Nick

Athttps://www.masslive.com/redsox/2022/01/boston-red-sox-prospect-triston-casas-knows-mlb-debut-could-come-in-2022-hopefully-ill-get-a-one-way-ticket.html Good read on Casas..... It's amazing to me he's ready for major league just looking at his stats, especially looking at the number of games of he has played professionally... He graduated from high school in 2018, his high school stats weren't all that unworldly (not gaudy). Scouts must have been impressed by his physical attributes....and his travel seasons. He played 2 games that summer, which appears to be the norm for Sox draftees. He had extensive season in 2019, appearing in 120 games. 2020 season was cancelled. He then appeared in 77 games for Portland and 9 for Worcester in between participating in the Olympics in 2021. He finished the year playing in Arizona Fall League. I don't know about anyone else but just based on games played, he's on a fast track. It's always fun watching young kids develop.

Who would've have predicted that I never could spell Nostradamus.

Something was up when Sox traded Renfroe.

I'm rooting for him to stick with Sox He maybe moved to another position with Casas coming in.

1B has been a problem for Sox lately. After OPS of .810 and .843, Youk followed up with stellar years beginning 2008, .959, .961 and .975. Gonzo followed with .958 and .818. Napoli dropped from .842 in 2013 to .789 and miserable .693. Ramirez posted a respectable .866 but then Moreland put up pedestrian numbers, .769, .758 and .835. Dalbec's .792 last year was better than 2005, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018. This is a hitter's position. Dalbec has to produce in 2022.

Completely Out of Question Tying players' salary pool to percentage of revenue. Nada, zero chance. If I'm an owner things I might give up A player must spend 100 days to earn his first full year of major league tenure. After that, current rules apply. Increase the minimum wage to $1M.

Absolutely Not and that's not where I was going. I just think the owners can outlast the players. When the median pay is over $1M, how much incentive do the players have to strike and for how long?

Addendum. I've has this constant argument with my friends. I bring up college basketball. I have a group of friend that believe players should be paid. They claim players are the stars. My counter argument is that players are simply caricature in a great play. It's the colleges that have joined together to provide great entertainment for its audience. Players turnover every year. But the success of college basketball continues. Why? There's always ready supply of talented basketball players. You put a marquee jersey on them, the play continues. There will always be another Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan etc. I think it's same in baseball. There are 16, 14 and 12 year olds readying themselves to be the next Trout. I can't ever fathom a situation where I would say what the hell, where are all the talent in major league baseball? As long as there are youths dreaming to become a major leaguer, there will be players that will play for million bucks. How is players' union going to fight that? Are 832 players ready to forego entire year's salary? For what gain?

CBA ultimately is about "show me the money" from players' perspective. Average major league payroll is $4.17M while the median payroll is $1.15M. There are 20 players earning over $25M per annum while over 100 players make $10M or more. Obviously this skews the average payroll, which is much higher than the median payroll. I guess if 50% of the players make $1.15M or more, question becomes how sympathetic are YOU to the plight of these players? Many Americans don't earn that amount in their lifetime. You say that their careers are short? Who cares? They can go get a job like anyone else. It's little different than football. Their heads are not getting bashed in every Sunday. Yeah there are exceptions but most walk away and get old like everybody else. Many here despise the owners. I don't. My answer is why don't you become wealthy and buy a major league team? Then you can give away all of your money to the players. Without laying blames, is the real issue paying someone like Trout $37M per year? I just bring this up because the players union can not stand for all the players. There's too much disparity in pay among 832 players. I have no problems with Trout making $37M per. And I'm not going to get upset if Angels pay other players the league minimum to counter Trout's contract. Season will happen. Something has to give. Players can only get better wages if the PIE gets bigger. The PIE gets bigger primarily through local television deals. Smart owners DO NOT take wealth from their successful ventures to subsidize their baseball teams. They got there by making each business stand on its own merit. If the PIE hasn't gotten bigger, players union is in a bad spot.

Rico is my favorite Red Sox....I became a fan in 1967 at the age of 11.

Let me be stupid and ask the following question. If the MLB season is cancelled, assuming minor league teams go ahead with their season, do we benefit? With improved farm, will we benefit from our younger kids getting to play another year? Do we benefit from expiring contracts while maintaining player controlled years on pre-arb and arb guys?

Yep....Sox 4 Yankees 1

My recollection was Sox over reacted to coming in second place to the White Sox in Jose Abreu sweepstake. I read somewhere Sox was NOT going to come in second place for two years in a row. Rest is history. Also we are on the hook for a portion of last year of Price's contract, $16M. Of course it has to count against our luxury tax. Otherwise we'd trade away bad contracts to get it off our books. Surprised we're discussing that...

I'm with you on this issue. I also pay attention to what the team says, including our manager. I'm not around people that lie constantly and I would hate to think Bloom is that type. He's pretty much done what he said he'd do. What I WANT and what I THINK the team will do is always different.

We ended 2018 championship year with $239M in payroll and opened with $243M in 2019. I remind you that on paper our starting rotation was solid, E Rod (34), Porcello (32), Sale (25), Price (22) and Eovaldi (12). We had JD (.940 OPS), Xander (.939 OPS), Devers (.916) and Betts (.915) leading the offense. Both JBJ and Beni ranked lower half of AL in OPS. So much for that 'great' outfield fans make up as years go by. Just like that our run was over. We were up 2-1 in AL Championship Series with 2 games left up in Fenway. What more could you want? It was an incredible season as far as I was concerned. It's a credit to Sox organization to become competitive again so quickly. We complain too much.

You throw in Price, Paxton (say if he's still hurt and options not picked) and JBJ (unlikely but we eat the option money in 2022), that's total of $123M to rebuild the team. You're left with Barnes final year and Sale. Others will be either arbitration or pre-arbitration. What I would like to see personally is to go after the shortstop we want (that can play defense) and extend Devers and build a team around them.

You're best at these things..... I simply refuse to believe we are 'cheap'. I believe Bloom is trying to come up with 'core' group to go for multiple championships. In theory, we only have three players with multiple year contracts, Sale, Barnes and Xander. Xander can opt out after 2022. I believe Bloom will fill out the roster with key free agent signings as soon as the 'core' group is identified, hopefully Devers will be at the top of his list. That core group surely includes extending Devers and Eovaldi, along with Houck, Whitlock, Pivetta and Verdugo. I think he will retain Dalbec, expect Duran to get a shot at some point and Casas and Yorke to join the group. Plenty of minor league arms in the bullpen mix if not as a starter. I like what's happening with our farm system.

Year Opening Day 26-man Year End 40-man CB Tax 40-man 2021 $147,825,000 (12) $152,189,618 (13) $165,665,645 (15) 2020 $ 73,428,704 ( 5) $ 80,584,972( 5) $216,269,251 ( 3) 2019 $203,079,488 ( 3) $220,307,173 ( 3) $237,199,519 ( 2) 2018 $182,406,139 ( 4) $198,733,661 ( 3) $193,316,649 ( 5 ) I just assumed the number in parenthesis was the rankings. Opening Day payrolls compiled by Baseball Prospectus include salaries and pro-rated signing bonuses for players on the active 25/26-man roster and injured list. Deferred payments and performance and award bonuses are not included. Year End 40-man roster payrolls obtained by The Associated Press include salaries and pro-rated shares of signing bonuses, earned performance and award bonuses, non-cash compensation, buyouts of unexercised options and cash transactions. Deferrals may be discounted to reflect present-day value. Year End Competitive Balance Tax payrolls obtained by The Associated Press include average annual value of contracts, earned bonuses, non-cash compensation, cash transactions, buyouts of unexercised options, and health and pension benefits. Deferrals may be discounted to reflect present-day value.

Cot's.....I think it's more of 40 man CBT payroll at year end. But I do think it takes into account mid summer acquisitions.

I would think end of year payroll is just as good if not better. It takes into account trade deadline acquisitions. But good work Moon. It's interesting to note that it was widely believed Cubs won a year early. There was talk (as always it seems) of dynasty. Cubs and Theo spent the money just to do that. Their end of year payroll went from $181M in 2016 to $186M, $198M and $220M. Obviously there was no dynasty let alone a repeat. On paper, Sox had good starting rotation going into 2019 but that season was derailed by injuries and other factors (I don't remember). I think the whole point is it is somewhat crapshoot but spending consistently will get you closer than not doing so.

Quick question. Tanner Houck has 100 days of service. Under the old CBA, Sox would still have 6 years of team control correct? Maybe 4 arbitrations?

Old Red, do you mean John Henry is not up to this standard?

I trust Bloom but not sure why the JBJ deal had to get done prior to lock out. Not sure if there were several teams clamoring to obtain JBJ before the lockout.

Sox can claim to be one of bigger spenders each year. I don't think they really care what you and I think on a seasonal basis. They are not cheap. Period.

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere. The Phillies, along with the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Astros, finished with a tax payroll within $4 million of last season’s $210 million collective bargaining tax threshold. According to information sent to clubs from the commissioner’s office and obtained by the Associated Press, the Phillies’ final CBT number for 2021 was $209.4 million. If you do the math, the Phillies were just $600,000 shy of going over the luxury tax. Philadelphia finished third in MLB in luxury tax payroll behind the Padres ($216.5) and Dodgers ($285.6 million). The Dodgers paid a $32.65 million luxury tax bill while the Padres were charged $1.29 million