5GoldGlovesOF,75

I'm ok with it, as long as it's not too exorbitant that -- once they trade him -- the Sox will have to pay half for Pivetta to play for another club. That's too much for the current regime, and probably the reason they'll never trade Trevor Story... and subsequently, have to deal infield prospects, instead. Pivetta would be a useful addition to a contender's staff, but so far has never been a top of the rotation guy.

This might be the most intriguing subplot of the season -- who will be traded and when? Obviously, the front office has factors to consider: keep as much talent together as possible early, in deference to fan interest... but also, optimize any and all trade chips while players are healthy and show potential to help contenders. Not dealing Paxton last July after he was Pitcher of the Month -- and before he broke down again (like many predicted) -- is not the way to rebuild... Breslow can't wait until midnight August 1 to act, thinking he'll get better prospects in some bidding trade war. There will be clubs willing to deal in June to get a jump on competitors. Over-Under right now is 75 wins -- a 75-87 record would equal 2020's 12-games-under-.500 season... but not its .400 winning percentage; that would closer to 65 wins.

Wacha contributed to 25 team wins for two clubs that were below-.500 combined the past two seasons. That's 25% more team wins than are credited to Red Sox leader Nick Pivetta in the same span. At this point in what is obviously nothing but a Boston rebuild, maybe the most prudent move for Breslow is to make that painful trade he suggested in his introductory presser. If the Sox really think Story is their shortstop for the next four years of his contract, then Marcelo Mayer is their best chip. My first phone call would be to the Braves, where 10 of Atlanta's top 15 prospects are pitchers. The Braves have two Top 100 pitchers, at #69 and #90. Both of those for #15 Mayer was called a slight overpay by BTV, but with "a high probability it would be accepted..."

Opinion noted. And I might agree, if we were getting the Giolito from three or four years ago. Or the Kluber or Sale from six or seven years ago. But the facts are we weren't, and we didn't. At least now, one of the five-man electrical band can relax and maybe emerge as the next big thing.

I keep saying the playoff hopes aren't any different today -- and maybe even better. I don't care if a guy gives me innings if he's serving up longballs. Now other pitchers will get an opportunity in those 180 innings... and maybe one of them will actually be good.

This seems inaccurate. I heard he was amphibious; he could give up homers underwater, too.

I gave up a lot of home runs when I got divorced, too. But I never threw a pitch, and didn't have my choice of groupies in every city.

I am now the voice of optimism. Read me out: I never wanted Giolito -- who gave up the most home runs in the league last year and whose ERA rounds to 5 the past two years. I'm not into giving guys a uniform just so we can field a major league team to play out the schedule. But even posters who care about contracts had to worry about spending four times the average Bloom bounceback project... So here's the glass half-full: instead of pretending at contending, and then acting surprised when veterans don't regain glory, let's embrace a true rebuild. Root for and watch the development of all the up-and-comers. The Sox still have five or six promising candidates for the starting rotation... ...not sure what they're promising, but there are also a few new starting prospects in the minors who wouldn't mind getting a shot this summer, too. But for those of us who wanted Montgomery... imagine how much Henry wants to spend on him now, after watching approx. $40 Million just go down the drain.

Are you suggesting he was damaged goods? And his agent wasn't honest with our three dozen evaluators who analyzed the quantitative from medical reports and the qualitative from scouts?

May need surgery and will miss the entire season. Just when we thought the new shapes of his pitch shaping was really shaping up... Does this means he won't be opting out next year?

Their words are just stock lines. Prez: "We plan on competing for the world championship." CBO: "We'd be remiss if we didn't always look to upgrade." Coaching staff: "We like our players." Less fans than ever: "We believe every single lie you tell us, and have total faith you'll make the Red Sox great again."

Bailey has already said he doesn't think they need to add any pitchers. He likes what they have...

Much more relevant on a website devoted to entertainment.

MLB updated the Top 30 prospects for each club. Breslow has doubled the pitching prospects in the Sox' Top 16, by adding 13 Fitts and 16 Sandlin to 7 Gonzalez and 11 Perales. Meanwhile, Atlanta's top 5 prospects are pitchers. The Braves' best 15 prospects include 10 pitchers. They have finished first the past six straight seasons and last just once in 30 years. Maybe Henry can hire some junior exec from Atlanta's org next time, instead of Tampa's.

No politics, dagnabit!

New, like expansion teams? The Red Sox look like an expansion team: lots of one or two-tool position players, pitching staff of oldsters and youngsters -- but no one in his primester.

I coach youth sports with a few guys from Philly, and they and their families have had a total blast the past few years rooting for the Phils and all their star players. And they're really encouraged, looking forward to another season beginning this month.

Pablo had a .716 OPS last year in the majors, and now he bats clean-up in ST games. That's gotta mean something... to someone... let me check one of the betting show that's on every other channel on my remote menu. As for Bonaci, the decision to send him home for the year was simple. You might call it a ----- say it out loud ----- (So-gard, So-gard, So-gard)

That goofy Dombrowski, at it again! Someday they'll write a book about him titled Ball Money. It will be the blueprint for future billionaire owners to aspire to -- but only guys who inherit billions, and not some genius who thinks he's smarter than the market.

You meant to type "excuse"

So we're on pace for a 69 win season -- All in, baby!

Ten games in and the Sox are playing .700 ball. Dismiss ST all you want, but the only teams with less losses are the Orioles and Dodgers -- expected contenders. Starting pitchers all look at least decent, especially vs. minor league bats. Pitchers are always ahead of hitters early, but any sample size helps when searching for shreds of hope. Besides Devers, the Sox have zero home runs from their projected roster (which has barely played part-time, so far). Defense looks "normal" with a big league shortstop and centerfielder. Really hoping they go west with Rafaela and his righty bat. Really don't like Story hitting third; as much as he's legit with the glove, his swing-and-miss is also legit (and has nothing to do with injuries). If either Ceddanne or Grissom can take off and spark rallies, there may be a scenario where Devers and Casas bat 2-3...

bb-ref told us never to compare players within one or two WAR wins -- so that stat is too close to call for Tiant and McLain in '68 (fWAR is even closer). So... the MVP or the ERA leader? The world champ who led the league in 9 pitching categories and was second in 7 others, or the third-place ace who led in 12 categories? McLain is the only 31-game winner in the past 90+ years, but Tiant won 21 and posted a great 1.60 ERA… though only about one-third of a run better than Denny’s 1.96. I give the edge to McLain for his league-leading Innings Pitched: 336… which was 78 more than Tiant's. That's basically 9 more complete games, which Denny also led in, with Luis second -- 28 to 19. Some may argue McLain pitched for a great team… but others may counter that a great pitcher can make a good team great. Otherwise, why has the world of baseball credited Ws for over a century to the only player – in the center of the diamond -- who touches the ball and initiates every play while he’s in the game? Agreed with the choice of Clemens in '90, a great pitcher who made a good team finish first. I'd also argue Dave Stewart and Eck were better than Welch on the A's alone that year. The connection to discussions about the '24 Red Sox all winter is that a great pitcher (not necessarily one with a great W-L past) can make any team better, even a doormat. And one guy can boost a mediocre team to a postseason. We just need to find one: buy one, take one, make one...

It wasn't random when qualified voters picked the AL Cy Young winners in 1968 and 1990 -- they just voted for the two guys with the most wins in the past half century. But in retrospect (and because the '24 Red Sox have zero aces again), this is up for further debate: who was the "best" AL pitcher in those years: 31-winner Denny McLain or Luis Tiant in '68, 27-game winner Bob Welch or Roger Clemens in '90?

But imagine how many funs ways 3 Notins in an office could deconstruct, destruct, mister and misconstrue the field reports of a couple dozen 5Gs just begging the department to trust the qualitative data...