Nick

2. Why does a team with a consistently large payroll have such deficiencies in areas like defense and baserunning? Having the Yankees’ money — even in years in which they have sunk just under the luxury tax — should afford variety. Instead, the Yankees kept doubling down on so many hulking, righty power hitters, for example, leaving little room on the roster or within the budget for athleticism and diversity. There was investment in dollars or significant prospects for the switch-hitting Aaron Hicks, an injury-prone player who has stayed injured since receiving his seven-year, $70 million pact, and Joey Gallo, who brought a lefty bat but also a low-average, high-strikeout style that already was bedeviling a 2021 team not adept at sustaining offense without home runs. Luke Voit is symbolic of this stretch in Yankees history. In many ways, Luke Voit defines this era for the Yankees. They have been excellent at uncovering undervalued assets elsewhere such as Hicks, Didi Gregorius, Gio Urshela, Chad Green and Clay Holmes. Voit fits into this category. But even while succeeding, Voit exacerbated Yankee issues around right-handedness, poor defense, poor athleticism and dubious ability to stay healthy with his combination of hulking body and ferocious swing. He led the AL in homers in the shortened 2020 campaign. It would have been an ideal time to try to maximize a return. But I sense the Yankees are always obsessed with the individual deal and not the makeup it will have on the overall fabric of the roster. They might have received less return than desired for Voit, but how they used his salary and roster spot would be part of the return. Instead, he becomes another player the Yankees have to decide whether they tender or not.

3 Questions Yankees Must Answer....I love New York Post 1. Why are the position players not retaining value? Bird, Judge, Sanchez, Torres, Frazier and Miguel Andujar all had promising early stints. Only Judge (when healthy) has maintained a high standard and he will be entering his walk year. In Sanchez’s early years, the consensus from within — among teammates and officials — was that he would be the best hitter on the team. Note, hitter. Not just power bat. How did he go from that to hitting .201 over the last four years? Torres was an All-Star in his age 21 and 22 seasons. In his age-23 and 24 years the past two seasons his OPS-plus is 5 percent under the league average. The plummet is so severe that the Yankees have to contemplate whether they will even tender contracts to Andujar, Frazier and Sanchez.

Everyone is replaceable....thinking otherwise will get you into trouble. G Cole has 7 years remaining at $36M per year. He has full no trade clause. Was he worth $36M this year? Yankees got into the Wildcard Game and then lost with Cole pitching. I trust that Bloom will field a competitive teams going forward in Boston, with or without Xander, Devers, JD, Sale, etc, etc. New stars always will be on the horizon.

I'm curious as to Yankees as it relates to health of their players. Who are 'sure' starters coming back assuming they're healthy? What do you guys need? I'm curious. I was always in favor of Sox acquiring G Cole type. But now I'm not sure. I don't think it's worth it unless you're sure Division winner. Wild Card sucks.

Good thing is we'll know within 5 days after the World Series if JD will opt out or not. Also having Semien on roster will make easier to swallow Xander opting out and or not extending Devers and go to option B, such as moving Dalbec to 3B and Schwarber play 1B until Casas is ready. I will still take stack line up 1-9 over defensive shortcomings. We play at Fenway. It's a hitter's ballpark. Load up the farm with young guns. Names right now are better than what we had few years ago in our farm.

Robles wants to remain with Sox organization. He loves it here. Bloom will make it work. I realize there maybe a one year overlap with JD but Schwarber should be pursued. I'm more and more convinced you attack other team by solid hitting lineup 1-9, not Xander, JD and Devers only as it was at beginning of year. That formula is not sustainable. We won 2018 World Series with mediocre output from Betts (maybe it was for entire post season, can't remember off top of my head). I'm more inclined to go the Rays route and add an impact player (s) for a rental at trade deadline. That requires plethora of young talent.

He got 4 outs.....He could have gotten 6 outs....head scratcher....

You had two run lead. Whitlock last pitched 10/5. He had 4 days off. This is the guy we trained to pitch multiple innings. To come in high leverage situation. Playoffs tied at 1-1, top of 8th with 2 run lead. This is f***ing on Cora. Boy Genius.

we already have nine hits...only 3 runs...

Why do all slow white guys hit into double play?

We wouldn't be here without Schwarber.

I hope E Rod moves on......I'm tired of hanging on to the past. On one hand, Moon thinks won lost record is meaningless for pitchers but he constantly brings up the fact Sox usually wins when he starts. Can they both be true? (I'm just trying to get Moon's blood pressure up little)

I hope JD does opt out so we can go after Schwarber. He won't cost us $22M per year.

Dalbec should be a candidate.......

Houck threw 25 sliders (four swings-and-misses), 22 four-seam fastballs (three swings-and-misses), nine sinkers (five swings-and-misses) and five splitters. Geez, I may not be a math genius but that looks to me like 4 pitches. Houck may not go 6 innings but he can sure outlast E Rod and Sale at times. But let's give E Rod $10M raise.

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays’ youth was served in Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on Thursday night. Rookies Randy Arozarena, Wander Franco and Shane McClanahan all took center stage in Tampa Bay’s 5-0 victory over Boston. All season, the Rays have bet on their talent and youth over age and experience. To take a 2-0 lead in the ALDS, the Rays will need another budding star -- Shane Baz, the club's No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- to shine on the mound. Looking to pull even in the series, the Red Sox will counter with an experienced, proven postseason starter: Chris Sale. The veteran lefty is set to take the mound for Boston in Game 2 on Friday night at Tropicana Field. But we'll take possible starters in Whitlock and Houck and buried them in the pen. Rays starter > E Rod

Do you at least agree that our position players are set? Only position we don't control is DH but either way it's replaceable, probably at cheaper cost.

I agree with you. I don't see a major overhaul. We made progress this year. As long as we're improving, there's no point in starting over. Technically, we have all the positions players coming back. We can throw in Houck and Whitlock to the rotation mix. We just need to add depth and quality to the pen, either internally or via free agency.

It's going to be a fun series. We'll find out how good this team really is against the best team in AL.

JD apparently turned his ankle stepping on the 2B bag on his way out to Right Field. Can we just settle the debate and tell him that he's a DH, not an outfielder? A guy can miss the foul line going out and coming in but not miss the bag? I can see it now with a walk off homer while blood seeping through his socks.

Good thing we have Barnes for another 2 years......he's back to being a wuss....first few months were the aberration. Not sure I see any value in Santana but I do like the name Santana. I just like to say it. S A N T A N A. I trust Cora.

I believe Bloom's approach will continue. Incrementally improve the overall health of our organization. Acquiring Pivetta via trade and Whitlock via Rule 5 approach will be the rule going forward. And develop the FARM. I'm just pointing out that signing a major free agent deal will hinder extending someone like Devers. I'm not advocating trading Devers. Discussion is about Moon saying we'll sign a big money FA. I want to know who and how long and at what price. I'm a former CPA. I like rolling 5 year budgets, not just 2022. You know what I mean? (obviously WE ALL KNOW that Price $ comes off, JD $ comes off, possibly Xander $ comes off, Kike $ comes off, Eovaldi $ comes off, all after 2022...that's total of $82.5M.....so Moon's plan maybe workable)

If I'm a betting man, I'd go along with your line of thinking. He maybe the type that will always look to see how much value he can add to the organization for $30M with multiple signings instead of paying one player that amount. Why spend $300M on a pitcher when Whitlock maybe that pitcher who is already on the roster and is under team control for 5 more years? Houck pitched a perfect 5 inning game his last time out. He also threw a third pitch consistently during that outing. I think he's also too young to be 'banished' to the pen. Isn't the goal to develop starting pitching? Whitlock and Houck appear to be far ahead of others when it comes to being a starter. That was always the plan with Whitlock wasn't it? I'm in the fantasy baseball mode as with many of you. Henry didn't hire Bloom to play fantasy baseball.

We need to take one from the Rays and get back to Boston.