Nick

Nope. Are you unhappy with our 25 man roster? If so, speak up now. Don't be a Monday morning quarterback. Betts, Beni, Xander, JD, Devers, Hanley, Pedey, Vazquez, JBJ with Moreland, Nunez, Swihart and Leon. Sale, Price, Porcello, Pom and E Rod (Johnson) Kimbrel, Carson, Barnes, Kelly, Scott, Hembree, Workman Are you seriously going to blame DD for this roster not winning?

It's now up to the players to earn their keep. DD has done his job.

Win the Division Sale, Price, Pom/Porcello/E Rod. Solid lineup with Betts, Beni, JD, Hanley, Devers, Xander, Pedey, Vazquez and JBJ. Solid pen with Kimbrel, Smith and cast of thousand. Pitching still the key. At some point, we'll need to re-set the luxury tax payroll. Winning in 2018 would certainly go long way in bringing our finances in order. It will give us another year for our farm to 'mature'. It's not too much to expect one rookie on the 25 man roster each year. 2014 Xander/JBJ/Vazquez 2015 Betts/E Rod 2016 Shaw (traded) 2017 Beni 2018 Devers

It's a damn good thing we didn't extend him for 10 yr, $30M. Hell he can't even hit off back of line pitchers.

I might. It's also hard to give him too much credit when our luxury tax payroll is $230M.

I have NEVER volunteered to say anything about DD. I make my comment ONLY when others tear him down. He's doing his job. Nothing more. Nothing less. I really don't want to talk about him. BUT I WILL DEFEND HIM WHEN HE'S UNDULY CRITICIZED.

You own the Sox. You hired me to get the Sox out of finishing last two years in a row. What did you want me to do? On the heels of "we have five starting pitchers" excuse, I go out and get the absolute best starter available. I needed a closer and trade away some kids for Kimbrel. How are those kids doing? Wasn't an outfielder blocked by our B boys? In the middle of pennant chase, we needed a starter. We trade for Pom. How's Espi doing? Year later, on the beliefs that 3B will be covered better by Devers than Moncada, I trade Kopech and Moncada for Sale. Moncada is technically blocked by Pedey had he stayed with the Sox. Beni was a star moment he stepped onto the field. Technically we can re-set the tax penalty rate after we win the world series this year. Get rid of Kimbrel, Kelly, Holt and Pom. Hope Hanley doesn't vest for 2019. That's about $50M off the books and we get a $9M pickup on luxury tax limit. We'll still have $25M to take care of arbitration players. It can work. We just need to win it all this year.

Yes but you were specifically pointing out the $40M overpay. Be specific how you would have put the team together after finishing dead last 3 out of 4 years without adding payroll. I know you think we overpaid for Price. But by how much? How would you know what the others were offering? Are you adept at knowing exactly when the market is at the highest and the lowest? Are you a mind reader? DD was hired to GET THE f*** OUT OF THE BASEMENT. Maybe you guys enjoy watching crappy ass baseball but I like current team better.

$40M is on Ben for Hanley and Sandoval.

Yeah after winning back to back division titles, he has no plans. You're act is getting old. If you think you're smarter, why don't you go get a job in Sox front office? It's one thing to opine, but you have absolute no proof to back it up. How's that Pom deal working out so far?

When did athletes become so fragile? I can't take it!

All kidding aside, big kudos to Yankees for being restrained financially over the last few years. They have only one bad contract and that belongs to Jacoby Ellsbury. He has 3 years left at $22M per. Their luxury tax payroll is only $176M, $21M below the threashhold. CC has a one year deal at $10M. His payroll comes off the books. Brett Gardner has a $13M deal for 2018 with $2M club buyout for 2019. David Robertson is in his last year of his contract at $11.5M. Theoretically that's $45M coming off the books. Obviously Yankees will need replacements to fill the void. That adds up to $75M of war chest for 2019 free agents (inlcudes $9M bump in luxury tax threashhol), $95M if they want to pay the 12% surtax. But the beauty of it all for Yankee fans is that Gary Sanders, Luis Severino and Aaron Judge all have 5 years of team control (along with Stanton). It will be a dog fight next few years in AL East. ps Machado and Harper would slide in nicely.

Little humor boys......

I had a dream.... Red Sox signed Stanton to play left field. Cora said that Beni would move to right and Betts agreed to play 2B. Just money, no players lost. Red Sox signed JD Martinez to DH. Just money, no players lost. Red Sox signed Nunez as super utility guy. Just money, no players lost. Red Sox then traded for Votto. Gave up some young ones but no one on the 25 man roster. Betts Votto Martinez Stanton Devers Xander Beni Vazquez JBJ Our Luxury Tax payroll was now $280M. Henry said no sweat. The break even point was $350M. I came here and everyone was complaining about our pitching staff. Kimmi was posting about impending cliff because the entire team had opt out clause in two years. Our farm was so bad Sox Prospect didn't even have a top 20 ranking. Our ranking started at 21. Moon was making a case for signing Machado and Harper after 2018 season and still keeping the payroll below $350M. He said getting rid of Holt would save the Sox $2.5M. Jacksonianmarch insisted Yankees still had better offense.

Keith Moreland signing was insurance move. Quit being Monday morning quarterbacks. DD wanted to bring back last year's team as the 'floor'. Nunez deal took longer because of his health. Note that Sox was in constanct contact with Nunez camp. It was better to approach JD Martinez deal with the team pretty well set. If Moreland's presence keep s Hanley from vesting then basically we signed Moreland for nothing.

I see your point. But I'm still struck by Astros committing 21 more errors than the Twins but giving up 18 less unearned runs. Maybe it just took one pitch to induce double plays.

I knew that you would know some 'stat' out there. Thanks

I would love to see a stat that would adjust errors, plus or minus by unearned runs given up. Not all errors are equal. What if Devers made 10 errors and no runs scored? Again, a two out error follwed by strike out makes the error insignificant. Update....I divided total errors by unearned runs for each team to come up with true 'impact' of each error. Interesting that Houston Astros committed 99 errors but only gave up 38 unearned run for a ratio of 2.61. That was by far the best in the league. Twins had the lowest ratio (their errors lead to more runs, thus higher unearned runs) of 1.39, committed 78 errors but gave up 56 unearned runs. So the Astros committed 21 more errors than the Twins but gave up fewer unearned runs. So much for Twins having 'better' defense. Red Sox cam in 8th at 1.84, thus our errors did not lead to unearned runs as much as other teams for 2017 regular season.

I think we need to let the teams play it out on the field. I consider staying healthy part of the game. My concern is with health of our pitching staff. I'm sure that goes for the Yankees too. I'm not too comfortable with Pedey, Hanley and Moreland playing the entire season without visits to the disable list. As good as Judge was last year, his trajectory is unknown. Was last season his 'floor'? That's a scary thought for the Sox fans. Can JD extend his production from year ago only playing 119 games and hitting 45 dingers to full season? Was last season his 'ceiling'? Based on last year, Yankees will score runs. There's every indication to believe Sox will score more runs than last year. Also know that Sox have won the Division the last two years. COME AND GET US!

For real. Hey why not just go sign Arietta? It's about choices. We made the decision that JD Maritnez was needed. I rather give Elias, Johnson and the Mexican dude opportunity to pitch. We got some youngsters.

I don't like Holt as a player but I doubt he'll ever be accused of being fat. Matter of fact, he looks like he could use some paperweights to hold him down on windy days.

Don't remind me of Pablo experience.......we were lead to believe to be optimistic......"He's in great shape" "He's lost so much weight" Only problem was he just couldn't hit. Talk about getting talked into being stupid. Yep I bought it all.

11. Holt from 140 PA @ .548 OPS to 0 PA.

People in love with Holt probably was sad to see Buchholtz go. But, but, but it'd only cost us $12M. I'm glad you don't manage my money.

Another mediocre talent that Sox fans often falls in love with. Right now it's Holt. Just because you can play eight positions badly doesn't make you a super utility guy. And then he takes out Kelly by going up the 'middle'. If I buy the Sox, he'd be first to go along with anyone else that oppose me.