Fan_since_Boggs

Houston definitely has something to prove this year. I think they will need to add a starting pitcher, but they might find one at the trade deadline.

I usually always watch the World Series no matter what.

I just don't see an AL team eliminating the Yankees this year. The Astros don't have Cole. The Red Sox aren't going for it. The Twins are the Twins. Who is left? The A's never beat the Yankees. The Yankees beat the crap out of the Rays last year. The one team that can shatter the Yankees dreams is the Dodgers. Moreover, the Dodgers have a strong farm system and can add another piece at the trade deadline.

Wouldn't it be funny if David Price and Mookie Betts lead the Dodgers to a W.S. title over the Yankees. Dodgers in 6 games. Mookie will be the World Series MVP.

Agreed; the Red Sox are punting on the 2020 season. They will hopefully make a couple of shrewd trades at the deadline this year, trading B.Workman does seem like a good idea, assuming he continues to excel. Maybe Barnes can have a big first half and the Red Sox can unload him. They might want to do the same thing to Evoladi, but he will need to have a stretch of sustained success.

By next year, I meant 2021. Downs will spend 2020 in the minors and will be ready to rake in the majors in 2021. Let's face it, the Red Sox called the Dodgers bluff and Dodgers caved in--they really want Mookie. The fact that the Dodgers added two quality prospects to the deal probably makes it certain that they will resign Betts, but that is OK -- I'm not sure if Betts is going to be worth such a huge investment anyway, at least not in the long term. Of course, acquiring the Twins pitcher made it easier for the Dodgers to trade two prospects to the Red Sox. The Dodgers could use that Twins guy -- the kid profiles as a dominant closer and Jansen has dropped off a little bit. With or without Betts, the 2021 Red Sox (and beyond) will have a lineup that can win a championship. The bigger issue concerns whether the Red Sox can build a championship caliber pitching staff. But I suppose most teams face that challenge over the next few seasons....

Great deal by the Red Sox. Wow, Downs and Wong. Downs will be ready to rake in the majors next season.

Oh baby, we just found our starting CF in Ellsbury and starting 1b in Bird. That frees up Bradley (save 10 m) and Dalbec for a trade. The Yankees are suckers.....

This is fake news, Jackson's fantasy so that he can pretend the Yankees really did play in a World Series game this decade. MLB will not punish the Red Sox and Mets for the actions of the Astros organization. If it realy happened, the Astros might be fined, perhaps penalized, and maybe Finch will get a small suspension, but MLB will not punish two teams that weren't involved. In related news, why doesn't MLB take back the Yankees 2009 championship? We now know that A-Rod was sticking needles in his ass during that playoff run when he was putting up big numbers. I also seem to remember PED drug user Andy Pettitte pitching well in that postseason. What is worse, stealing a few signs or taking PEDs that artificially inflate numbers?

I don't support paying Bradley under any circumstance. The guy has proven time and time again that he isn't going to hit consistently. I would rather go with a cheap alternative in CF, see how that works out, and then go with the kids later in the season. I would also prefer investing Bradley's 10 m toward a SP or a relief pitcher like W.Smith. I would rather pay M.Moustakas 10 m. I wonder how much he will get in free agency? He could play a decent 1b and provide some pop in the lineup, making it easier to use Dalbec in a trade.

You can't overlook playoff performance. Chapman blew a game in the 2017 ALCS and he blew game 6 in the 2019 ALCS. That matters. In 2017, the Yankees were one win away from the World Series. In 2019, the Yankees were one win away from forcing a game 7. Chapman choked in big spots, and the Yankees total outlay for Chapman is now over 100 m. That's called bad decision-making. You are getting rid of the Yankees garbage for a top tier starter? How generous. In the first place, German has zero trade value until his issues are resolved. Second point, Voit slumped late in the season and the Yankees, who know Voit better than anyone, decided against putting Voit on the playoff roster.

Problem is, you can't really replace Mookie Betts, whereas you can replace JD Martinez. Betts is a two-way player, whereas Martinez doesn't help you with run prevention. If the Red Sox trade Betts, they are truly punting on the 2020 season. If they trade Martinez and keep Betts, the Red Sox can still be really good in 2020. They just need to find a little extra offensive production from a few different positions. If you trade Mookie, you hurt the team's offense, defense, and base running, and there is no way to make up that production.

Which is why it makes sense to keep Mookie and trade JD and Price OR Eavoldi. Bradley = gone. That should get the Red Sox under. Though, they will have little room to get anything done and I'm not sure where they are going to find SPs. Maybe you shop Benintendi for a young starter, see what you can get for him. Alternatively, the Red Sox have a couple of valuable trade commodities in Chavis and Dalbec. I think the Red Sox should shop Betts, but if the offers aren't there, you keep him and let him play out his final season for the Red Sox.

I'm definitely rooting for the opt out, but my guess is that he opts in and the Red Sox trade him, kicking in some money. In either scenario, there will be a net savings, but the net savings will be less than the opt out savings. I don't think Marrtinez is worth very much on the trade market--though, the Red Sox could probably get a quality cost-controlled reliever for Martinez after kicking in some money. Also, the Red Sox should come to a handshake agreement with Martinez and let him know that they won't place a qualifying offer on him. If that agreement increases the chances that he opts out, it will be worth it. Who cares about the pick, the Red Sox need him off payroll. I don't think a handshake agreement like that would be against the rules.

They can't move Stanton. He has a no-trade. When he left the Marlins, he would only accept a deal to the Yankees or Dodgers. The Dodgers don't want him. Moreover, Stanton is on a DH trajectory meaning that NL teams might be OK with playing him in the OF for a year or two, but his defense will turn into a negative soon enough (if it isn't there already). The Yankees are stuck with Stanton even though he continues to be the Yankees' fan base favorite trade commodity. If you listen to WFAN in NY, each day Yankees fans call up with Stanton trade proposals and Mike Francesca has to remind them that it isn't possible.

With the Chapman extension, his six year outlay is now 104 million. That's a lot of money for a closer, especially a closer who failed in big spots in the ALCS against the Astros in 2017 (game 2) and against the Astros in 2019 (game 6). Brian Cashman--LOL. I don't remember how Chapman pitched against the Red Sox in the playoffs in 2018. Since that series was a one-sided slaughter, you can't pin the loss on Chapman. As good as Chapman is in the regular season, I wouldn't want him pitching in a big playoff game--he doesn't handle the pressure very well.

I'm starting to think that Bradley will be non-tendered. This is a great way to save 10 m. As for his replacement, the Red Sox should be able to sign J.Largas to a one year deal, paying him league minimum or close to it. Largas could hold down the spot for a few months of the season while Duran and Wilson get a little more minor league experience. Who knows, maybe Largas will finally stay healthy and put together a decent year. But if he doesn't the Red Sox have the youngsters waiting in the wings.

I think JD is gone no matter what. He either opts out or he doesn't and the Red Sox trade him, perhaps kicking in a little cash to move him. Bloom will simply go Rays with the DH spot, that is, find a way to get good production on the cheap. This might involve some kind of platoon of Ockimey (who rakes against RHP) with a right handed bat who rakes against LHP.

Not a surprise: Chapman will opt out if the Yankees don't sign him to an extension: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/yankees-aroldis-chapman-opt-out-extension.html The Yankees would be better off letting Chapman walk, finding another closer, and signing G.Cole, but Cashman sucks at evaluating pitching and so I doubt he makes the smart moves.

Totally correct: taking Grienke out was stupid and the umpire did miss a strike call on that pitch to Soto. Grienke was cruising--he deserved the opportunity to finish the inning and was a better choice than Harris, who was tired according to Hinch. To be sure, you don't take Grienke out for a tired reliever. If you take Grienke out for Cole, I can better understand the move, but you don't take him out for a tired reliever. Keep Grienke in, and there is a good chance he finishes the 7th inning with the lead and then Cole pitches the 8th and 9th. The Astros should be celebrating another W.S. title. Hinch is lucky he has the 2017 W.S. title under his belt, otherwise people would be calling for his job.

Alternatively, maybe stick with Grienke a little longer -- he was pitching well. True, he gave up the HR that inning, but that can happen even when an SP is pitching well.

Maybe the Guardians.

Cashman had to find another scapegoat for his incompetence: first it was Girardi and now it is Rothschild. The Steinbrenner kids, welfare recipients who have accomplished nothing in life except inherit a fortune, don't know their ass from their elbow and so will go along with whatever Cashman decides. Interesting thought: could Girardi hire Rothschild in Philly? They can compare notes on what a dud Brian Cashman is.

When he was hired, Dombrowski was the right guy for the organization but it was time to move on and hire a guy who would build a better foundation for the future. Dombrowski is like that high-priced free agent pitcher--he will help you win in the short term, will make you better in the short term, but his long term impact is less certain. Henry made a brilliant decision in hiring Dombrowski. Dombrowski delivered a championship, the architect behind the 2018 Red Sox, one of the best teams in the history of MLB. In contrast, just think how lousy Yankees fans feel. Cashman has been a total failure over the last decade and has no clue on how to put the final pieces in place to win the World Series. The Yankees should move on from Cashman, but they are led by dumb ownership--the Steinbreener kids, the ultimate welfare recipients. I'll always have a soft spot for Dombrowski. The 2018 regular season and playoffs were the most enjoyable to watch from start to finish. True, nothing beats 2004, but 2018 was less anxiety-filled, and more smooth sailing. The 2018 team kicked everyone's ass (no game sevens in the playoffs, for example) and that kind of team was so fun to watch.

GREAT article on Bloom: https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2019/10/25/seeing-chaim-bloom-walk-away-hurts-rays-seeing-him-in-boston-should-scare-them/