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They used to list MLB Comparables for some prospects, and they had Lars Anderson’s comp as Justin Morneau. They weren’t all that down on him…

I actually assumed Renfroe was acquired to platoon with Benintendi…

Also, Mayer could be a stud, but so could Romero…

I don’t think so, although he was only in the neighborhood of $5mill AAV…

If all those arms are healthy, I do think the rotation will be “OK.” But first of all, “OK” isn’t exactly the highest praise. And second, they’re not likely to all be heathy together very often. I’d love to see them add Lopez, although not sure how yet. Senga? He certainly has a track record that impresses, although I really know nothing about him. Eovaldi would be nice, but honestly, he’s closer to fitting in with Sale, Paxton and Kluber. I’m not going to get worked up by Kluber because 1. he hasn’t even been signed yet and 2. he has a recent history of eschewing the Sox for other AL East teams. As for a TOR starter, all the free agents this year are either really old or have significant injury histories. I can see going on the fringe market for free agents, and then exploring the trade market for impact starting pitchers. Lopez is a great candidate. If it happens, I assume it will be along the lines of 1. sign a shortstop (Bogaets? Correa?) long term and then 2. deal Mayer for a TOR starter, hopefully one under 30. And then hopefully extend him…

One possibility was that he suspected it wasn’t his last point. Or his having two years of control left over waiting to deal him when he just had one. Or both…

Probably nothing more than due diligence…

Not sure why Cordero got so many plate appearances but Travis Shaw only got like 12…

So … Verdugo for Marcell Ozuna this year?

His big issues were before the Sox traded him, like in his last season he posted a .442 OPS and eventually lost time in LF to Yairo Munoz, Michael Chavis and Jose Peraza…

I will say, not every team is fully on board with speed bring some sort of need. For some odd reason, Colorado non-tendered Garrett Hampson, who is basically Jarren Duran, but with average fielding abilities…

But who would be this #2 starter? Certainly no one on the free agent market. Trade front? Maybe if they sign Bogaerts or Correa to a long term deal, they can have trade Mayer for a starter…

Well you’ve spent 3 years trying to spread the fears of turning into Tampa North. In that time, Tampa has made the postseason 3 times. And now that they’ve made the postseason 4 straight times, they’ve done something neither Bloom nor Dombrowski nor Cherington nor Epstein nor Duquette nor Lou Gorman nor any Sox GM or owner has done. So I’m simply wondering - what’s wrong with being Tampa North?

SP right now includes Sale, Paxton, Bello, Whitlock and Pivetta. If they are actually all healthy, that’s not bad. Also a very big if. The Sox need injury depth starters and bullpen improvements…

Benintendi is also available if we want him back…

Heck, why does anyone assume there’s interest at all? I’m sure the overwhelming bulk of MLB off-season rumors are just click bait to connect a key player and a team in a Google search. Or they’re just based on passing conversation and played up like negotiations have reached Stage 3. (That’s where the player’s wife looks into local schools.) There’s a reason the sites that inform carry names like MLBTradeRumours.com and not MLBTradeSolidFacts.com

Welcome to Boston, 5Gold. Can we all assume this means you’ve finally left Tampa North?

Not what I asked. Not even close…

But those don’t matter. The point is taking away the Red Sox top three scores makes their offense worse. Sheesh…

You’ve seen Friedman do all that and more, and he is Bloom’s mentor. Do you honestly think Henry is saying “Chaim, you have $110mill to spend in the budget for next year.” And Bloom is replying “I only want $30mill”?

So which team has a track record of good baseball and being respectable recently?

But what if you like the signing? You’ll have wasted your opportunity to complain!!!

So back to Tampa North I see. Probably worth noting that for all the Fear of Tampa North and the “what works in Tampa won’t work in Boston” rhetoric I see on this board, Tampa has made the postseason each of the last 4 seasons. Four years (and counting) in row of postseason play. Know when the last time Boston made the postseason 4 years in a row? NEVER! Despite being 94 years younger, the Rays have a streak that the Sox never have had. And yet I still see on this board and multiple other forums (notably MLBTR) that Bloom needs to stop running this team like it’s the Rays. And that he has a budget now. And what worked in Tampa blah blah blah. Well, what’s been working in stamps is still working. So my question is - do Boston fans want a team that wins or a team that just spends? I do think a lot of fans forget about the winning much faster they forget about the not spending. And why exactly do we NOT want to be Tampa North? Fenway gets too cold after the first week of October?

It’s a bit early to say “No verdict? No crime.” Which I would bet is how that Bob Marley song appears on kissthisguy.com

Not really. Back then, we still had Selectively Used Shifting and also LOOGY’s to deal with lefties. Now there is no shifting and a rule against LOOGYs. This year could be interesting for a lot of left-handed hitters…