getting him to play 1b. Bloom got outbid. So did AJ Preller, whom everyone said had a deal in place for Scherzer and had even better prospects to deal. No one is saying Bloom had a good deadline. I’m saying he got outbid by teams who had better prospects than Bloom had. And I am right that even if Bloom put all his good prospects on the table at once, he still falls short of what Washington and Minnesota got in their deals…

Done what deal to get Scherzer? The Sox didn’t have the prospects to compete with the ones the Dodgers gave up.

The price for Rizzo using Fangraphs rankings was Alcantara (FV 50) and Vizcaino (FV 45). Equivalent from the Sox might be Casas(50) and Houck (45) Other players could have been substituted for Houck, but you get the idea…

First of all, you’re judging those deals based on what happened, not on how they looked at the time. If you do that, it’s not fair to compare them to a bunch of players who haven’t played yet. Second, I’m not making excuses. I’ve repeatedly said he went after the wrong targets because they all went for better prospects than the Sox had. Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray, Austin Martin - all better grabs than Casas so pretending Bloom wouldn’t deal him is just pointing fingers with no actual proof. Now I am glad we at least got some arms and hope the plan is to roll Sale and Houck into the rotation to help finish the season. I’m just pointing out the Sox have never added some big name Scherzer/Berrios addition at the deadline in a year they won it all..

No. But do you think Sox players think the team badly needed help? Do you think the pitchers think “I can’t do this. We need better pitching. Do you think their teammates feel that way?

They turned out to be great additions. But this was definitely a post prime Kinsler and Pearce was a career journeyman bench guy. Hopefully Schwarber can do as well, but at least he has a better resume pre-acquisition. Let’s face it - no one thought Pearce would turn into a season-changing acquisition when he was acquired…

Nope. On the bright side, this is still a team that won over 60% of its games over the last 4 months and since players don’t act like fans, they won’t quit…

Funny story. The 2021 Red Sox are 63-42 by July 31. The 2018 was off and running, but the 2013 and 2007 Red Sox had very similar records. The 2004 team was only 10 games over .500 on that date at 56-46. But as I (not coincidentally) chose all championship teams to show how little any of them ever added at the deadline. The 2013 Red Sox were a last place team in 2012. The only pitcher they added to the rotation of that great core was 2012 was Ryan Dempster. The most important player added that off season was Koji Uehara, who was a complete afterthought until two other closers went down for the season. I’m not saying it wasn’t disappointing. But some people need to be somewhat realistic…

I don’t think the Twins would have made that deal, either…

Reportedly Bloom was in talks about Scherzer and Berrios all week. Apparently he’s aware. What did you expect him to say in the press? “Starting pitching? Oh, dude, we are so f***ed there!”

I’m pretty sure Hansel Robles can play Dirty Water for you

While it’s disappointing the Sox didn’t get any major upgrades, it might be worth remembering that they’ve never been a team to go big at the deadline. Look at some of the deadline additions in the past. 2004 - Doug Mientiewicz, Orlando Cabrera, Terry Adams, and Dave Roberts 2007 - Eric Gagne 2013 - Jake Peavy 2018 - Nathan Eovaldi, Steve Pearce, Ian Kinsler Not exactly All Star caliber there

But sometimes you have spending limits. You might want a Mercedes. You might think you need a Mercedes. You might even think you deserve a Mercedes. But all you can afford is Hansel Robles…

Yes, they were disappointing. I think the impact will be less than hoped for. But Scherzer and Berrios went for players better than the Sox had to deal. I think if anything, he went for the wrong targets. He shot for the moon when at best we only had the prospects to reach the clouds…

The grass is always greener I guess. Rafael Montero has an ERA over 7 and a 1.64 WHIP, but he’s a “top level reliever” Hansel Robles has an ERA of 4.91 and a WHIP of 1.39 and he’s a bum…

We don’t know if he wouldn’t part with prospects. Every pitcher he lost out on netted better ones than can be found anywhere in the Sox system.

He had been optioned multiple times this year. One option covers all demotions for a season. They’re really option years…

I think these deals mean 2 things. 1. The Sox prospects are clearly not highly sought after compared to those on other teams 2. Adding to the bullpen probably means Houck and eventually Sale will be the additions to the rotation

Cherington sees something in Chavis no one else sees. Or has ever seen..

Robles was actually good 2018-19, but barely pitched in 2020 and has been rather meh this year. He’s probably the fifth pen option. He’s not bad for that role, but the Sox needed something more…

Hansel Robles