5GoldGlovesOF,75

Key starters on IL for playoff teams -- Philly: Wheeler, Chicago: Horton, Mil: Woodruff, NY: Cole, Boston: Giolito, Houck ('24 All-Star), Seattle: Woo, Toronto: Bassitt-Berrios-Frances? The Dodgers sign so many star pitchers, they always have someone hurt or coming back from time off. Now they've identified who they want to start -- Ohtani, Snell and Yamamoto -- and who they want as relievers -- Glasnow, Sheehan and Sasaki (the latter trio must be nice to have in bullpen games).

Rooting hard against Detroit -- 25 games over .500 on August 23 -- who for some mysterious reason on the last day of the season couldn't hit a career minor leaguer mysteriously called up to start, after an 0-9, 7 ERA at Worcester... (... except Javy Baez, who crushed a hanger because that's the only way he swings at every pitch).

Suarez, Polanco, Torres -- or Geno-Jorge-Gleyyyyybar -- starring in "The Three Stunads go to Negative dWAR"

Realistically, the Sox need all three of Bregman, Alonso and Schwarber, if they want to stack up against the elite batting orders of true contenders. They're not going to the playoffs because of their gloves, like the NL's top four teams in defensive efficiency did: Cubs, Padres, Red, Brewers. The other two NL favorites, LA and Philly, are so loaded they can compensate for other weaknesses. When one stud has a bad game or slumps, there are always other stars due up who can change the game with one swing. Having a deep line-up with several longball threats is vital in the postseason, so foes can't always pitch around danger. Boston lost Anthony, but the Blue Jays also played without their best hitter in Bichette -- and still blasted 9 home runs in 4 games vs. NY.

Ownership is also getting what it can out of a marginal coaching staff -- from third-base coaches who can't wave home baserunners to batting coaches who don't teach making contact. Cora is well-paid for a manager, but it's cheaper to let him deal with uniformed personnel that for the most part doesn't command top industry dollars. AC's best value is more to inspire mediocre rosters to the playoffs, like in '21 or '25, than to command powerhouse clubs like '18, where he can sit back and tape photos of winners on his office wall.

Yankees sleep with the fishes wearing red socks... ... and after all that -- the defending AL champion New York Judges won a total of 97 games, but only played exactly one more week than the Dread Sox, who finished with 90 Ws. But give NY credit for going for it at the trade deadline and acquiring closer David Bednar, who pitched in 5 of 7 postseason games, and only cost two extremely young prospects from Florida A ball. Bednar, who pitched 6 innings in the playoffs and struck out 9 batters with a WHIP of 0.66, is now a free agent...

Remember, Raffy (through the media) also told Breslow to do his job and fortify the pitching staff at the 2024 trade deadline. Breslow fired a guy who wasn't making $300 million for calling him a f***ing stiff; does anyone think he forgot what Raffy said in Brez' first summer as CBO?

Have you ever heard any other Red Sox CBO call baseball a zero-sum game, like Brez did at Monday's presser when he didn't come up for air for an hour? Some zeroes didn't even interview for the job, presumably because they couldn't BS fast enough to fool anyone... (or maybe they just didn't feel like shoveling it). "While scoring runs... this is kind of a zero-sum game, and it doesn't really matter how you score," said Brez, "but in the postseason, a lot of runs come via the home run because the pitching is so dominant." So then it does matter -- for a franchise that is all about winning CHAMPIONSHIPS (plural), Craig. Home runs are huge in the postseason -- when clubs face pitching at least good enough to win enough to qualify... and one longball off one mistake is more apt to happen than the three singles it may take to score a single run. Someone's one run may be easier than someone else's, depending on who's really built for October.

I started to laugh, then realized I can't watch Mobland because I can't understand the dialect.

Ya, I'm not into trading Duran for little return other than somebody agreeing to take Yoshida off our hands. He may be overrated as an outfielder and leadoff man (his .332 OBP was 67th, which means about 2+ batters on every team reached base at a higher rate). But an everyday player who gives you 40 doubles, 10 triples, 20 HRs and 30 Steals is so above average -- and probably something Abreu will never do. At age 29, there's no reason Duran can't match his counting stats from the past two years for at least another couple seasons (lookit what Ramon Laureano just did at age 30). Duran is so valuable he was listed as a candidate in the board's MVP poll, which excluded Trevor Story. So the only way I'm dealing him is if the return is an above-average starting pitcher; the #2 this club needs.

Me, neither. At least not at the prices still being discussed after his second half. Though I did covet Ryan in his first full season after the Rays gave him up for 40-year old DH Nelson Cruz. If only Yoshida was about 10 years older...

Even if, I can't see a guy with Duran's energy ever being satisfied sitting on the bench in any game just to get four at bats. And as long as he can still run, some team will play Duran in the outfield. Jarren is smack-dab in his prime and never misses a game -- he's got that ultimate availability, which is a big WAR factor. I know he's a fan favorite in Boston, but if the org decides he's not going to be one of the best three defenders in the pasture, he's gotta go.

The problem with waiting on Bregman is waiting on Bregman. Boras is in the business of dragging out his clients' free agency through months of foliage, snowstorms and even birds chirping. The Sox offseason cannot hinge on third base when they clearly have other areas of need. Breslow needs to target and go right after fortifications for the rotation and heart of the order, as soon as the best options are all available.

You just described Casas, but he needs to be surrounded by guys that are gonna goon it. Being surrounded by hackers flailing at sweepers in the dirt of the opposite batter's box gives pitchers no reason to ever challenge anyone with a fastball below the letters.

Sox were one game over .500 at 37-36 when Devers was traded. Then they played .584 ball the rest of the way at 52-37. While Raffy's power was missed, runs per game didn't really change: 4.84 to 4.87 (source: another Sox site). What did change were runs allowed: 4.53 before, 3.88 after. Pitching was the difference. The Sox were 17-7 in July and 17-11 in August (first dog days this decade they dogged opponents). In August, Giolito and Bello became elite: Gio 3-0, 2.39 in 6 starts; BB 3-1, 2.27 in 5 starts... crappy Crochet was just 2-1, 3.19 in 5 starts. Since Raffy was a DH, how -- you may ask -- did him getting traded lead to improved pitching? Obviously, they were all uptight knowing the I-Me-My Guy was batting for them... once he was gone, the whole rotation relaxed, appreciative of other roster buds taking their swings.

Nobody is giving up on Campbell's bat. But it is still mystifying that professional baseball evaluators in the Boston Red Sox system thought or still think he can play major league defense somewhere in the infield. Maybe KC becomes the new platoon corner outfielder if one of the LHH is traded this winter. Otherwise, unless Campbell suddenly cranks 30 home runs (he's never hit more than 20 in the minors), an MLB contender can't live with his current shaky D, even at 1B.

You mean the Mookie who won last night's game in the 9th for nailing the potential tying run at third base? Sac bunt situation: Mookie huddles the infielders and calls the wheel play -- where he sprints to cover 3rd, while the third baseman charges; Muncy fields the bunt, fires to Betts, who tags out Castellanos and ends the threat. LA 4, Philly 3. Here's what teammate Miggy Rojas said postgame, "He’s becoming the full package at short, understanding the situation, understanding the runner at second base. … I’m happy that he called it right there on the field. Because it was the right play with the right runner, knowing the guy was gonna bunt. And they executed pretty well. Unbelievable. To be in the big leagues 12 years, he keeps getting better every single day.” (Sox fans just love reading that about MOOKIE, season after season)

On the contrary -- after seeing what transpired when the team broke camp last Spring -- would it be that surprising, if either Abreu or Duran is traded, that Garcia makes the 2026 big league roster? Possible reason #1: Cora loves platooning. In yesterday's presser, when asked if he could handle having four starting outfielders for an entire season, he pointed to the 2018 champs: "Greatest Red Sox team ever, and we platooned at 1B, 2B, 3B and C... with three studs in the outfield" (and Bogey at SS, JD at DH). Possible reason #2: Kristian Campbell, 2025. The org handed him a starting position coming out of Florida, even though Mayer and Anthony outplayed him in the Grapefruit League. Hopefully, the front office liked the balance his right-handed pop could provide, after he tore up the minors in '24... and not because he was more apt to sign a team-friendly contract than Mayer or Anthony, whose clocks they held back. If Garcia, by most accounts at least as good an outfielder as Duran and Anthony, continues to show promising RHH power next Spring, why couldn't he be the next Campbell? Unless, Campbell becomes the next Campbell... Breslow admitted more home runs was something the team needs, and The Password led the system in HRs the past two years... and will make minimum wage, and not hundreds of millions like free agent sluggers Brez would have to pay instead.

"We'reopentoanywaytoimproveourballclub:freeagency,trade,internally..."

Maybe the best example of this was the Crochet trade -- when Brez supposedly caved and agreed to include Teel to complete the deal (according to either an authentic reporter or an authentic fraud I read somewhere online). We won't know why Chicago insisted on Teel, especially when they already had a top-ranked catching prospect -- but obviously they preferred another catcher to another shortstop like Mayer... ... which looks justified, since their own top rookie SS was so good he matched Roman Anthony in WAR in the same amount of games this year, and also outhomered him, 21-8.

Don't worry about it. We're all bitter the Sox' season is over, and most of us just want to upgrade so October lasts longer next time. Speculating is what we do, and most don't get off hammering other posters for doing the same thing they do. Sorry I can't be more specific -- my brain is mush after listening to the end-of-the-year press conference, where Brez just talked a hundred miles a minute for an hour and said nothing but generalities: "We'realwaysopentoallwaystoimprove. Butit'stooearlyonOctober6tospeakaboutplayers'rolesorpositions." (... then why hold a press conference with questions from the press if you're not going to answer them?)

I never dropped Witherspoon's name, Go argue with Hugh. But you can bet the Red Sox will be trading some pitching prospects in any package for talent this winter -- mainly because they now have very few minor league position players who could headline any deals.

Please stop with the Lowe comparisons. The guy strikes out a quarter of his at bats in his career and by some stats this year was the worst hitter vs. left-handed pitchers in the majors. I'm not saying Yandy can play better 1B, but is a good trade target for a club that isn't going to commit hundreds of millions in the offseason on free agent bats. I think you said that yourself. And like I said, his addition to the roster would be strategic in the certain ways he can upgrade the batting order in the AL East. That's good team-building. Breslow drafted a dozen big arms last summer. That's a surplus that can be used to improve the organization in plenty of ways, especially since few prospects ultimately pan out in the end.

... not just set, but already invested in with team-reasonable contracts. In other words, I just can't see the front office blowing Devers money on another outfielder who may not even be as good as Anthony next year.

I didn't say I'd do that, but that some team will overpay. I'd trade Harrison and Hamilton because both look like depth pieces right now, and those are the resources who should be shopped. And then I'd extend Yandy for two more years. He won't stop being a professional hitter, and is exactly what a bad offense needs to set an example of what he does best: hit to the opposite field with authority. I'm not looking at any stats, just remembering how he always kills the Sox going to right field -- and also envisioning him hitting pop-ups to the porch in Yankee Stadium that actually clear the fence (instead of the warning track power the current Sox boast).