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Bloom turned Tampa into a successful team by trading for players like Glasnow and Zunino and signing García - players with good prospect pedigrees but little to no success in MLB, and also by implementing a new strategy for the rotation. He was likely brought in to find those type of hidden gems again and achieve some success to improve on that 85 win season. The foundation of this team isn’t bad at all, and while they had some injuries to the staff, those also might be surmountable. Maybe Eovaldi does go to the pen? Really it was his bullpen work that was his biggest success in Boston. Perez as well. Perez clearly fell apart due to overwork in Minnesota, but he is a former top prospect with a top tier cut fastball. Maybe the plan is to use someone (Darwinzon Hernandez?) as a two inning opener than follow up with Perez for 4 or 5 innings? I don’t expect much for Price beyond salary relief. But if the Sox are painted into a “trade Mookie” corner, I prefer MLB talent coming back because most top prospects don’t become top Major Leaguers, and it’s tough to think of very many “star for prospects” trades that really did return a ton of MLB talent even in the long run. Bartolo Colon for Sizemore and Phillips might be the exception and not the rule, and even that deal was so long ago, all the “prospects” have retired. If you want to count Archer for Glasnow and Meadows, well what GM made that deal? Jose Peraza doesn’t look like a great addition, but for all the positions he has played, the one he did field well was 2b. This actually does mean the Sox have some trade bait - as Chavis might be that much more expendable, along with Dalbec, who is definitely blocked at his best position. Either way, the Sox don’t need both and might not need either, although it is possible one or both move to the outfield.

29 or 30 isn’t a huge difference. We do have multiple relievers capable of being mediocre. Having a few capable of being better than that would be nice, but it’s not going to be possible until the Sox clear a lot of money...

If the Sox took back Pollock, it would be slightly more than half. But I think the goal is to take back as little money as possible...

But how many are 30 or older and still here?

I’d prefer the imminent deal involve Price...

The Strawman Approach. How do you know those aren’t good moves?

Given that Bloom does have a strong history of making deals that improve his club from his time in Tampa, we should conclude he does know this. That he hasn’t made any moves yet that you want to acknowledge doesn’t change this. Couple this with your input that deals should only be made to improve the club, and that the goal of no other GM is to improve the Red Sox, then the obvious conclusion is he isn’t seeing any good offers that are capable of improving the team. We knew the answers to both questions. You just did not want to acknowledge that. Dombrowski made fewer mover the last two off-seasons at this point. Yet your impatience is new in the face of what is becoming the norm...

Ummmm... you do realize that the Sox have won THREE World Series titles since 2004, right?

Sorry. I was busy watching some goal posts whiz by. Back to Bloom. Previously, you have accused Bloom of not moving due to being overly analytical as well as of waffling in the face of the Boston fans and media. How do you support those accusations when you yourself admit making deals should be dependent on one specific criterion? So to you I ask, do we know one way or another that there has ever been a deal presented that makes the Red Sox a better team?

I am pretty sure they’ll get that second title before 2061.

Why is Weber still there? Does he have something on Cora?

And how many offers like that has Bloom received?

But we have irrefutable proof of your impatience

Bad idea!! He gave up 95 runs in that game!!!

That’s a horrible deal for the Dodgers and doesn’t make sense for either team. But at least you stuck your neck out...

They traded away Ismael Valdez, and he had far fewer off-field issues than Urias...

Nope. He’s clearly overwhelmed and paralyzed through over-analysis and unprepared to deal with the Boston media and rabid fan base, possibly because he was unaware that some teams have media coverage and fan bases. It’s the ONLY possibility. Remember the Boston Sports Fan Motto - Today’s patience is tomorrow’s indecisiveness...

Unless Eovaldi is recovered. They aren’t likely to miss either Barnes or Rios. A backup catcher and a 25yo minor league first baseman who posted a .575 OPS in the PCL? I guess he answered the age-old question - is it possible to post a .575 OPS in the PCL? So why don’t you pretend Eovaldi is Happ and is a great bounce back candidate? So then it’s Betts, Eovaldi and Chavis for Pollock, Urias, Maeda and Downs. That’s actually not crazy. Pollock is owed the same money as Eovaldi. So financially it’s Betts and Chavis for Urias, Maeda and Downs. LA might not want to give up so much pitching, but I’ve seen worse deals proposed out here...

Right. We’re the funny ones. Price has surgery, but also made 22 starts last year and actually pitched ok. But Price you keep describing as “had arm surgery and has no value.” Flip over to Jordan Montgomery, who has had much more serious surgery, and I had thrown 11 innings last year at all levels and all you talk about is his pedestrian 2.6 fWAR from three years ago in such a way that the impression is you think he was robbed of Cy a Young consideration...

He had a cyst removed from his wrist. Quit acting like he is coming off reconstructive shoulder surgery...

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That goes for Price, too. Pollock has $51 mill left on a $55 mill contract. Swapping him for Price means they get 3 years of a good (formerly great) starting pitcher for a total cost of $41mill. The Red Sox would get a replacement for Bradley or Betts (preferably Bradley) and save $17mill towards the luxury tax. A Price-Pollock foundation does make sense for both teams...

Yes. And if he clears they can demote him. I don’t know if he can refuse assignment, but if he can and does, he would be a free agent...

I don’t think LA would...

The Yankees should just forget about trading Andujar for Rizzo or Schwarber and just play him at 1b. An infield of Andujar (1b), LeMahieu (2b), Torres (SS), and Urshela (3b) seems fine to me...