Fan_since_Boggs

I agree with your comments. I presume you don't believe Rice should be in? As much as I hate to say it, I don't think Rice should be in. But there are other players who shouldn't be in the HOF either, Phil Rizzuto, Jack Morris, and others.

If you want the voters to ignore the PED stuff, you have to remove the sportsmanship clause from the ballot instructions. For reasons that are pretty self-explanatory, people are going to believe that the PED guys demonstrated poor sportsmanship and that is pushing down their vote totals. I might support Clemons, Bonds in the HOF if, and only if, they come forward and improve our knowledge of PED effects on numbers. We would need to know the extent of their PED usage, the years they started juicing, etc., and they would need to document such information to prove they aren't lying. It would be so useful for MLB to have this information. But Bonds and Clemons don't care about the well-being of MLB or advancing public knowledge of PED use--they only care about themselves and so who really cares if baseball keeps them out. They deserve to be out. They made their own bed, they can now sleep in it.

Because the Red Sox have other guys who can do that including Wright and Velazquez. If they get desperate, they could also call on Shawaryn. Thus, along with the top 5 starters, the Red Sox would have Wright as the 6th starter, Velazquez as the 7th starter, and Shawaryn as the 8th starter. This is tremendous depth, freeing the Red Sox to trade away a quality pitcher like B.Johnson for a really good prospect.

So together Pearce and Moreland will make around 13 million next year. Goldschmidt will make just a little more than that, but I suspect that Dombrowski checked in on Goldschmidt and discovered that the trade cost was too high. It sounds like the Diamondbacks are going to trade Goldschmidt. The Yankees offered Sheffield and were turned down. It doesn't make sense for Dombrowski to overpay in terms of prospects for Goldschmidt, a player they don't want to sign long term anyway. The Red Sox are set at the corner infield position with Devers and Dalbec; and maybe Chavis. In a few years, Casas will be knocking at the door.

I'm open to trading Johnson, but I would want a pretty good prospect in return. Sale Price Porcello Eavoldi (resign) Rodriguez I like Johnson, but there is no room for him and he belongs in a starting rotation. I would also like to see the Red Sox trade Swihart for a prospect. By trading Swihart and Johnson, the Red Sox would lose some of their depth, but by acquiring prospects, they would quickly replenish that depth.

If the Red Sox kick in a couple of million, would they be able to trade Nunez? By trading Nunez, they would open a spot for Derek Dietrich. You start off the season platooning Pedroia with Dietrich.

According to reports, the Yankees want to trade Stanton. It probably won't happen, though, unless the Yankees kick in a lot of money. https://nesn.com/2018/11/giancarlo-stanton-on-trade-block-yankees-reportedly-might-try-to-move-slugger/ Stanton also has a no-trade, meaning that the Dodgers might be the only destination that Stanton would accept. The Yankees are most likely stuck with Stanton.

I would vote for Halladay, Rivera, and Schilling. I wouldn't vote for the PED guys: Pettitte, Bonds, Clemons, Manny. The guys I might vote for but would require more research & thought: E.Martinez, Mussina, McGriff, Wagner.

Corbin is a Yankee. Maybe they resign Happ. I don't know about the Yankees interest in Machado and Harper, but I do think those two are going to get enormous contracts. Harper: over 400 million and Machado will top Stanton's contract IMO. The Giants, the Phillies, and a few surprising teams will be in on them. The Phillies have money to burn. I think the market will be similar to last year's, somewhat depressed, but Harper and Machado will be exceptions. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Yankees end up with one of them, but the Yankees will have to pay through the roof to make it happen.

What happened to David Price is really amazing. Last year, it looked like Price was headed toward TJ Surgery, a complete free agent bust. This year, Price is really good in the regular season and then after that first start against the Yankees in the playoffs, Price turned into staff ace. I don't know if the Red Sox win the World Series without Price, not with Sale's shoulder issue. Someone had to step up and assume the role of staff ace and Price did that. He was so remarkable, pitching on short rest like he was Bob Gibson with Bob Gibson's arm. The fears of Tommy John Surgery are now in the distant past. No one can criticize this free agent signing again--championships are so difficult to win and Price helped carry the Red Sox over the finish line. Remarkable.

I like what I saw from Vazquez in the playoffs--I think he has regained his starter's role at Catcher. I can live with Sandy Leon as the backup C. I would trade Swihart, but I would expect a really good prospect in return. I don't think the Red Sox can get an elite prospect for Swihart but I do think they can get a player who profiles as a starting major league player.

There are plenty of options. The Red Sox could also resign Kelly and give him the role. The Red Sox don't need a long term closer--they already have that locked up in Feltman. The Red Sox need a bridge closer, a guy who can do the job for one season until Feltman is ready in 2020. I would sign Britton to a one year pillow contract. Throw extra cash in the contract to entice Britton to sign a one year deal. If he rediscovers his dominant form, the Red Sox can get a pick for Britton next year. The thing that many people are overlooking is just how well Dombrowski has rebuilt the farm system. The Red Sox must have the best farm system in baseball that no one talks about. The Red Sox have several future major league starters in the system, Groome, Houck, Shawaryn. A future closer in Feltman. And future infield starters such as Casas (long ways away), Dalbec (could be ready in 2020 for 1b or 3b), Flores (long ways away), Chatham (perhaps a future starter at 2b, could be ready in 2020), Ockimey (could be ready in 2020), and Lakins (profiles as an above average set up reliever). It wouldn't make sense for the Red Sox to offer Pearce anything more than a one year contract; Dalbec and Ockimey will be cheap options at first base in 2020. Moreland has only one year remaining on his contract. While the Red Sox have some promising minor league infielders, their minor league outfielders really suck, it is a weakness in the organization, but two of the three OF spots are locked up long term: Benintenti & Betts. I'm not sure about Bradley. For some players, defense declines rather early and Bradley's bat doesn't carry him.

I wouldn't trade for a closer, not when the Red Sox could find one in free agency (perhaps Zach Britton) and likely have a future closer in their minor league system in Feltman. The Red Sox need a bridge closer to Feltman. They could sign Britton to a one year pillow contract that would allow Britton to reestablish his value as a closer, something he didn't do on the Yankees last season. The Kinsler trade was a bad move--gave up Ty Buttrey for a washed up player. However, Dombrowski was a genius for trading for Eovaldi and Pearce. He is clearly the best GM in baseball. I'm not saying the Red Sox will sign Bryce Harper but they should at least inquire into his services and see how high the offers are going. Theoretically, the Red Sox could trade Bradley Jr., move Betts to CF, and open up a spot for Harper in RF. JD Martinez will probably opt out after the 2019 season, freeing up money and there is no guarantee the Red Sox will resign Bogaerts. At the end of the day, I think Harper is going to the Phillies for over 400 million. The Phillies have the resources to get it done and are eager to spend and compete again. I like the strategy of trading Porcello and resigning Eovaldi. One thing for certain, the Yankees have little chance to sign Eovaldi--after all, Cashman dumped him when he needed TJ surgery. I doubt Eovaldi has any interest in returning to an organization that treated him like that. I wouldn't make Kimbrel a qualifying offer. There is a chance he may accept it.

This piece has it right, IMO:

Starting Sale in game 4 would seem like a panic move to me. I would start E-Rod. Even if the Red Sox lose game 4, they have the advantage in the series with two remaining in Fenway and a rested Sale, Price, and Porcello ready to go in games 5, 6, and 7 respectively.

I would not start Sale in game 4. Even if the Red Sox lose game 4, they have the advantage in the series with a rested Sale for game 5, Price for game 6, and Porcello for game 7, with two of the three in Fenway. I think you start E-Rod in game 4, try to get 4 innings out of him. Against Hill: 1b: Pearce 2b: Holt SS: Bogaerts 3b: Lin (I would DL Nunez) LF: Martinez CF: Bradley RF: Betts C: Swihart (might as well get a better bat in the lineup and he is more rested than tweedledum and tweedledee) Lineup: Betts Holt Pearce Martinez Bogaerts Swihart Bradley Lin Pitcher

Agree with this. If the Red Sox go on to win, the Kinsler thing will be remembered but not as famous as the Buckner play. If the Red Sox go on to lose, Kinsler will definitely be another Buckner.

It was one of the worst managed games that I can remember in a long time. Vasquez and Leon back-to-back in the lineup. Pitching to Puig. The Vazquez bunt with Leon on deck. Also, the decision to go all in with a 2-0 series lead may cost the Red Sox game 4. They can't seriously start Pomeranz, can they? If the Red Sox really believe in Pomeranz, maybe they should have used him rather than Eovaldi, saving the latter for game 4. If the Red Sox don't really believe in Pomeranz, and that seemed to be the case last night, what is he doing on the roster?

bogaerts is having a pretty terrible game too. Were these guys up all night having an orgy with some LA chicks?

Betts hit a 3-1 pitch too. weak grounder to SS, pretty sad.

steal second mookie, since you can't hit in the playoffs.

leadoff walk, speed on the bases.

who is ptching next for the dodgers?

Next inning should be the big inning. Mookie is due. I'm feeling it.

just one big hit here. A double in the gap.