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I think the list of definite Qualifying Offers is smaller than many think. Outside of Bauer, Springer and Realmuto, is anyone else definite? There are a few in the possible/priobable range, and that is where I put Stroman. Teams simply might not be spending enough this year to had out $18mill candy bars...

I preferred him over Valdez...

Ozuna would be sweet. But the premise was finding the underrated free agents, which is what I suspect will be at least part of the plan. Why sign Ozuna when Springer is right there, too? And is just a little bit older, a lot better, local, has connections with the team (former college teammate of Matt Barnes) and grew up as a Red Sox fan? Last year was Ozuna's one year "prove it" deal where he tried to bounce back offensively and destroy a ruined defensive reputation. Unlikely he settles for another one year deal, and no idea what type of years he wants. Pederson is actually a good (not great) defensive outfielder if not in CF. Ozuna was a better outfielder using defensive metrics early in his career, but he had some issues in St. Louis in his last year there. And then there is also the legitimate concern with Ozuna is whether or not he gets a Qualifying Offer. Right now, the theory is Bloom won't be signing anyone with one. It doesn't matter whether or not any of us think it should be a factor. There is the very real possibility that it is with the only person whose opinion counts. Of course, the most likely LF in Boston next year is still Benintendi. While Boston will need to add an OF, the obvious need is a CF. Ozuna has played there, but not regularly since 2016 and not at all since 2017. While Pederson has played CF more recently, he is not very good at it. Springer, on the other hand, is the best CF of the bunch, and by a lot. Of course, despite his being a perfect fit for multiple reasons mentioned above, I think neither he nor Ozuna are not going to happen...

I expect Bloom to sign free agents, just not major ones to big, long term deals. Basically take the same approach Cherington took prior to 2013, but not with as many free agents. Some potentially undervalued players include James McCann, a former All Star catcher that the White Sox are extremely unlikely to re-sign (as they have Yasmani Grandal at the position). McCann has grown as a hitter the last 2 years and also does do the job on the defensive metrics, with 9 DRS in the last two years, and 1150 innings. Comparatively, Christian Vazquez has 6 DRS in the same time frame with 1274 innings behind the plate. So a potential move might be to sign McCann and move Vazquez for a pitcher. On the pitching front, I would expect him to ignore Bauer (because the QO impacts the simultaneous farm system build) and maybe look at Stroman or Jose Quintana. Both are essentially the same pitcher, but Stroman is RH and 2 years younger, but that age difference might translate into a bigger contract for more money and years. If the Sox sign an outfielder, Joc Pederson might be in play. Pederson has the glaring weakness of not hitting lefties, but if he is signed to play LF, the Sox have an in-house answer in Chavis, who can't do anything except hit lefties. Of course, that last part would mean they either gave up on Benintendi or made the unwise decision to move Beni to CF...

This fan base went from "just one championship before I die" as their dream to finding two consecutive seasons of no post season as completely intolerable. And Henry has shown he shares that latter viewpoint. Bloom won't be able to do a full tear down and rebuild. And Bloom cannot go two seasons with his signature move as trading Mookie Betts. He will have to do something. And while the Rays were not good his first 4 years as VP of Ops, bear in mind 1) he had no budget and 2) no real fan base to appease. The Sox more likely hired him to run the team like Friedman has the Dodgers, who have finished in 1st in the NL West every season of his tenure....

Well, they have a streak they need to keep alive...

I remember when we had Monday Night Baseball on ABC with several of the same crew that did Monday Night Football, except no Howard Cosell (thankfully)...

Thy don't have unlimted capacity and they don't "print money" and they do need those AA players because those guys help make the heavy spending possible. Keeping Betts would have been a lot more likely if the Sox had more players making league minimum and fewer players already making in excess of $15mill per season. So while none of Hudson Potts, Connor Wong and Jeter Downs will ever be the next Mookie, they at least do make it more likely the Sox will be able to retain Rafael Devers in the future ...

Are you talking about running a baseball team or about financial planning?

Or.. the counterargument for Jacko is that all the other Yankee titles were therefore just easy, cheap and meaningless. I mean, most of them were before there was even an LCS. Why bother even counting them anymore at all?

And of course, Bauer is trolling the Sox as we speak (Technically he cannot talk to them yet, and I am sure he and everyone involved is well aware of this.)

But then all of those statements were made before anyone made him some sort of 8 year $250-300 mill offer. Sometimes a lot of 0's can change a person's priorities. Or not...

The inference some seem to have taken from the statement, then...

And on the assumption that he won't be going over the first limit.

It might, but the idea of draft pick compensation for free agent loss is likely not going away altogether. It's been around a lot longer than qualifying offers...

It could very easily cost him a lot of money. But he is already pretty wealthy with career earnings in excess of $47mill. Maybe he just likes having control of where he pitches every year? Or maybe people are misunderstanding his arbitration year strategy and assuming he would do this throughout free agency as well? I think he signs long term for the right offer. Especially if it's for more than Gerrit Cole is making...

But one year of Bauer likely generates another pick from the QO the Sox would then extend to him...

Of course, the prevailing logic is the Sox will be out on Bauer since he is one free agent guaranteed to get a QO. (Realmuto, Springer and Ozuna might be the only other ones who get one.) I'm not sure this is true. While the Sox would lose their second round pick, they would still have a first round pick. Hit on that and your draft is fine...

I'd rather sign him for 1/$35mill than 8/$250mill. The team might not do much in his one year here, but his contract won't be the reason why. The same cannot necessarily be said about the other offer 8 years from now...

I believe they are salaried, but the wages come out to being below minimum wage. Old article, but it is probably not completely out of date. https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2019/07/minor-league-baseball-salaries-hover-around-poverty-line-some-are-pushing-for-change.html#:~:text=The%20average%20salary%20for%20a,months%20of%20the%20regular%20season.

Does that bring back childhood memories?

I could see that for this season if the predictions are true that the market will be suppressed by the economic picture of 2020 and no guarantee of anything better in 2021. But only for this year. And even then, if someone throws an 8 year $250mill contract at him, his thought process on only signing one year deals might find itself to be very challenged...

The best was his excuses for the loss in the 2018 ALDS, which included being robbed by a lucky, game-saving catch by Andrew Benintendi. Benintendi's catch came against Houston in the following series...

Cole had a 4.96 ERA and surrendered 5 HRs in 16 IP vs Tampa this year. He might not be a given to win 2 if he faces them twice, especially on short rest. Snell had 3.38 ERA against the Yankees in 8 IP this year wit 2 HRs allowed...

That was his attitude through arbitration, where he simply refused to sign an extension, as they are often considered "team friendly." But has he said the same about free agency?