5GoldGlovesOF,75

Fair point, and definitely a ratio that has trended more lately. Though looking at close-ups of Bochy and Baker in the ALCS, gotta wonder about their ratios -- not what they agree to, when they accepted the jobs... but what really drives decisions: 50-50? 49-51?

I'm giving him credit for promoting and giving big roles to Bello, Casas and Duran. But if Nick Yorke ever makes it, the next GM has to be acknowledged some for his development. Yorke was Bloom's stealth first-round California high school pick in 2020, signed for less than physical specimen Jordan Walker (chosen four picks later). Luck has to be involved for the Rangers taking Evan Carter -- now batting third in the ALCS -- from a New Jersey high school 33 picks after Yorke, and inking him for less than half of what Yorke and Walker got... right?

You can cite quantitative data all day on pitching and hitting in the NL West ballparks compared to in the AL East ballparks. But there are qualitative differences, which may be hard to accept unless you've played competitively in each or talked to guys who have. I am sure many posters here have researched a guy like Trevor Story, and his stats playing in Colorado. There might even be forum members who would agree that a young Rockies' pitcher with mediocre numbers may be more successful if he joined the Red Sox -- even facing the mighty AL BEasts. The Rox pitching staff would be worth a look by a new GM seeking to recruit some hidden potential (if you can pitch there, and stay in the Show, you made it). A lot of media attributed Baltimore's surge this year specifically to moving back the leftfield fence in Camden Yards. Pitchers were more aggressive -- on the mound, and agreeing to join the O's.

In the postgame, Pedro Martinez said some closers struggle in non-save situations (what a poor excuse-maker). Even if a closer can't close a tie game. Papelbon was similar, and even admitted it in the booth this summer.

How's this for security: come to Boston to work for four years in a major MLB market -- and we'll pay you for five years. Here's a million dollars. If you win, you'll be a legend -- or at least, have a career in baseball as a sought-after exec. If you lose, you'll still be a millionaire. Naaahh, I wanna pick my own manager!

... and very vulnerable when not pitching in a save situation.

It's a factor that is presumably turning some candidates off, and one that also favors those with collegial connections with Cora. For example, he played on teams with or for external candidates like Breslow or Ng. Anyone agreeing to interview already knows that working closely with AC will be high on the list of job duties.

That's not silly, if we also acknowledge that maybe -- just maybe -- the tepid Red Sox pin cushions make all those AL East MONSTERS just look better than they actually are.

New perspective: since we all acknowledge that organizations develop prospects into big leaguers... shouldn't the guy in charge at the time get more credit -- even if he didn't draft the kid?!? If Dombrowski gets credit for not trading Devers or Benintendi when they were prospects, then maybe Bloom should get more credit for the progress that advanced Bello, Duran and Casas. We can't blame Bloom and his people for not turning Springs and even Braiser into stud pitchers, without giving them credit for guys they kept that made it. In a few years, what if a new Baseball Chief -- let's call him Breslow -- converts Nazzan Zanetello into a lights-out lefty reliever? Will Bloom be redefined as the hero for drafting him? ... I know, extreme case... but the whole ideal of taking all those best-player-availables is that they won't all stay at shortstop their entire careers.

When it comes to Red Sox GMs, being decisive, going all in on free agents or trade targets, is perhaps a most important trait. Spending really isn't the issue, but who they spend it on. Duquette landed Manny, Pedro, Damon (among others) -- and no one thought they weren't worth the investment. Epstein spent like a drunken Dombro, hit or miss -- for every Schilling and Foulke, there were Camerons and Gagnes -- but when he didn't want to keep a Cabrera or Renteria or Lugo, he never stopped, adding an Alex Gonzalez or Stephen Drew... Todd Walker became Mark Bellhorn -- get back, Loretta... Kevin Millar was going to Japan, but Theo redirected his flight. Cherington collected a lot of good vets that coalesced together to win a title. But his later acquisitions were bad fits: Hanley in left, Rusney in the majors, Pablo anywhere in a Sox uni... As a GM, Bloom was maybe most similar to Ben (sans the ring). Both were tasked with huge salary dumps, and Chaim's big expenditures, like Story and Yoshida also look like awkward investments -- so far. But what separated Bloom from his predecessors and made him an ultimate failure was his inability to lock down better bets with market value contracts, or swing deals for others under control by parting with prospect capital. Some might blame ownership on his roster-building. Then again, isn't his roster-building the reason he was fired?

Protect any pitcher with promise. Let somebody else draft Paulino and not trade him at the deadine.

Billy never made contact with Reggie, because Yogi jumped in, and Bill White pulled them apart. But as the Twins skipper in '69, Martin decked 20-game winner Dave Boswell at a bar. Minnesota got swept by the Orioles in the LCS that year and the next, then never sniffed the postseason for another 17 seasons... before winning it all twice, while Red Sox fans punched each other.

The A's and Yanks featured fistfights among teammates all through the Seventies, and still won half the World Series. It didn't work as well when Manager Billy Martin punched out his own players.

Fredo declined an interview for family reasons.

It's hard to compare the two staffs with stats, since balls fly in AL West air found in places like Arizona and Colorado. But Boston has to pitch in the OMG AL EAST -- the greatest division in history that never won a single postseason game in 2023!

I got a million of 'em (well, not so much anymore). I know a PHD who got scammed out of some funds on her cellphone... even with her husband yelling in the background not to give out any account numbers over the phone. "It's ok," she said, "It's the bank..." The fraudsters had cloned the bank phone number that showed up on her caller ID.

Kennedy was sold on Bloom, after Sam saw the name of the author of the top two books on Yale's reading list, the Iliad and Odyssey. "This guy studies Homers!" he told John Henry. "Don't hire anyone who studies Whiffers..."

That's hilarious -- you know you just posted a challenge to a few bitter rivals here to spend the rest of the day yelling about Schwarber, Strahm and best of all, Noah Song!

One quick search named only three ex-players as recent GMs: Billy Beane, Kenny Williams, and sitcom legend Ruben Amaro Jr. Dal Maxvill might have been the last to win the World Series as both player and GM ('67 Cardinals/'70s A's; '85 Cardinals). John Schuerholz made the Hall of Fame as the architect of last century's Braves division dynasty... but never made the Show (Earl Weaver's autobiography noted his smarts when they were minor league teammates). Maybe smarts broke the mold. Billyball took Weaver's analytics approach and created an entire department of just guys. After Epstein broke the curse, and the mold, everyone wanted their own Ivy League Boy Wonder to do the same. Baseball is full of patterns.

Don't know. Just like the ex-CBO, when it came to understanding the vibe of his players and heeding their pleas for improvement -- a collection he insufficiently changed or left unchanged -- much to their chafrowns. Uniformed personnel said as much the last two trade deadlines (when you said Bloom quit on his club). Their W-L records after that were maybe not coincidence.

Correct: biophysics and biochemistry. More important are his experiences with chemistry as a player and pitcher on big league diamonds, and in dugouts, bullpens and clubhouses. That background cannot be undervalued, especially for a candidate replacing a CBO who had none.

Breslow, 43, is also from Connecticut. While never running a big league club, he has experience as a valued member of the Cubs' front office. Now let's stop the comparisons there with any other "up-and-coming" (or down-and-leaving) execs. Breslow played in the majors for a dozen years. He was a good enough pitcher to be recruited for new teams 10 times. He understands Boston, having played parts of five seasons there -- as a member of both last place clubs and World Series champs. Lately, Breslow has been busy totally rebuilding the Cubs' pitching and developmental infrastructure. He was hired by Theo Epstein.

Fubar was on the IL when we signed him. But just wait -- when he finally arrives, he'll be better than anyone we could get at the trade deadline (for a prospect who might never even make the majors). You'll see. When the Red Sox promotions dept called last winter to offer season tickets, I told them they'd have to throw in free beer, pretzels and parking -- because my bank account was on the IL. But I said if they just wait until I get my tax return, it'll be better than winning the lottery. Then I found out I owe back taxes.

Eggs Romero, w a side of Breslow. Levine toast.

Yabadaba-JUICED BALL! Final Four: Philly 19 HR in 8 games Dbacks 14 HR in 7 games Astros 13 HR in 6 games Rangers 9 HR in 7 games ... vs. ostensibly, some of the better pitching staffs in the majors