Fan_since_Boggs

Found this interesting: "Since June 7, a span of nearly seven weeks, the Mets (26-13) have been the best team in baseball. The Yankees (15-25) have been second-to-worst." Should the Yankees be sellers at the deadline? It would make sense for the Yankees to move Soto at the deadline rather than wait until the end of the season and get a mere draft pick for him when he bolts to the Mets.

Yeah, Soto is better than Vlad Jr., but the Red Sox offer I proposed doesn't include a major league pitcher with a 3.3 WAR and with three more years of control (M.King). Instead, my offer involved one high end prospect (Teel) and a few other less enticing prospects. Vlad Jr. might not fit into the Red Sox projected spending over the next few years and it might be a better idea to invest big money in a free agent starter. Regardless of budgetary issues, the Red Sox will need to replace Yoshida sometime in the near future. Based on what we have seen, he isn't a competent DH on a championship winning team and an upgrade will likely be necessary. It would be great if Yoshida could rediscover his stroke from last season, before the bottom fell out, but his offensive problems are probably too severe to overcome. He is likely a sunk cost, similar to Hanley, Sandoval, and Castillo.

Is Cason the only hard to sign high school kid in the Red Sox draft? I don't see another.

Look at what the Yankees gave up for one year of Soto: Drew Thorpe (somewhat comparable to Teel) and were willing to throw in M.King who had a 3.3 WAR in 2023 as a major league pitcher. I'm willing to expand the deal for Guerrero Jr. by including some second tier prospects along with Teel, such as Lugo and Blaze Jordan. That offer would come in below what the Padres received for Soto. The Red Sox would spend the offseason trying to sign Guererro Jr. to a long term deal but the trade wouldn't be contingent on it. While Guererro Jr.'s name has been floated around in trade rumors this year, there is speculation that the Blue Jays will not trade him and that they will try to resign him to a long term deal in the offseason.

I'm OK with trading Teel but only for something very special, like in a trade for Guererro Jr. While I like Teel, in two years J.Garcia can be where Teel is today. They have the depth in the system to replace Teel, and Wong can hold down the starting job at the major league level while Garcia develops. I would not trade Anthony, Mayer, or Campbell, but am open to trading Teel.

Interesting, OK. I like the idea of starting him out as a two way player and then taking it from there. He is so young, has exciting upside.

The Red Sox drafted an elite prospect in the first round:

The Red Sox drafted Conrad Cason in the 8th round, a hard-to-sign high school player (can pitch and hit). I suspect the Red Sox will go under on some picks, which will give them the money to sign Cason to a lucrative contract. Cason has the tools of an elite prospect. It sounds like he will not be a two way player and will focus on pitching.

The Red Sox drafted an elite prospect in the first round.

The Red Sox drafted Conrad Cason in the 8th round, a hard-to-sign high school player (can pitch and hit). I suspect the Red Sox will go under on some picks, which will give them the money to sign Cason to a lucrative contract. Cason has the tools of an elite prospect. It sounds like he will not be a two way player but will focus on pitching.

Watch it here: the Yankees ninth inning comeback against the Orioles and the Yankees epic collapse in the bottom of the ninth, highlighted by Volope's error on a routine grounder and Verdugo falling on his face. How does Volope miss a routine ground ball like that? Jeter Downs makes that play.

I wonder if Dombrowski will trade for him. After all, Dombrowski was responsible for bringing him to Fenway. To be sure, Dombrowski is going to make a big move--he wants a third championship and the Phillies have the best record in baseball.

I'm not thrilled about moving Teel. But I think it is possible that, in two years, J.Garcia can be where Teel is now as a prospect. In the meantime, Wong can hold down the position at the major level for a few seasons and then in two years Garcia will begin knocking at the door.

Yusei Kikuchi is another Blue Jays starter to consider, a free agent at the end of the season. Not great, but would give the Red Sox some SP depth. Obviously, the key piece/acquisition would be Guererro. Gausman is interesting in that he has been a quality starter in the past but is having a down year. Can the Red Sox figure out a way to get more out of him? The Blue Jays would probably like to move on from Gausman, since he will make 23 million next year and 23 million in 2026. Taking on Gausman would probably reduce Guererro's trade value since the Blue Jays would like to dump the contract. Bassitt is the more attractive SP option for Boston--he is having a better year than Gausman and is only signed for one more season. Teel, Lugo, Jordan, and Romero for Guererro, Bassitt, and a relief pitcher? The cheaper route for the Red Sox would be Teel, Lugo, Jordan, and Romero for Guererro, Kikuchi (free agent at the end of the season), and a relief pitcher. It is hard to know which Blue Jays starter would be most appealing to Breslow. He seems to have particular preferences, but I don't know what they are.

Teel, Lugo, and Jordan OR Romero to Blue Jays for Guerrero and Bassitt OR Gausman OR Berrios

Yankees call up Jorbit Vivas. I'm assuming they will start him at 3b and stop playing DJ Lemahieu? They acquired Vivas from the Dodgers in that Trey Sweeny trade from last year. Actually, it sounds like Vivas is not an ideal fit for 3b (weak arm) and fits better at 2b. Could the Yankees play Vivas at 2b and move Torres to 3b? For obvious reasons, they need to get Lemahieu out of the lineup. Vivas' AAA numbers aren't overly impressive. But he doesn't strikeout very much and will work some counts. Maybe he is simply a utility player and not expected to get significant playing time?

Breslow did an interview within the last week. I don't have a link, but it is on YouTube somewhere and he mentioned Grissom a few times. My take is that he expects Grissom to return this year and contribute. Accordingly, I don't think the Red Sox are pursuing a 2b--I think they are content with Hamilton until Grissom returns.

I know Dejong will hit a few HRs, but he isn't a good hitter and the stats reflect that. I don't know if he is a major defensive upgrade over Rafeala. I think it makes more sense to go with Rafeala as the full time SS and move him back to CF next year. Dejong isn't going to help you win games with his bat and so what is the point? And I seriously doubt he is a huge upgrade defensively over Rafeala; he has more experience as a major league SS but he is less athletic. Trade for someone who can replace D.Smith at 1b and then when Casas returns, you have the depth to move out Yoshida if Yoshida doesn't turn it around. We have seen some positive signs from Yoshida but he has more work to do. I'll need to look into the Blue Jays SPs, but maybe the Red Sox can get V-Lad Guererro and an SP for Kyle Teel and a few other prospects. I can live with trading away Teel, especially with the development of Wong. While I'm open to trading Teel, I'm not open to trading Mayer, Campbell, Anthony, and a few others. And while I'm open to trading Teel, I want something really good for him, like V.Guerrero.

Volope is hitting .169 in his last 30 games with a .200 on-base percentage. Jackson, I'm sure you agree that it is time for the Jeter Downs era to begin in Yankees land?

DH and dump Yoshida, who simply isn't good enough. Bottom line: you can't keep a DH who has an OPS+ of 92. He either improves or he is gone. A better strategy: play the RHB at 1b, give Yohshida more time to hit and replace Yoshida with Casas later on if Yoshida continues to suck.

It's a mess but maybe Rafaela can settle in at SS and Grissom will perform well when he returns. As far as Dejong goes, he has a 0.3 WAR and a 100 OPS+. He has some HR power, but he isn't a quality hitter, has always been a dog crap offensive player. IMO, the Red Sox are better off going with Rafaela at SS, Hamilton/Westbrook platoon at 2b until Grissom returns, and replace Yoshida with a legitimate middle of the order bat.

As we know, even crappy hitters like Bucky Dent can hit a HR in a big spot. Bottom line: Yoshida is a joke of a baseball player this year. He can't field very well and he isn't hitting (86 OPS+). If he doesn't turn it around, the Red Sox need to replace him.

I'm not sure if trading for Dejong makes sense. The Red Sox might be better off going with Rafaela at SS this year (moves to CF next year) and use trade assets on other players, such as a SP and a right handed bat (a better RHB than Dejong).

Good to see Valdez back in AAA. He can't field and wasn't hitting (88 OPS+). He has limited trade value, but the Red Sox should try to move him at the deadline, perhaps some lousy team will take a chance on him and give him some playing time at the major league level.

Evaluating the Juan Soto trade. Kyle Higashioka 1.0 WAR with a 115 OPS+, a better offensive player than Wells and Trevino Michael King 1.8 WAR with 120Ks in 105IP, will not be a free agent until after the 2026 season Drew Thorpe dominant in AA this year, now in the majors. Ranked as the 7th best RHP prospect in MLB. Now on the White Sox (part of the package that brought back Dylan Cease). The Padres also acquired Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez in the Soto trade, two very mediocre pitchers so far. The Padres did a nice job in acquiring all of this for only one year of Juan Soto.