Hugh2

Maybe you should just both stop, you're killing my buzz, and it's almost the afternoon over here.

Verdugo is under contract for 2023, the outfield is thin and so is the outfielder market so Bloom doesn't really need to sell him on anything. Unless he plans on extending him.

What if Rafealla can't hit and Duran turns back into a pumpkin? Yoshida can't play LF anywhere, while there is potential there, there's also potential for that outfield to be disastrous and you're also losing Duval to FA. Dugo should NOT be traded. Rafeala might be better with a full season under his belt and Anthony is ready to play full-time in the bigs by 2025. Just let it ride with Dugo and take the QO pick.

Depending on how far back you want to go on this forum, there's a f***ton of blood on a lotta hands here. We got feuds in here going back decades.

No, but a lot of people seem to think so. There are some here who think the Sox resetting the luxury tax limit is evidence they don't want to be big time spenders anymore.

Well Kike was a free agent he was trying to sign, Verdugo is here next year and he doesn't really have a choice right now.

Neither do I, they need pitchers not position players.

If you give DD credit for 2021, then don't you have to give him credit for 2020/2022 as well? which makes the narrative that he built a team heading for the dumps more believable.

Not when he's used right. He's a nice bench bat. Outfield is thin and what upgrades exist? Hey we could trade our prospect capital for an outfielder when we need pitchers I suppose.

In no permutation of my future projections is Ref a starter. He doesn't move any needles, he's a nice bench bat.

They have a little bit more than 8 mil to spend. I really really really like Turner, but I really really really like Masa not playing the field too.

Exactly, plus there's nothing in free agency, or very slim pickings on the position side. They really should explore retaining Duval for next year.

Well if Turner walks you can replace him with Yoshida. Now your defense just got 100% better with Duran replacing him in LF and the future GG Rafaela roaming CF. Sox could use a RHH

I agree. So if you expect to compete next year you don't trade Dugo and hope Anthony is his replacement. Still Masa may be even worse in the outfield by then, Duran could turn back into a Pumpkin and Rafaela may never hit. The outfield is THIN. Our outfield depth is similar to our starting pitching depth. Some great options for the BOTRS and the bullpen but not much high-end talent at the MLB level. Unless we are talking about signing Teoscar Hernandez or Cody Bellinger, we really have no business trading Dugo/Ref/Abreu/Duran.

Fair, but if you're trading away that talent and you don't have much to replace it then you're effectively already giving up on the 2024 season. No thank you,

We are really in zero position to be trading outfielders. Have you guys seen next years free-agent class? What do you do if Duran turns into a pumpkin, or someone goes down? I'd be hoarding my outfield depth like humanity depends on it right now.

And how often are we told to ignore milb stats. SO much more at play BUT - He has sucked vs. LHP at the MLB level, which is the only level that scouts. And that matches up verbatim with his scouting. I'll believe in that until proven otherwise. "Starts open and vertical with his hands high and his front foot inverted. Medium high-leg kick. Above-average bat speed. Vertical swing path, makes a lot of contact in the air. Passive approach. Will take a walk, but also strikes out a lot due to working consistent deep counts. Will have to show he can consistently hit high fastballs at the major league level as he has struggled at times with velocity up in the zone in the minors. Does a good job recognizing spin and has shown the ability to make adjustments within an at-bat. Has some platoon splits and seems to see the ball more comfortably against right-handed pitching. Potential below-average hit tool." "Potential up-and-down depth outfielder. Ceiling of a major league platoon outfielder. Development of hit tool will determine his major league potential. Has raw power and will take a walk, but needs to cut down on his swing-and-miss and show he can consistently make contact and impact the baseball against advanced pitching."

How do you expect them to spend the money? there's literally nothing on the position player side. Particularly in positions of need.

There's more fish in the sea. I'm more concerned with getting two top teir guys in. Sell me on another two. Nola/Yama....OK lets do that.

In how many at-bats? 66??? his greater body of work in the minors shows splits and scouts peg him as a platoon bat as well. Not saying he can't improve upon that projection, but I'm not certainly sold yet.

They almost have too. They have money that will be spent and the position player free agent class is historically bad. Yet there's plenty of pitching and the Red Sox need pitching, I will literally be dumbfounded if they do not buy pitching this offseason.

The free agent market for position players is going to be historically bad this offseason. Teams looking to upgrade and get creative would find a lot of value in guys like Abreu, Valdez, and Refsnyder if they believe they can be legit platoon partners and they have the right fit for them on their roster. Main piece? no but they can be part of a bigger deal if the pieces align right.

Bloom may have done a decent job at building the farm, and I don't disapprove of him at the same level as most, but if he doesn't grow the balls to fix the rotation this offseason he's just not the right guy for the job to take this team to the next level. I think he gets fired in the middle of next season if the Sox are serious contenders.

Needing Starting pitchers 1,2,3 is a pretty freaking major. I don't think we need that, I think we need 1 and 3. Bello is your #2. If Sale is healthy you have an elite rotation, but you can't bank on that, you take it as a bonus if it happens and go out and get yourself two starting pitchers this offseason.

Yes, but the Sox have had an affinity to "spread the money around" which is fine, but sometimes you gotta go big.....and they have not done that. Or at the very least, they have done a s*** poor job of building the rotation. The rotation is just a mix of injury concern, unproven younger talent, and BOTR guys. They have 4 guys on the roster that I think could be fine #4 #5 starters, and that's great because you push 2-3 of those guys to the pen where they can be elite. But having all of Whitlock/Houck/Crawford/Pivetta in the rotation is just a recipee for disaster. If I was emperor of the Red Sox, I'm getting two premium starting pitchers this offseason. Or at the very least ONE top teir guy and someone in that close 2nd teir like Sonny Gray. I would not Hate Gray/SNell