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My early Sox FA predictions First of all, I predict the Sox do NOT claim Brad Hand. As I am operating on the assumption that I have no idea how they really make decisions, I figure it makes absolutely no sense to pass on him. Which is why they will. And since Cleveland was unable to get so much as an A-ball wild card for him in a trade, everyone else will, too. That out of the way, these predictions each carry a standard 50% chance of being correct. Either they sign the guy or they don't. End of explanation. But here are the names. 1. Brad Hand. He's signing somewhere. No one needs pitching more. Just not for $10mill 2. Kevin Gausman. Not exactly the starter we want. But he seems like one of those guys analytic-types like too much. 3. Brad Miller. He's just too perfect of a fit as a left-handed bench bat that can play multiple INF/OF positions. If they don't sign him, I plan to invoke my same logic for not claiming Hand. But I think the money saved on Hand pays or him. 4. Trevor May. He's better than you think. 5. Mike Zunino. Bloom acquired him before. He's a good field/no hit catcher they can pair with Plawecki to free up Vazquez for a trade, which they will do. Unless I am also wrong here. That is all...

Well if that doesn’t make your nipples explode, what will? Now that I’ve said that, watch Bloom sign him...

Realmuto is a perfect fit for them, but Bauer is the bigger media splash....

But baseball has always been a data-driven sports. Even if you ignore that it has more statistics than any other sport, you at least have to acknowledge they have always used advanced scouts to get data. Is it more disturbing when teams learn how to defend a hitter using analytics as opposed to from a scout? The whole notion that players “just go out there and play” has probably been dead a lot longer than you think...

But he can’t play!!!

Also, she got caught cheating

Trevor Bauer and Tommy La Stella...

Why? That's like getting mad at NFL head coaches because they wear headsets...

To be fair, with Bellinger, Seager, and their stable of young pitchers, I would not have been surprised if they were unable to retain Betts. Or at least not seen him try the market he was allegedly eager to test at some point...

The only thing it explains is why Boone has not been fired. But I also think the analytics are becoming a convenient scapegoat for people who are resistant to changes in the way the game is measured. Not played, just measured. Even on this board, there are plenty of people who think the analytics rule the day, rather than acting as guides to decision making.

These teams are certainly taking them time to phone in the "due diligence" when hiring and signing a manager when all they really need is a warm body to put on a uniform and walk to the mound to make pre-determined pitching changes? Why not just save the cash and go back to having player-managers? One less salary on the books for a guy who has no impact anyway...

Well, the problem then became one of who else was interested. If it was the Dodgers or keep him (which obviously killed any hope of re-signing him as well as unloading Price), should the Sox have just stood pat?

Close enough..

Mets360 perdicts the Sox sign Bauer and La Stella http://mets360.com/?p=41472

Ah great. The Illuminati Conspiracy Theories come to baseball. While teams do use and, in some cases, overuse analytics, to think they have become the sole decision making tactic and that teams are paying millions of dollars to managers to act as figureheads is just silly. But this is how many people lash out against strategies they don’t understand and are therefore skeptical of...

So why even have a manager? Scapegoat reasons?

Oh I think it was obvious the Dodgers did not want to include a pitching prospect. Heck, they didn’t seem to want to give up anyone whose path to playing time wasn’t blocked (Verdugo by Betts. Downs by Lux)....

Oh. I though your post said “doesn’t.” Can you go back and edit it to say “doesn’t” so my response makes more sense? Thanks in advance...

He should be on the radar. Not sure I go all in to $100 mill for a KBO player, though...

No. You should spend it when you need to, but not just because. Should the Yankees go all in for, say, Bauer, Springer and Realmuto without considering future arb/extension costs for Judge and Torres?

Well, you can only trade him to a team that wants him. Was anyone else interested? (Unlike Lester, Mookie already had a prohibitive $25 mill salary.) And do you think they should have avoided te Dodgers even if their offer was far superior to any others?

Well, not exactly. The thought process was the Sox best chance to sign him to an extension was to trade him first, because they were not going to be able to afford him without resetting and they were not going to be able to reset without dealing Mookie, Price or both. That's not really the same as saying "we can deal him and re-sign him." The fallacy (given everything we know/suspect) was that the Sox could NOT deal him and just re-sign him...

What prospects do the Sox have at third? Dalbec is already in MLB and likely to start in the opposite corner spot than Devers (align them how you like). Blaze Jordan in 17 and has yet to make a single professional at-bat. If he makes the majors, it won't be for so long, Devers might already reach free agency. And that assumes he makes it at all...

Why not? Lindor has one season left. Carrasco has 2 plus a team option. Lindor plays a position the Sox have filled for a minimum of 2 more seasons. Carrasco fills their biggest need. Lindor will undoubtedly cost more in prospects than Carrasco, although both might be out of the Sox price range in this department. (BTV lists Lindor's value surplus at $36 million and Carrasco's at $4.9 million). Lindor is certainly the far better player and much more capable of making an impact, but his shorter deal and much higher salary makes for a tough argument for the last place Sox who still need a ton of pitching help...

This is very possible. He might have simply wanted out for any of a number of reasons. In which case, Bloom made a tremendous move. However, unless Mookie had this attitude early on, which he may or may not have, should a GM take into consideration his potential future earnings when budgeting the team?