5GoldGlovesOF,75

Because of talent or contract obligations? Hmmm... maybe someday they'll battle each other in Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game (the celebrity softball game in Hollywood).

Garcia was the Red Sox 2025 Minor League Offensive Player of the Year. What did he do to offend Breslow? Or do clubs give awards to prospects to hype their tradebait resumes?

Thumbs down? No wonder you're struggling with jogging.

Pitching carried the Sox to the '25 playoffs, but that included a career year by Chapman and a solid comeback by Giolito, before he broke down and couldn't start in the Bronx. The latter is probably gone, replaced by Gray, while we pray we'll again be happy with Chappy. But let's get right down to it: the line-up the Red Sox ran out there in the '25 playoffs was easily the most impotent batting order Boston has ever featured in any postseason of my 60 years as a fan. Even if Anthony develops into an All-Star, the offense needs major upgrades for it to be a true contender. And unless Breslow is going to swing trades all week for legit bats that offer both contact and power at 1B, 2B and 3B, not to mention DH, then Henry is going to have to OK spending a billion bucks on free agents. Which one of those is more likely? So what's the sense of giving up the two best pitching prospects this club has produced since Papelbon and Lester?

Lay off the Bong.

My son was upset the Sox traded the prospect who hit more homers the past two years than Roman Anthony. But I told him the team with the third-highest revenue that is all about winning championships doesn't need Password's HRs, because they're going to sign Alonso or Schwarber AND Bregman or Bichette. And then he got really mad at me.

Can we all agree IF the Red Sox trade Tolle or Early next week (or this winter) in a package for a presumed upgrade in the starting rotation, that means they are going for it in 2026? If that happens -- and we welcome Ryan, Ragans or someone comparable to the squad -- then the Sox absolutely positively HAVE to sign either Bregman or Bichette to hit behind Anthony, AND Alonso or Schwarber to hit home runs and drive them all in. Not one big bat, but two: 1. Bregman or Bichette; 2. Alonso or Schwarber. If they don't get two of those four, then the line-up won't contend with the big dogs in the postseason -- so don't bother losing Tolle or Early. Brez can still deal Duran or Abreu for the best possible return, but that swap will be done with an eye on 2027... Meanwhile, please don't tell me THE THIRD-BEST GENERATOR OF REVENUE in Major League Baseball can't afford to SIGN TWO TOP FREE AGENTS IN THE SAME DAMN WINTER (it insults my artificial ignorance... now, was it Barzini or Tattaglia?)

Must be a typo. My screen says the Brewers would give two relievers for three years of Duran in his prime... but nowhere in the proposal could I find where they include one year of Peralta.

I actually agree that Donovan's glove and all-around game and age may be a better fit than Marte for what this Red Sox team really needs to improve now and longterm... ... and to get Bloom to part with Donovan, we'd have to take the contract of Contreras, who would fill the big righty power bat in the heart of the order. Now, what other pitching prospects can we package together for St. Louie?

That was actually a really polite reply with elaboration instead of just saying, "Salary dump." I'm impressed with you this holiday season as a non-Grinch poster. Keep that chin up next week when a Breslow and Bailey Circus flop-sided trade makes no sense or cents on BTV.

4. Surname: Lowe.

Because any Franchy or Kyle from Waltham can play first base. Just ask Ron Washington (but not Raffy; next thing you know, someone will pull a pinky typing and ask him to play stenographer).

That's who Brez will counter with, and then AZ, Minny, KC and Milwaukee will say, "hang on, I got another call..."

No more ?????? We need !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So stop \\\\\\ and ///// & spend some $$$$$$$$

D-backs reportedly want young pitching for Marte -- of course they do. So it doesn't really matter which outfielder the Red Sox trade for Marte, because the cost will ultimately also include Tolle or Early... ... just like it will to pry aces like Ryan or Ragans from their teams. Breslow loaded up drafting college pitchers last summer, but rebuilding clubs who are willing to deal top of the rotation starters want MLB-ready arms in return. Tolle and Early will be the first two guys rival GMs ask for in any trade talks initiated by the Red Sox at the Winter Meetings. Guaranteed. If Brez doesn't land a big name, it's because Boston decided to hang onto the two young lefties who may both take regular turns in the rotation by mid-season... for minimum wage.

If it's Early, he won't be tarde.

Lowe's On Base % the past four years is .314; that might also be the OBP of opposing batters hitting grounders to the right side when he's playing second base. He has a career -1.5 dWAR over eight seasons.

Especially after this just happened:

5.5

Duran was the Sox' top position player the past two years in WAR. Granted, those teams weren't world-beaters... Personally, I'm not a Duran guy and wouldn't flinch if he gets traded... but only for commensurate value. I like Ragans, but I'm not throwing in a package of talent for him when guys like Ryan are out there with fewer question marks.

Ragans pitched 61 innings? ... or divided by 9 = not even 7 games. Duran only played in One Hundred Fifty-Seven games.

Juan Pena, age 22 in 1999: 2-0, 0.69 ERA, 15 K, 3 BB... made two starts, threw 13 nasty innings and gave up one run... ... then blew out his elbow and never pitched again in the majors. Sox sure could've used Pena in the '99 postseason, when the rotation was Pedro and wait til Pedro can pitch again.

What -- it's not enough to trade an All-Star for an All-Star, but the Royals also deserve a really good pitching prospect and a really good outfield prospect? Let's also remember that Ragans -- a pitcher who plays once a week instead of daily like Duran -- also comes with injury questions... unlike someone who's never hurt and would play every inning of every game if the manager let him.

I don't think Early or Tolle get traded this winter. They have potential to be good big league starting pitchers -- at minimum wage for awhile -- which is something the Boston Red Sox haven't had in ages. Perhaps the front office -- like some of us amateur assistant VPs of the keyboards -- doesn't consider 2026 as the year to go all in full throttle for World Series rings. I have no basis for my take except for strong coffee... This upcoming season likely contains a lot of wait and see: 1). will any among Early, Tolle, and comebacking Crawford, Dobbins, Sandoval etc. emerge as rotation standouts? 2). Will any among Rafaela, Abreu/Duran and comebacking Casas and Mayer improve to become potential All-Stars? 3). Finally, will Anthony continue to progress into a star and develop the consistent power this line-up craves more than anything? If the Sox get positives from all three and become serious contenders, then we might see serious Brez activity by summer's trade deadline...

If it's a choice between Okamoto or Murakami, I'm OK with Okamoto. A good bat and good glove -- with less Ks -- helps the Red Sox in more ways than just the big fly. I don't feel good about this, but I can't help comparing any potential hitter from Japan to Yoshida. It's more about their league compared to the long seasons of the majors, and not just a WBC tournament all over the planet in March (where Masa rocked last time out). In 11 pro seasons in Japan, Kazuma Okamoto had a .277 batting average, with a .361 OBP/.521 SLUG/.882 OPS. He struck out 796 times with 481 walks. In 7 pro seasons in Japan, Masataka Yoshida had a .327 batting average, with a .421 OBP/.539 SLUG/.960 OPS. He had only 300 Ks to 421 BBs. Masa hit over 20 homers four times, and in his last three seasons had twice as many walks as strikeouts. Kaz hit over 30 HRs five straight years, but not his last two... there must have been some injuries then (buyer beware?). Bottom line: Boston is hesitant to play Yoshida in the field; the Sox cannot miss on recruiting another guy longterm if they're not sure he can play defense at the big league level.