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Kids aren't afraid of vacuum cleaners...

...died today in a car accident. Former Sox prospect Andy Marte also died today in a seperate car accident. ..

I can't fault Cherington for the Masters in deal. The guy was one year removed from being the best pitcher on the Cleveland staff and was willing to sign a one year deal...

Kendrick is garbage, but he is smart and necessary garbage. ..

Maybe you need to stop going on the carpet. ..

His UZR is above average, but entering last year he was one DRS above league average for his career. ..

It may not be doghouse for Vazquez nearly as much as the job is simply Leon's to lose...

In the absence of actual baseball topics, I'm going to revisit this signing. While he's hardly a key component and more likely a placeholder for Sam Travis (my prediction - up by mid- August), I really don't like this guy. Granted, it's hard to sing the praises of Brandon Moss or Adam Lind or Logan Morrison over him. It's really a borderline inconsequential signing, but it's not like anyone is generating better new topics. First, the defense. While he is coming off a Gold Glove season, Moreland really isn't normally an elite defender at the position. The Rangers used him at DH and in the outfield alot, which makes me wonder about his true glove skills. It's not like Prince Fielder and Jurickson Profar and some of their other first slackers were known for great glove work. Why did it take a career-ending injury to Fielder to get him a regular job there? He also really isn't a great hitter. Really his one skill seems to be absolutely mashing no doubt tape measure home runs. If you've ever seen a Moreland home run, you know what I am talking about. He'll clear the bullpen at least half a dozen times next year,and clear it by a lot. But really what bugs me is this integrated 1b/DH platoon. Moreland has always struggled vs LHP. This probably won't change. So if an opposing team brings in a LHP to face him, pinch hitting is not so much of a no-brainer. Young can likely hit, but then who plays first? Hanley can't, unless the Sox want to forego the DH. Holt certainly could, but there will be times he's already in the game. Or already out of it. Normally in a true platoon, one counterpart is always on the bench and steps in to replace the starter. It's that easy. But when a platoon is integrated with the DH, things get needlessly complicated. And is Moreland worth needlessly complicating things over? In this respect, maybe a better flat out hitter who would make for a better DH platoon mate would have made more sense...

Aces? We faced Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer (who started the season in the bullpen) in two out of our three playoff games. The Guardians used some guy named Ryan Merritt in the clincher against Toronto. Outside of Kluber, who were all these "aces"?

He really didn't pitch terrible lastv year either. He cruised through the first inning, have up a couple cheap hits (and one decently hit line drive by Guyer), and then Chisenhsll hit a line drive that wrapped around the foul pole just high enough. In the 3 plus innings he pitched, the Guardians only hit the ball well three times. But they had two infield hits and got enough men on base (Price did help them with some walks - he certainly wasn't great) to really do some damage....

Clement was an All Star his first season in Boston. .

It's low for Wright because it's high for Pomeranz. This protectionist assumed Pomeranz would get the bulk of the starting opportunities over Wright, which may or may not be true...

I wouldn't say the bench was a weakness. Typically the bench is only for short term depth, so having Holt is a definite plus many teams don't have. If there is an injury in the infield or outfield, long term replacements often come from the farm. With Swihart, the catching is fine. But behind Holt (whose only partial infield depth because he also backs up the outfield) and Rutledge, the infielders appear to be Marco Hernandez and Deven Marrero. The outfield has Rusney Castillo, Junior Lake and Brian Bogusevic. The Sox have no Benintendi-type prospects ready to step in long term if anyone gets hurt. So Holt is the man, but he can only cover for one injury at a time. ..

Don't forget about Junior Lake! Actually on second thought, forget about Junior Lake. ..

I did prefer Pomeranz for the pinch running role because he had more experience. The Padres even used him as one earlier that season. But people do make way too big of a deal of the decision to use Wright. A lot of managerial critics live in the realm of " that's not what I would have done and he needs to be fired for it!"

Supposedly Swihart is not being moved from catcher again. And it's just as well. He's more likely to be needed as a replacement for Vazquez or Leon than he is for Brentz, who won't even be in the majors any time soon. ..

As of now, even Bryce Brentz is in front of Castillo. ..

Is this even news? Don't most athletes do this stuff?

I dunno. Sounds like moonslav doesn't even think they could beat the Red Sox in a hockey game...

If they wait another year, he could be on the market at the same time ad Harper and Machado...

Also, former Expos' prospect Wonderful Terrific Mons III...

No love for former Sox farmhand Keith McWhorter?

The union does frown on downward restructuring. This is a good thing because it kept A-Rod off the Red Sox...

We already spent our allowance. But if I was GM of the Angels, I would try to trade New Jersey native Trout to the Yankees for a bunch of guys they got for breaking up last year's bullpen (Clint Frazier, Gleybar Torres, etc.) plus Gary Sanchez ( and maybe Brett Gardner to offset some cash).

Sooooo.... you're saying the Red Sox DON'T suck at hockey? Pretty sure the Maple Leaf do...