Nick

We'll have to take similar approach we did with Encarnacion/Moreland. We did not want to block Travis with a long term commit to Encarnacion (not to mention luxury tax implication). But one year, $5.5M to a gold glover seemed very reasonable to me.

At some point, we'll have to go over the limit. The new barrier is +$20M over the limit to avoid the surtax. This is why it was critical for us to do a reset.

We all want 'protection' but at what price? Only Sox fans would want the team to spend $13.5M for #7 starter.

Moon has a very good point about building the starting rotation from the top and not the bottom. Acquisition of Sale has accomplished that task. There's no doubt that in Sale, Porcello and Price, we have three formidable starting pitchers at least on paper. Sox will have the luxury of selecting the 'best' fourth starter from Pomeranz, E Rod and Wright come playoff time. We've already discussed potential for our bullpen. I'm little concerned with our lefties but we have now several flame throwers in the pen. Leon, Moreland, Pedy, Xander, Pablo, Beni, Bradley Jr, Betts and Hanley is good enough offensively to score many runs, even though we maybe short on power. This is how you build a championship team. We lose Young and Moreland for 2018 season. We lose Kimbrel, Pom, Joe Kelly, Robbie Ross for 2019 season. We have a three year window to chase the world series and reload the farm system. Sale, Porcello, Xander, Hanley and Pablo comes off the books after 2019. Hanley and Pablo will yield $40M in savings. We all know what type of talent it takes to win it all. There's always some luck involved. How often does a Betts seemingly come out of nowhere? I'm just thankful we have a competitive team at least for next three years.

I also don't understand the mentality of just having one pitcher closing the game EVERY TIME. If you need a strike out, say bases loaded with one out in the 8th, why not bring in Kimbrel to strike out a batter? I hate the idea of saving one pitcher for last inning.

I just threw some curve balls to alter the conversation........I'm tired of looking back constantly at trades. We signed Price. We traded for Kimbrel and Pomeranz. We gave up a lot to get an elite pitcher in Sale. Done deal. Can't go back. Let the future dictate whether it was good deal or not. I won't post the minor league stuff again.

Shaun Anderson dominates for Greenville Shaun Anderson -- a 22-year-old righty who the Red Sox drafted in the third round in 2016 out of Florida -- hurled 6 scoreless innings to earn the victory in Low-A Greenville's 4-3 win over Lexington. Anderson is another Red Sox pitching prospect to keep an eye on. He has allowed just one run in 10 2/3 innings and has struck out 13 while walking two. #19 Prospect for Red Sox, 2016 pick out of Florida.

Travis Lakins has 17 strikeouts, 1 walk Travis Lakins, a 22-year-old righty, has the potential to develop into one of the Red Sox's top pitching prospects this season. He has that type of potential. He dominated again Tuesday for Salem, earning the victory vs. Lynchburg. Lakins went 6 innings and allowed two runs, but just one earned run, five hits and one walk while striking out eight. He has a 0.79 ERA (11 1/3 IP, 1 ER), 0.88 WHIP, 17 strikeouts and one walk in two starts. #12 Prospect for Red Sox, 2015 pick out of Ohio State

Josh Ockimey went 4-for-5 with a double in High-A Salem's 11-5 victory over Lynchburg on Tuesday. Ockimey -- a 21-year-old power-hitting prospect who the Red Sox drafted in the fifth round in 2014 -- is 12-for-23 (.522 batting average) with a .571 on-base percentage, .783 slugging percentage, 1.354 OPS, one homer, one triple, one double and six RBIs in six games so far for Salem. #10 prospect for Red Sox

"As has been well-chronicled by now, Pomeranz was dealing with left forearm fatigue by the time he was traded. To his credit, he never missed a start down the stretch last season and never made excuses for the results (3-5, 4.59 ERA) after the trade." "He had some different quadrants," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "High fastball, a little cutter, spun the ball when he needed to, changed planes. Things that have made him successful and why they wanted him." Maybe we need to cut him some slack.

Not to be greedy but it sure would be nice to keep all three of our catchers. Not sure about our lefties but from the right side Kimbrel, Kelly, Barnes, Hembree, Smith, Thornburg and Taylor can become a pretty good group out of the pen this year.

If Moreland can hit above .250 with some power, $5.5M seems well spent. We do need a 4th OF next year if Young is not re-signed. And it ain't Holt. DH position requires no more than a $10M contract in my view. Plenty of guys with good bat and past prime defensively. The key is not to get locked into long term contract at DH.

Very good point.....

Ben Taylor has been impressive. I realize he has options but if he can get the job done at major league level why demote him? I'm really uncomfortable with our lefty situation. I've always liked Ross but he can be so inconsistent with his control. Scott is one batter option. He seems like a luxury at this point. Abad has to get his chance right? It will probably be Ben.

I'm optimistic, but I liked Espi and Kopech more at this point in their careers. Moon I really liked Kopech. I thought he could be a closer for us sooner rather than later.

As you said, the biggest thing about the trade was getting rid of $12.5M salary, not what we got back in a player.

All good points. DD has a track record. He is what he is. HENRY HIRED HIM ANYWAY. To act surprised with the moves he's made is little astonishing. It seems every GM knows what DD is about, a straight shooter who goes for major talent. It's time to move on. He is our leader until Henry says he's not. If Travis, Devers and Groome fulfill their promise, we'll still have a legit team beyond 2020. I also appreciate comments about our current salary structure but it's not as though we've been frugal over the years. We've thrown away plenty of good money. We don't win last year without Price nor Kimbrel.

I definitely want to keep Wright as our #6 starter for next 10 years. You saw last night Pom has higher ceiling than Wright. Unpredictability of knuckleball is what's good and bad about the pitcher who throws it.

Anything they can give us offensively is simply a bonus. They are both outstanding defensive catchers.

Both Matt Barnes and Heath Hembree are under team control for 5 years, Carson Smith for 4 years and Tyler Thornburg for 3 years. I would hope one of them can take over as a closer. I also believe DD is vested in Pom. It's way too early I know but if he pitches well this year, I can see Pom being extended this winter. This would lessen the impact of not being able to sign both Porcello and Sale. We should work to extend Sale AFTER the 2018 season when his second option year comes due for 2019. To me, Groome reminds me little bit of Pomeranz.

PHILADELPHIA -- In his second start as a Phillie, Clay Buchholz left with a right forearm strain with one out in the top of the third inning in Tuesday night's 14-4 loss against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He left with the Phillies facing a 5-1 deficit with a runner on second, having allowed a three-run home run to Yoenis Cespedes in the first and two more runs in the second. That inherited runner scored, and six earned runs were charged to Buchholz in 2 1/3 innings on eight hits, a walk and two strikeouts. A drop in velocity in his first start in Cincinnati was a concern, but his velocity picked back up Tuesday. Even so, he left the game with a trainer by his side en route to the clubhouse. I have tremendous respect for Clay B but we did the right thing by getting rid of his contract.

PHILADELPHIA -- In his second start as a Phillie, Clay Buchholz left with a right forearm strain with one out in the top of the third inning in Tuesday night's 14-4 loss against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He left with the Phillies facing a 5-1 deficit with a runner on second, having allowed a three-run home run to Yoenis Cespedes in the first and two more runs in the second. That inherited runner scored, and six earned runs were charged to Buchholz in 2 1/3 innings on eight hits, a walk and two strikeouts. A drop in velocity in his first start in Cincinnati was a concern, but his velocity picked back up Tuesday. Even so, he left the game with a trainer by his side en route to the clubhouse. I have tremendous respect for Clay B but we did the right thing by getting rid of his contract.

One thing everyone is missing is that current CBA will expire on Nobember 30, 2021. I don't expect next CBA to be as friendly to the owners as this one. I'm expecting much higher competitive balance tax threshhold for 2022 and beyond.

And they've thrown out three or four.....

Sam Travis will give us 6 years of team control. Hopefully Devers will do the same. I think you can always find a Moreland type to be the DH, paying no more than $10M. We have 6 years of Beni. Swihart will fit in somewhere. Our catching position is pretty solid. I don't think it's very difficult to come up with a defensive minded short stop if Xander leaves us. Same goes for a 2B when Pedy retires. It would be nice for someone to step up and be the closer next year, getting rid of $12M obligation for Kimbrel. Keep our OF in tact. Quality starting pitching is a must. It's doable guys. We have smart people working for the Sox.