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Odorizzi barely pitched last year but was worth 6.3 fWAR in 2018-2019. And turns 31 in March. Porcello was worth 4.2 fWAR in 2018 and 2019. He just turned 32. Lester turns 38 tomorrow and was worth 4.8 fWAR in 2018-19. Odorizzi has been the best of the bunch and is the youngest. So obviously, he will cost the most.

How many instances of there being multiple qualifying teams in the same season?

And if the Sox can add two SP's, Houck is not likely to even be in the opening day rotation. So if Soxprpsects.com is right, and the Sox add 2 SPs (Kluber and Odorizzi) and only 1 RP (Colome, who is the only name they are connected to to date?), and a 2B (C Hernandez?), a CF (tough call, since none of them ever played for Tampa), and a LHH bench bat (sticking with Brad Miller here) then yes, the Sox could certanly be competitive. A bullpen with Colome(?), Barnes, Brasier, Hernandez, Houck, Taylor, Andreise, Whitlock and Valdez is actually not awful. Especially since you absolutely know that Bloom is going to sign Ryne Stanek at some point. Might even get him on a MiLB deal, since he has been so ineffective since joining Miami. For all of 31 IP....

By the time your 65, Excel will be just as prehistoric as Lotus 1-2-3. You'll be formatting whatever software the survivor from the Amazon-Google Thermonuclear War has ordered you to use, whether it be Google Sheets or Amazon Copyright Violation...

When they say 60 is the new 40, what they mean is at that that age, you still have 25 years to go until retirement..

How come you prop up the Yankee rotation as ready to go despite their equally obvious health concerns and question marks? Jordan Montogomery makes Nathan Eovaldi look like Rick Porcello. Domingo German has not pitched since 9/2019. And not because he has been injured, but because he is an idiot. That's worse, because injuries can heal. Deivi Garcia's start this past year was roughly the same as Houck's, and despite his better pedigree, an equal amount of questions linger. Roster Resource has Michael King, a pitcher who has never dominated in the minors let alone MLB, in the current opening day rotation. So Gerrit Cole and a bunch of question marks....

FAvored? Probably not. But that doesn't mean anything. It is pretty unlikely, but if the Sox signed Kluber, Odorizzi, and 2 good RPs like Hand, Bradley, Kela, or maybe Colome, they would be a very improved team. That still leaves 2B and CF to fill. 2B has numerous good candidates (Wong, C Hernandez, E Hernandez, Schoop, Villar, La Stella, and Semien) even if you cassume the Sox will avoid DJ LeMahieu.. CF not so much, assuming Springer is off limits like DJM, as there is JBJ, Pillar, and maybe DeShields, all followed a bunch of good glove/no bat options like Marisnick, Almora, Dyson, Hamilton who all make JBJ, Pillar and DeShields look like good hitters. If budget allows, a corner OF like Puig would be more exciting, but I do not expect Bloom to sign THAT many quality players. Most likely, expect Bradley, Pillar, or DeShields. Soxprospects.com (Motto: Less Accurate than a Magic 8 Ball!) seems to think the Sox will acquire 2 SPs, 1 RP, a 2B, a CF, and a LHH bench bat. I would hope they get one more RP on top of all that. (They also have Chavis in AAA.) But yes, with the right additions, and minimal health issues, this team could absolutely compete for a playoff spot...

Well, not for 7 years, David Price was a guy the Sox were willing to pay heavily for in his twilight years...

OK but I don't think his Red Sox stint is comparable to pitchers who did join the team in the twilight of their careers like Tom Seaver, whose best days were far behind him. Grove was still a monster on the mound and gave the Sox 1539 IP with an ERA+ of 143. Might as well include Cy Young, who also pitched for the Sox from ages 34 to 41. And gave them 2728 IP with an ERA+ of 147 in that time frame.

Lefty Grove did win 4 ERA titles while on the Red Sox...

If the Sox are only offering a one year deal, Odorizzi will not be in Boston. Kluber will likely take a one year deal, and Boston might even have an advantage signing him, as he lives in Winchester, MA. But Odorizzi is probably the third or fourth best SP on the market and is very likely getting at least 2 years. He’s not signing the same deal as Drew Smyly...

Can I change my vote to Verdugo? It seems the corner OF market has a lot more interesting options than the CF market

Dave Green of NBC Sports is reporting the Red Sox have, and I quote, “serious interest” in Jake Odorizzi. Article is available on yahoo at https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-red-sox-serious-interest-215557301.html No idea what “serious interest” means, but like previous acquisitions Renfroe and Andriese, Odorizzi is a former Tampa Ray...

Puig has such obvious pluses and even more obvious minuses. But if there is one outfielder out there worth pushing Verdugo to CF for...

Assuming they have a first year this year...

He's the new and improved Ryan Weber...

Can’t you offer them QO’s and get those draft picks back?

Trivia question - name one other ambidextrous pitcher for the Red Sox. Hint: He pitched in Boston in the current millennium...

I can name 30 teams that are not done yet...

No. Next question...

Bloom has been doing a good job finding these depth signings and AAAA guys for Worcester and emergency depth. But the Sox really need SPs for some non-emergency games at some point. The staff has more backups than starters...

I am not sure how much Quintana weighed into the decision. But the Sox had Vaughn coming up and he did prove to be every bit the beast they hoped he would be. Bagwell did have a better career, but this was a choice of choosing the lesser of two good things...

I don't buy it either. I seem to recall they did not even envision him as a 3B, and that his best position would ultimately be 1B. In which case, Mo Vaughn might have been a bigger factor...

OK. But none of that changes that he clearly played SS in college and can make the throw. Was he moved off SS because they did not like his defense there? Because the Sox had another very enticing SS prospect in Hanley Ramirez? Both? I am not sure. But the facts are 1) the Sox did make that statement in the 2009-2010 offseason during the "Revolving Door at Shortstop" period in team history, 2) he did play SS in college and was good enough to be a finalist for the Golden Spikes and also steal a startig role at the position away from the incumbent Ian Kinsler, and 3) other lesser defenders at 2B such as David Eckstein and Michael Young were both moved to SS, so it would not even have been unprecedented. Now, whether or not Pedroia would have excelled at the position or even played it competently? That's another matter...

Of course, performance against previous winners is completely moot for the award. All that matters is whether or not another rookie has a better season...