Nick

Maybe he needs more break during the year. Mentally you're sharp if things are going well but it seems he is worn out by August/September. I think the game is changing. I can see a scenario expanding the roster to say 27. Why not carry an extra pitcher and a position player. Go with 6 man rotation? I'd want my $30M guys well rested.

.219, .236 fade in August/September.

Also don't we have to give our front office some credit for insisting that Devers was not available for trade last winter? They looked to have Devers pegged correctly. In Vitale's voice, "SIX MORE YEARS OF CONTROL, BABY!!!!!!"

You make a good point. What happened last year?

To me he's simply not mentally tough. Pedroia is tough. He doesn't hang his head and play possum. He 'wills' himself out of his funk. Xander is a front runner. All is well as long as things are going his way. He has tough time getting back his "timing" to use John Farrell's word. I didn't think so. Betts is a very good player but not worth $30M. Xander is a decent SS but I'd think twice before giving him long term $20M contract. Just because they came up through our system means NOTHING. Are you telling me you don't respect Sale because he came through another organization?

Xander hitting .150 in July. 9-60.....only one multiple hit game. Devers has good swing.....he's a pure hitter. If you don't see it then we have nothing to talk about. (I'm speaking to the world).

DEVERS WITH HIS FIRST HOME RUN. Again, why the hell NOT. He can't do any worse than our other 3B offensively. I NEVER thought he was going to save our season from the 9th spot. My ONLY argument was why not try him instead of giving up premium prospects for a rental. With Moreland and Young slumping (among others), why not give Devers chance to hit DH and have both Nunez and Hanley in the lineup vs right hander?

yep....I don't get the confusion. Instead of Holt/Marrero platoon, now its Devers/Nunez. Most starters are right handed. Devers will get plenty of looks. Nunez may not be any good as some have suggested but he's better than Marrero.

Betts can certainly explode from time to time (8 RBI's) but he's not been consistent. His defense is extraordinary. I just wouldn't pay him $30M as many here want. Not yet anyway. Key signings are starting pitching. Great pitching will always keep you in the game.

Down 0-3, looks like another shut out.....we got bigger problem than Devers.

And we still have all of our prospects! Yeah!

We can always play Marrero in late innings..... If Devers sucks, he can be sent down.... I will let you know when he's hurting our team.....he hasn't yet.

I don't want a singles hitter at 3B........why spread our lack of power?

You make really good points......old adage....things are never good or bad as they seem. I'm thrilled that we're in 1st place. But last night's game, I had no interest in staying up and watching it. We looked over matched at the plate. I think we're still drunk from April 2016 offense when everyone was on fire.

We need to take a step back and look at this trade deadline based on last off season. 1. We did have a chance to add a big bat. Bat with some power. But we passed. The decision was made early on that we would reset the luxury tax limit in 2017. We would be under the cap by $10-$15M and use it for addition at the trade deadline. 2. I'm not sure how hard we went after Todd Frazier. Obviously the Yankees put out a better offer. Maybe DD was never in on that possibility. 3. This was going to be a transition year at both 1B and 3B. Unfortunately Moreland is playing like a $5M rental. 4. Although we expected some regression but much of our core players have under performed, starting with Betts. I never see 'weakness' from JBJ even when he's struggling but Xander is another story. He looks timid when things aren't going his way. I thought Beni would have a break out season. He's just an average left fielder with no power. His defensive skills are overrated. 5. I did not expect much offensively from our catching duo but I'd thought they hit little better than they have been. 6. Hanley in an enigma. I'm counting the days for his contract to expire. Two more years. Not even Ortiz got $20M just to DH. 7. I'm not sure all the panic over impending 'cliff'. Most of these players are replaceable. 8. Chris Sale looks unbeatable. See where we are in two years. We have $200M available annually to put out a quality team. There are 25 clubs that would like to swap places with us.

My point is that Devers is not a Savior for this franchise this year. It's more imperative that Betts, Xander, Moreland, Hanley and Beni play at a higher level, offensively. 1 He is going to bat 7th, 8th or 9th 2 My expectation is not high. Just higher than that of Holt, Marrero and Lin's. I dislike Holt as a baseball player. Mediocre defender at best at every position. BFF with John Farrell is all see. I dislike him even more because Lin was sent down. 3 Don't fall in love with young talent on this team. They are all replaceable. Especially before I hand out $20M+ multiple year contracts. 4 Must have strong starting rotation. 5 Bullpen for most part should be built from within. Tons of failed starting arms in the organization available for bullpen duty.

OPS rankings by positions JBJr 1st Dustin 6th Hanley 6th Betts 7th Xander 7th (still think he's worth $20-$25M?) Beni 7th Moreland 11th Catchers 12th (near the bottom, many teams use 2) 3B Dead last probably AND YOU THINK DEVERS IS GOING TO HURT US? (PS...we don't have $95M invested him....he can always be sent down)

Yeah, his feelings been hurt lately.

What hell is wrong with people? Okay, it's 0-2 in bottom of second. Looks like we'll be shut out. I'm going to bed. Devers is NOT in the lineup. Devers is NOT in the lineup. And we're going to somehow dismiss him? Again, what do we have to lose? Brock Holt? Are you freaking kidding me? He's one play away from going on DL again. Hell Devers can go hitless and he'd still be an upgrade as far as I'm concerned. Give the kid a chance.

Yankees have 65 games remaining with only 4 days off.....We only have 61 games left after tonight. Advantage Red Sox.

Our problem won't be Devers. He will give us at least what we've been getting. Problem is our regulars who have under performed this year. Thank God for Sale and Kimbrel. PANIC MOVE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO TRADE AWAY THE FARM TO GET A MEDIOCRE RENTAL.....THAT'S PANIC.

This +1

So you make the panic move when we're five games down? Well okay then.

Nope.....How long are you going to give credit to Theo? It's DD's team. Ben would not have signed Kimbrel and Price. THEY PUT THE TEAM OVER THE TOP. Otherwise we would have been in last place last year. DD inherited the worst signing in baseball history, Pablo Sandoval. And no way in hell Ben would have traded away Moncada and Kopech. Do you want to see this team without Price, Sale, Pomeranz and Kimbrel? Is your goal for this team to just to hang out on the edges?

Basically he went after Ziegler last year as a 'rental'. I think most agreed we needed him. Others had multiple team control years.