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It's not about being "anxious" to trade Duran. Both trades with him I suggested were realisitc (per BTV) for what it ould get, but one of them I think the other team would be hesitant for, and the other I think the Sox should be. But if the Sox want to get a good pitcher, they are likely going to have to trade someone(s) good. Do you think Duran should be untouchable in any deal?

How about St. Louis gets: Vazquez Pitt gets: Bader Boston gets: Taillon Or the one I proposed a while back on BTV Boston gets: Taillon Philly gets: Vazquez Pitt gets: SS prospect Bryson Stott (BA #87 pre-2020) This plays into each of the three GM's strengths, all of whom we know very well as they are former/current Sox GMs or Presidents. Dombrowski gets to deal a prospect who likely will not impact Philly in 2021 or 2022, and in return he fills a major gap on the MLB roster. Cherington gets a top 100 prospect in a salary dump. Bloom gets a major-talent reclamation project on the cheap. This deal is so perfect, I don't think any of us would be surprised if the three teams made it twice...

With St. Louis. Anthony Reyes (5.5) and CF Lane Thomas (5.0) for Jarren Duran? More likely St. Louis sees dealing Thomas as a chance to clear up an OF logjam, which then gets negated by acquiring Duran. They might make the deal for Bryan Mata (12.4), assuming Boston was willing to part with him. (I wouldn't.). With KC. Whit Merrifield (36.9) and Danny Duffy (-9.0) for Dalbec and Duran? A bit draining on a weak farm, which might be less of a concern for a pitcher better than Duffy. Chavis to St. Louis for Lane Thomas? Chavis to Philly for Adam Hasely?

Kiermaier has a .669 OPS (82 OPS+) over the last 3 seasons. His .720 carer OPS is carried largely by his early career...

I'm fine with Kiermaier, whom I have plugged relentlessly on this site and even included in my prediction, which so far is 0 for whatever...

That leaves Bradley. I’m all for it, but most of the other readily available glove-first centerfielders are automatic outs. I’m hoping Bloom can swing a deal for Ender Inciarte...

I am gad he recognizes it and will hopefully do what he can to do better next time around, even if it is not in Boston...

Bear in mind, he just hits well among pitchers. The best smelling pile of poop still does not smell good...

And a few kickers can probably throw really well (and were probably QBs in college). But overall, pitchers know what they get paid for and focus on that skillset...

I thought you were all about a defense-first CF?

Why not Nishikawa for CF as well?

You think that would make him love the DH. One less chance to embarass himself. If pitchers took hitting seriously, I might feel different, but they don't and they have no reason to...

I misunderstood that idea. But either way, the use of the DH becomes dependent on the pitch count of a different player. This is not a good thing. Watching pitchers hit is like watching kickers try to throw passes...

Worst. Idea. Ever. That means the use of the DH could depend on the pitch count of the opposing pitcher. And the "NL Strategy" always falls apart because of those pitch counts that negate the decisions that managers used to have to make. The use of openers is really not a problem, but if you do not like this non-traditional strategy, this very solution will increase the use of openers. If I am managing a team who has a potent DH, know that I am pulling my starter very quickly and getting that bat out of the lineup, possibly before he has a chance to swing the bat even one time. This type of rule would actual allow a manager to have influence over the lineup of the other team. Not to mention, the main problem with that NL Strategy is most pitchers do not take hitting seriously. They all know they are not getting paid for their ability to hit. And the pitchers who take it the least seriously are the relief pitchers, many of whom go through entire seasons without ever picking up a bat. Just adopt the DH. The rest of the world uses one. The only leagues that still require pitcher to hit are the Pacific Coast League in Japan and the National League. Any argument for keeping the DH anywhere does run counter to any solution MLB tries to implement that is supposed to make the game more exciting for fans...

Actually I would say hockey fans love the action and fact pace as the reason for the enjoyment in watching televised broadcasts. However, one thing that does hurt hockey that work well for baseball and even football is that those latter two sports are conducive to being broadcast on the radio. Ever try to listen to a hockey game on the radio? It's impossible to follow the action...

Oh it was much better, if you think 92 PA is a representative sample size...

At some point, you're trying to substitute 4 quarters for a dollar. While that works at 7-11, it's usually not as successful with MLB trades...

No I think Devers can and will top Branyan's career OPS of .814. Dalbec? I doubt it...

No. Sign one of the players named Hernandez for 2B. Cesar is probably better, but Enrique is still very good and probably cheaper. For CF, it might get interesting. The Sox might try to take back one of the bad contracts out there like Kiermaier, Inciarte, or Cain. The free agent market at this point is either prohibitive for a team that needs pitching, or the type of players readily found anywhere. I just cannot get excited about Jake Marisnick, Kevin Pillar, Alberto Almora or Delino DeShields Jr. Maybe a trade of Chavis for a CF makes the most sense. Per BTV, the only CF roughly equal to Chavis in value is Philly's Adam Hasely. That does seem like a fair deal and Philly might be OK taking Chavis back for 2B and moving Segura back to SS. Not that Hasely makes my belly button pucker and unpucker...

But would the other team do it? Really, that's the main issue here...

Move Dalbec to a corner OF spot? Thus the transformation into Russ Branyan 2.0 is complete! I'd be ok with him as the full time 1B. I just think if the idea is to use him as the RHH part of a platoon, it's a waste and the Sox would be better off moving him for a SP. But then, I've been predicting the Sox sign Brad Miller, who is a left-handed bat but not someone you want to give 450 PA at 1B to...

Yeah but I wonder exactly what SP onw could get for Chavis? Some of the equally valued pitchers on BTV include: Kyle Freeland (Col), Caleb Smith (AZ), Cal Quantrill (Cle), Josh Lindblom (Mil), Kyle Wright (Atl), JT Brubaker (Pitt), Koby Allard (Tex), Jon Gray (Col), and Bryse Wilson (Atl). But do any of those teams want Chavis? I am not so sure he is the most desirable trade chip. I'd make some of those deals if other teams were interested...

Probably the most likely. But what if Dalbec's role is limited to weakside platoon at 1b?

Per BTV, Bobby Dalbec has a surplus trade value of $18.2 million. Some roughly equivalent starting pitchers include Brady Singer (KC, 21.5), Lance McCullers Jr (Hou, 21.4), Triston McKenzie (Cle 21.1), Jameson Taillon (Pitt, 20.3), Aaron Civale (Cle 20.2), Yu Darvish (CHC, 20.1), Dylan Bundy (LAA, 19.3), Zach Eflin (Phi, 19.3), Brad Keller (KC, 19.1), Noah Syndergaard (NYM, 18.9), Randy Dobnak (Min, 17.5), Spencer Turnbull (Det, 17.5), and Jose Urquidy (Hou, 17.2). Now on that list, teams like Cleveland, Houston, Phladelphia, and Pitt might not be so hot for a corner infielder, even one with power. So unless a thrid team is involved, not very likely. LAA signed a Rendon for 3B last off-season, and might not mind the 1B, but their counterpiece in Dylan Bundy is entering his option year. That leaves Dalbec in the follwoing potential deals 1. To CHC for Yu Darvish 2. To Min for Randy Dobnak 3. To KC for Brad Keller 4. To KC for Brady Singer 5. To Detroit for Spencer Turnbull. Darvish is still on free agent money. Why not just sign someone? I don't know much about Dobnak or Singer. But Dalbec for Brad Keller or Dalbec for Spencer Turnbull both intrigue me. KC just non-tendered their starting 3B and Detroit has a boatload of young pitching and is reportedly looking for some young hitting. So either might actually be interested. Do any of these trades intrigue you at all?

Hitters stepping out and fouling pitches off doesn't help, either. MLB can't do much about foul balls, but they can do something about pitching pace and hitters stepping out of the box...