5GoldGlovesOF,75

The Red Sox aren't worried about starting anyone's clocks -- not if the new strategy is to only spend medium on signing good homegrown players to longterm buyouts that pre-empt free agency. Fans certainly could care less about four to six years from now, since some of us might not be here. But if the Sox suck, and because of that refuse to promote good young guys from the minors in their development as future stars -- and as a preview of hope for the fans -- then Henry needs to hire that guy from Bar Rescue to run the club. It's a business, but first and foremost, it's an entertainment business. If the front office isn't going to treat it like that, then they better start a new app. that will alert Red Sox Nation when the team is good again, so we'll know when to start watching again.

Sometime during the season, the odds are that any and all the rehabbing pitchers coming off injuries and surgeries may have to scale back. Sometime during the season -- which about 99% of fans right now expect to be a lost season -- the team will need more pitchers. When that happens, who would a fan still watching a last place team want to see: an up-and-coming young arm with upside or Jeurys Familia?

The opposite outlook may be more appealing for fans not looking forward to spending another summer in suckitude. Why not just form a rotation of not-ready-for-primetimers -- go with Bello and Crawford, and bring up Mata and Walter... that way, there's no pressure on Whitlock and Houck's surgery comebacks (and we can stop pretending about Sale and Paxton). Fans may even watch, because it represents hope for the future. At least it's preferable to rooting for the Yarboroughs or Kluber twilights...

He couldn't even defend himself when he was whacked at a clam house at age 43.

Haven't you been reading this forum? The Red Sox aren't good enough yet to pay good money for good pitchers!

This is why the Mets are the most likely trade partner for Devers, because they might not mind giving up a prospect of actual value(Chaim) -- since why care about the future, when they can just buy more good players?

If Henry won't open the safe I still don't feel sorry for Bloom. He signed on during this time period, agreed to the inevitable consequences and is steward of this mess. Bloom's latest comments on the shortstop situation provoke more angst... not just about his ability to BS, but on face value, to assess talent. He dismisses the concerns about Story's arm strength to play short by extolling Trevor's elite range -- really? Is Story so fast that he'll run the ball over to first?

By now, we all expect that. Remember the last three offseasons, when we wasted all that time speculating on which free agents could be added to make the Red Sox better? And then we watched haplessly as each prize signed somewhere else... Same with trades, when players we know would help the Sox fill areas of need become available. I'd argue the best trade Bloom has made in Boston was getting Schwarber for a minor league pitcher... and maybe his worst non-action was not even trying to resign him. But that unexpected deal happened because other clubs stayed away from Kyle since he was injured at the time. Which prospect will Bloom be willing to part with to trade for anybody substantial at this point? Considering he just gave away Thad Ward in the Rule 5 draft, maybe it will be someone better than Aldo Ramirez...

Then here's the really scary part: if the Red Sox were sincere, someone in charge actually thought it was a good idea to offer Boras a one-year extension last spring that, when combined with the three years remaining on Xander's previous contract, equated to less AAV than what they just gave to newcomer Trevor Story. If the Red Sox were sincere about keeping Bogaerts, that stunt was abjectly incompetent. Don't you wish they were just lying and intentionally trying to piss off his camp to make it easier for him to agree to a midseason trade (which they also blew)?

Doesn't it seem like it should be no professional OFer in the Sox' system is worse? Unless, it's a guy who can run faster or hit the ball further or jump out of the Polar Grounds in a single bound... or triple bound.

Imagine that household on Christmas morning. Watch out, kids -- make sure you wear your rubber boots so you won't step in it. Thanks, Mom. Hi, Dad. Happy Right Decisions, everybody!

Good point. A lot fans in New England are currently incredulous they "let" Bogaerts leave, while most of us here knew it was happening since -- some will say when they signed Story; I said it the day last spring they offered Boras a one year extension. We all know Xander would have signed for a lot less than $280M last summer if the Sox stepped up. My frustration has been since Bloom started shopping Mookie. Now I have absolutely no hope whatsoever he'll sign Devers or Correa or Rodon or even Eovaldi.

Most of us are diehard Red Sox fans who care way more about the Red Sox than the players waiting in the various dumpsters, bargain bins and flea markets who have yet to don a Boston uniform (nothing personal with them -- they just a want to get paid to play baseball). As for the front office, wouldn't it be remiss if it didn't pay attention to the different vibes of Red Sox Nation -- at least for PR damage control? Of course you know we vent because this is a milieu where blokes of our ilk gather because of the addictions we share. I complain all the time about the Bloom Era because of what it has represented from the beginning for fans young and old. But lately, there have been more and more posters who are outraged, bitter, disconsolate and depressed.

If you were a Red Sox intern typing this, what do you think would be the percentage of Red Sox fans replying that could care less about the budget -- only on exactly who it was being spent on?

WHAT? It's not the weekend! Sa-tur-day... in the Park... I think it was the... Good-bye, Ruby Tuesday... Tuesday's gone, with the wind...

All you impatient posters -- just because other big market teams are signing stars, and mid-markets are signing consolation prizes and making trades. Only a few have convinced themselves they have it figured it out: why spend money or prospects on a really good player when we're still going to suck? We all just need to bide our time, but still get to watch or attend big league games, because whomever the front office allows to wear Red Sox uniforms is literally in the majors. Trust Chaim Bloom, who repeatedly tells us in interviews he will never rule anything out when it comes to his roster. It only looks like he won't pay market rates to homegrown fan favorites in their primes. After all, he paid Matt Barnes.

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.