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There is a conundrum with starting pitching in free agency. Quality SP typically costs so much for too many years, and the only good years are very likely to be the early ones. Some teams apparently tolerate the idea of suffering through the albatross years at the end of these deals to get the potentially season-changing ones early on. The problem is the albatross years at the end are all but guaranteed, while the early good years are much less likely. The Sox, for example, spent $376 mill to sign Price and extend Sale and got how many good years? Price is since expired and retired, but the last two years of Sale - which were never going to be elite - remain. His albatross years have been baked in since the 2018 World Series ended, and the best hope right now is he is more or a minor albatross, maybe a pudgy seagull. But there also might be some reluctance to re-enter these ridiculously unproductive contracts. I mean, for the cost of Price and Sale, the Sox could have kept Betts. (Could have vs should have arguments not accepted but noted.) Really right now the egregious non- offer isn’t oft-injured Eovaldi, the temperamental Wacha, or the thoroughly frustrating Perez. ERod is pitching like the one that got away, and his contract with Detroit is relatively small. It looked like a smart pass during his disappearing act in 2022, but he has found his way back and is mowing them down like a nuclear-powered John Deere…

I wouldn’t be surprised if Henry let Bloom make a competitive offer for Ohtani, but I think some other team will make one that makes Bloom’s offer suddenly non-competitive. Plus if Ohtani truly wants the west coast (likely why he eschewed the Yankees last time), then this whole situation is immaterial to the Sox…

Who cares about “market setter”? As long as they are in market range. Earlier you said Lackey wasn’t market setter, just an overpay. What’s the difference? I am asking because I think everyone’s definition might be different, which makes the conversation difficult…

The Sox are 3-6 in one run games. There are more “what if” opportunities going the other way…

That’s very likely why the Sox want Houck, Whitlock and Bello in the rotation…

Exactly! Ditto Springs. But he might have gotten Wacha in a timely fashion…

The problem is signing him for 2023 to pitch in 2022. Maybe if the Sox hire HG Wells as a pitching coach?

Lackey…

I think the sarcastic question of “do you think he forgot how to pitch?” might have a different answer than they originally suspected…

Wacha’s ERA rests over 7.00. Eovaldi has a more promising 5.20, of course 3 of his 5 starts have come against the Royals (5-18) and the Reds (8-15)…

Wacha is a “proven Boston winner” now? The 1.2fWAR pitcher with 120 IP? Apparently when people ask “but can he pitch in Boston”, they’re referring to navigating traffic to get to Fenway on time.

I actually do think Sale will improve somewhat. He’ll never be the Pre-2019 Perennial Cy Young Runner Up again, but maybe a serviceable 2.5-3.0 fWAR pitcher is possible. Not sure if he is still dealing with rust and has yet to regain his form yet, but I think he’s shown even the most ardent Noah Song supporter that just trying to step back in after a prolonged hiatus isn’t so easy. As for Kluber, hopefully he just piggybacks Paxton for a while. Or maybe Bello can re-emerge and force his DFA…

Sale spent a big part of his career as one of, if not the, most underpaid players in the game. To him, this is backpay…

I imagine that his last career appearance came in the World Series helped make Dempster’s decision easier. Think Sale gets the Sox that far?

That’s what he wants Sale to do…

Pipe dream, dude. Sale isn’t walking away from it…

It’s “let ‘em pitch” or DFA…

Wow. Not even equal to Chavis?!? And after only 170 PA…

And you think walking hurts them there?

A walk isn’t as good as a hit, but a single isn’t as good as a home run, either…

Do not knock Yards After Wunderlich!!!

And sac flies, which is the dumbest omission and also creates a weird scenario where the speed of the hitters in front of you can make you look like a better hitter…

Because no stat tells you less about offense than batting average…

I blame Cora. There’s no rule stating Ort has to pitch. MLB has no participation rules. I blame Bloom for keeping Ort, and have through multiple DFAs. Clearly Bloom is not going to be swayed by Ort’s inability to prevent the opposition from scoring. So it’s time for Cora - unless he’s complicit - to make a stand and never let Ort pitch except in blowouts…

Kluber appears so. We should probably let Paxton throw a pitch first…