notin

A Price-Myers trade makes so much sense for both teams, if it was going to happen it probably already should have. I do wonder if the cost of replacing Price is a bigger factor than we realize...

Then how about we say the Dodgers are the closest thing in MLB right now, or that they are well on their way to being the Bills of MLB?

I ran this through the simulator at baseballtradevalues.com, but without the money since it can only handle increments of $1 million. It basically says the Mets are getting screwed here and the Yankees are making out like bandits (and remember, that is before the money was added). It was an equal trade for the Brewers, at least in terms of surplus value. Now, they might have different feeling about using their best trade asset to get some "insurance" for two holes they are filling and prefer to just fill another hole. Per BTV, the Yankees are acquiring $89mill in surplus value while only giving up $45mill. The Mets are acquiring $62mill in surplus value while giving up $104mill. You might be underestimating what it will take to get Syndergaard, who on his own is worth an estimated $75.7mill in surplus value. And then there is the whole question of why the Mets would acquire an asset like Hader, who represents an immediate fix, and the go and deal an asset like Syndergaard, which makes it much more difficult to take advantage of immediate fixes. This is the kind of thing simple trade values cannot catch, but the logic is counter-intuitive for the Mets. Especially since this team is trying to win and already lost Zack Wheeler in the rotation. Losing Syndergaard just makes their whole season taht much more difficult This trade does become a lot more equal in terms of trade value if the Yankees are willing to take back the contracts of Cespedes and Familia, but that doesn't solve the logic problem for the Mets. It also works out even better if the Yankees just take Syndergaard and Cespedes and let the Mets keep Diaz, and have their power combo to close out games, assuming they have any starters left capable of giving them a lead. That trade was accepted by the simulator. Or if the Yankees don't want Cespedes (they don't), they could also give up Deivi Garcia and either Tauchman or Antonio Cabello to the Mets, although neither really fills their immediate need for a CF...

Yes. 3 to 0. Dopey me. That whole series was so unbelievable, I can’t even recap it right...

Including Mookie to deal Price would be flat out stupid. First of all, what team is so poorly run that they would take on $96mill worth of Price for one year of Mookie? Second, what team is willing to add $60mill in payroll for two players, knowing one is already in decline? Third, why would the Sox kill the value of one of their better trade assets by pairing him with one of their worst trade assets, especially with a farm that’s already been stripmined?

Oh I don’t claim to have seen Harry Hooper either and know nothing of this alleged catch beyond its reputation. But... if you’re going to say “in team history” you do have to acknowledge the entire history and not just what happened in the lifetime of your fandom....

No chance for Wilson in April. Travis does possess the desirable skill of making minimum wage...

I stand by my observation that if they keep Betts, they don't need a CF as capable as JBJ. Really his defensive skillset has become a luxury, and luxury is what the tax they want to avoid is all about. The Sox could get a much cheaper CF like Lagares or Broxton or Marisnick who provides sufficient defense in CF for much less money and can bat 8th or 9th, and still be strong up the middle. The real problem here is, why would any team trade for JBJ when they can go sign Lagares or Broxton for a lot less and keep their players to boot. And keeping those players (aka "controllable assets") is a big deal. It's one of the reasons some teams are lining up to pay $100 mill to Zack Wheeler rather than giving up a player or two so they can pay $51mill to Nathan Eovaldi, despite them both being essentially the same pitcher, right down to the lengthy and disquieting injury history...

If there is even the smallest amount of truth to the respective values at BTV, moving Martinez is almost pointless. The Sopx can reset, have a gaping hole in the offense, and get pretty much nothing going forward for 2021 and beyond from the trade. The only comfort there is the Sox also got essentially nothing from the Punto Trade except financial relief and still won a World Series title 14 months later...

Not to mention, if they do trade him, it makes resetting easier and therefore bringing him back in December/January for a long term deal more likely. If the Sox keep Betts all year, miss the playoffs again, and fail to reset, they'll be in a position where Mookie's departure and the gaping hole he leaves gives them an excuse to punt 2021 in an effort to regain control of the team's skyrocketing payroll...

Is any team more desperate than the Dodgers? They've become the Buffalo Bills of MLB. The Reds are also clearly in "Short Term Title Run" mode, which they started last year with the acquisition of Trevor Bauer, who is the pitching version of Mookie - one year left and dead set against signing extensions...

It's not just a question of affording it financially. It also impacts their draft picks, not only with penalties but also with compensatory picks for departing free agents. Resetting does have the effect of helping replenish the farm with actual capable bodies, even if it is just a short term effect, like one or two drafts. There is some irony here that many of the people who seem to be against resetting like cheering for the homegrown players above the acquisitions, but staying above the limit impairs the Sox ability to have those very homegrown players...

While I like the idea for some reasons, the reality is, not only is Price insanely difficult to move, he might not be that easy to replace. He's not a $31mill pitcher performance-wise, but he is still a 2-2.5 fWAR starter and the Sox have nothing coming up to step in and take his place. They're already down one starting pitcher and moving Price just creates another void in the rotation. Of course, this might be irrelevant if the Sox bulk up the bullpen and start using the Opener Strategy, which is certainly possible with Bloom at the helm...

I like Sanchez or Ryosuke Kikuchi, who is reportedly a human defensive highlight reel, for that position. I doubt the Sox go for Kikuchi, however. Neither is much with the bat, but if the Sox keep Betts and Martinez, it won't matter...

I wouldn’t really consider him anyway. He’ll likely prioritize playing shortstop in any offer he receives, possibly to the point of accepting an offer from the Yomiuri Giants if they’re the only one with the opportunity to start at shortstop. Despite his defensive superiority to Bogaerts, I wouldn’t move X to accommodate him...

The general assumption is the Sox will trade one of these two. I (and plenty of media outlets) assumed it would be Betts. Some, however, including Soxprospects.com, assume it will be JD Martinez. There are benefits to both scenarios. Both are unlikely to be back for 2021 anyway. Betts is obviously better, but also will bring back more in a trade. (Significantly more if you believe baseballtradevalues.com, where Betts has a surplus value of $50mill to Martinez’ $6mill.). Martinez himself is certainly not a bad consolation prize as a hitter, but if he stays the Sox have to severely repair the outfield. And it will take more than just Jake Marisnick and Avisail Garcia. Who goes? Who stays? “Both” is an option for April..,

Yollmer Sanchez is Addison Russell without the offensive potential and domestic abuse allegations. I don’t like the idea of signing Russell, but I’m not against second chances. But it’s worth noting, he was truly horrible to the mother of his child...

Josh Ockimey is NOT a “Travis Shaw type”...

Maybe I meant the utility infielder job. Travis Shaw also got non-tendered. Reunion?

Tzu-Wei Lin - the job is yours

The man many (including Soxprospects.com) penciled in as the starting 2b. Also, Josh Osich was non-tendered. We hardly knew ya...

If the Yankee series had been a movie where the Sox were down 3 games to 1, and trailing in the ninth inning of game 4 against the greatest closer of all time, and managed to come back and win the game and the series, I would have thought “Good movie. But not believable.” Especially since in this movie, Terry Francona is played by Michael Caine, Dave Roberts is played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Mariano Rivera by Luis Guzman. Right, Bellhorn?

Don’t sell the Great Harry Hooper short with your pithy sarcasm...

Now Harry Hooper supposedly had some sort of legendary catch in the 1912 World Series that was referred at the time as one of the greatest plays on baseball history. But I confess I’ve never seen it and doubt any links exist. So you’ll just have to take my word. And maybe Google’s..

So apparently Jose Peraza is a serious non-tender candidate now...