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Why would Bregman sign it today if he wants more? Despite that it’s been going on for a while, the off-season isn’t almost over. He does still have time…

On Bregman, the Cubs acquired RHRP Ryan Pressly today, possibly opening up budget to fit Bregman, which kills any interest from Boston,..

Given that his post was in response to one about RHP Dave Robertson, I think the “President” he is referring to is Sam Kennedy and the post itself was apolitical.

That’s great. Any thoughts on what you WOULD do?

Not to mention when the NFL proposed replay rules, the cry was “but bad calls are part of the game!” I probably said it myself. Maybe more than once. A lot of it is a typical resistance to change. Adding automated balls and strikes isn’t a stupid change, like a ghost runner. Or an atrocity, like the proposed Golden Batter Rule. It simply takes the hardest part of an umpire’s job and does the heavy lifting for him. Pending changes to implement the automated ball/strike system might be part of the reason why the Sox were hesitant to move off Connor Wong behind the plate…

I learned the interpreter was looking at up to 33 years in jail. That really killed any notion he was just taking the fall. I could him taking the rap if it was ONE year in jail for which he would be compensated generously, like $10,000,000 of Ohtani’s newly committed $700,000,000. But THIRTY-THREE years? No money makes that bid worth it, and no actual friend would ask him to do it…

I’d like to see both sign extensions before ST ends, and I think doing so makes them more likely to break camp in Boston…

I’m hoping when Campbell and/or Anthony get promoted, neither is part of a platoon. Especially Campbell…

Anthony works, too. I think he’s more of a Plan B if Rafaela continues to struggle on offense…

I wouldn’t mind Yoshida/Ref at DH, but bring in Grichuk or Laureano…

And track and field (and swimming) went even longer with manually-operated stopwatches. They don’t anymore. Because electronic timers are better. The act of calling balls and strikes is the single most difficult task for any official in any sport. The task requires deciding whether or not a projectile traveling 100mph touched any part of an invisible box of varying size. A home plate ump would still make the official call. He is still going to make fair/foul calls on anything that hasn’t reached first or third base yet (when the base umps get jurisdiction). He is still going to make calls or call for help on check swings. And he is still going to call strikes on swings and misses on OOZ pitches that the system will call “balls” because the system does not involve batters. Also the home plate ump is responsible for HBPs. It’s not just “once every 5 games” calls. If they eliminated umps for making calls that infrequently, would they keep the guy at 3b? How often does he make an out/safe call on a close play?

I don’t think either are good outfielders. But Cora used Refsnyder in the OF much more often than Romy last year. I also don’t think Cora will move Rafaela and Duran. Should he? I can see why he would. I just don’t think he will…

I think Romy has a role on the 26 man roster with their current allotment of players. I even said he makes sense in a platoon DH role. But he is one player very much at risk if other acquisitions or promotions happen. K Campbell might not affect him; in retrospect, they probably demote Grissom so he can play somewhere. Ditto Bregman, if they plan to use him at 2b. But an OF? And I agree adding one makes sense, I could see that pushing Romy off the roster. With Refsnyder, Hamilton and a backup catcher (Narvaez?) all locks in my mind, Romy could be an odd man out…

I think it was MLBTR that speculated if the Astros can move Pressly, they might up their offer to Bregman, and then move Paredes to 2b and Altuve to LF. While possible, that feels overly complicated. Seems like they could just get someone for LF, possibly in any Pressly trade. (Owen Caissie?)

Or Kristian Campbell, especially if he has a good spring…

Is Yoshida starting on the 60 day IL? I’ve heard he supposedly will be ready for opening day.

Two DH only players? Yoshida is unlikely to see the field much, but I think everyone else will at some point. Refsnyder is a lousy outfielder, but the Sox only have 6 outfielders on the 40 man, and to get that many, you have to count both Yoshida and Jhostnyxon Garcia. Ref not only has to play the OF, he’s the first (and only?) option to back up all three positions. I could see Romy taking at bats vs LHP as a DH, but it’s far from the only thing he’s going to do. He will take the field at some point. With Cora at the helm, there will be ample days off for other players to ensure it. I do not see who you mean by the second DH only…

Romy will make the team as long as Kristian Campbell doesn’t. Or if they the Sox sign Bregman. Doubtful they demote Hamilton, since he makes for a great ghost runner. If they add an OF like Grichuk, it hurts Romy as well. But I think that’s a long shot st this point

No. I responded to a whole thing about Romy being the backup 1b as being so vital and cited Cora’s history for playing players out of position, and he will eventually find someone to backup 1b, just like before. I cited numerous examples of players Cora has thrown around the diamond. I did add one that involved a WS game more so to show the importance of the game is a non-factor; that was the only one you chose to defend, and did so condescendingly….

Refsnyder has 37 games at 1b in his MLB career. Romy has 20, all of them last year. Before that, he hadn’t played 1b since A ball, and even then it was 14 games. If Romy got DFAd (unlikely, at least early on), Refsnyder could be the all important backup 1b, and take over the role with more experience than Romy had when he took over the role…

<Sigh> It wasn’t his first time there. Are you turning this into a “defense of Cora at all costs” thing? Because Cora does do this, and it was brought up in response to a “Romy has to make the team because he’s the only backup 1b.” Apparently fans expect MLB benches to always have experienced back up at 8 positions with their 4 players they carry. Cora does play people out of position all the time. Sometimes it works out - sometimes not. Does he overdo it? Occasionally. Brock Holt, for all his versatility, want a good defender in 6 or 7 of the positions he played in Boston. But sometimes it’s great. No one gave Kike the CF time Cora did, and it was worth it. And usually it’s a few innings here or there. He’s not like Dave Roberts, fighting mightily by carving out misplaced lineups from the pristine roster he’s been handed, determined to find a way to bring the Dodgers down from within. It’s the only thing that makes sense with Robert’s…

I added one upon edit. Of course we also saw Christian Vazquez play 1b in a World Series game, too…

It’s been going on since before Bloom got here. Did you know before Cora was his manager, Brock Holt only played 2b and SS? Never played anywhere else, not even in the minors…

Grissom is 24. He’s only making the parent club if there is a clear path to playing time. I don’t think he’s competing for a bench spot with Romy Gonzalez. If you think SS defense is an important aspect to Cora, please explain why he couldn’t remove Kike from the position with vice grips and a hand grenade…

Before coming to Boston, Romy’s entire career as a first baseman consisted of 14 games in A ball and 3 games in college. Last year when people kept insisting Dalbec had to make the team because he was the ONLY backup first baseman, I kept saying they’ll just try someone else. They did - Romy. But now his 20 games at 1b (which is NOT second behind Casas on this roster - Refsnyder has more) makes him indispensable? Not sure if anyone has noticed this, but Cora will play j just about anyone just about anywhere, especially if it’s a short term thing. Cora has played Arroyo in RF, Dalbec at all four infield positions, Vasquez all over the right side of the infield, Mickey Gaspar at 2b. And eventually, Romy at 1b. Anyone who thinks Romy is the only option to backup 1b has not been paying attention