5GoldGlovesOF,75

I'm not trading Casas, but if Boston does, it better be for Alcantara and not a #2 or #3. I'd rather trade Mayer for Alcantara. At least the Sox have other top prospects that play SS.

My son is at Fenway Park today. Jason Varitek just stopped the first puck pitch shot by Bobby Orr. True story.

Right -- remember the furor when Epstein accidentally said "bridge year"? But there's your answer for whether Bloom will see this plan through and let Bloom do his thing. Instead of hiring a new GM and paying really good players, it's cheaper to just embellish...

I probably say this once a year now, but it still irks me that in Bloom's first winter, after he traded Betts, he was allowed to say the Red Sox wouldn't be as good; what recently-hired CEO in any industry gets to publicly announce his company will now be worse? That quote had to have been approved of, in advance, by Henry... maybe even agreed upon during Bloom's job interview. If not, either way, no one in the front office has been honest with the public ever since. (but everyone can argue they really want to win the World Series -- we all want to win, after all)

You know it's not about a fire sale, but all about one guy -- the sole survivor of past glory, the wunderkind about to enter his prime. I'm sure a lot of fans would like to see Raffy crush 20 last homers in his Red Sox career through April-May-June-July, but we also know Boston is fully capable of finishing in last place with or without him. What I'm not on board with, though, is another toxic repeat of Bloom and Kennedy lying about priorities and competing, and the press pressing Devers daily about his future, and Red Sox Nation agonizing about Raffy, and maybe the worst part -- the specter of Rich Man Walking hovering over a clubhouse of teammates who may still want to win, but definitely want a chance to succeed and strike it rich, themselves (and "don't ask me, ask him"). Plus, who's to say that the Sox won't be just as competitive -- and fun to watch -- with a rookie like Baty at third, instead, proving himself worthy of a pre-arb lockdown contract?

If you're asking if I'd rather trade Devers before the season than at the deadline, my answer is yes. Don't go the prom with me, just so you can dress up and look good for all the scholar-athletes. If we're breaking up, let's get it over with now, so we can all get a fresh start.

Just as long as when you trade him, the return is more than just two bush leaguers...

Remember when fans and media predicted this offseason would define Bloom's tenure in Boston? With all that money freed up to make the Red Sox way better, he signed a handful of back-end relievers, a #4 starter, and a Japanese star yet to play a game in the majors. He also lost his three-four batters, one of whom was an All-Star shortstop. Now it all comes down to Devers. How Raffy is resolved may really define Chaim Bloom's legacy. Whether or not to meet Devers' price and extend him will ultimately be up to ownership. But any trade return is all on Bloom. Please don't bore us with the limited exchanges for "only one year" of Devers. Bloom has been here since 2019; what could he have received for two years or three years of Raffy? No more excuses about misreading the market. If ownership can't hire executives who can read the market, then they should just sell the franchise to new owners who can.

Red Sox fan who watched every inning of the '04 postseason probably remembers that Cabrera was nails when it counted: 14 total games, 0 errors (and second only to Big Papi in BA, OBP and hits vs. the Yankees).

Canseco might have been one of the best teammates ever -- as far as helping guys secure contracts that set them and their families up for life. He had the contacts and chemistry sets with the magic potions that puffed up ballplayers like the Michelin Man, which helped them break records and make millions. When you get the time, check out all the teammates he had who won statistical titles, awards and enshrinement (you may be surprised at some of the hallowed names). Jose was also a genius. He loved home runs so much that only he could devise a way to use his noggin to boost a fly ball over the fence -- and score a goal with a classic soccer header at the same time.

Let's put it this way: remember all those months in '04 when Nomar -- smiling and whooping -- greeted teammates at the plate, high-fiving, high-tenning, backwards knuckling, fake waving, two-stepping, moon-walking, face-whomping, robot-rapping... daily? Me neither.

True, but a big part of that was because Orlando Cabrera was just a better combination on the diamond and in the dugout (I won't say on airplanes or hotels...). In the field he was consistent and dependable, and contributed to batting order rallies, and handshake celebrations. Point being: you still have to get something good back in a trade to have the best chance at winning. As for the new no-shift rules -- and this applies to Devers -- defense is now less of a premium for third basemen, who no longer will have to also man shortstop and the whole left side when lefty pull hitters are up. The hot corner can now revert back to a step and a dive...

How could Steinbrenner trade Jay Buhner for Rachel Phelps!

Bello and Whitlock need to be more than just light fixtures. They need to be klieg lights and strobe lights...

In blindsight, we now know Bloom was never going to extend anyone long and large in his first months on the job. The very concept of Bloom was and still is to cut spending, add quantity over quality, apply some cheap Halloween make-up and call it a costume.

Ok, Red Sox, it's next year and you're on the clock. Opening Day is March 30. 89 days to decide about Devers...

Three years ago, this same Yankee poster said Betts was too short to deserve a longterm contract. Now he's declaring Mookie a first ballot Hall of Famer. Marcus must have grown.

With Raffy, it's more than just WAR... a team would be investing in Warcraft and Warpaths in his role as Warlock. There are few hitters with the potential to absolutely wreck an opponent like when Devers gets hot. And he has already done it when it has counted the most: in Yankee Stadium, in playoff games, in the final weekend of the season with a wild card at stake... pinch-hitting in the 9th inning of a tied World Series game. Maybe he won't get better as a third baseman. But imagine how good he'll be at the plate if he matures and becomes just slightly more disciplined...

I'm just focused on starting pitching right now. Signing big expensive arms for contenders can pay off, though... at least recently -- Wheeler, Verlander, Gausman, Scherzer wherever he goes... GMs just have to either be smarter or more lucky in picking the right ones. But you're right, the Sox always have a better history in trading for #1s or #2s. I loved the Boddicker trade in '88, which helped Boston win two divisions... in 2 1/2 years, he earned 11.4 WAR -- and all for rookie outfielder Brady Anderson (who I liked better than Ellis Burks at the time) and a prospect named Schilling. Moon would say this is the main reason you need a deep farm in the first place. BTW, I love Castillo, but Seattle traded its #1, 3 and 5 prospects (and another arm) for him... that's the equivalent of Bloom swapping Mayer, Rafaela and Bleis -- for one guy. Unfathomable. As for developing a staff of homegrowns, this is where patience with call-ups is most important. Pitchers are always working on learning new pitches, and coaches and/or legends like Pedro need time to teach them. It's much more common for a pitcher to change than for a guy like JD Martinez or Justin Turner to totally overhaul their swing, and strike gold.

Not sure I follow -- what way of a rebuild is most expensive? Signing the best free agents? Or is that approach only good to put contenders over the top? For example, the 2009 Yankees -- the last Bronx tails to win a banner -- when they bought CC, AJ and Tex... My point is that I don't care how they do it, the Red Sox better spend some resources on quality starting pitchers soon or they'll never get out of the cellar. Remember, the '04 Cursebreakers didn't give up much in past trades for Lowe, Martinez and Schilling -- though the latter two were certainly salary "dumps" of impending free agents that their clubs were ok taking 50 cents on the dollar (returns which in reality were more like 20 cents).

Unless he's known damaged goods across the industry, someone's gotta give Wacha three years... right? Younger than Tyler Anderson, better than Eflin, same age as Heaney, who's never done anything... Even if he's hurting, Wacha still might get twice the year as Kluber.

The curb is where I'm most perturbed... especially being thrown there by a franchise I've been loyal to my entire old life. I'll never accept the mantra that some fans buy into that their team can't invest in good players yet because the team isn't good enough yet. The whole point of one-year contracts is to fill in the roster just to get through another year. I'd rather Bloom just promote an entire rotation of his best Triple A and Double A pitchers -- (except Thad Ward, who just made MLB.com's list as the top prospect to watch for Washington in '23).

And he should, and not just because Wacha was better than Kluber last year. It's because Wacha is six years younger... ... I'm just cranky this AM, about the chances of a team intentionally stalling its progress (unless all of that is letting the farmhands develop).

And the greatest team in the history of last year's first half was below .500 in the second half.

Dreaming? Why, would you rather spend market rates on Rodon -- he's so injury-prone... oh, and he's really good now.