Nick

I was half kidding.....I'm just amazed at Bloom's ability to clean up Sox contracts. I would like to call it "he's cleaning up our balance sheet". Long term player liabilities are disappearing. Curious as to what he'll do with Eovaldi (maybe a 3 year deal) Kike (another two year deal at $20M?) Vaz (Probably won't get what he made, a one year deal with a team option) JD (probably gone) Xander (probably nothing) Devers (for the sake of organization, he needs to move to another position)

Sign Suzuki, trade Bradley for additional prospects by paying for majority of contract. Then you'll have traded Renfroe and $5M for prospects. That sounds about right.

Not three? We'll have $100M to upgrade the team in July....lol.

I'm surprised you haven't heard of all nine starters.

Random thought... If Xander opts out, Sox can get rid of $107M worth of contracts after 2022. Only Sale, Barnes and Xander contracts totaling $45+M remain for those making $5M+. What I'm saying is Bloom is getting rid of long term contracts that may hinder the club. We also get rid of $16M on Price's last remaining year. I think that's incredible. Future liabilities are dissipating. Possible lineup without major additions for 2023. Would you watch this team? C Hernandez 1B Casas 2B Yorke SS Downs 3B Devers LF Jimenez CF Duran RF Verdugo DH Dalbec SP1 Sale SP2 Pivetta SP3 Houck SP4 Whitlock SP5 Bello SP6 Mata Bullpen TBD

I think what you're saying is don't get hang up on league average when it comes to catchers. Next step is to have xRC+ by positions.

Moon, I have a project for you. It would be interesting to see a break out of Luxury Tax Payroll and how you would break out the $210M. Start with SP1 $25M Sale ($25.6M) SP2 $20M Eovaldi ($17M) SP3 $10M SP4 $5M SP5 $3M SP6 $1M Total committed to starting pitchers, $64M It would be a road map of how the roster will be constructed. If you pay someone over the slotted amount, then some other position would have to take less. You would have 5 major groups. Starting Pitching (6).....$64M Bullpen (7) Position players (13) 40 man roster fill ins and medical (Cot's has that amount at $20.9M) Contract being paid on non performing player This would be similar to annual draft. Correa singing would have to be adjusted elsewhere, say trade Xavier and Devers. You would match the current salaries.

http://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2021/10/22/seiya-suzuki-a-deep-dive-on-the-next-big-thing-out-of-japan Is this why Renfroe was traded? Flexibility of Kike rotating between CF and 2B with JBJ and Arroyo filling in depending where Kike is playing? Is this the 'big signing' we're waiting for?

http://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2021/10/22/seiya-suzuki-a-deep-dive-on-the-next-big-thing-out-of-japan Is this why Renfroe was traded? Flexibility of Kike rotating between CF and 2B with JBJ and Arroyo filling in depending where Kike is playing?

We can agree on couple of things. Bloom is building for long term while competing to get into the playoffs. As such, he will not trade away highly thought of prospects. Someone mentioned Nick Yorke as a trade candidate. No way in hell will Bloom trade him. They thought they found a diamond in the rough type of player, surprising many experts when Sox drafted Yorke in the first round. Casas hell no. Last year Bloom stated that Duran has chance to become great. I seriously doubt he's already done a 180 in less than a year. (of course Moon's response was well what else is he going to say). Show me another Bloom quote, "he has chance to be great". Bloom is risk adverse when it comes to financial dealings. Say what you will about Richards signing, no one will claim Sox got devastated by that contract. I absolutely love signings of Wacha, Hill and Paxton. Majority on this board, unlike me, wants to keep Houck/Whitlock in the pen. Well you got your wish. But you're still unhappy. We have an opening day lineup regardless of acquiring another player. Obviously Bloom's main focus will be strengthening the bullpen going forward. Bloom is a Goodwill shopper. Sometimes you do find a good value at that store. You can't go wrong paying $4.99 for an article of clothing. You don't like it, you just throw it away.

Bloom also acquired Ottavino and assumed his full salary in exchange for prospects.

I'm not sure if I have any sympathy for the players. First of all, it's difficult to have one union represent someone that just signed a $200M long term contract versus another that is surviving on league minimum. Just really think about it. I see a guy like Marwin Gonzalez making $3M. I bet 95% of population doesn't make that in a lifetime. Some on this board will argue but 95% of people aren't as good as Marwin. I simply can't have any sympathy for the guy. Owners take all the risk. Players don't have to play. Go start your own league and pay yourselves zillions of dollars.

But they pay those players less than average starters so there is THAT.

I doubt Bloom would trade away a recent first round draft pick. I would bet you $100.

I'm trying to think like a Tampa fan....I think this deal is for replacing Eovaldi and his expected $20M+ contract once he hit fee agency in 2023. Bloom is always thinking ahead. If Paxton recovers early and is able to pitch in September, great. Otherwise, he's the backup plan for 2023, a cheaper version, for Eovaldi leaving. I just think that's how Bloom is wired. He looks for guys with higher ceiling than shown due to injury or otherwise. I will repeat this going forward. Bloom wants to spread the risk. He will sign Wacha and Hill, hoping one will come through.

I don't mean to be sarcastic and thank you for stating the obvious. We're still wrapped up in Price contract for $16M. That would have paid for E. Rod perhaps. It really is about choices we've made in the past and we are paying for bad contracts in some cases. Realistically, I just don't see the Sox able to retain Devers. There needs to be plan B. I think Bloom is doing what he can to put a team out there in April that can compete. If season started tomorrow, C Vaz 1B Dalbec 2B Arroyo SS Xander 3B Devers LF Verdugo CF Kike RF Renfroe DH JD Not horrible...You have about $80M tied up with possibility of $56M coming off the books (Vaz, Xander, Kike and JD) SP1 Sale SP2 Eovaldi SP3 Pivetta SP4 Wacha SP5 Whitlock RP1 Barnes RP2 Houck RP3 Sawamura RP4 Brasier RP5 Darwinzon RP6 Taylor RP7 Davis RP8 Valdez It's not the worst lineup. Maybe we can get help from our farm system when it comes to relievers. Show me a trade that upgrades the team but still stay within the budget. Cot's had us $22.5M under the tax limit before the Paxton deal.

If money is concern going foward, move Dalbec to 3B and play Casas at 1B. That is Tampa Bay move.

Unfortunately that's his default position. He never exudes confidence. Face of enigma.

Now you're talking...I agree.

Moon, I used OMG because Old Red did.....

Why don't you think outside of the box for change? I'm comparing season opening rotation 2021 vs 2022. Was Sale in the rotation? NO. You don't ever consider monetary aspect of roster building. You probably want to sign Devers to long extension, no? Something has to give Old Red. OMG, ERA as Moon has said is meaningless stats. How do you know he didn't miss many bats? Aren't you on RECORD saying you don't give a damn about analytics? Did you watch him pitch? Have you seen his miss bats numbers? Houck and Whitlock are not replacing anybody? You do know that Houck started in 2021? Whitlock used to be a starter until his arm surgery? Sox babied him last year right? Why not try to win without going over the luxury tax limit? We have about $23M to buy some quality relievers if the tax stays at $210M. You are in that group of posters always complaining about lack young starters produced by the Sox. Then you get a Whitlock and a Houck and you jettisoned them to the pen. OMG, Why can't we have young guys in our rotation?

Cot's has Sox now at $187,450 including projected arbitration raises for 9 players. (Yanks at $220M, they're already over) JD $22M and Price $16M come off the books after this season. Eovaldi, Vaz and Kike all will be free agents along with newly signed Wacha. We could decided to go spend one year early, giving Sox at minimum $38M plus whatever we're under the luxury tax, if any, with new CBA.

I think it's a great signing. He misses bats. He ended the season on a good note. He abandoned his cutter for his curveball. He's willing to make changes. He's going to work on his cutter this off season. Change up is his bread and butter. Full season of Sale will replace E Rod. I would bet on Sale to have better year than E Rod. Eovaldi and Pivetta returns. Wacha replaces Perez, and he'll be better, book it. Whitlock will be better than Richards, so will Houck. Our starting pitching is better and we saved $25M in the process. I love Bloom.

I think the concentration of resources should be on starting pitching. Kimmi I agree, and to some extent, starters are more known commodities. We lost Ottavino, so I think keeping Houck & Whitlock in the pen makes a lot of sense. Moon You are the biggest fence straddler when it comes to this. I'd say give both chance to start. Houck & Whitlock may give us terrific starting pitching for two years at $1M. Go find pen help. Again, aren't you the biggest critiquer when it comes Sox not developing starting pitching? Yet you want to turn every one of them into a reliever. I don't get it.

clunkers are fine....just need to recognize it at some point.....not sure what they ever saw in Santana DURING 2021. At least Marwin played some defense.