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Maybe. Will Skubal be traded in 4 weeks?

They’re 0.5 games ahead of Boston. But they’re back in the mix and Boston isn’t? Plus thisdeal could happen in the off-season. I first mentioned Torkelson when UtahSox asked about free agent targets, and I pivoted to trade targets

Why the f*** would the Sox want to add another inexperienced player into the mix?! And a left-handed one? Are we getting dazzled by 34 PA stretches from other teams now? All this and more on the next episode of “The Monster is Always Greener”…

I can see reasons why and why not. Torkelson is 26, makes $4mill and has two more years until free agency. His career OPS+ is 101, making him a league average hitter. But his StatCast page is surprisingly red, and this quite often carries greater future implications than past stats. And if I know it, certainly Detroit does too. But his last two years could cost Detroit $10-15mill. Are they willing to see if he plays up to his skill in that time? If they lose Skubal, what is their plan for 2027 and beyond? BTV gives him a surplus value of $2.4mill, similar to that of Tyler Samaniego. I doubt they make that trade, BTW. But I think Boston could get their attention. I’d deal Bello here yesterday, but not sure about Detroit...

Ive argued his AAV is not bad for him as a pitcher, but he’s not anywhere close to the Sox top 5 starters. That Early hasn’t caught him yet in fWAR or bWAR yet is not the pro-Bello argument you’re posting it as since Early still has barely more than half the IP. I wanted to trade Bello last off-season along with Duran. And that was before he was demoted. And even this year Ive wanted him to move to the bullpen and be the RP Breslow should have acquired last November. While Bello insists he is a starter, I don’t know how obstinate he really is, so I’m not going to yet claim he’s being difficult. But I’d move him. Murphy was a close BTV matchup, and I think his hitting since 2023 is a product of injuries and losing playing time to Drake Baldwin. The actual BTV matchup was Murphy (whose surplus value is a couple mill lower than Duran’s) plus AJ Smith-Shaw er for Bello, which I do if AJSS is healthy or close to it. Id also move Bello to Detroit for Spencer Torkelson yesterday. And I’d move him to the pitching-depleted Cubs if there was a march, and I don’t think they give up Shaw in that trade. Bello is outside the Sox top 5?starterscwhen everyone is healthy. If he wants to try relieving, great. But he is absolutely movable and the biggest obstacle is probably his contract…

No Taylor Ward. His .410 OBP looks great, but it’s not only a career high, it’s 50 points above his previous best that was 5 years ago I hope our CBO learns to avoid players in their mid-30s having sudden resurgent years right before free agency…

I figured most would hate Torkelson and his .717 OPS and SLG only slightly better than Andruw Monasterio. But is red StatCast page indicates there is more beneath the surface…

Possible if they keep Duran. No idea if that’s the plan…

As I said, I’m looking to maintain the D behind the plate while improving the O. No catcher plays full time, and Narvaez shouldn’t be relegated to 40-50 games, either. But if you like Connor Wong… I did mention another DH/1b name I thought were get more negative attention…

Those guys weren’t lost. I saw them every Wednesday at 8pm. I knew right where they were - on ABC…

So now Bello has been a quality starter for years ”for years”? Which years? He had an impressive top ten ERA last year, but overall he had barely more fWAR than Connelly Early. And Early only had 14 IP! Bello is not untalented, but he is overpaid and probably miscast. I’d like him more if he was amenable to relieving, but he isn’t so far. His contract isn’t deadly, but it’s definitely an overpay. If he would accept a bullpen role that Boston badly needs, I could see keeoing him. But he’s not among Boston’s top 7 starting pitchers when everyone is healthy…

Does that mean he is the missing piece? He does and can do all those things. And can pribably outhit Narvaez while playing equal or better defense.

Hes my salary dump for Bello. Not the missing piece.

Free agent class sucks. And I will ignore the very important but unknown CBA implications for now. But I would try to add Bo Bichette (can opt out and was the only FA worth looking at last year) and - here comes my typical controversial choice - Spencer Torkelson…

Excellent defensive catcher with a hitting profile limited by his playing time. Hes backing up an MVP candidate right now. Hes pribably the best you can get for Bello.

His contract limits his appeal. But if the Sox could pry Sean Murphy (2yrs $30mill) from Atlanta where he is now the world’s most expensive backup catcher, it makes sense to add him as a RHH C/1b/DH bat. And Atlanta could stop activating Carlos Carrasco types. Leave Carlos alone!! His right arm is attached by maybe 3-5 cells at this point!! The man has had more surgeries than the entire cast of every “Real Housewives” program combined!!

Scouts knew Murakami had MLB power, but they didn’t know if he could hit an MLB fastball. Rowdy Tellez has MLB power, but power alone doesn’t mean much if you never make contact. Yoshida hasn’t been Ichiro Lite like he was advertised. Both players had success in Japan in different leagues. Predicting which one would be successful isn’t as simple as looking solely who hit more home runs. Using that tactic, you might think Hideki Matsui would be superior to Ichiro. (And I bet some scouts did.)

Chapman, Gray and IKF. Relievers are always hot deadline property, but I think they need to keep Whitlock. Any of the rest are available IMO, but none are really needle movers. I also move Bello if possible. Hold Duran until the off-season….

Agreed. I peaked. All the more reason to sell off for as many prospects/trading chips as possible next month…

1. Murakami is a lefty. Not sure how big of a factor. 2. Murakami had a lower OPS (.945) in Japan than Yoshida (.957). Not much lower, and I wouldn’t argue if anyone insisted they were equal. But Murakami had his in the PCL, which is typically the lesser talented league in Japan (not that it hasn’t produced MLB star players). His ridiculous contract made passing on him questionable, agreed. But he had questions including his fit on a team needing RHH power…

If they are going all in on a free agent, hopefully it just isn’t the “best available.” Alonso signed a 5 year deal at age 31 which will take him through age 35. His similar at 31 are Matt Olson (good) and Chris Davis (bad). David didnt even have 5 years left in his career at that point. Olson would be great, but he’s not 35 yet. He is more likely to last through age 35 than Alonso, as he is a much better overall player, which is shown by his repeatedly higher WAR. I get passing on Alonso. Two to three years from now, he’d be the new Trevor Story on this team…

1. Crawford and Houck are both hurt but neither is officially dead. 2. The DBacks are not trading Marte; they’re one game out! 3. Correa costs at a minimum two bags of Funyuns. Minimum. (Throw in some Cool Ranch.)

Players are bigger, stronger, pulled from a larger talent pool, and many of them grow up playing baseball year round now. And they are emphasizing spin, which translates into movement. But that’s one of the things causing injuries. It’s not the same game as it was 15-20 years ago, back when a 95mph fastball was elite and not a minimum requirement like it is today…

Bring back Campbell! Arias? Why? “We rushed Campbell and he wasn’t ready. Then we rushed Mayer and the same thing!! When will the Sox learn? Also, let’s rush Arias!”

So you prefer to cut out the middleman and trade for mediocre non-factor players right there at the deadline?