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Bit of a Strawman argument there. Not all save situations are high leverage. Not all non-save sutuations are low leverage. The counter argument is - would you consider protecting a 3-run lead wuth the 7-8-9 hitters coming up to be “high leverage”? Is one inning of a 3-run lead high leverage ever? What about coming in with runners on base (which closers rarely do) and the heart of the order due up, but it’s the 7th or 8th? Is that low leverage?

Mr Pulse of RSN refuses to acknowledge that Duran and Story are more frequently mentioned as problems with this offense.

To be fair, a lot of that is because of injuries…

No one here claims to have any idea about the pulse of the Red Sox. Except you. As for the pulse of the fanbase - who cares? But I will say, just because you have your like-minded circle and listen to talk radio doesn’t mean you know the pulse despite your claims. In fact, most likely, there is no singular pulse in RSN, and beyond wanting the team to win, opinions and theories vary widely…

Are you seriously suggesting Mayer has no trade value and no other teams would have interest if Boston made him available? I look forward to your non-answer…

Hernandez played more than one half season in Boston. He was a 5 WAR player his first season there - something he never accomplished in LA and likely never will…

Because the Sox wouldn’t give two more years. End of story…

Two BTV-friendly deals that make sense in one way, but also don’t. Bello (-18 -actually dropped to -22.2 but SF isn’t backing off on that) to SFG for SS Willie Adames (-18.3). SF is pitching poor and has a crowded INF. They’re in last place, and Adames sees his salary jump from $13mill this year to $31mill per for the next 5. Adames could bring so RHH pop to an anemic Sox lineup, especially if he is already past his historically slow starts at the plate. The downside - Adames is not a good SS, with less range than Sylvester Stallone. He does have a strong arm, so 3b is a possibility. His contract could be dangerous and most definitely will not age well, putting him in the exact opposite position of Bello. If the Sox do move on Adames, do so with a different bad contract Trade 2. Same teams. Kyson Witherspoon (-16.7) straight up for INF Casey Schmitt (-16.3) . Schmitt is a RHH StatCast hero at the plate slugging over .500 and being used mostly at DH, but capable of any infield role (although I recommend limiting his time at SS). Former first round pick could be expendable in SF with the emergence of Bryce Eldridge threatening his time at DH. Downside - mostly for SF. While they are having a bad season, dealing for prospects in May/June is some seriously negative PR, and not a message to fans teams with large payrolls like to send. They might still have tickets available. It does mean giving up on a first round pick quickly for Boston, but Schmitt was also a first round pick.

So trades are judged at the 200PA/50 IP limits now? Wait - are we even there yet? Durbin has an OPS+ of 86 through 668 PA at age 26. While not elite company, three former Sox secondbasemen have been right around that level of performance at that age. Mark Loretta, who had an OPS+ of 86 after 708 PA and only briefly played in Boston as part of his 15 year, two-time All Star career that included a Silver Slugger. (But surprisingly no Gold Gloves) David Eckstein broke in at age 26 with an OPS+ of 89 and weak SS defense. But he was part of two World Series champion teams, even taking home the WS MVP in 2001. Freddy Sánchez - inarguably the least successful of the three, not even taking over as a full time starter until he was 27. Of course he did somehow manage to win a batting title. That’s three reasons to not give up on Durbin. Even if he’s just the next Freddy Sánchez, Freddy did have some good years…

Why would the Red Sox want another player in the midst of a career worst season?

They won’t, which is why the Dustin May trade was so questionable. If the Sox unload expiring/optionable contracts (Chapman, Gray, Whitlock, IKF, Coulombe), they’re getting prospects back. Maybe not A-ball ones, but prospects. But those prospects might be fluppable for other needs. And yes, IKF is tradable. He was a deadline deal as recently as last year. And it seems that speedy pinch runner is a more common deadline target than I realized…

I know. The Sox abysmal season is not from a lack of trying from the FO, like 2019 was. Or 2022. The Sox actually tried building on a successful season for once. And ironically THAT is what sets people off…

No, you want the team to be run your way. Not the same and certainly not always best. Your new tactic of cheering against the team isn’t going to convince the owner to sign any more expensive player just because it appears to be a fit. The notion of not signing Alonso makes more sense than not because teams have to consider the entire length of the deal and thought Alonso wouldn’t be worth it in just a few years. (And he hasn’t been so far.) Henry isn’t selling. The Sox are part of a lucrative multi-sport franchise. Breslow might not be the guy to build a competitive team under the new rules, but those rules do appear to prohibit just throwing money at every quick fix, especially since it often means turning a short term solution into a long term problem. And in many ways, thats a sensible approach…

Kike wasn’t better with the Dodgers after the Sox traded him there. His best season far and away was with Boston. He just rode along everyone else’s coattails to get rings in LA…

Because no MLB teams judge players solely on their first 200 plate appearances?

What about it?

The Sox didnt trade Brasier anywhere. He was released…

Not me. I had hopes for Verdugo and was glad he was included. And just to double up on my remarkable accuracy with that trade, I thought it was a huge mistake to return Brusdar Graterol. Yep, sometimes I’m just like a human Ouija board that plays cards with a Tarot deck against a Magic 8 Ball…

Coming from a Sox fan?

Like Hamilton, Harrison is basically doing the exact same thing in Milwaukee he did in Boston. The problem with that trade is Durbin isn’t doing in Boston what he did in Milwaukee…

Short term anyway. They appear to have broken Priester. If that is the case, our pitching lab is clearly superior to those of Pitt and San Francisco…

Except that it’s all faster over here. And with more multi-colored badgers. One of which is usually carrying a vat of egg drop soup and an armless and pantsless garden gnome. I call him Tim. (The badger, not the gnome)

I blame the reporter for asking. What acceptable answer was expected here?

But it’s not always fair to compare ERA from different teams. Differing defenses behind him, different ballparks, different leagues and opponents. And in this case, two very small sample sizes…

This is your brain on drugs with bacon and hash browns. Hungry yet?