Hugh2

Philly has exceeded the luxury tax two years in a row. It’s very likely they won’t be bidding on Nola

Bernardino had 2.1 MLB innings pitched before this year. Yoshida, while not in the MLB, had years of experience at the “professional” level

I’m not sure where you would find it nor do I care to put in the research but everything I’ve ever heard, and scouting report I’ve ever read seems to support this notion. As if it’s cannon. Guys who throw arm heavy, sustain more shoulder and elbow problems. Seems logical too

I mean, I would have DUran be my back up CF if Rafaela is there. Duval or Abreu would be the 3rd/4th option

Is Dalbec an appropriate comp to Yoshida???

Better and a proven bat. Abreu isn't even guaranteed to make the 26-man next year let alone be an everyday player. I like young talent, but I can only stomach so much on a roster, those guys flop all the time too.

True, but it appeared to come off earlier in the year too and he did get hot again for a while. I don't think he's going to be a stud, or the one he appeared to be when first called up. But I think he will be a decent player.

And what would be a reasonable contract for a guy who can OPS above .800 is under 30 on a first division team you HOPE will compete for the playoffs?

read my last post. Also, you need RH bats in this lineup. I want insurance in case Rafaela can't handle it, or Duran turns back into a pumpkin, or Abreu can't swing it, or Story gets hurt again. Duval makes sense if it's a reasonable contract.

Not sure Abreu is better in CF than DUval, might be worse.

I agree, which is exactly why I want an outfield addition in the offseason. We also don't know if Bloom doesn't want to sign top-line pitching of Henry won't allow him. If you're dishing out hundreds of millions of dollars it's with ownership's approval. We know the Sox will shift directions, we know they will blow past the cap and then look to reset and get under. We know this for three reasons. Knowing the structure of the CBA it makes sense, every other team not NYM are doing it, and more importantly, the Sox have done just this. If there was ever a time for Henry to say, or Bloom to say to Henry "now we need to go out and spend on pitching" THIS is that time. The cap is reset, the youth movement looks good, but it's mostly on offense, if you believe in that and believe you defense gets better next year then you exponentially get better with better pitching. This is what I would do, and if Henry can channel a part of him that has existed more than once in the past, then he will tell Bloom to go out and do it. I can't argue against those who are skeptical that they will do this, but I believe they should and I think doing so would be in line with their "plan"

Rafaeal is your CF

Finding a way to put Rafaela in the outfield and DH Yoshida, and a healthy Story makes the up the middle defense 100000X better next year. Add some top line pitching to the mix and this is a good team.

No Yamma is the top teir pitcher. Nola is the guy who can be your #2 and at times pitch like a #1. I only like Nola if he's signed in conjunction with Yama or Urias or something to that extent. Nola is 30, so is pretty much any free agent pitcher, which is why I like going hard after Yama. I also think Nola has been much better than you suggest, he's had some real s***** defense behind him. His FIP in that time frame is almost a whole run lower 3.32 but over those three years he's also pitched. 1.032 WHIP, 7.8 H/9 1.8 BB/9, 10.3 k/9. I'll take that.

With a clean bill of health (relatively speaking) I think that should be. Adding two top teir pitchers would be transformative, and ultimately strengthens the bottom of the rotation AND the bullpen. If the sophmores take a step forward that team could be very good. I still woulnd't mind seeing a better solution in the OF. I think the team could use a RHH OFer. Maybe bring Duval back if it's reasonable.

Ceddannes defense is really good at SS, but it is elite in CF. Like, if healthy he's going to be a perrenial GG out there. I highly doubt the Sox move a blue chip prospect just to put a guy like Rafaela at his 2nd best position.

I completely agree. On the last Soxprospects podcast, it was either Chris or Ian who played devils advocate to this point. If he has a normal offseason, gets on a throwing program, and it's reported that his velocity has returned a teams opinion may change. I still view it much more probable than not he's NOT selected again. I think them and you would agree.

Was he? maybe I do not remember this, but I don't ever remember Aldo having any real shot at starting. Walter is also falling, but generally, I feel his chances to start have been better than Aldos were. As decent as that top 10 is in hindsight I don't think the 10 behind him were great. You have Connor Wong in there, and Yorke who still has potential but doesn't have the prospect shine he once had either (although still ranked higher than 2021). That system was better than 2019, and worse than 2021. Regardless of where Aldo would rank, which I still think would be the 15-20 range, I don't think that constitutes trading away a big-time prospect. For me, trading a real prospect would be trading away Mayers, Bleis, and Anthony. Trading away a guy like Aldo is trading a good but not great prospect. And the fact that he's the BEST prospect he's ever trading is saying a lot. Which to me was the point, and I'd still believe that if you could convince me Aldo would be in the 10-15 range now. He's still not in that elite talent range you trade away when you get all star level players. Although to play devil's advocate against me here, he was traded for KYLE SCHWARBER! which ended up being a great move. But Kyle was also on the D.L. at the time and was still a rental. It was a risky move that lowered what his asking price may have otherwise been and it paid off for Bloom. Again, this is the biggest prospect move Bloom has made in terms of prospects moving out of the system at least. I think in the next two years we are going to learn if Bloom is just a prospect hoarder, or if his greater strategy is to overall start using the farm. I think we both agree that a loaded farm leads to losing guys to the rule 5. The very least you can do is trade fringe guys away and try to build a better back half of the roster.

No he wasn't. He's still more likely a reliever now at this point in time, but even then it makes all the sense in the world to let him start. If for no other reason than to get him the reps he's missed over the years.

The thing about Song is, that every single team had a chance to acquire him thru waivers BEFORE he got returned to Boston this year. So that hints there's very good chance he's not going to be picked again. And given what he showed, he may not be worth the risk anymore.

8th in a much weaker system to me is not an impactful prospect. Mayb he's a MLBer some day, but if I had to guess he might not even be in the top 20 in this system. He'd probably be right around 20.

Was he really considered a "top prospect" though? he was a good prospect, but he wasn't anything that would be in this top ten. As far as I can remember, he's the highest-ranked prospect Bloom ever traded. That proves he doesn't trade prospects. What I want to see, is if that philosophy changes once the big league team is better and talent is overflowing in the system. However, that day may never come, either due to underperformance or Bloom being canned. But...maybe?

I'ts almost as if the Sox could have used another pitcher at the deadline. Which no one was saying (sarcasm)

I'll give credit where credit is due, this is a reasonable post from the Madstork, something I never thought I'd say, maybe you're not so mad after all. If this ride starts at 03' id' gladly right it again and again. I do have one critique however, you can't just call guys up to call them up. I get the "see what you have mentality" and I can agree and respect the usage of a season in which you believe you're out of it to use that time to develop these kids. It actually makes a lot of sense to let them take their lumps now. However, development still matters, a decision to promote someone to the majors should primarily be determined by that kids readiness. With that said. I think they should get Rafaeala out there and give him regular playing time. As for the rest? I just think it's way too soon. Some of those guys blatantly need more time in the minors despite their talent, draft position, or potential. Maybe Grant Gambrell deserves a look, he is rule 5 eligible this offseason and the Sox will have guys they need to protect and I'm not sure he gets protected right now and he very well may be picked. So, now may be the time to see what you have in him.

Bloom has traded away many prospects. I know. I know what you meant. He hasn't traded away anything big, which to be fair is probably the only part of his "plan" he's executed wisely. However, there's a time and place for everything, and at some point, it makes sense to trade away prospects. Maybe it's still a year too early for that, but at some point you should get something rather than nothing, a stacked farm system will eventually start getting guys picked off to the rule 5.