5GoldGlovesOF,75

Who scored more runs in the '07 WS than were given up by the Sox entire starting rotation -- Beckett, Schilling, DiceK, Lester... Who tied Bobby Kielty for most WS home run, Ellsbury for most WS stolen base (and error) for the champs... Who had one less hit and one less double than Ellsbury, and one less RBI than Varitek in the WS...

Gonzo in just two seasons, but made your eligibility. Pedroia edged Papi in bWAR... and Mookie almost beat them both in around half the games.

Bloom already committed to regular gigs on American Pickers and Pawnshop... but was rejected on Antiques Roadshow, for offending senior customers by undervaluing all their treasures. His new TV contract: one year, $10 million dollars.

Manny, Papi, Pedey, Ellsbury, Betts... that's 5... dang, it's Manny for OPS and BA?

we both got Damon and Pedroia right (and Mookie wrong)

Category: Red Sox World Champions this century Name the players who each had the most hits in a season in which the Sox won? Hint: I guessed two right, and never would've guessed one of the others...

YES to Yamamoto, Montgomery, Stroman, Ryu... ... ALL of them. Is there any money left for a pretzel?

Maybe Breslow's Cubs connection to Stroman or Hendricks brings one of them over. If so, he must have a good reason; if not, he must have a bad reason -- either should give Sox fans some confidence in the new CBO...

If I had to bet money (which I don't have, so I can't), just taking Breslow for his word at his presser, I'd say some sort of prospect blockbuster trade for Burnes or Cease is more likely than blowing his first budget on Ohtani or Yamamoto. That also won't prevent a low-level signing of a Lorenzen, later.

Schmidt have more than Mantle or Williams?

Only about half a dozen big kids per year even have an OPS in LL; the few younger players who can hit singles aren't strong enough to slug extra base hits, and the rest usually walk or strikeout (most without swinging). But due to walkathons, most Little Leaguers have high OBP... so a .500 OPS, because there is zero PS, actually ain't bad.

Pray they get the Lourdes: righty power, plus defense, purple haze... all in my brain. Scuse me, while I eat these fries.

I'm not saying Yoshida was a great hitter, just that there weren't too many guys out there that much better. We're going to have to forget about his paychecks (especially now that the guy who signed him is gone) and just anticipate improvement as he makes professional adjustments... ... also, I get the value of OBP, but I want my DH swinging at border line pitches, and not be a DW... if he doesn't alway drive the ball but has the talent to make contact, we've seen the virtues of putting the ball in play vs. teams with Red Sox-type defenses.

Maybe you didn't think he was, but I saw a young and healthy pitcher, compared to bushels of other candidates who were never one or the other the past four years. This is not to say Breslow can't teach old dogs new tricks, but a key for Sox fans this winter -- as far as discerning sincere organizational change -- is for acquisitions to the pitching staff to at least appear young and healthy.

Going into last offseason, the Red Sox' old CBO from Yale had two sure things in his starting rotation: Pivetta as a #5 and Bello as #4 (with the potential to be a #3). Going into this offseason, the Red Sox' new CBO from Yale has two sure things in his rotation: Pivetta as #5 and Bello as #3 (with the potential to be a #2?). The old guy studied Classics -- books written over 3,000 years ago (more years than even the combined ages of Jansen, Martin, Paxton, Kluber, Hill, and Richards). The new guy studied molecular biophysics and biochemistry... ... here's where Britannica gives us hope: "Physics can be defined as the science of matter, motion, and energy" -- basics that inform pitching a baseball. "Chemistry deals with the composition of substances... the transformations they undergo, and the energy that is released or absorbed during these processes" -- basics that inform a big league roster and its interactions on the field, in the dugout and in the clubhouse. Note: old guy struggled with both...

What's the criteria for a good DH? Yoshida only DHed 49 games, but compare his season numbers to more full-time DHs: 2023 DHs (min. 100 games at DH) OPS- Ohtani 1.066, Ozuna .905, JD .893, Soler .853, Yoshida .783 BA- Ohtani .304, Yoshdia .289, Meneses .275, Ozuna .274, Jimenez .272 HR- Ohtani 44, Ozuna 40, Soler 36, JD 33, Jimenez 18, Yoshida 15 Ks- JD 149, Ohtani 143, Soler 141, Ozuna 134 Meneses 130, Jimenez 93, Yoshida 81 ... clearly, Masa doesn't homer or whiff enough for the role.

Still can't believe Bloom gave Bearclaw to Cora, and he tried him on the mound!

Kluber looked out of position just wearing a Red Sox uni...

Don't forget these Opening Day delights: Marwin Gonzalez starting in leftfield in '21, and... Kluber starting on the mound in '23 (threw out the first pitch; Rutschman hit out the 7th one).

One. The guy who plays Neil Diamond in the 7th inning of every single game, rain or shine, win or lose... signifying to all to get up, stretch, sing, dance, and sprint to the beer line for last call.

"Optimal Pitch Synthesizer" ... my college roommate had one of those for his band.

And they got rid of the CBO who assembled that jugular knot.

We all participated in the day to day execution of Bloom. I'm really looking forward to change, even if Breslow uses words only Chaim can understand (and Sam will pretend he does).

I'm leaning to Lourdes (almost-mighty): Gold Glove finalist LF, All-Star this year, 24 dingers (albeit most in NL West parks), homered in three straight postseason series... pre-arb, free agent in '25 -- he's like a righty version of Verdugo.

Ben and Pitt passed on drafting Mayer for a catcher they're already converting to the outfield. Maybe they didn't want to pay what it would cost to draft the Top Rated Prospect in the Draft... and let the Sox splurge so they could trade for him later at his minor league salary. Nah, who thinks like that.