5GoldGlovesOF,75

I think I found one, but it looks Japanese. Wait, nope... it's written in New Balance.

Jansen took his ball and went home the last weekend of September. No player respects a guy quitting on his team, and no manager or coach wants a veteran setting that kind of example for a young team.

Another NESN.com headline: "Red Sox eyed Scherzer"... ... as in, Eyed like a Starbucks Frappuccino, but a small Dunkin will do. It may get cold before Sandoval is back, but we can just wait and nuke it next summer.

"Our equipment trucks have been driving aggressively to Florida," he added. "High beams and horn honking on any whiteheads putting along in the middle lane... we'll even pass them on the right if we have to." The Red Sox are entirely basing the season on injured players making healthy comebacks to regain past glories, and prospects becoming instant stars. They're in the business of winning championships, and that's how they do business.

How is the current Red Sox bullpen "improved" like a "writer" claimed in today's online NESN story? If everything goes just right, Boston's relief crew has a good chance to be as bad as last year. The Sox replaced their decent closer and set-up man with the Oldest Chapman and Justin Wilson. Chapman may have some good games, but fans will know quickly if they can ever trust him. Has Wilson ever had a prime? Two years ago he missed the entire season with TJS and a lat injury while trying to come back. Speaking of, we have no idea if Hendriks will be good again. Maybe Whitlock will make a full recovery from his lost season; he's had issues for four summers. Hopefully, Slaten will as good as last year -- before he got hurt... The front office didn't spend to sign anyone healthy with actual talent, but If just a few of these guys turn into Koji and Pap, the bullpen will indeed be improved. Maybe one of the former starters will go into the pen and turn into Eck... we know they won't be needed in the rotation where the durable guys will all make at least 30 starts apiece.

Dodgers rotation: Ohtani, Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow, Sasaki. Red Sox rotation: Houck, Bello, Tommy John, Tommy John, Tommy John,

... but the debauchery!

Those monthlies look like they could also belong to a guy in the batter's box. Pitchers are always ahead of hitters early, and many sluggers heat up with the temps. Hank Aaron career HRs by months: 93-129-150-152-127-104; in June and July, he let it fly. And the guy whose record he broke, the Babe: 48-133-141-147-124-121... again, June and July were the most powerful (I didn't bother to look up subsequent 500-homer men who may have been related to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man). For bitter Sox fans, the gopher ball made Crawford the Yoshida of pitchers. But as notin noted, he was great the first month, and overall good through July -- the month he walked one batter in five starts. Crawford may have worn down, but no injury was ever reported. And he was still reliable, because no pitcher in the majors had more games started in 2024.

Praying Payton Tolle crushes three or four levels to get to Fenway, and when they hesitate to let him in, smashes open our window...

It's like saying we have one of the best rotations based on everyone's past glories before they were hurt, and assuming they'll all come back as good as new. Looking at them all, and their histories, and their deliveries... there's only one sure thing: Cr☠️wf😡rd.

Played the last month and a half, after missing 3 1/2 months. Didn't quite finish the season like he did in '23, though. I think we'd all like to see if he can go a full season without tweaking the same area again.

Glad you brought up the Polar Bear. That was actually a great hit by Alonso, going with the pitch and taking it the other way on a line over the fence. And he's still a free agent -- anybody know a club that could use a right-handed hitter who averages 43 home runs a year for six seasons? "But where would we put him?" asked a Red Sox fan. How about: CLEAN-UP.

Same with Casas' core -- the one he torques every time he swings the bat.

Somehow this whole thread today evolved into the "losses" to NY and Boston. My post was about what they added... this offseason. The Yankees added Devin Williams, who was hurt part of last season but is one of the best closers in baseball. He was an All-Star the two previous years, received MVP votes, and in '24 had a sub-1.00 WHIP and WAR of 1.4. The Red Sox added Aroldis Chapman, who hasn't been an All-Star in half a decade, and when he was he gave up postseason-losing walk-off home runs. In '24 he had a 1.346 WHIP and a WAR of 0.4. Like I said when comparing the two, not. even. close. As for Soto, I stick by my claim for the past year that he was the #1 difference-maker in winning the Yankees the pennant (and for Judge having his best season). But at least the Yanks tried to replace the production by adding two MVPs in Bellinger and Goldschmidt. The Red Sox lost their home run leader and added nothing in their batting order but more lies to their fans. Nobody here or anywhere is saying Boston should spend for the sake of spending. But everybody agrees the Sox should spend on talent to add better players to their team -- because they can afford it, and to justify what they charge to watch them.

Nothing against Moon, who is projecting line-ups for what's currently on the roster. But to count so heavily on Trevor Story -- who has done absolutely nothing in three years in Boston -- as a middle of the order bat underscores just how mediocre this Red Sox offense will look to opponents in pregame pitching plans: "Just pitch around Devers and strike out Story. Eventually, Devers will get so frustrated, he'll swing with all his might at pitches out of the zone and hurt himself -- then we can just challenge everyone else."

Boston may have improved its chances with rotation depth, but are the Sox really any closer to New York? Yanks added Fried, Sox added Crochet -- two of the very best starters available; as additions, they neutralize each other. In the bullpen, Yanks added Williams, Sox added Chapman -- that's not even close. Edge: NY. In the batting orders, Yanks lost Soto and Rizzo, Sox lost O'Neill. I know they're at different levels of offensive impact, but trying to keep this in perspective... Yanks added Bellinger and Goldschmidt. Boston added the Invisible Man. He's a real Nowhere Man, isn't he a bit like Red Sox fans. Edge: incomparable, because actual acquisitions give the GAP to NY.

Even if they are, there's no Yaz or Rico on the field or in the line-up like in '75 -- veteran leaders who have been through the wars, and even won some of them. Raffy has his mouth full of seeds, and Story's entire postseason success is winning one Wild Card game. Maybe Beuhler can lead them all in a cover of "Twist And Shout."

I agree, and this may be why: the Sox plan to ride their upgraded starting rotation in the beginning of the season, when pitchers are ahead of hitters, and keep the prospects down until another year of control is guaranteed. Then when inevitable injuries thin out the pitching staff, they'll bring up the young lumber to supply more run production to compensate. This plan is contingent, of course, on how the new starters -- Crochet, Buehler and Giolito (he counts) all fare in Spring Training. If they suck or are hurt or not fully healed, Breslow will have to go get a big righthanded bat. As for O'Neill's missing 31 dingers, the front office has gotta be confident they'll get at least that many HRs from Campbell and Anthony combined. After all, Rafaela and Abreu combined for 30 in their rookie year, and they're weren't two of the top-rated bashers on anyone's prospect list, like KC and Roman...

If this is a free forum reply, here's mine: let's call it what it is: it's not just 2024, but the last three abysmal post-trade deadline records (August-Oct)... '24: 24-30 '23: 22-34 '22: 27-32 Let's call it what it is -- the front office quit on the team and refused to acquire any legitimate reinforcements for the roster. And the young pro athletes -- who all knew, just like the fans, what they needed -- were totally discouraged to be abandoned and went through the motions down the stretch.

Especially when the AL Central might have four teams over .600.

The Jays will be sorry if they spend what it costs to be a better ballclub... (... isn't that what hapless Sox fans like me are programmed to say now?) I also think -- wait, I can't think, all that's on my mind is buying tickets to America's Most Beloved Museum of a Ballpark... and, and a t-shirt... and a big drink in a souvenir plastic cup with a big B on it. My cells are insulated with macro-plastics!

No, you wanted to believe him.

By now we'd all be shocked if the brass even walked across the front office carpet in their sox and then touched a leather couch.

Anyone frequenting singles bars knows the richest guys always have the best shot with top available talent seeking longterm contracts. Average players do better accepting mediocrity, especially on one-night commitments. That's the origin of the term pillow contract.

This is why they won't play either full time this season. If the Sox really want to wait til next year, they can't risk exposing their saviors to the dreaded Sophomore Jinx!