5GoldGlovesOF,75

This explains the trade with Tampa; someone's gotta catch all those pitchers reporting tomorrow.

Never mix church and altered state.

When fans return to Fenway, Sogard is going to think they're chanting his name every game in the seventh inning stretch song.

The Rays did get Mejia in the Snell trade, though his stock has dipped since the Pads got him in the Hand trade. Mejia is regarded as more of a hitter than catcher, but when I saw him at Citi Field in '19 he was hacking at everything.

But is Boston as a second Wild Card more of a sure thing than comparable teams in the NL Central -- where someone has to win the division and automatically make it?

Is this realistic? Fangraphs odds to "make the playoffs"... https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds: Red Sox are 47%... that's almost a coin-flip... but not even that is as unrealistic as some of the teams they're far ahead of: Washington at 24.6% (with three top starters and Soto), A's at 21.8% Tampa at only 18.6%, Cleveland at 17.4% and every club in the NL Central. Have at it.

Nobody here or elsewhere is picking the Red Sox to win the '21 World Series, but since this is the realistic thread: are the Sox, set to open with half a lineup of platoon players, THAT much worse on screen than the favored Yankees? To help answer, here are quick match-ups of the two rivals... 1B and 2nd go to Voit and DJ, no questions asked. But X is a better shortstop than Gleybar, and though Urshela is solid at the hot corner, would any GM turn down a straight trade for Devers? Nope. Frazier and Judge rule over any Red Sox corner outfielders, but in center, Verdugo at 24 > Hicks at 30. Behind the plate, NY has a guy they don't even want behind the plate, so Vazquez wins easily over Sanchez. DH is a pick-em, but here are three-year OPS in the Bronx and Beantown: Stanton .860, JD .938. Both starting rotations are full of questions marks, but the Yanks have Cole. New York also has an edge with their greatest bullpen of all-time (the one that keeps keeping them out of the World Series every postseason). While some Yankee fans may strongly disagree with the above ratings, realistic fans know that every position but second base could go either way this year. The Yankees are certainly better, but they just better hope Cole stays healthy. The doormats aren't realistically that far away from the AL's heavy favorites.

And to me. Some posters insist Bloom is waiting to spend big next winter, but my question has always been: who are the targets? I just don't see any pitchers due to hit free agency in a year that have the combined skills, age, and cost of Odorizzi. It can't just be blamed on Bloom's budget, either, since he has added a lot of new faces. Maybe it's just too late, after Odorizzi waited for Bauer to up his own market. But Chaim knows Jake personally, and for some reason, doesn't think he's worth what he's asking.

I would revise: "for 2021 and beyond". For just '21 -- with an entire pitching staff full of question marks (except for Perez, who's not an answer) -- JBJ in center is arguably the most important glove we could have. That is, in terms of support, stability, and perhaps the difference between a winning record and a losing record. But giving him three-years is illogical for a team that already announced it's not all-in.

At least to live forever. ... or would that be: hope springs immortal?

This will be a better year, as long as the bullpen hinges don't open to start any games.

Thanks. Here's what I found for individual careers... New guys: Cordero 34.9%, Renfroe 28.0%, Hernandez 20.8%, Gonzalez 20.2%. Old guys: Dalbec 42.4%, Chavis 32.8%, JD 24.2%, Devers 21.7%, Vazquez 18.8%, Bogie 18.2%, Verdugo 15.8%. Gone guys: JBJ 25.2%, Beni 19.0%, Betts 13.0%. Perspective guys: Wily Mo Pena 30.3% Manny 18.6% Ortiz 17.3% Rice 15.7% Yaz 10.0% Pedroia 9.7% Williams 7.2% Boggs 6.9%

Back to the K rate: just wondering if you have stats for the average MLBer -- '20, maybe include '19 since it was an actual season? Reason I'm wondering is the reason I'm skeptical of the new Sox semi-regulars touted for the batting order. And also why a guy like LaStella (I think it was you who cited his above-avg contact) would have literally helped more to change the swing-and-miss culture contagious in Boston.

Grumplestiltskin, I acknowledge this timeline and agree with your side of the story.

By the fall of '19, it seemed more like they were really hoping JD would opt out. Writers seemed to be making either/or claims about JD and Mookie, and then we had Kennedy's quote: "There is a way to keep them both." Of course, he never told us or showed us that way, or if it had a sound-effect like "Cha-ching!"

Don't you think someone else will give him three years? Will JBJ be the player Bloom finally thinks is worthy of a three-year? If the Sox are going to sign anyone this winter to three, wouldn't it make more sense -- going forward -- for it to be Odorizzi? With two decent CF prospects in the pipeline, three years for a guy in his 30s goes against a frugal rebuild. Hard to believe, but it was just over eight years ago that Ben gave Victorino three for $38 million. Then they moved him to right field, where he won another Gold Glove.

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/boston-red-sox-legend-tops-list-10-greatest-players-be-named-later-trades

FIVE players for selling low on Beni? If Beni never again approximates past performance, and Cordero ever has a 2+ WAR season, all Bloom probably needs is for just one more of the other guys to make the bigs and this deal could be his signature trade in Beantown. I'd settle for a Varitek on the list to choose from, but the Sox sure could use a D.Lowe for the next decade.

Sounds like a plan. Darwinzon, if healthy, may thrive under Cora. They can go back to using Barnes for match-ups, and if he's cooked, maybe Houck takes that role. I wanted Ottavino when he was a free agent, but there were no relievers in the budget. He may be a good guy to have vs. Yankee righty batters (career splits vs. RHB .615 OPS, LHB .792).

Sorry, I can't stomach watching old, fat, bald rockers pretending; who wants to pay to look in the mirror?

If you had to pick, who is most likely to have a break-out All-Star campaign this year? My choice on the mound is Eovaldi -- his stuff, age, experience, work-outs... he is due to finally have one put-it-altogether, healthy Cy Young type season. For position players, where youth counts more for durability in the PED-testing era, I have to go with Verdugo. He has the enthusiasm and incentive to prove his new skipper right. But Devers and Bogie should be better with Cora, as well.

I like it. Now if they can just contribute in more than 7 wins combined -- or 1.8 WAR -- it will be an improvement on '19.

Again -- unless your bosses told you to... which I suspect, but have no proof of.

I'm ready to watch than just read and type. But getting back to the movie analogy, I won't call anyone a front-runner if they leave a game early, especially after paying money for a seat or to a cable company. Nobody makes fun of movie fans who leave a theater early or change the channel at home.

That's what I meant -- 2019 -- which wasn't a losing year, but that so many (but not all of us) thought was a bad year. I will admit that September '19 was a bad month, at least watching the replacement players they ran out there.