Nick

I wouldn't mind pay top dollar for an ace (if there's one out there) on a short deal. No more than 2 years......from the Rounder "pay the man".

Spoken like a mini-Bloom. (I agree with it)

You don't give up on this kid. He still comes cheap. Platooning may save him.

Devers is 6-for-44 (.136 batting average) in August. Bogaerts is 10-for-45 (.222) and Martinez is 8-for-41 (.195). Say what you will but we aren't going to make up any grounds with this. JD is losing money every day with his prolonged slump. $30M to Xander? No thank you.

I agree. Anything $30M and above just feels too much.

Time to construct next year's position roster. Based on Bloom's History. Pham signed a one year deal for $7.5M ($6M plus $1.5M mutual buyout). Assuming the 'mutual option' is agreed on, he's on board in 2023 for $6M. To me this is no brainer. Bloom will want him. Obviously Pham can decline and look for a better deal (unlikely) Howser too can opt out or stay with the Sox for 3 more years. His contract was front loaded. After earning $20M per year for 5 years, he will be getting only $13M for last three years of his eight year contract. Not sure if anyone is willing pay him more than 3year/$39M. Again, this trade is Bloomisque. Padres will pay all but the league minimum. Howser can occupy 1B until Casas is brought up, then become our DH. C 1B Howser/Dalbec 2B Story SS 3B Devers LF Pham CF Duran RF Verdugo DH Howser/Dalbec This is the most logical approach in my mind thinking like Bloom. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE...go after Aaron Judge. Why NOT go after Cubs catcher? We may have young guns in our farm but our young bats are two or three years away. Note on Xander. People on board rightfully speak about 'going rate' when looking at pay scale for players. Xander has the second highest OPS, .825, but the traditional measuring stick is not very good in my book, 9 HR and 47 RBI. On what planet, if the name Xander was not attached to it, would anyone give him $30M annual salary, especially in light of his defensive metrics? One can say well the Twins gave Correa, 3 year $35M per annum deal with giving HIM the opt out option after first two years. I don't see Henry being okay with Bloom saying well, sir, Correa got 3 year $105M deal. But 13HR, 37RBI, .767 OPS deserve $35M? I don't give freak about the going rate when its above $25M. I'm ready to move on from Xander.

Moon does a great job looking at team's overall 'budget'. As a former CPA, I just can't get excited about anyone talking about adding players to the roster without mentioning overall financial implication. Question is always where will the money come from.....HOW DO YOU ALLOCATE $230M OR WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS? Let's just look at our cheap cost talent. Houck Schrieber Brasier Sawamura Dalbec Arroyo Verdugo Duran Crawford Winckowski Bello Over $25M club Chris Sale ($25.6M) Over $20M club possible savings of $42M Story ($23.3M) Xander (probably gone after 2022, relieves $20M) JD (gone after this year, relieves $22M) Over $15M club savings of $33M Eovaldi (probably gone after this year, relieves $17M) David Price (last year of pay not to play at $16M) Over $10M club possible savings of $10M Devers (will need $10M bump for 2023) Paxton (may get 2 year option picked up) Over $5M Club Savings of $19M Barnes ($9.375 2nd biggest mistake by Bloom) Kike ($7M) Wacha ($7M) Hill ($5M) How will Bloom allocate maybe $90M in available spending?

He definitely makes it an adventure patrolling center field. I think I can look little 'smoother' than he does on routine fly balls.

Maybe I wasn't cleared. My point was we got Schwarber and Hosmer for one minor leaguers each. Bloom has been very protective of our young talent. I just don't ever see Casas being traded until he FAILS in major league. Based on what Bloom is doing, Casa will get a long, long, long look as a Sox. Hell Bloom gave Cordero a long leash.

I think we view Hosmer as our 1Bman for the next 2 years and use Casas as part of a package to get a SP, Catcher, OF'er or 2B/SS. by Moon. We've signed two rentals for two minor leaguers. In what planet do you see Bloom trading away a topic prospect such as Casas? Your gut feeling? Come on Moon, give me some concrete evidence that's even under consideration. If Casas is traded, I will never be heard from again.

I wouldn't be. Not sure why you insist on one of Sale and Paxton. Sale suffered two freak injuries this year. You think he will continue his bad luck? In one breath you say no to Wacha/Hill type but then you hedge by saying add a Hill type for depth. The whole idea of hiring Bloom was to have a starting rotation of young, cost controlled pitchers such as Pivetta, Crawford, Winckowski type. Spend money elsewhere. Go get Aaron Judge. Extend Devers. We already have Story making $23M. Hosmer is bargain of the century. Even our bullpen has a good starting point with Houck, Whitlock and Schrieber.

You should always start with starting pitching. Whatever success we had briefly was attributable to quality starts we received from Eovaldi, Hill, Pivetta and Wacha. We should spend Eovaldi's money elsewhere. Hs ask will be based on historical results which probably won't be sustainable for next phase of his career. We start with 'good' Pivetta. (29, $2.65M, 2 years of team control) We go next with most recent Kutter Crawford. (26, league minimum, 6 years of team control) We continue with Winckowski as a back end starter. (24, league minimum, 6 years of team control) I think we have something in Bello as 5/6/7 option. (23, league minimum, 6 years of team control) We will see Mata at some point in 2023. (23, league minimum, probably 7 years of team control, assuming call up in mid 2023) We will again count on Chris Sale because we're paying him $25M+. (33, $25.6M, 2 years plus option year) Big question is will Paxton (33) return at all this year so the team can evaluate him and pick up his 2-year option. We will again sign Wacha/Hill type to round out the starting pitching. Brandon Walter (25), Chris Murphy (24), Connor Seabold (26) and Thaddeus Ward (25) are other names to remember. You ask where is the big name? Well, it should be Chris freakin Sale.

I support Bloom but I don't think firing him will solve anything. He's done a good job in balance. He's made some horrible mistakes for sure. I just never understood the JBJ deal. I don't care how good the prospects turn out but I thought the deal was a big money drain on the team when you consider we're trying to scrape up some dollars to sign some good players. When I saw what JBJ was doing in Milwaukee last year, I thank God he was gone. Then Bloom brings him back. WTF? JD's season is turning out the way I thought it might. That's why I was hoping to see Schwarber back. One year overlap. He could have helped us and taken over the DH role for three years. WE NEED POWER BATS. Xander is no longer capable of hitting 30 homers. I don't see this year's 'last place team' same as the three last place teams DD inherited. How quickly we forget that we were up 2-1 on the Astros last year. I've enjoyed watching 4 of our farmhands start this year. I believe they all possess major league potential. Signing Xander to a 6 year, $200M is not a BOLD move. BOLD move would be to go after Aaron Judge. Also give Bloom credit for Hosmer deal. Financial side of it is unreal.

My guess is Casas at 1B platooning with Dalbec. Hosmer will be the DH and play 1B from time to time. I would seriously go after Aaron Judge. Why not?

Instead of extending Xander, why not go for Aaron Judge? Give HIM the offer he can't refuse.

Exactly. I like him but its always at what cost? Some poster on this board equated his 'situation' with that of Lester and Betts. Vaz is not quite in their league.

We're missing Devers, Story, JD had back issues, Wacha, Hill, Eovaldi for a bit, Kike ever coming back? In April/May, we're complaining about $7M for Vaz and now he's a MVP. We can resign him when he becomes a FA. His value had peaked. Perfect time to trade him. Bloom also got rid of Dieckman's $4M salary for 2023. Let's just wait and see what transpires today. PS...I'm agreeing with you.

We can always resign Vaz.

So we want yo fire the GM that put a team together that led 2-1 in ALC?

Look at it. Study it. Memorize it. And I'm not unhappy with Crawford, Bello and Winckowski. They've shown they can pitch in majors. And always, always trade players when their value is peaking......that's Vaz.

At what cost? Isn't that the real question? So pay him whatever Boras wants? If that's how you think then you're not the guy I thought you were.....Pay $30M to a mediocre defensive shortstop hitting dozen home runs? Just for PR sake? Prudent.

When was the last time Sox had 4 rookie pitchers start in a season? Bello (#3), Winckowski (#9), Seabold (#11) and Crawford (23) ?

Betts is gone, I'm still a Sox fan. I'm not made at Henry at all.

How long do we stay with Verdugo? .679 OPS outfielder? When will he break out?

Red Sox looking to 'turn it around' after costly defensive miscues July 24th, 2022 Betelhem Ashame @betelhem_ashame Pretty appropriate that Ms. Ashame wrote this article.