5GoldGlovesOF,75

It makes sense to land at least one of two starting pitchers who have already proven they can thrive in Boston. Let's see how/if Nate rebounds this month; if not, doesn't someone (foolishly?) pay Wacha more this winter?

Devers 30, Story 25, Bogey 25 (or Swanson 25). Either way, the latter might happen... unless they really think Mayer is a year or two away, then maybe Iglesias returns at 10 for two (and to mentor the kid, and join the coaching staff). The way Bloom and Kennedy are already talking about spending this offseason -- responding to media pressure, which will only increase -- doesn't it seem like some legit splash names, plural, are inevitable? And I definitely include Devers as one of those. I just don't see another half-dozen versatile, utility types or rehabbing pitchers coming this winter... or Bloom trading really good prospects for MLB regulars. It makes sense if they're going to be over the tax threshold to just spend money. Early prediction (subject to change, depending on cost fluctuations due to stretch run/postseason performances): one big name starting pitcher, and one "professional" hitter/outfielder... ... although many of us here know there's a need for both Bassitt and Manaea for a little more than just one Rodon, and both Brantley and Haniger in the line-up.

Ok (the following is based on both small sample and too large sample sizw): we should hire that bullpen cop who raised his hands when Papi hit the grand slam to ticket Franchy anytime he tries to get near first base with a glove ever again. For the next month, at least, it is now a law that only Triston Casas is allowed to catch anything, including tasty pregame rays, on the right side corner...

Fair point. When guys like us spend time making trade proposals, we realize we're not experts and have barely any inside knowledge of factors behind deals that happen or don't. But when a guy like Tommy Pham says publicly he shoulda been here in the Spring -- I'm not saying the front office owes us an explanation, but at least we can hope a beat reporter or agent or someone can reveal some info...

Just remembering from my own subjective reality: there were as many posts here beginning last offseason, speculating/wishing/hoping/agreeing/disagreeing/discussing about moves that Bloom did not make -- players he did not acquire, positions he did not fill... than posts complaining about guys he actually added. You can't just defend him by listing the players he signed. Not when anyone who knows how to read a schedule in June knew who the Red Sox were facing in July, and the deficiencies on the roster.

I don't know if Casas can fit in with the '22 Red Sox. His first hit was an 0-2 pitch breaking outside he hit hit the other way... isn't he supposed to pull his head trying to pull that?

For his first month in the Show, we should just be lucky to finally see a first baseman who combines capable fielding with an actual knowledge of the strike zone.

Agree, but a below-average rotation of fill-ins is then directly related to the overwork, and subsequent ineffectiveness, of the bullpen. So one way to look at the offseason is that Bloom may invest heavily on more durable starters or a better, deeper cast of relievers. An either/or could be preferable to acquiring, say, one new starter and one new reliever...

Sargent Schrieber -- Peace, Sahge!

Sam Kennedy just confided to nobody. It wasn't a vote of confidence, just something he can't repeat, in confidence.

Trading Triston Casas unchecks all the boxes for a position the Red Sox shouldn't have to worry about for years. At 22, Casas is the top-rated first base prospect in all of baseball (26th overall). He is everything the Red Sox lack at that position: a good offensive player who chokes up and goes opposite field when down in the count, and was also just named the best defensive first sacker in the International League. For a parent club suddenly severely lacking in the longall, Casas' power potential only adds to his allure. He is 6'4, 250+ pounds and batted third for Manager Mike Scoscia's Team USA as a 21-year-old a year ago. Finally, when Casas makes the big leagues, he will be making minimum wage... until he enjoys some success, at which point Boston will sign him to a longterm contract that will make him rich -- but not break the budget -- and most importantly, lock up his prime years as part of the core of a sustained contender.

It's not even a bullpencil... how 'bout bullcrayon.

Unless you're the Dodgers, who in the past year: inked Bauer when he was Cy Young, right before he became a banned deviant; traded top prospects for Scherzer, who then signed with the Mets; lost their best pitcher and WAR leader from '21, Buehler, to injury for the season... and yet, they're still 50 games over .500!

How does a big market team contend for World Series rings over a sustained period of years? Ideally, it combines developing prospects into big leaguers and acquiring additional talent via free agency and trades. It's almost impossible to just buy up all the top big name free agents every winter. And as history has shown, at least half those guys never turn out to be worth the money anyway. It's also bad business not to pay market price to retain homegrown stars as they approach free agency. Replacing All-Stars in the line-up is hard enough, but some favorites are just irreplaceable with the fanbase. The industry trend these days is to lock up young stars through their primes with longterm contracts that make them rich for life, but won't totally obliterate a club's yearly budget in the process. Unfortunately for Chaim Bloom, most of his top prospects haven't even made the majors yet. We don't even know if they'll be MLB stars. In the meantime, he really has no choice but to trade some and also spend big on established players to put a competitive and entertaining product on the field. The fun really starts in about a month...

No idea re. the latter; all speculation, as usual. First priority is always pitching, but most starters in their primes who were too expensive, like Ray or Gausman. I would've settled for Matz or Gray, and both turned up injured and basically busts. Relievers were also too costly here, so we weren't seeing Iglesias for $48M or Graveman for $24M or even Kelly for $17M. Houston paid Hector Neris -- 2 for 17 -- the going rate for a decent set-up man? They have the best record in the AL... Some of us would've taken David Robertson for $3.5 any day over Diekman, though.

Horrible as an adjective is a personal choice, but there are probably posters who would list many Red Sox pitchers ahead of Porcello for that category.

I would've re-signed Schwarber over Story, mainly because Schwarbs was a known commodity proven successful in Boston, which isn't always a guarantee -- as Big Papi tells us. Story is a better all-around player and might still have a good career in Boston, but we know the Sox already won with Schwarber. In retrospect, the latter's HR bat would've made more of a diff in this year's power outage, while Arroyo was more than competent at second (with promising middle infielders in the pipeline). I also wanted Rodon, especially at market value for one year... even Thor; if we're staying over the tax threshold, might as well put some quality out there, as least for the spectators... As for the mystery behind the Story signing -- if it indeed was insurance in case Bogey leaves, the cost left too many roster holes unfilled this season... and that's not only inexcusable, but unfeasible. I'll still be surprised if Story moves back to short, even if X is history...

Couldn't access; what are Ken's big takes?

A lot of posters saw this preseason and either anticipated or wished for at least one more starting pitcher, preferably someone younger and ideally more durable. Some of them seem to have forgotten this, and instead try to keep defending the Story signing -- which only fortified another position filled by an injury-prone player. In foresight, hindsight and eyesight, which position would be better prioritized for committing $140 million: pitching or second base?

And yet, a massive power outage was one of the many factors that killed the 2022 Red Sox, who most of us consider a big bunch of whiffers. With a month to go, the Sox have actually struck out less than the Braves, Rays and Orioles, and are just a bad Dalbec night ahead of the Yankees and Mariners. The thing is, a 40-home run slugger is going to cost $20 million per -- minimum. And it's been that way in Boston since at least 2018, when Dombrowski recruited JD Martinez. He also hit .330 and finished runner-up to Mookie for the batting title that first year, but a lot was made of his influence on teammates as a professional batsman. We heard and read similar praise for Schwarber and his contributions to the Sox, and how he fit right in and augmented the clubhouse. Guys like that are worth paying for because of their positive effects on team chemistry. Unfortunately for front office types, there may not be a stat for it that factors into WAR calculations...

... especially in this age of ghost runners. It's almost like the industry won't tolerate bunting -- because why? Analytics has data that says it's bad to give away outs? Or do all the agents and players outright refuse, because there's no money in not swinging for the fences? It just has to kill certain old school managers, who absolutely know how to move runners from scoring position to the plate without launch angles -- and that keeping their jobs is based (ideally) on wins and losses.

Schwarber. And before some semantic posters jump down my screen because he didn't hit 30 HRs or lead the league for us, we all know how much more potent the Sox' heart of the order was when Kyle joined it. All reports from the clubhouse noted Schwarber was a difference-maker, providing more thump in the batter's box, lengthening the line-up, and influencing teammates in both his approach to wearing down pitchers, and the subsequent meatballs that they got to feast on. He wasn't re-signed nor replaced, and the club isn't as good without him.

The two veteran starters added last winter were definitely better than the two you listed that left. But some of the other match-ups are a stretch, since guys like Marwin, Andreise and Santana didn't even last the season last season. You've made other posts that Story effectively replaced Renfroe, right? Plus, you left out Diekman, and that Robles replaced Robles, and the fact that Bloom didn't replace a league-leading home run hitter he didn't even try to resign. Most of the additions you listed have been ok, except for 10-1 Wacha, this year's unexpected star. But with all the money coming off the books, the Sox are primed to add legitimate All-Star players and not just another handful of mediocre acquisitions (and that counts Story, a decent contributor, albeit with a 30% K-rate).

Traded by Tampa for a 40-year-old DH... and yet, the Red Sox couldn't get anything for a 34-year-old DH (or wouldn't take just anything).

If the concept of a pen is keep things in, then the Red Sox need to open all the gates, turn off the electric fence, cut all the barbed wire, and hit the hay.