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Actually the site liked Verdugo as a potential swap for Betts. Now some of the talking heads were insisting it be May and Lux, which the site did not like. Castillo will be costly, but part of the reason he might net more than Sale could be because Sale had a guaranteed $39million for his last 3 seasons. Castillo is first time arb eligible this year and might make half of that before reaching free agency...

Per MLBTR, the Reds are listening to offers for Luis Castillo. Per BTV, this would require something like Verdugo, Bogaerts, Downs and Dalbec. I'm thinking any deal is extremely unlikely...

But why is Duran the "better player"? Duran's OPS in AA ball was lower than any OPS in Benintendi's career in any MLB season in which he has had at least 60 plate appearances. And it was A LOT lower. .634 to .774. That's a full 140 points lower. Just because Benintendi is a question doesn't make Duran the answer...

There will definitely be teams dumping contracts. When Brad Hand can clear waivers at 1yr/$10 mill, there are clearly a lot of teams in cost cutting mode....

Even ignoring the BTV trade values, I just don't see any of them bringing back anything useful. Except Chavis might be worth a decent reliever. The addition of Renfroe takes Chavis out of the LF mix. But if they add a LHH 1b, it might keep him in the 1B mix and make Dalbec tradable...

Right now, there is nothing about Arauz that makes me think every organization does not already have one or two guys like him somewhere. Bear in mind that teams passed on him as Rule 5 player, back when he was literally free. I am not sure what Chavis brings to the table besides moderate power and a low salary. Sure, some teams will want him, but not for anything good. Maybe a decent bullpen arm? (And this is absolutely something the Sox need to consider.) Hoping to deal the undesirables and improve the team is like trying to get rich by having a yard sale. Sure you might offload some stuff you don't want, but you are going to be disappointed if you thought anyone else would pay attractive sums for it...

That is possible and something Bloom has tried before. I've mentioned various cndidates who not only have undesirable contracts, but also actually fill vacancies on the Sox roster (Kiermaier, Inciarte, Lorenzo Cain, Rougned Odor). And there are probably a few pitchers who could be on that list as well (Danny Duffy, Alex Cobb, Johnny Cueto) and maybe some who are marginal fits for the Sox (Dexter Fowler, Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Mike Moustakas, Nick Castellanos, Charlie Blackmon). And then there are other undesirable contracts we have avoided mentioning, but might be in play. Some fill vacancies on the Sox roster (Robinson Cano, Scott Kingery, Jeurys Familia) and some do not (Chris Davis, Ian Desmond, Elvis Andrus) but could be accommodated. Maybe. Does not mean they should be. I'd be OK with Andrus (2 yr /$28.5 mill) at 2B, and Desmond's deal (1 yr/$10mill ) actually is not so bad that either team could easily part with the right pitcher to make the contracts amenable. But Chris Davis and his 2 yrs $46mill? Pass. The O's don't have a pitcher to trade that makes me think taking that on is a good idea. Which deals might be worth taking on to get a pitcher? Right of the bat, I like Cain, Kiermaier and Inciarte. In the right deal, I could get behind Odor, Moustaks, Castellanos, Andrus, Desmond, Kingery, Familia... basically anyone but Cano, Cueto, Heyward, Davis and Charlie Blackmon (.987 home/.747 road) . Also, the unmentioned Nolan Arenado, whose deal (6yrs/$199mill left)and home road splits (.985/.793) could make for one of the worst acquisitions of all time. And I'm split on Upton, so that one will depend on the pitcher. (Hint: Pass. The Angels are buying pitching, not selling.) And there are probably lots more. Maybe the Sox can just go get Zack Greinke? (OK that would feel counterproductive after just dealing David Price.) So there are opportunities if Bloom can find other GMs in a financial bind and feels like being the one guy spending money...

Once again, the idea is to give up something good. A struggling Benintendi is not on the wish list of any other team. If you want to hold Duran and prefer the Sox acquire some Alex Cobb-style wild card and hope it works out, then maybe 2021 will be less disappointing. And I’m not sure Duran is really the key to getting more pitching. But I do know the Sox will have to give up someone good that they prefer to keep...

With no Plan B, maybe Vazquez is no longer one of the Sox trade chips. So then, who is? Who is the Plan B? Who’s the fallback option? Jeter Downs? Bobby Dalbec? (His last name does sorta rhyme with “fallback.”)

I keep checking MLBTR to see when that Pitt/Philly/Boston one happens. So far, not yet, but I have faith. I blame Dombrowski for holding it up, simply because I like blaming him for things. Of course, a lot of my Vazquez trades also invovled a floow up of signing Zunino, which is clearly not an option any more. Plan B from the FA list looks a lot less attractive. Although Wilson Ramos does have a few skills going for him. not sure why every team that acquires him tries to pawn him off so quickly. Is he an insufferable human being or something?

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...