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Because delaying makes it look like it isn’t a PR nightmare. “Steven Wright has embarrassed this organization again! He needs to go! Get him out of here now!!.... Or in two weeks, whenever it’s convenient.”

Round these parts , we call an offer like that “shoving it up his Lester”...

Swihart threw out 26% of would-be base stealers. At that sample size of 19, he’s actually right in line with Vazquez and Leon. And he should be; he has an outstanding arm. And also because they are working with the same pitching staff, whom bases are really stolen (or not) off of...

What about a catcher who ranks 45th in fWAR among all catchers with 100 PA or more over the last 2 seasons?

Sox would have to trade for him. Zero chance he goes unclaimed and probably doesn’t even get out of the NL...

Uniform point taken, but we’re also talking about the only Major Leaguer to receive a lifetime ban under the new drug testing program. That has to carry considerable negative PR...

The “hurry” is the season starts in 21 days. If the plan is to release him, why wait? If he isn’t released in 21 days, his salary becomes guaranteed (despite his inability to cash in on half of it). Now there are some things I don’t know (massive understatement). For example, can a team release a suspended player? And if they do, does his suspension wait until he’s on a new team? If so, the Sox might do him a favor and let him have a suspension before releasing him (and before paying him). Otherwise, if they release him, his career is over...

Which begs the question - if the plan is to release him, why haven’t they? His appeal has already been denied. And they could free up his entire salary instead of just half of it...

Cashman probably has. Judge should pass hard on 4/$60. His 3 arb years alone are likely to net him close to $60mill.... Also, why only buy out the arb years? If the Yankees at least went 5/$90mill, they could delay his free agency with an offer he shouldn’t refuse and it could be signed today...

And that’s why we didn’t acquire Sonny Gray. We knew he couldn’t handle throwing all those sliders at home...

JBJ will have stellar offensive numbers this year...

Yes. And we know he didn’t learn his lesson after the first two, hence the third. We don’t know yet if he learned his lesson after the third suspension....

And they know Steven Wright’s? Mejia’s backstory was summed up in every article when Boston signed him and was the rare player described using the words “lifetime suspension.” Wright is just another athlete with PED issues. His domestic issue last year was barely covered outside of Boston...

Is Wright a bigger PR problem than Mejia? Bear in mind, on a team that needs a closer, Mejia is the career saves leader. He might have been brought in with hopes of filling an important high profile role. And this is a guy who got suspended twice and still didn’t learn his lesson...

When? Opening day is 3 weeks away...

I still don’t think he gets released. He is still here after all, and he was reportedly a key in the future bullpen plans...

After his age 26 season, Blake Swihart has had 597 plate appearances and an OPS+ of 82. After his age 26 season, Jason Varitek had 248 plate appearances and an OPS+ of 85. While stardom is probably out of reach for Swihart, it also might be early to be talking “salvage” as well...

I don’t think the Sox are going to release Wright for this. This is the team that signed Jenrry Mejia after all...

Well then, if you don’t hate anybody I think I like you a lot less

They might have insisted he throw more sliders at home to help keep the ball in that little bandbox...

You hate everybody. That’s what I like about you...

Lakins is one candidate. Tapia has looked good so fart, too. But he would have to be added to the 40-man roster. I believe the Sox do have one spot remaining...

The name of that team is the Fighters. But yes, Ham Fighters does sound too awesome to ignore...

I’d rather have Betts than all of that mediocrity combined. Whether you like fWAR or not, it’s a good way to discuss the impact of a player. Betts is worth about 8 wins per season. A player giving half of that - about 4 wins per season - is going to cost half of that Betts. Betts has been worth 24 fWAR in the past 3 years. Lorenzo Cain has been worth 12. Cain costs $16mill AAV last year, alittlr under half of Betts’ guesstimated salary. A 10/11 win pitcher is a little vague, but a value of 2.7 fWAR is a good estimate if he throws about 180 IP. Mike Leake (also $16mill AAV) is a good example here Roll fillers are cheap and provide little if any value. Brock Holt is probably one of the most valuable, giving a ful win above replacement annually. His pre-arb salary is low and his FA cost is TBD. Let’s say it’s $5mill AAV. Bullpen help is nice, but costly on the free agent market. Cody Allen just got $8mill and looks like a bargain (that’s setup reliever money nowadays). He’s picallly worth about 1 fWAR per season. So if it comes down to spending $35mill for Betts and 8fWAR or $45mill for Cain, Allen, Leake and Holt and getting 8.7 fWAR, which looks like the better deal? I think the Sox can make up the extra 0.7 fWAR with $10mill. Now Betts does carry other concerns like length of deal, injuries, drop in production, etc. inherent to putting all your eggs in one basket. But I still take him in that case...

They’re already picking last anyway. And the really obvious impact players are usually gone in the top 5 or 6 picks...