5GoldGlovesOF,75

The key might be whether the bird that lands on Paxton is an eagle or a pigeon.

That's ok for a small market team willing to wallow in the basement for another three to five years. Building a contender around an ace isn't new, though, and I'm only going to use my experience as a Red Sox fan for proof. It goes beyond just acquiring a piece to put them over the top, like Sale and/or Price. In 1997, the Sox' record was 78-84 -- the exact same W-L as this past season, except they finished two games out of last place. Then they traded for Pedro Martinez, and he immediately changed the entire culture in Boston. In 1983, the Sox' record was again 78-84 -- bad enough for 6th place (in a 7-team AL East), 20 games out of first. The next year was Roger Clemens' rookie year, and he soon changed the entire culture in Boston. From 1968-71, the Red Sox won around 86 games per year, but finished between 17 and 22 games back. They could hit, but never had a real ace pitcher. Then beginning in 1972, they had Luis Tiant atop the rotation, and they were contenders the rest of the decade. All these guys were true aces, innings eaters, bullpen savers, and studs to supplement with other #2s and #3s. There were always plenty of candidates to step into the latter roles, where less pressure existed...

I'm not even thinking about contending in 2023 -- even if they sign Correa, right now this club looks worse than 2020, when the Sox had better players still in their primes. But the only way to improve for the future is to start in the present. And that all begins with an ace at the top of the rotation. Sign Correa, and trade a package centered around Mayer for a Bieber or Alcantara. Let's be serious: the projected '23 Sox rotation is a disaster waiting to happen, even if Bello develops overnight into an All-Star. And that includes after they sign another #4 or #5 starter from the winter leftovers table. If Devers won't sign at any price, trade him to the Mets for Alvarez or Baty. The Mets are in go-for-it mode and may actually give up something decent, especially since they look willing to pay whatever it takes.

We've seen this offseason three times already in the Bloom Era. Moves are being made all over the big leagues, big time free agents are signing, and other desirable pieces are getting traded. Meanwhile, Bloom says he might make a significant trade or a significant signing... reports show the Red Sox are interested in several players... and we wait. When it comes to spending money, many defenders point to the owners holding him back. But what about trades? Does anyone think the owners have any say in which prospects aren't allowed to be dealt for a quality pitcher or catcher or outfielder who can field his position and freaking hit? When Bloom crosses a busy street in Boston, do co-workers gather at the front office windows, yelling and imploring him to make it before he gets flattened?

Henry's obit will say as Red Sox owner, he won four world championships. Bloom's will say as Red Sox CBO, he lost or traded Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers.

Atlanta is about to land Sean Murphy, like they really need him. The Braves are already great and have a young core of stars locked up. Meanwhile, the bad ship Red Sox stays the course, headed for the frozen ocean in Antartica, fully intent on being encased in ice in suspended animation. The plan is to thaw out in warmer times... unless the vessel cracks apart from the pressure of frost heaves and sinks forever.

Their Number One Priority is really to never tell the public their Number One Priority.

Devers' first full season was 2018, but his first as a total stud batter was 2019, the same year Chaim Bloom took over as CBO...

I'm looking forward to watching Yoshida because he profiles as my type of hitter -- someone who doesn't try to kill the ball on every swing, no matter the count. I'm just not super confident that Verdugo, a healthy Kike and more PT for Ref will greatly improve the outfield offense. It may be too much to wish for adding a good young outfielder from a team like Arizona in a deal, but I'd even settle for an upgrade like Pollock or Grichuk at this point.

Bloom on questions about keeping Devers: "We believe in building around homegrown talent. You want to do it in the right way..." Since he doesn't specifically use Raffy's name in this response, one could take it to mean other homegrown talent. Now, if you assume that also means younger, then maybe the right way means extend them while they're young... Devers, our very active geriatric, turned 26 in October.

Man, gotta give you credit for optimism. And I don't just mean for a guy like Yoshida who's never played a game in the majors. It's reasonable to expect/demand improvement from Verdugo, but that's a lot of hope for more career years from Kike and Ref, both in their 30s, to either bounce back from injury and revert to 2021 form or to show last year's sample size was the real deal. Outfield is the most likely area for an upgrade in a trade, if someone somehow will deal a young up-and-comer... and Bloom will swap an actual decent prospect.

This is the perception of the Red Sox right now -- they don't want any homegrown stars at market prices. It's a serious problem for the fans, and therefore a serious mistake by the owners who hired executives to deliver a business plan driven by this philosophy. Personally, I don't believe the job of the front office is to just fill the laundry with good bodies; it also needs to keep favorite familiar faces in the laundry. People that bring up the offers to Mookie forget that each time all were below the market price for top of the industry talent. When they offered him $200M, it was a year too late, and he almost signed; if they had offered $300M, he'd be a Red Sox for life. Two years later, they did offer him $300M, and again that was below his market value at the time. Yes, Betts' camp countered over $400M -- and we now know he settled for something in between. Mookie never said he loved Boston and wanted to finish his career there like Lester and Bogaerts. But none of us know him personally and if he kept that to himself to avoid serious lowball hometown discount offers. What he did say was he just wanted what was fair. If you can forget the numbers, he just meant his own market value. Devers should absolutely hold out for market value; we're just not sure what that has soared to this month, but Bogey's right: the Sox can afford him if they want to... And before anyone starts yelling about Pedroia, I go back before Fisk and Lynn, who both were worth investing in for their long, successful careers.

Rodon is the prize and the only one who will make a significant difference. An ace on top of the rotation is a logical place to start a legitimate rebuild. The other pitchers are past their primes, but would all fit in with a bad team's rotation of #4 and 5 starters. Although the more you collect, the better the odds of catching one lightning bug in a bottle.

You left out "big" in your opening quote. It's the whole point of the Bloom vs. Dombrowski debate. For Dave, "quality over quantity" is no mystery -- he just said you win with star players. For Chaim, "quality" means "value" -- which of course actually means "quantity" (spread out over a lot of short-term mediocrities). What there's no debate about is the Red Sox still need better players at many positions. But then we all know that just fielding a team of big leaguers is quite different than fielding a team of big league contenders. And like some here and many elsewhere keep saying, fans don't care how much they spend -- it's all about who they spend it on.

Some still insist that John Henry will start spending big soon -- just because he has in the past. What we're really talking about isn't total payroll (we're #5!) -- but what fans really care about: and that is who the money is being spent on. If you'd rather see Bloom sign 4-5 players rather than 8-9... can we assume that means star players? We all see Bloom Era patterns keep repeating... even though some like to point to Trevor Story as a "splash," we now know his contract for $140 million is exactly half of Bogaerts' $280M. Such "value" signings may well be the trend in Boston, but a year later Story isn't even getting Nimmo money. Longterm contracts are always a risk, but the character of personalities and how individuals project to maintain bodies and sustain stardom are underrated. Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts always appeared to be the type of people worth investing in, and two other clubs saw more value in that than the Red Sox. If Raffy Devers isn't that guy, then who is?

The problem Red Sox fans might have with this last statement is that it could be cut and pasted from a year ago. 2021 offseason: Bloom says we're still shy a right-handed bat for RF; New pitchers are kind of old and broken down -- we need to add a proven starting pitcher; A closer for the bullpen is coming before Opening Day... right?

I'm ready for Segura, and let's add Brantley, too, for DH/LF (wherever Yoshida doesn't play that day). I don't care if he's a lefty -- why not just focus on changing the culture of big whiffers with affordable bat-to-ball hitters. There just aren't many righty power bats available... and do we necessarily have to replace the 3-4 righty batters from a last place team? We have to assume the MLB will again use the mushballs -- except for its flagship franchise with kajillionaire figurehead in the Bronx. And anyway, a lefty-laden lineup might benefit in no-shift 2023.

Latest on Eovaldi is that other clubs are showing more reported interest than the Red Sox. The shock value is like walking on shag carpet in your socks and touching a doorknob. But I've figured out Bloom's mystery man with upside: Cole Hamels! He hasn't pitched in three or four years, but at 39 is younger than Verlander and Scherzer... and obviously well-rested. Imagine the perfect Bloom guy: a World Series hero from decades ago that will only cost minimum wage -- and we won't have to activate Blake Swihart out of retirement to acquire him.

MVP recently showed some stats on how average starting pitchers don't go much more than 5 IP anymore and that the Red Sox were average. Maybe it just seemed like Boston starters were causing bullpen burnout during the Bloom Era... though there is evidence that Barnes starts hot and is always toast in August. But it could be the Sox rostered relievers just aren't durable for sustained contention. Then again, maybe below average meatballers give hitters more BP to be better prepared for late innings. No one can argue that adding an innings eater to the rotation won't help preserve the bullpen, as well. The Sox need another starter with moreside.

Well, Bloom was a loser by a landslide in two of the past three campaigns... but at least he's not a standings denier.

He's already offered #5 starters $13M AAV (which they accepted from other clubs instead)... but isn't allowed to give a Japanese ace $15M? Must be saving the budget for a longterm Rodon contract. Yea, sure. Maybe Old Red is on to something about the Sox confusing their international recruits?

This rotation has plenty of potential -- the potential to lose Eovaldi, Wacha and Hill -- who were all pretty good when not about to go on or come off the IL. That's three starters from a rotation good enough to finish in last place. Something to consider when counting on comebacking rehabbing veterans: the new pitch clock, which they've never dealt with in their careers. Also, another new rule factor for an effective overall pitcher will be the ability to hold runners on base, without throwing over unless he has a killer pick-off move. Prediction: younger pitchers with pitch clock experience will be early staff leaders, at least... so Bello and Whitlock > Sale and Paxton (and that's not even counting health).

If I got confused by Song, books and movies connected to the military, maybe Dombrowski did, too. Dave and I certainly both remember how good Song looked in an amateur tournament back when he was Red Sox property all these years ago now... ... but is it possible that Dombro, replaced in Beantown by younger analytics people (some of whom he ignored or refused to work with), has actually found some loophole that allows Song to become a Phillies pitcher that Bloom and his nerds missed? It's at least ironic.

I think your last line has always been part of the plan -- but like I've been saying all day, I think the rest of any plan has been obliterated by public outrage the past few days. If the Red Sox are not in Defcon 1, they should be.

The C-22 movie revolved around the Big Guy's planned and celebrated bye-bye -- and I think the big pivot initiated when the boys recruited a distaff member of the staff to exploit his life of the party... or was that MASH (I'm stuck on the shower scene).