Hugh2

Who is everyone? the fans in the stands? the organization said they were moving him because he was blocked by Dustin PEdroia. You can literally look that up. You can't look up what you're saying. Conveniently.

The front office literally openly said they were moving him to the outfield because of Dustin Pedroia. It's not a secret, everyone knows this. Read my quoted tag line. I'm keeping that even though it's going to make me look bad. I take pride in learning when I'm wrong, I will wear it as a badge of honor because I like Authenticy darnit. I wish other people could do the same around here. It's not a sign of weakness to admit you're wrong, the world won't stop turning, I promise. Its ok....its ok to admit that you know Mookie Betts was actually moved to the outfield because he was blocked by Dustin Pedroia. Life will continue onwards, I promise.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you're right. It's not my decision to make. What I meant to say was I nominated him.

no, but i follow every single minor league game. EVERY. from the DSL, to the FLC, to Lowell when Lowell existed, to the GCL, to Greenville, to Salem, to Portland and Pawtucket. When an organization moves a player, they do it when they're in the high minors. There is just as much evidence that they were moving him then to get him reps so he'd be ready in the outfield when promoted. I also have seen almost every single Portland Sea Dogs game when they come to connecticut, which today is the Hartford Yard goats, but back then it was the New Britain Rock Cats. At the time my fiance was in grad school at WCSU the year Mookie was in Portland. And I lived 4 minutes away from the stadium for 4 years. I watched A LOT of minor league games. The fact that mookie played some outfield in the minors is not making the point you think it is. He was moved the year he was promoted, he was the top prospect in all of baseball. Baseball America literally had an entire page and thing called the "Mookie Meter". he was literally one of the most hyped prospects ever that year. Everyone knew he was smashing his way up to the majors. WHen the Sox knew he was going to force his way up in 2014 they moved him to the outfield BECAUSE of Dustin Pedroia. You're talking about less than 40 games. THen they immediatley moved him back to his natural position when Pedroia went down. Because he was still a second baseman first then.

Read my post above einsteen. It was reported by EVERY news outlet, it's how baseball works, and even the freaking team OPENLY SAID he was moved BECAUSE of Dustin Pedroia.

DIRECT QUOTE FROM THE COACH ON SEPTEMBER 24th 2014 “We moved Mookie to second base when Dustin (Pedroia) went down for the year. We moved Mookie to center field initially because of Dustin’s presence,” Farrell said before Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park

I officially award RED with the most insane comment of the offseason.

If Dustin Pedroia was not on the team in 2014 he would of come up as a second baseman and they would of have gone out and got an outfielder. You're literally the only person on earth who thinks this.

Literally anyone can back and look at all the media and interviews back then and see. EVERYONE was saying Mookie was moving to the outfield because he was blocked by Pedroia. Also, teams 100% play players were they play best, the only caveat to that is when a guy is BLOCKED. That's like......something I thought we all knew. And even more ridiculous, is the moment 2B opened back up in September of 2014 they moved Mookie back to second base for a few weeks when Dustin Pedroia broke his hand.

Holy s***, this might be the funniest take ever.

WHHAAAAAT! HAHAHAHAH Dude, Mookie was 100% moved because of Pedroia. Mookie never played the outfield, and was considered a potential gold glove prospect at 2B coming up. I mean, I've seen a lot of lying and moving of goalposts around here, but this might single handidly be the biggest revisionist history I've ever seen on this board. Mookie Betts was moved off of second base because of Dustin Pedroia.

Was not competing against*

You’re not 100% wrong. But tell that to 22 year old Felix Hernandez. Although two years later he won a CY YOU G despite only going 13-12. Of course, that might of been because he was competing against Bartolo Colon who beats out blatantly better pitchers for a CY YOUNG strictly because of his wins.

I remember not having a problem with the trade because I thought they were buying the prospects, would actually go out and get a better outfielder and use JBJ as a 4th outfielder. They did not do that.

Why would we have traded Pedroia for a suspect though?

No its not.`Atlanta has the most talented position team in baseball. They have Orlando Arcia at SS, he's 28 a former #6 overall prospect, plus defender AS this year and Ozzie ALbies at second who is one of the best 2b in all of baseball. Grissom was drafted in 2019, 2020 season was canceled so 2021 was his first full season in pro ball, debuted in 2022. Was obviously rushed but still hit very well for a kid barely out of a Ball. While those two played at the MLB level he dominated AA/AAA. His defense was a very small SSS, probably won't be a good defender at SS but many believe he should be at least an average defender at 2nB. He only played other positions because with the two mentioned above thats how he was going to fit onto the roster. Happens all the time, if people remember a kid named Mookie Betts had to move to RF because a guy named DUstin Pedroia was at second.

Moon or Bloom? what does it matter. I don't think anyone in Sox nation would be complaining if we had the Braves roster right now. We'd be expecting to compete for a world series next year. A good plan can look like s*** if there's no execution. None of their middling moves help to win in the interim, they havent' put any real effort to bring in and develop young pitching talent, and they've refused to make trades that could of helped the teams future at the dealine (Bloom 2022). But yeah, you know the FO is f***ing up when even the more optimistic fans have turned a little cynical.

You could also say they wanted him so badly they gave up Grissom for him. Maybe the 17 million was negotiated down. Maybe they refused to take any money, or only 5 million, and it was negotiated up to $10 million they would take.

Oh without a doubt. I think the Sox are willing to spend when they feel the time is right. They want to spend when they think they're good enough to compete and then it's worth it to them to go over the cap. But they want the flexibility to get under in a year or two every time they go over, which is why they're weary of long term deals. They likely wanted to emulate the Atlanta model, build up the farm, extend the young core, and when they're ready go for it. One thing I can reconcile, that I will probably be ex-communicated for is that it's not a bad strategy. The thing is.....they didn't execute it. Bloom didn't deliver, and I think that's why he was ultimately fired.

Ok, I guess we will have to stop beating what once resembled the carcass of a dead horse. I will say this though, if you like the trade, it doesn't happen if they don't kick the money in.

Despite peoples opinions, stances, or perspective on things I don't think anyone can argue with that. It certainly has been a frustrating offseason.

Literally everyone in the baseball universe has called this trade a win for the Red Sox. It's actually a win for the Braves too, and heck it's a win for the players. Grissom didn't have a home in Atlanta, and Sales time had passed here.

You're also discounting the fact that they gained a RHB with upside. You can discount the upside because you don't young unproven talent but regardless, that's money saved. The Sox now no longer need to get a 2B, of course, they might of rolled with Valdez and upgraded with a RHB elsewhere, so the trade might of else made it unecessary for them to go after someone like Teoscar Hernandez (20 million). In which case, Breslow might of actually got a hitter who is young and could be better going forward AND actually saved $3 million by not having to spend $20 million. Of course, maybe they don't go out and get Tim Anderson or Whit Merrifield instead who are projected to get between $9-12 million. So in that case, the only really lose 5-8 million per year. Every projection of a Snell/Montgomery AAV still puts them below the cap. If Breslow is not allowed to go over the cap, he most certainly is allowed to go up against it. This move 100% does not prevent them from getting starting pitching. This statement in no way shape or form predicts that they do. They very well might not, but it Sale/Grissom trade is not preventing this.

You know I'd believe that at one point. But why hold onto him for 4 years if he was hired for that one thing? Anyone could have traded Betts to the highest bidder.

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I'm trying to #bebetter