Nick

It's a sunken cost just like signing bonus and peanlty for Moncada. Did that impact sox signing Price? I don't think so. You do know that our gross revenue is around $380M? New CBA was a gift for all the $$$$ teams. Teams can now use that as an excuse to stay within 'budget'. More money for Henry.

http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2017/07/boston_red_sox_didnt_trade_all.html This is a great read on Sox Pitching Prospects by the man himself, Brian Bannister.

It was in jest. This is arbitration year 2 for him in 2017. I actually agree with you. We should let 3 more years of both Betts and JBJ play out. If there's a trade to be made, you weigh all options and do it or don't.

Castillo signing was so bad that it hasn't cost us anything. Just Henry's wallet. Absolutely no impact on 'major league operational payroll'

Bottom line is as long as we can put out 5 quality pitchers out there then we'll be competitive. Our bullpen should be fine with Carson Smith returning and plethora of candidates in our farm system. I think Price will be back after winter's rest. Porcello costs us $20M but at least he gives us innings. I don't see Pom going backwards. It's his pre-FA year. E Rod again needs to stay healthy. Sale's guy should be adequate. We need to pick up a depth piece or two over the winter. Now if I'm going ALL in and going stupid, I'd get Stanton and Votto. Only because I WANT TO BE ENTERTAINED.

He will get $30M....I rather give him that than Betts. More power. Betts is down to $25M. I wouldn't give Xander $15M.

So it's a NO to Pom extension?

All of us are reluctant to see long term deals. Here's my top 5 bad contracts. 1 Pablo Sandoval $38M plus $5M buyout for doing NOTHING. (which is better than giving us negative war) 2 Hanley Ramirez $44M left unless it's not vested, he still has chance to redeem it. 3 David Price $31M per for another 5 years. Just feels like he'll need a surgery at some point and will lose out 2 more years of production. Could become 2nd bust. 4 Rick Porcello $20M per for two more years. I guess it's been a 'wash' for first two years. But if he doesn't turn it around, it's a bad deal for next two years. 5 Chris Young $7.5M thank goodness it's almost done And I was all in on David Price. I thought DD had to sign Price. If he's healthy, maybe this will all work out. Where's the next bad contract?

Is it time to extend Pom? Also it's been incredible having Sale on Sox roster this year. I'm giddy thinking about next 2 years. He will turn 31 before his free agent year. Any concern about all the innings he's pitched by then? Or is he a rubber arm man?

I think I can get over Machado in Sox uniform.

Sox definitely got a 'surge' from adding Devers, Nunez and Reed at trade deadline. Having Devers for full year next year at 3B should equate to raising our 3B production out of near bottom in majors next year. Something similar to what Beni I assume has done in LF. Fully recovered Carson Smith should do at leat as well as Reed, if not better. Plus it'll be full year's production. Maybe Thornburg gives us aded depth in 2nd half of 2018. What's becoming clearer is as with starting pitching, a team needs 10 starters to fill 9 positions. Super sub is a must and it ain't Brock Holt. It will be tough to replace Nunez, unless it is Nunez. What to do with Fister? Do we offer him a two year, say $15M deal or just hope Wright returns 100% for 2018? Any starting pitching options in minors that did not make appearance in 2017? Will DD simply keep his fingers crossed and hope for Betts and Xanders' bats to return to 2016 level? (I think he'll settle for simple 'tweak' if win the whole thing, otherwise he'll make big splash.)

There is no point in signing a MEDIOCRE FREE AGENT TO tie up our payroll for 4-5 years. GO BIG or do something similar to Moreland deal. If we don't win the World Series, DD will go get a big fish, no matter what young players it may cost. I'm not sure if he's in love with remaining prospects other than Groome.

I think it's difficult to quantify "games lost" unless it happens in last at bat as an example. Making a stupid running mistake in 2nd inning becomes an afterthought. It maybe that it was a factor but the team still had 7 innings to overcome the dumb play. No so much last at bat.

I don't think motivation is a factor. Hell, they're in a middle of pennant race. Now if I'm playing for the Giants, it maybe tougher to get to the ball park. Baseball is not football. You can't suddenly hit because you're fired up. Emotions only take you so far. Baseball is a skilled game. You are what you hit. Just have a look at Pablo. He's in the middle of 0-38 streak. Thank you Ben. Oh what we could do with that $19M.

Cot's Baseball has Sox having $51M to spend for 2018 BEFORE accounting for arbitration eligible players. Total 2017 arbitration payroll was $30M, thus leaving Sox with $21M under the cap before the raises. My guess is $21M will not cover the increases, especially in view of someone like Betts getting into his first arbitration year. Moon has often spoken about blowing past the first tier of 'penalty' phase of $20M as a given. Despite going past $217M, I only see us having enough money to sign one quality FA. (Oh what we can do with $40M that we are paying Hanley and Pablo for next two years, thanks again, Ben) We may again have to mortgage our young players (ie Top 5 prospects) to acquire a top talent.

Lets' be real. Hanley will be vested for 2018 unless he gets hurt. He's already playing hurt. It was a bad contract and we will have to live with it. Moon will counter by saying he also has to pass a physical. It just sends a bad vibe throughout the league if we don't pay Hanley on 'technicality'. He's accumulated 512 plate appearances to date. He needs 1050 over two years or 538 to go. Are we now praying for Hanley to be hurt? Really? I guess we can sign a DH and platoon him and play him only against left handers. Would players union have something to say about that? Aren't we breaking the spirit of the contract?

I think DD will go big somehow UNLESS WE WIN THE WORLD SERIES. Then he may do nothing more than to add smaller pieces. He may be patient in the winter and make a big move at trading deadline.

And if you recall, this was DD's plan all along to compensate for loss of David Ortiz. Strengthen the pitching staff even more by acquiring Sale and Thornburg. And this was due in part to self imposed financial constraint resetting the penalty rate to zero. Scary thing is it could have been even better had Porcello come closer to 2016 level and had Price remained healthy (but Fister/Price duo has produced adequate numbers). No one expected Betts to replicate his 2016 season but the fall has been much steeper.

As one gets closer to death, you gamble little bit more.

I don't like our offensive make up. All of you complain about lack of power yet you don't want to do anything about it. You take drastic steps. Just as we did with Price, Pom and Sale on starters and Kimbrel as a closer. Quit wasting time on fringe power hitters. Votto and Stanton are you power hitters. We are resetting the penalty rate for 2018. Make an offer they can't refuse. Mark my word. DD will go big this winter. Move past Betts. Why in the hell would you give him $100M after the season he just had? See what his arbitration value comes in at. Maybe Boston bowling alleys are inadequate.

I would trade Betts, Xander and E Rod for Stanton.

Every pitch is a homer possibility for Porcello right now. You just hope bases are empty.

Hopefully 'managing' will not be the deciding factor. It's player's game. At some point, guys on the field have to perform.

Holt sucks.

Why in the world would you play a singles hitter at 3B? If Xander is not our SS, then trade him. We're already paying him $4.5M wit Arb 2 and 3 coming up.