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Yeah but that was all against Red Sox pitching...

Ok, Pumpsie..

True. but April 1 should be somewhat of a priority. It' only 7 weeks away...

Even Devers spent a couple weeks in Pawtucket. I don't think Devers is the standard every 20yo prospect should beheld up to. And really, I think Jeter Downs is likely trade bait. Not because his first name is Jeter (do I need to adopt a sarcasm emoji, too?), but because he was clearly Plan B after the first attempt to get an actual starting pitcher failed. So the next step, when you cannot get another top pitching prospect, is to get a player tradable for a young controllable pitcher. And that guy might be Downs...

Exactly...

I think it helps. Both Devers and Benintendi were also much higher ranked prospects than Downs. I think a full season (or a significant chunk of one) would be very beneficial...

Sanchez is out for half the year, isn't he?

Possible. He is a Boras client..

Or if they want to platoon JBJ or if benintendi gets injured. Basically I think they want an actual fourth outfielder and don't consider JDM to be that guy...

Any trade for JBJ will very likely involve a contract dump. If teams were legitimately interested in Bradley and similar players, Kevin Pillar would not be for the Sox to take at this point in the off-season. I see pitches like (my oft-mentioned) Ian Kennedy, Danny Duffy, Tyler Chatwood, and Jeff Samardzija. Maybe Yusei Kikuchi, but I am not sure the Mariners have given up yet...

I can’t go all the way to “love it” for Kevin Pillar...

For some reason, something you said are me think you worked in law enforcement in some capacity. If I’m right, then you KNOW this statement is hypocritical. And there are times when statutory rape shouldn’t be a big deal. My wife once had an 18yo student who was charged by the father of his 17yo girlfriend. The law is the law, but that’s instance doesn’t quite feel like the intent of the legal system here. The Clemens case doesn’t fall into that same category, either...

The Sox try to sign Kevin Pillar, and everyone assumes he is the clear starter. Why?

Martinez and Matz would be nice. Two guys who could keep Eovaldi from getting lonely on the IL...

Did they need 13 games?

Somewhere in there you answered your own question...

But how long do you have Betts for? Don’t forget - the Sox had no pitching and Betts last year and won 85 games...

Oh ok. I was wondering if you meant Barnes. Here’s the problem. The Sox have no pitching, and subtracting Price, Eovaldi and evening Perez doesn’t solve that problem. It doesn’t even help it break even. Now they do have a ton of offense. Top 3 in runs scored in MLB each of the last two seasons. Pitching? Not so impressive. Does keeping Betts at the expense of the pitching staff help? Of course that’s not why Betts was dealt. He was dealt for payroll and free agency reasons. Betts has a good but not great 2016 and turned down $200 mill. He turned down higher offers since. He wants free agency and as much money as possible. He never said a thing about wanting to stay in Boston until after he was dealt. He wasn’t going to sign any contract that wasn’t so absurd it hamstrung the team going forward. Betts was positioning himself to be the next Ernie Banks - Hall of Fame player on bad teams. Betts was going to hit free agency and no amount of re-writing the past changes this. So are the Sox better off dealing one year of Betts for something and maybe trying to re-sign him? Or keeping him for one year, trying to resign him, and likely getting only a draft pick? It’s a two way street. Betts has to want to re-sign for it to happen. And saying “all he wanted was $420 million” isn’t painting a picture that the Red Sox were the unreasonable ones...

He’s mega talented but insane. He could provide moments of excitement not seen since in Fenway since Carl Everett. I’d take him mega talent Puig over mega dbag Addison Russell. But right now, hoping the Sox add Brian Dozier. And arms!

I railed against the Price and Eovaldi signings when they happened and for this exact reason. I’m still railing about Eovaldi. But without Price, not sure the Sox win it all in 2018. And who is M Bradley?

He is the best free agent left. But I think we all know why he’s still left...

12 games. He’s had exposure, AA is really the most important level IMO. Let him have a full season there...

Be a little fair here. Betts and the Red Sox were not $11mill apart...

I don't think the Giants signed Hunter Pence to be a full time starter at age 37 one year after playing all of 55 innings in the OF. Hamilton is on a minor league deal. You are showing have more faith in him than the Giants are...

We already know he was Plan B. I think the plan all along when they decided against Graterol was to get another pitcher (where LA balked?) or get the best prospect they can to flip for one. Downs might be a stud. But so far, he has only played A ball. I just cannot get too excited about players in A ball to the point where I say they will be better than actual Major Leaguers. After all, there is a better chance he never gets past Pawtucket, statistically speaking. The Sox 2B depth chart in the minors might suck, but how exactly does their pitching look in the majors?