5GoldGlovesOF,75

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.

I've been one of the most vocal about pursuing high end starting pitching -- guys in their primes -- even for a last place team. Windows and taxes mean nothing if a club can't climb out of the cellar. Rebuilds have to begin on the mound, and stability starts at the top of the rotation. Bloom allowed three starters to walk -- obviously, they weren't great, because the '22 season sucked. But the three old vets they're counting on to replace them have done nothing to gain the trust of even optimistic Red Sox fans. They can demean Eovaldi's health history, but can't deny he was an All-Star just two years ago with Cy Young votes. The last time Kluber earned any such status was 2018. The only hope for the future is that youngsters emerge and push out the brittle placeholders. Some might get their chance earlier than expected, when the rehabbers inevitably break down. Just like last year.

Dombrowski acquired a lot of name pitchers -- players who were known commodities and not discarded comebacks (except Fister, who was ok, since he beat Boston in the '13 LCS). Takes at the time: Liked the Kimbrel trade, because a closer was needed, and an elite closer was available in his prime; Disliked the Price signing, because he wasn't Scherzer, and Price was already a sore loser when Papi took him deep; Hated the Pomeranz trade -- for a number one pitching prospect? The Red Sox never have a true number one pitching prospect, even when one is rated one (Owen); Loved the Sale trade, especially for keeping Benintendi over Moncada, who already owned a fleet of luxury cars at age 21 Liked Eovaldi for Beeks -- a starter who threw a hundred for a prospect (loved it after he kept beating the Yankees when it counted) Liked Cashner, because that rotation needed reinforcements... then he morphed into a Mendoza/Gagne conglomeration from the Epstein era...

I was responding to notin regarding Cashner in 2019. When Boston got him, he was 9-3, 3.83 as a starter for a team that would lose 108 games.

Honestly, I expect one to not even make it out of Florida, and spend the summer at some rookie camp rehabbing; another will make four sporadic starts, break down by Memorial Day and be shut down by June. The third will rotate on and off the IL as the Sox try to keep him eligible to flip at the deadline. Over-under: 20.

I thought it was great when Dombro targeted and acquired the best starter available well before the deadline. And then Cashner went from stud Oriole to Oreo cookie. WTF. His ERA in Fenway in 2019 was over 8 runs per 9 innings. Cashner, who was 9-3 with a 3.83 in Baltimore, won one start for the Red Sox and never pitched in the majors again. As a fan I was happy Dombrowski was so decisive. And then I was horrified that his acquisition was so bad...

Counting on Sale and Paxton? I'm not even counting much on Kluber, who obviously has seen better days. This prediction is based entirely on arms under 30: the only way this rotation gets the Red Sox into contention is if Whitlock is as dominant as a starter as he was as a reliever in '21, and Bello becomes the first homegrown All-Star since Lester. And that includes another injury-free season of innings by Pivetta, who'll be 30 in February. Whitlock-Bella-Pivetta: that's the Big Three to give fans hope... though maybe their career years are a few seasons away. Mix in a fill-in month by Houck, a spot start stint by Crawford, and a September infusion of Mata taking regular turns... Of course, rotation success has to be contingent upon strength up the middle, with a D whiz shortstop meshing with Story at second and Kike in center... and maybe led by an offensive star like Brian Reynolds, recruited in July for some prospects who've made surprise progress in '23.

Or Rafaela. Or Romero. Or Paulino. Or Ravelo.

His office apparently thinks Yoshida, Story and Whitlock will be part of that core going forward. But can't you just see Bloom salivating on how many other core members he could sign -- combined -- for less than what Devers will get next year? When the Red Sox become ensconced in last place in '23, don't be surprised if more prospects are promoted to the upper levels and even Boston (especially after making room on the 40, around the trade deadline). Bloom and his men will want to see who looks like candidates to lock up longterm at reasonable rates... plus, Fenway will need a jolt of hope for the future -- if Bloom and his brethren want to have a future there.

Bet you weren't ready for that