Nick

Absolutely you're correct. We have other areas of concern. Do go create one.

And for me that includes the World Series champ, Dodgers. Not a real season. If any baseball record needs an asterisk, that's one of them.

Red Sox’s impressive assets should have Yankees very concerned NY Post...make the Yankee fans worry.... 1 and 2 (tie). Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers 3. Alex Cora 4. Garrett Whitlock 5. Chaim Bloom

Question for you Moon Are we destine to be that wait for that big inning team? I don't know if we can manufacture runs. Most frustrating thing at Fenway is three singles will not guaranty a run. I don't know if there are any stats out there for percentage of run scored from second on a single but I'm sure we're at the bottom, having to play half of our games at Fenway. Just not sure what our 'identity' should be going forward.

Good points.... I'm also wondering if teams are factoring in the cost of traditional starting pitchers..... Has nothing to do with anything but I read in a Tampa paper indicating 3 starters that were used against the Sox lacked major league experience (very little that is)....that they were all newbies if you well. Feeling is they are all good pitchers and will be a factor in 2022. I'm wondering if the owners are beginning to question G Cole type signings. It's scary to think the Yankees have eight or nine more years at $36M per for Cole (that's $10M+ more than Sale).....if they can win couple of World Series then maybe it would have been worth it. Bottom line is they need to upgrade the team. G Cole alone will not get them to the Promise Land.

8 starters and 5 closers...that works for me....

Possible Help from the Farm per Sox Prospects Position Players 2022 1B Casas OF Duran SS Downs C Wong 2023 C Hernandez 2024 SS Mayer 2B Yorke 3B Blaze OF Jimenez Pitchers 2022 Seabold Winchowski 2023 Bello Groome Matta Murphy Walter Ward 2024 Song

I agree 100%....... It's impossible for home plate umpire to be consistent on over 300 pitches per game or whatever that number is.....it's f***ING IMPOSSIBLE. We live in technological society. What idiot here thinks we have to adjust the strike zone for every hitter before each game? Unless you have guys that's still getting taller during baseball season, the strike zone can be set once a year, first before the season and then reviewed at year end. What the hitters are craving for is consistency. They will get it with robo ump behind the plate.

What I want and what Bloom will do are two different things.....I trust Bloom. I really don't know much. You start with what you have and make improvements. C Vaz (no reason to think we won't pick up his option) 1B Dalbec (he has potential plus he's back up options for Devers, Casas and DH) 2B Arroyo (we may look to upgrade this position and make him a utility player) SS Xander 3B Devers LF Verdugo CF Kike RF Renfroe (he was a bargain at $3M) DH JD We'll know shortly after the World Series, what JD will do. Not too much concern here. If he opts out, we have $22M to play with. Next DH won't be that expensive. SP Sale SP Eovaldi SP Pivetta SP ???? SP ???? Again we'll know shortly the fate of E Rod. Pen Barnes (yep, we're stuck with him after giving him a $5M raise, his trade value is all time low) Whitlock Houck Brasier Darwinzon Taylor Sawamura Valdez (?) The bullpen may take work especially if one or two are moved to starter status Is this lineup (assuming JD returns and E Rod stays) good enough to win the Division? We were 8 back. Probably not. Pluses We'll have Sale for entire year and he maybe improving. I would expect Pivetta to continue to get better. Eovaldi has become a pitcher, not just a guy that throws 100mph. Minuses Barnes falling off the ridge. Not sure if defense can improve.

I'm willing to give Whitlock a shot at going 6-7 innings while only making $1M.

You are missing the point. Whitlock should be a starter and I have no problem saying it. All of you straddle the fence, as always. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. We complain about not having starters and then turn a possible starter into a reliever. That's just plain stupid.

I 100% agree with you. With our history of having not produced starting pitchers, you would think Moon would want every pitcher that has opportunity to start in majors given chance to start. Yet he's more inclined to keep Whitlock in the pen and go spend for another Richards. He keeps straddling the fence. See I have no trouble saying it. Give Whitlock chance to start AND FIND HIS REPLACEMENT IN THE PEN.

I stand by my comment....Schwarber is paid $10M. JD is paid $22M to play half of the game. If you can't see the disparity in 'value', I have no use talking to you OLD RED.

Mookie received $20M for his arb 2 year. It'll be interesting to see how far apart Devers/Sox are for 2022, Dever's arb #2 year.

JD is paid $22M, Schwarber is playing for $10M...... Who has ever said Schwarber will get JD money? Not even Ortiz made that much money as a DH. Old Red needs to quit picking on Schwarber......he's been big help to Sox during the stretch.

But I prefer Houck as the closer.

I don't mind sitting in that wagon.....make it so gigantic that the present value ends up around $25M.....

This has been an amazing year and it's not over. It's been a learning year for Sox operations people. They were able to play several players that may or may not be here next year. Schwarber....I want him back but not as 1B. You gotta make simple plays. Too many ball chances at first. He's performed well as a non 1B, but not as a 1B. Houck/Whitlock....If I had to pick, Whitlock would start and Houck stay in the bullpen. Bellhorn asked what the hell does it mean to be a shut down pitcher? Well, I would trust Houck for 9th inning more than I would Whitlock. But I would trust Whitlock to go 6 or 7 innings more than I would Houck. Just my eyes....no analytics. Devers....you give him what he wants. You build the future around him. But you only get one of those. Don't negotiate with Xander. It's still a defensive position. Go with gut. Dalbec...he can hold down 1B until Casas, then he can split time between 1B, 3B and DH. For 2022, JD, Vaz, Dalbec, Arroyo, Xander, Devers, Verdugo, Kike and Renfroe. Strengthen pitching staff.

Part of building a strong core is to make sure the players you're talking about arrives at about same time. It would seem Casas is way ahead of say Mayer from being major league ready. Not to say it won't happen. If that is the plan then Devers should be traded for high end starting pitcher who is under team control for 4+ years. Unless of course Sox consider him to be the cornerstone of future in which case Devers should be extended.

No.....we were too busy piling on earlier. Life is easy when you're hitting two grand slams.

And Xander wants a raise? Let him opt out.

Sale just needs to shut the f*** on his post game interview. He didn't do his job. His counterpart outpitched him. Just go have a seat Chris.

Chris Sale is reduced to all talk and no action. Great trade. Horrible extension.

Why did they bring him back out? Take the 1 run game and let him enjoy himself.

The essence of Red Sox offense....biggest pile on group in majors.......They'll score 15 runs to win a game and then get shut out next two games. But we averaged 5 runs per game so there's that...great offense.