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I actually didn’t, although Montgomery rumors were a little enticing. I did like Bello-Crawford-Houck more than most. And probably still do. Although my faith in them was definitely in the wrong order, as Bello was my favorite and Houck my least. Honestly the Sale-Giolito debacle wasn’t the worst decision this off-season. Just the most overblown. The worst one was once again forcing Whitlock into the rotation. Unlike the Sale trade, this is a move that had already resulted in multiple failures and looks to have depleted a very worn out bullpen even further right now. Sale/Giolito has just been horrible luck. But how Whitlock was handled was stubborn, ignorant, and negligent…

No. Negligence would have been rolling Sale out there again and watching him get hurt and miss 3/4 of the season. They were proactive in getting a pitcher with a solid track record of showing up for work, something Sale hasn’t had in a long time. Yes, Giolito struggled after for his final 60 IP last year. But he also pitched 126 IP before it happened. When was the last time Sale even pitched 126 IP in a season? Let alone added on 60 more?

I think there are reasons to question the results of what they did, but the logic made sense at the time…

Not about rules. You know that. Sale pitched 102 IP last year, but missed a huge chunk in the middle of the season with an injury. He missed almost all of 2022 with an injury. He kissed most of 2022 with an injury. He missed all of 2020 with an injury. He ended 2019 with an injury and a mediocre 4.40 ERA for the season. Thinking he was just going to step in and pitch like this for 150-180 IP bordered on a fantasy. And his AAV was what? $25.6mill for a huge question mark? If you honestly can’t see why he was moved after that 5 year stretch detailed above at what he had cost, not sure what to say. Atlanta rolled the dice and it’s paying off huge, but if Sale was on the 60 day IL right now, would you be surprised? Giolito on the 60 day IL actually is much more surprising, especially since he could have been a one year solution. 23yo Vaughn Grissom’s inability to recover from simple injuries is also somewhat surprising. This deal has been a disaster for Boston. And probably never gets made if Sale had shown anything close to durability from 2020 through 2023. 100 IP interrupted by an injury is not an acceptable display of durability…

Getting actual innings pitched?

Well, it was a small list…

This will be fourth time the Sox have had the lead in the ninth inning or later since the ASB and lost the game…

I support that walk. But the Sox really need a GIDP here

Oh good. Chase vs Verdugo, Soto and Judge with one RISP. This doesn’t have recipe for disaster written anywhere…

Oh Kenley. When does Liam Hendriks get back?

Turning 50 in 8 months…

Kenley hates drama-free baseball…

Booser

Unless it’s a 60 day IL stint, it didn’t open up a spot on the 40 man roster. They could push Brandon Walter to the 60 day IL…

In my eyes, Bernardino is the #3 lefty in the bullpen. But Cora either still has faith in him or lacks my faith in Bailey Horn…

Two other prospects have been included in that deal. No names yet…

Sox/Blue Jays talking about Danny Jansen. I ignored that position in my review of what positions could use the RHH upgrade…

The issue I see with this team is where they would add a RH bat. 1b? Consindeting the Sox are chasing the postseason with a platoon of Dominic Smith and Romy Gonzalez, they have plenty of room to upgrade. 2b? Hamilton is basically league average. Westbrook seems like a career minor leaguer living his dream. If the Sox get a 1b, Romy can take the weak side of the platoon. Detroit’s Andy Ibanez is a great option, as he has quietly become one of the best bats vs LHP in all of MLB. SS? Rafaela isn’t a good SS. He’s fringey there with the glove. But getting a RHH SS who can field as well seems like a tall order. DH? Masatska is hitting RHP, but is weak vs LHP. Someone like Mark Canha would be a good compliment. RF? A platoon bat for Abreu (who isn’t likely going anywhere) could push Refsnyder to a DH platoon. That’s 5 possible positions. I suspect 1b and/or 2b would be the best candidates, assuming they all fit on the roster. But right now we’re chasing the postseason with David Hamilton, Dominic Smith, Romy Gonzalez and Jamie Westbrook manning those positions. Who had THAT on preseason bingo?

Less Bernardino, more Horn and Booser…

I still believe!!

He blew a 2 run lead in LA second game after the ASB…

Also pretty heavily influenced by one bad outing in Coors Field. Before that, he had a 3.72 ERA/3.12 FIP with a .650 OPSA in that stretch…

Seattle is taking the fork in the road!!! Although I think that path will be more common, since the true sellers are so few…

Odds are against all of them making Cooperstown, but that hardly makes them equals. Dustin Pedroia isn’t in Cooperstown. Neither is Ed Jurak. So clearly they’re the same. Right? Also it might be a tad early to write off 23yo Grissom…

Who plays until he’s 41 years old? Getting into some very unprecedented territory hear…