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No one cares about Henry’s checking account. But some fans do care how these mega contracts do impact the roster especially since the Sox clearly refuse to spend without limits. Not sure why that is a tough concept for so many to grasp. Don’t you think maybe if the Sox still didn’t have Sandoval on the books, they might have made a push for Kimbrel or Ottavino or Robertson?

He does have a 0.87 career ERA and 1.16 career WHIP in postseason games. Hitters had a .673 OPSA off Barnes in high leverage situations, carried by a crazy high .349 BABIP...

I have my doubts that JD Martinez will have a .516 OPS for very long...

The Blue Hays have a reliever named Jacob Waguespack, who immediately deserves mention on this list...

He’ll be somewhere between Machado and Trout for total value...

Being in the NL doesn’t make a big difference with closers like it does with starters. If the game is close enough for the closer to be in there, the pitcher is NOT going to be batting...

Backup 1b was apparently a bigger need...

I think we’ll have 2 or 3 closers, but Mejia will be the saves leader by season’s end...

Now all they need is a team around him...

Next year.

I think the 13 pitchers is only until Pedroia comes back. There are good reasons to start with that many relievers, as starters might not be going as many innings early on. But I expect a 7 man bullpen shortly. But that will probably be when Holt or Nunez move to the bench to accommodate Pedroia, so there still won’t be an opening on the roster for Swihart/Leon...

That’s what I figured. I am not sure they even see him as a reliever...

Then the question is - moved where? What’s the greater chance - that Swihart or Leon clears waivers and can be sent to Pawtucket or that any player that can be acquired for either one becomes even a semi-useful MLB player?

I think Feltman makes his MLB debut before July 1...

Or .. I think he should at least wait one more year to opt out since he still makes $23.4mill in 2020 before his salary drops (to a food stamp level $19mill). If so, the Sox might have an opening in the OF if Bradley walks. Martinez-Benintendi-Betts might be the OF in 2020...

If the Sox are starting the year with 13 pitchers as Cora said, they can’t carry all three. Butler was replaced a long time ago by Juan Centeno...

Well, we do have Juan Centeno and Oscar Hernandez, both of whom have MLB experience. The biggest reason the Sox have to dump a catcher is they can only carry 25 players. After the 9 starters and the 13 pitchers, that leaves 3 spots. 2 belong to Pearce and Nunez (or Holt, if Nunez starts at 2b). That leaves one spot of Leon or Swihart. Otherwise they’d probably have no problem carrying all three catchers...

I’m sure Sale is constantly being reminded of what a great deal he gave the White Sox last time and how many millions he cost himself. He might be getting advised to not take a discount offer again (as if $30-35mil per year should be considered a discount.)

I’d like to see Swihart stay and pan out, but that means either Vazquez or Leon has to go...

The Sox do have 2 open spots on the 40 man roster, but I doubt they add anyone at this point. (They might be holding them for someone like Feltman, Mejia, or Ramirez.) So that last spot will probably go to someone already on the roster, and probably not Reyes or Shepherd. Walden, Brewer, Hernandez and Poyner are the top candidates in my eyes. Last year, it was Walden...

I’d actually be surprised if it was Hernandez. Those last pitching spots always go to some Lenny DiNardo type whose borderline talent at best, more for the idea of preserving some depth. Hernandez has probably been the story of camp, but it’s not just about that. Most pitchers in camp are warming up and working on new pitches and doing other activities that lead to struggling, so the stats are not always so important. What usually is more important is the plan for the pitcher. If the Sox think of Hernandez as a starter - and they may need him as one next season - then they’re going to want him to build up some endurance on AAA or AA this year and to enhance his secondary offerings. Stamina being the key here. Hernandez has never thrown more than 107 IP in a season and has only thrown 6 IP above A ball. And for all the pitching depth the Sox acquired, the only starters were Erasmo Ramirez and Josh Smith. And Smith sucks. This leaves the Sox with starter depth of Johnson, Velasquez, Ramirez and maybe Sharwyn. (And the forgotten man in Chandler Shepherd, who will continue to be forgotten.). That’s actually not a lot of depth, especially since there are no guarantees about who will be healthy when needed. The Sox are probably better off letting Hernandez build up some stamina in the minors rather than making him a stopgap pitcher while Pedroia recovers. The 2 or 3 innings he pitches in that time won’t make any difference to anyone. As for Mejia, why not? He’s the most experienced closer in the entire organization. I’m a bit surprised they’d go to him after a 3 year hiatus, but if he can pick up where he left off, that’s a huge booon for Boston’s bullpen. And if he can’t or he sucks without “help,” he can be quickly cut with no real commitment...

It makes sense until we learn the 13th pitcher is someone like Marcus Walden...

Except that Cora said if Pedroia starts the year on the IL, the Sox would carry an extra bullpen pitcher, not a third catcher...

Freitas isn’t a 31yo career minor leaguer by accident. Opinion seems to be wildly divided about what Sox catcher is gone, but if there is any truth to Cora’s comments about a 13th pitcher starting the year on the Sox staff, moving a catcher is a definite. Unless they bury one on the IL with a severe case of Fenway Flu. But it seems the pitchers are talking up Sandy Leon, which doesn’t bode well for Swihart. I also think he won’t clear waivers, but I do think the Sox might try and hope he does by DFAing him as close to opening day as possible...

How many four game series have the two teams played since 2010?