Nick

My response was to the original poster. I don't really care what 'most people think'. I always listen to those that's in power to make decisions. It's very possible that Houck will end up in the pen. But the management has decided to give 'starter' role a chance for Houck. He'll work on his third pitch to get closer to that goal. In my former life, I was a CPA. I like numbers. I like budgets. I like projections. I like spreadsheets. To me, player controllable years is important. Look at Dalbec. He has already established himself as a potential power bat. Maybe he'll fail. But as an 'accountant', I'm excited to know that he's under team control for next six years despite having already had a taste of major league at bats. There's no point in burning Houck's major league service time this year. He can work on his craft in the minors. He can be brought back if someone goes down or as a reliever later in the year. Succeed or fail, he'll have six years of team control as he begins 2022. I'm happy to see Pivetta in the starting rotation. He's under team control for next four years. He was a good 'get' by Bloom. Same goes for Verdugo. Four years of team control. I'd like to see Sox extend Devers over the next twelve months. This was his first arbitration year. This is how I think.......baseball is a business. As a big market club, I see luxury tax limit as the 'artificial player budget'. Having our highest paid player injured this year skews our payroll for 2021 along with payout for Pedey and Price. That's almost $55M of waste. That's how I see it as an accountant.

Why do we give up on a guy so early? He's looking to add an effective third pitch. Isn't that what coaching staff is suppose to do? I just don't get the negativity on this site.

The menu said Breakfast at anytime....I ordered French toast at Renaissance. No way Hiro gets that....

Joe Namath in his book, "I Can't Wait Until Tomorrow.... 'Cause I Get Better Looking Every Day" said at Alabama... They lined up all the freshman at the goal line naked. Players had grape stuck up their butt and raced to the other end. Player coming in last place had to eat everyone else's grape. Now we complain about fetching beer?

well, I don't extend myself.....lol Today's mission? I'm getting hair cut.....nothing else on my calendar....

Boston Red Sox’s Danny Santana is in the hospital with a foot infection. I'm 65 and my days are pain free, granted I don't strain myself at all but all these "injuries", is that normal?

Does anyone have a 'scouting' report on Nick Pivetta? Not stats, what does he throw, how fast, etc? Yeah it's early, but with four years of team control, along with acquiring Seabold, did Bloom steal one from the Phillies?

Yep...100% true..

Chavis with his 3rd HR......1.201 OPS He better hope he's traded.....he's not Cora's guy....All I hear are negativity from his manager....

Richards 4IP 1H 7K 3BB 0R It's spring training, veterans are working on their craft for those on the ledge after his two starts........

Which would you prefer? Team A 8 playoff appearances in 11 years, 0 WS title Team B 4 playoff appearances in 11 years, 2 WS titles Yankees have become the Atlanta Braves of 90's.

Good to know......

I'm not sure it's so much as Devers proving himself as much as going up to 30,000 ft and determining okay who is better 3B? I can work hard every day and work on my putting game. I can become better at reading, etc. But I will never be as good as my buddy who just has the 'touch'. It doesn't make me a bad putter, just not as good as my buddy. I don't have that magical 'touch'. Maybe Dalbec has better 'touch'. MAYBE.

Question is if we are a better defensive team with Dalbec at 3B and Devers at 1B. Devers will make money hitting not for his defensive prowess. Cora has already stated that we'll see Dalbec at 3B at some point. Why not listen to our manager sometimes? He has also stated Hernandez will play everyday and not at 2B all the time. Looks to me like Cora will move him to CF from time to time. Cora has also stated that right field is much more difficult to play than center field at Fenway. To me Verdugo is our right fielder ultimately.

Yep....Why waste time on low ceiling guy, Arroyo.?

“Unfortunately with Bryan, he has a slight tear in his UCL,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Saturday. “So we’re going to shut him down. The way we’re going to go with him is going to be treatment. The doctors and the physicians feel like it’s small enough that we think with treatment and doing that, he should be fine. Obviously, it’s going to take some time. There’s no timetable. There’s going to be a few checkpoints throughout the process. And if he’s disciplined and follows everything that we are set to do, the hope is for him to come back. But like I said, no timetables. As you guys know, he’s very important for us. It’s a tough one. At the same time, we do believe he’s going to bounce back and he’s going to be OK.” Pitchers with tears in the UCL often undergo Tommy John surgery or other elbow procedures. Here we go.....we'll wait until September and decide he needs surgery. He will return spring training 2023. Ugh. What the f*** is wrong with our pitching staff?

I like it for now. Remember that Cora has already stated that at Fenway, center fielder only has to worry about the balls going to his left. Balls headed to his right is just about playing it off the Green Monster. Right field is the more difficult position. He said it. Cora also made it clear that Hernandez will play every day, at different positions, 2B and CF I would hope Jeter Downs will own second base in 2022. My guess is we will extend Vaz at some point after 2021 after his option is excercised.

Why not just call him the Thumper? JBJ finally signed with Brewers. He did not get a four year deal. With a sixty game season in 2020, it was going to be very difficult to get what he wanted. There's still some nervousness about the revenue side of baseball. Teams are cautious (not the Dodgers). Basically Xander, Devers, Vaz and JD remains from the 2018 team (position players). I am stoked to watch the new talent with these four. We will score runs. We are headed to eventual core group of Devers, Dalbec, Verdugo, Downs, Duran and Casas with veterans. Not sure how this team can't be better than last year's team.

Question for you Moon... Keep in mind Xander and Devers are two of my favorites...and let's assume majority of players are good character guys just so that's not a determining factor. I get the sense Bloom is no nonsense type of a guy. That is he'll always do what's best for the organization. Can you see a scenario where our left side of infield simply is not good enough defensively and Bloom will agree with that assessment? If Dalbec can hit, I can like him just as well as Devers. My sense is Dalbe will always be a better defensive 3B than Devers. If Dalbec establishes himself offensively, should we trade Devers while his value is high? And also not get too depressed if Xander opts out after great offensive season? We can always find a defensive shortstop, no? We also agree that we can always find a 1B if Dalbec vacates. I'm looking forward to 2021 because there are millions of questions with this team. Time to sort things out.

What was that rotation with NO ACE and each starter joked he was the ACE? I know fireman Bill was one of them. Kimmi's favorite.

Bloom added that the development of a young core is a major focus for the Red Sox in 2021. “For me, I would love to get to the end of this year and look and see that next core -- because you always have to have a next core -- that is going to be the center of a sustainable championship contender,” he said. “To see that core taking shape, both with the players who have been here and part of the core that won the last championship and are going to continue to be here, and then the players who are going to join that group, whether it’s from within our system, guys who we acquired or guys who might not even be here yet.” I just don't see how JBJr fits in this plan....1 year deal is okay but absolutely NO NO NO if his salary takes us over the tax limit. That would be the dumbest move. If we're going over, we should have signed an impact player, not a marginal one. I rather see a younger player get the rep, but that's just me.

Kimmi "Interestingly, I am one in the minority that really doesn't have a problem with the Sale extension. Like with the Beckett extension, if you don't extend early, you risk either losing the player or having to pay a higher price." It goes back to having a policy of extending for the purpose of buying out couple of years of free agency. It is what it is with E Rod but we need to look at extending both Devers and Verdugo after this year. To me extension seems appropriate after arb year 1. Maybe buy out 2 or 3 years of free agency. These players tend to be younger and a four or five year deals seem appropriate. The big question is what to do if you get a no from the player. I'd say look at trading. It's the optimal time. Offering a player with couple of years of control would entice contending teams. Similar to Sale. Obviously you need to get an adequate return. You can't be afraid to let a player go.

I agree but we have 4 to Yankees 1. That said, I enjoy watching rebuild process. We have several new players, including many youngsters. Only difference is this time, Bloom will do it right and keep us at the top. What fun would it be if we win 10 straight?

If that's a big risk for JBJr, then why in the hell would the Sox sign him to a multi year deal as some of you insist? Pass, pass, pass....If I have to read about another prolonged slump, I will puke.