Nick

Sox 15 (8 home, 7 away) Home 3 Yankees 3 Orioles 2 Mets Away 3 Orioles 3 Nationals Jays 17 (9 home 8 away) Home 1 Rays 3 Twins 3 Yankes 3 Orioles Away 3 Rays 4 Twins Yankees 17 (9 home 8 away) Home 3 Guardians 3 Rays 3 Rangers Away 3 Jays 3 Sox 2 Orioles Yankees probably need 2 more wins versus hapless Orioles to get ahead of Sox. They have the tougher schedule after that. Yankees have 9 games versus Sox, Rays and Jays. Jays have 4 games vs Rays and 3 games vs Yankees. Sox have 3 games vs Yankees.

“We’ve been struggling defensively the whole season,” Cora said. “We had some good stretches when we play good defense. When we do that, most of the time it seems like we win games. That’s the bottom line. At this level, you have to be good defensively.” We'll see how Bloom address this....

That's concerning when our shortstop has limited range....

Can someone post the best/widely accepted team defensive metric for the AL teams? How bad are we? I think we lead the league in errors but there's more to defense than errors, right?

I fixed it....brain fart...

Quickly C Vaz...keeper but upgrade is appreciated 1B Dalbec...keeper for now but platooning him maybe a better option 2B Arroy...still needs to see a full season out of him SS Xander...we're paying $20M, not going anywhere unless he opts out in 2022 3B Devers...definite keeper LF Verdugo...keeper but the shine is little off CF Kike....keeper, see if he can continue his good hitting, defense is solid. RF Renfroe...keeper, still needs to refine his non throwing defensive skills DH JD...parting of ways is imminent, he either opts out or he'll be FA in 2023 I give this lineup 80% chance of remaining intact for 2022. Problem with this group is disparity in offense vs defense. That won't be an easy fix. Pitching Department needs upgrading.....Need something like Scherzer, Sale, Eovaldi, E Rod and Pivetta starting rotation. Must improve the group of Barnes, Sawamura, Whitlock, Houck, Taylor and Darwinzon. I like Whitlock throwing 6 innings and not work as a closer. He'll give up 2 or 3 runs in 6 innings. Not sure if he's a shut down closer.

Off top of my head... You're adding $72M to payroll Losing $13.25M Pedey $08.30M E Rod $07.12M Ottavino $06.00M Perez $03.00M Marwin $37.67M $10.00M Richards (you honestly believe we'll get someone back?) I'd say we pay half of his salary and get a run of mill single A player. $47.67M Net increase of $25M before paying arbitration raises.... Not unrealistic I guess...

Cream rises to the top....we'll see how we finish...pretenders or contenders.

When your top six hitters go 0-17 with one walk and 9 K's, what you gonna do?

He won't return on this road trip is what I read in paper.

Corey Seager of Dodgers becomes a FA after this year. He's making $13.75M this year and has the same agent, Boras. Maybe we should go after him. Can we get him for $20M? Carlos Correra of Astros also becomes a FA after this year. He's making $11.7M this year. Tim Anderson of White Sox is signed through 2024 (including 2 options) on a team friendly contract. His AAV is $4.167M. Why would they want Xander? They have enough offense. Oakland A's would not be interested in shortstop making $20M that's looking for a big pay day. Willy Adames of Brewers is making $950K with 3 more years of team control. His ops is .905 in 323 at bats. Brandon Crawford of Giants has two year deal at $32M for 2022/2023. Dansby Swanson of Braves will become a free agent at the end of 2022, his last arbitration year. He's making $6M this year. Would Braves be interested in Xander? Gregorius of Phillies really stuck it to them garnering a two year $28M deal which will expire after 2022. Would Phillies look for higher priced FA in Xander? Is Kyle Farmer of Reds playing out of position? He has three more years of team control. Soooo, who is going to give Xander $150M/6 years? Will the Sox bid against itself like we've done in the past? How much is as Bora says being the "face of Red Sox" worth? I think Boras is unofficially negotiating with Red Sox

AL East shortstops Rays....Franco...#1 MLB prospect, 6 years of team control, no need for Xander and a raise on $20M Jays...Bichette...ops of .805, 4 more years of team control Yankees...Torres....this maybe a possibility, Yankees had a lousy fielding Hall of Fame ss, Torres has 3 more years of team control after 2021 Orioles.....They can't afford Xander...

Perhaps but I rather use the 'raise' on a pitcher and acquire a solid defensive ss.

Market value is what the willing buyer will pay Xander. We can compare players all we want but just because Rendon gets $35M does not mean Xander automatically gets $30M or $25M. I think our urgent needs are to extend Eovaldi and Devers. I doubt we can afford $30M for Devers and $25M for Xander while we still have Chris Sale on the books. I rather spend the money on pitching. It's about choices. There are many talented defensive shortstops out there. We can prioritize defense at the most critical defensive position. I think we have enough offense as it is. I don't want us to trade him. Just not sure if we have enough money to go around.

As usual, I think Sox fans are overvaluing its players. Another year older and his lack of defense being exposed (he's not going to increase his 'range' anytime soon), Xander will leave $80M over 4 yrs on the table, including an option if he's healthy. What contender will give him a big raise? What up and coming team will make him the center piece of the rebuild? Give me some names please. Owners want to bring down the luxury tax limit. Will one of them offer Xander substantial raise? Hell, many of the regulars here want to trade him to improve our defense.

We're at least doing somethings right. We are still in the hunt. It's been an enlightening season. We're getting to see much of our organizational talent.

Could Boston Red Sox promote prospect Durbin Feltman to help bullpen? ‘I knew 2019 was a fluke. I knew that wasn’t me’ Per MassLive Sure, why not?

His best pitch is changeup. Probably shouldn't have thrown it back to back.

10-7 lead with a closer and couldn't hold the lead.......

I would be very surprised if Bloom dismantles the ballclub that's been in the playoff hunt without the services of Sale for most of the year. I find it very difficult to swallow the idea of extending a $18M deal to a pitcher that performed at best 'average' making $8.3M. Bloom added two 'keeper regulars' in Kike and Renfroe. Cost effective acquisitions. Bloom added a 'regular starting pitcher' in Pivetta. He came very cheap. 3 more years of team control. Bloom found another 'keeper' in Whitlock. Maybe we paid $175K for him. 5 more years of team control. Bloom stayed the course with Dalbec. I believe the Sox paid $30M for the 'rights' to Moncada. His OPS is .778. Dalbec now has 21 HR, 70 RBI and .793 OPS. (I know they play different positions). With 3 weeks to go, Dalbec MAY garner couple of Rookie of the Year votes. He stays. 5 more years of team control. Verdugo now has gone from #1 outfielder to #3, behind Kike and Renfroe. And that's a good thing. Tells you that team is better. I think Bloom extends Eovaldi this winter or in April. All of sudden we are talking about defense but with Xander and Devers, at best we're average on the left side. I just want another 'impact' starter and Schwarber. Everything else can be pieced together. Houck becomes either set up or closer if we acquire another starter.

I just posted the injury update list for the Yankees from the MLB site. I've done this before. What the f*** is your problem, Francis?

Yankee News (only because they're fighting for a playoff spot) Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon and Zack Britton, Yankees Cole (left hamstring tightness) played catch on Thursday and is now expected to throw a bullpen session either Friday or Saturday. Barring any setbacks, this would set the star right-hander up to start either Monday's make-up game against the Twins or Tuesday's series opener against the Orioles. The Yanks placed Taillon on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a tendon injury in his right ankle. The club is hopeful that Taillon can return this season. More > Britton, meanwhile, underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in addition to a bone chip removal and could now miss most or all of the 2022 season. More >

Sure......

There is never a log jam unless a team is winning 108 games and winning the World Series. We're not there yet. These things always work themselves out. Not sure the logjam you're talking about but I'm assuming... JD, Schwarber, Dalbec, Kike, Verdugo, Renfroe and Duran. JD will be gone in one year if he does not opt out. Schwarber can DH, play LF and 1B Dalbec can play 1B and 3B Kike can play 2B, who knows how often Arroyo will get hurt, he can relieve Xander also. Verdugo and Renfroe may need time off....scheduled day off as Cora calls it. I wouldn't trade a top 25 mlb prospect just yet....they've been patient with Dalbec, they will be patient with Duran. You have 7 players for 5 positions...Cora loves the flexibility. Someone will slump, someone will be hurt.

Not directed at you...... We did not acquire Schwarber to sit on the bench. He's exceeded our expectations including his willingness to play 1B.