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Exactly. Which is why Pillar might still be in play...

I hope Uncle Terry (not really his uncle, more like a first cousin once removed - Terry is his mother's cousin) is the salary he made in Boston was the highest of his career and common for a utility infielder at the time, which Terry was at that stage of his career...

I want to see the team competitive every year, but when Dombrowski took over - and I was saying this even back on BDC, the 2020 season as an inevitability, because his methods are good for short term success but not for sustained success and eventually it will be time to pay the piper. The Tigers still have not recovered from his methods. THe problem with the "high payroll / invest heavy in free agents / scrap the farm system" method is that while winning short term is no guarantee, losing long term is. He did win a title in Boston, but Detroit was a lot less lucky...

Yes. If they go with 4 bench players, we can assume 3 spots go to Plawecki, Marwin and Arroyo. Richt now, Chavis appears to have that 4th spot. But it could go to someone like Pillar or another outfielder, as Chavis has options. Now of course, signing Pillar could have greater implications, like putting him in CF as the starter with Cordero/Renfroe platooning in LF and Verdugo in RF. But that kind of thing is up to Cora and does not change whether or not Pillar is in play. Of course, if they use a 9 man bullpen, then he is not in play...

He can be a prick that way. Not like he cannot just come here and take our suggestions. (And I still think Pillar is in play.)

Well, they do if they guess right and there was no signaling involved. That does happen...

Then they need to let the man spend. I'd still like to see this team make some moves more related to 2022 than 2021, like signing Odorizzi. And maybe getting a LF, even if to platoon with Renfroe. I can live with Cordero in CF and Verdugo in RF. That alignment make more sense at Fenway...

Those contracts also obviously impacted the situation, too. Mookie's demands were ofty, but there is also some suggestion that negotiating was possible. Reportedly, he nearly accepted a $200mill offer until his mother told him not to settle. So then suddenly leapt to a firm $400mill and would not budge? But at some point, even if thy could talk him down a few million, the money being spent was crazy, and Henry closed the checkbook.

Bloom has done three things since taking over, despite receiving many criticisms. 1) Cut payroll by probably nearly 25%. He took over an 84 win team with about $240mill payroll and reduced it by about $50mill. This unfortunately meant cutting ties with some very popular players like Betts and Beintendi. And also not signing any big name free agents. Since the Sox signed JD Martinez after the 2017 season, the most money committed to any free agent from another team was the $14mill contract to Enrique Hernandez. (Richards could earn more if his option is exercised.) 2) Rebuilt the farm system. It's certainly not pre-Dombrowski top tier farm, but it is no longer bringing up the rear on the rankings of every talent evaluator. (Dombrowski should get a little nod here for drafting Dalbec, Houck, Groome and Song.) 3) Improved this team to a potentially credible roster in 2021. Obviously, injuries can derail any team. But this is at least not the obvious last place roster from last year, with a pitching staff littered with AAAA arms. When highlighting Bloom's lowlights, many forget he inherited an injured ace who has yet to throw an inning under his watch. Because if Sale was not out for the bulk of 2021, this team might look like an actual contender, and was certainly not a last place team in 2020...

I assumed sarcasm as you do have a past strongly advocating for Dombrowski's methodology...

I am very far from a fan of this deal. Brad Miller was a much better choice. Also, still think the Sox need a LF or a 2B (depending on where Kike's plays). And I do not like Marwin for 2B...

They did have more room, but both that does not mean the existing deals to Price and Eovaldi had no impact...

As of right now, there is room for both. Soxprospects.com has both on the Red Sox roster, but then they also list 27 players (including Sawamura). So someone, possibly Chavis, is going somewhere. But then it could also be Austin Brice, as they list 9 relief pitchers. Or Taylor, who has an option but is also one of only 2 LHP in the pen. It does probably mean Mitch Moreland is not coming back...

So you don't think bloating the payroll impacts the ability to sign other players? Mookie's demands were outrageous, but other teams dedicated amounts very close to other players. Anaheim committed more money to Trout. Philly committed a similar amount to Harper. And yet both had lower payrolls than the Sox...

So that means anyone complaining about trading away Betts is 100% incorrect and it was the right move?

If we needed all that, I would have preferred Brad Miller, who is a better hitter (OPS+ of 112 since 2018 as opposed to Marwin's 93), and plays the same positions the Sox might need (1b, 2B, corner OF). It's hard to compare defensive abilities of the two, since neither really has huge samples at any one position recently. Oh, and Miller is not a cheater (as far as I know)...

The guy who will either supplement Dalbec at 1B or platoon with Renfroe in LF or maybe take over 2B so Kike Hernandez can move to CF where he will be flanked by Cordero and Verdugo. Marwin is Jose Altuve's former double play partner turned super-utility player turned garbage can cheater...

Well, if the Sox still had a minor league system and did not have nearly $250mill tied up in MLB players with aging contracts, maybe Mookie is still here...

Not a big Marwin fan, but, hey, maybe this is your 2B, moon...

And maybe if we had not gotten rid of Mookie, he'd be gone now anyway.

So far the Bradley speculation has come from "two rival GMs." Not exactly highly placed inside sources. I have no problem bringing Bradley back, but so far all there is is the speculation of two unnamed and unconnected people...

A mere $800,000

I'm OK with that...

My favorite candidate on that list taking everything into consideration is Danny Mendick. No idea what it would take to get him, but his value on BTV is surprisingly low, probably due to projections not giving him much playing time. I am not sure if the Sox are taking the proximity of Jeter Downs into consideration, but Mendick played a lot of SS in the minors and allows the Sox to hedge their bets against Downs not arriving or Bogaerts opting out...

I am not sure why anyone thought freeing up Benintedi's $6mill AAV would clear room for Ozuna...