5GoldGlovesOF,75

I prefer Yandy Diaz and his righty bat. He's had a little more pop than Naylor; with 15 HRs, only Abreu has more on these Sox. Think home runs are overrated? Boston blasted 15 in the 10-game win streak, then got blanked the first two games at Wrigley Field, when the Cubs scored 8 of their 10 runs on 6 longballs. But Abreu and Bregman went yard yesterday and the Red Sox won. 21st Century Red Sox World Series MVPS: Manny, Mike Lowell, Big Papi, Steve Pearce. All slugged home runs to help win rings. The 50-year celebration of the '75 Sox has put spotlight back on the two most memorable hits of their final Series: Fisk's walkoff and Carbo's 3-run game-tying pinch HR. And for kids growing up in the origins of Red Sox Nation as we know it, Topps baseball cards immortalized key moments from the 1967 Impossible Dream season in the '68 set: "Yaz Smashes Two Homers" (Gm 2, #152) and "Petrocelli Socks Two Homers" (Gm 6, #156). Collect them all.

Starting pitcher. Home run hitter who actually plays first base. The Cubs just kicked the Red Sox ass the first two games back with starting pitching and power. One run allowed, 10 runs scored -- eight on HRs. Raffy's recent attitude won't be missed in Boston, but the instant offense he can provide needs to be replaced... We all know the inconsistencies of the Sox' runs per-game, and the imbalance at times that is exploited without a legitimate longball threat. The two best teams in the National League -- Chicago and LA -- are also tied for the lead in homers.

I can't believe Cora coached Giolito into walking the first two batters and then throwing a meatball to the Cubs' home run leader who leads the NL in RBIs! And why didn't Cora run out on the field and shove Toro back to second base when the sap stumbled twice without tagging up on Bregman's liner? Boston's playing at Wrigley Field, and Cora can't write out a batting order with more HR hitters? There's gotta be someone with power in the dugout or in the minors somewhere? Let's go!

Giolito can't be a legitimate surprise, since he was paid to eat innings and replace Sale with not superstardom, but quality starts. It just took him two years to do it -- which to those who liked his contract can now vote him the Sigh Young Of Relief Award. For those who objected to his contract -- since he was coming off a brutal final couple months where he led the league in home runs allowed, and suspect the Red Sox jumped at the chance to sign low -- he's been a pleasant contributor.

I've already said the rent's cheaper in Samba Pa Ti than the House of Naylor. It's also better on a nice post-ASB morning with a breeze blowing away the humidity...

When assessing baseball players, it may be pertinent to preface by noting "offense only" or "all-around play." Mayer and Campbell have both been difference-makers in the infield for Boston... one good, one bad. I'm sure someone can pull from a million stats to show how either was better than the other; I know I read that some metric shows that Campbell was the worst second baseman in the league. As for the eye test, mine aren't as sharp these days, but with glasses I can still read bb-ref that shows a positive dWAR for MM, and a negative for KC.

Increase in April, decrease in May... ugh. This is just like why last winter I told Moon that nobody would want to trade for Rafaela, because he was no longer making MLB minimum wage after signing a $50 million extension. Boy, that dynamic has shifted.... Bet someone would gamble on Campbell. Mike Kingery and Rusney Castillo didn't win awards for Minor League Player of the Year.

Yandy Diaz may be a better fit over the three guys in the article. He's a righty stick with oppo pop, and a batting champ who doesn't strike out much - exactly what will make this line-up better. Naylor will cost the most in prospect talent, because Breslow will also acquire one of Arizona's starters on expiring contracts: Kelly or Gallen. This trade should be engineered asap, so the Sox will be fortified for the upcoming stretch vs. good MLB teams. The Snakes can wait until the deadline for the best package, so if Boston is serious about contending this summer, Brez has to overpay to make it happen sooner, before the thin rotation is exposed. This one-stop shopping is the best scenario, because Joe Ryan alone -- if he is actually available -- is an overpay probably not worth investing in... unless the front office really believes the Young Sox are already ready to go deep into October this year. Again, IF the Twins are dealing Ryan, we need him now, not the first week of August. And Red Sox fans need to understand that any chance of him meeting the Sox at Wrigley Field this weekend will require a Crochet-level 4-for-1 trade that waves bye-bye to another quartet of legit prospects.

Anthony might be, too, according to most evaluators. He's not Betts in the field or on the bases, but his low K-rate and high Hard Hit % are the closest we've seen in the batter's box since Mookie made the majors. Roman's early combination of plate discipline and barreling his pitch have already outperformed the last two Red Sox players to reach #1 overall prospect status: Yoan Moncada and Andrew Benintendi.

The mad scientists in their batting laboratory created Campbellstein -- they can just build a new one. Almost forgot: three cheers for the R & D department!

I wouldn't trade Anthony for Skenes straight up. Teams simply cannot afford to swap a top-rated position player who can impact every game for at least the next six years for a guy who might play once a week during that time -- if that pitcher doesn't suffer one season-ending elbow surgery or several shorter IL stints that are now typical of virtually every modern arm. Anthony may be the Red Sox best offensive player by the end of this season, and for years to come. His plate discipline and hard hit rate are already a combination that promises stardom... Mayer looks like a future Gold Glover somewhere with decent pop; The Password could supply power but have holes in his swing; Campbell may figure it out in the box, but never find a position on the field -- but of all them, Roman looks like the real deal... in every sample size he's had as a pro so far.

There's no i in team, but there is me in time.

And condensation is the part of the water cycle that forms clouds. I know I'm off a few letters, but most of the arguments here get cloudy eventually...

I did, I'm on your side. It's ludicrous to think any intelligent front office baseball exec wanted Mayer demoted instead of Hamilton.

He was last winter, too, and two years before that.

Ya, that Ruth could swing the club, but he drank, and smoked, and womanized, and hotdogized, and laughed so loudly late at night it caused crickets to drop their violins.

It's true. For all of us, the goal may be to get older, but the accompanying lower testosterone saps the O and the S, with loss of muscle mass, and surprisingly, focus -- two things MLB hitters need to succeed. I'd cite more points, but I tired......

Shouldn't it say Shouldn't? I watched every televised Spring Training game and often commented how much better the Sox looked when Mayer was in the game. I also said several times that Mayer outplayed Campbell in Florida, and definitely in the field. But there were posters who stood by management's decision to give second base to KC, because he supposedly earned the job last season as Minor League Player of the Year -- and let's face it, that award was because of his bat (which also happened to swing righty). The quiet part out loud: in the Spring, when Campbell got sporadic starts in the outfield, management lauded his versatility... but how many fans were thinking the Sox were actually just trying to find a way to keep his bat in the line-up? Maybe they still are...

Nope -- we've been waiting for rehabs and retreads to step in all decade. If this Red Sox team is going for it, they need to acquire talented reinforcements. One of the reasons Devers was traded may have been because he told the CBO to do his job and get a first basemen -- but what people forget is that it wasn't the first time Raffy spouted off. He also said Breslow should do his job and get pitching before last summer's deadline. Somehow, I don't think Devers meant a few has-been relievers at the last minute, either...

Yoshida is a better contact hitter because his K-rate is only 13.1 in his two plus MLB seasons. But his Hard Hit Percentage is low at 39.8%. Contrast with 2025 Duran's 23.5 K-rate/46.6 HH% and Abreu's 23.6 K-rate/46.3 HH%. Then there is '25 Romy: 22.1 K-rate/60.9 HH% (thanks to Cora match-ups). Also '25 Anthony, who now faces everyone: 21.8 K-rate/56.4 HH%... Other '25 combos: Refsnyder: 26.6 K-rate/53.3 HH%; Mayer 29.8 K-rate/52.5 HH%; Bregman: 18.4 K-rate/47.9 HH%; Ceddanne: 19.4 K-rate/47.5 HH%; Story 27.9 K-rate/47.5 HH%; Narvaez 23.5 K-rate/42.6 HH%; Campbell 27.4 K-rate/42.3 HH%; Toro 15.5 K-rate/32.9 HH%. Devers as a '25 Red Sox: 31.2 K-rate/54.4 HH%... so in the heart of the order, the team replaced its biggest whiffer with a top prospect who actually has a higher Hard Hit percentage.

Breslow's strategy to stockpile pitching in the draft could now make Tolle expendable as a major trade chip... if he's not called up to Boston soon as a power arm option for the bullpen. The Red Sox selected 15 pitchers out of their 21 picks, and apparently the scouting department relied on Disneyland analytics: Must be at least 6'5" to ride to Fenway. If all 15 drafted pitchers stood on each other's shoulders they might not be as high as the John Hancock Building -- but they'd tower over the new John Henry Building (as usual, under construction).

You're right -- I was thinking Gallen would cost more in free agency because of his age and three years getting Cy Young votes. But this season Kelly is better, and the Red Sox need someone who is good now.

Kelly is better than a #5; only five NL starters have more IP, and only six have a better WHIP.

Merrill Kelly should be available. He's 36 and a free agent this winter, so shouldn't cost a ton. A lot of mileage on his arm, but once again leads the NL in starts this season (tied with Gallen, also soon to be free, but at age 29 will cost more prospects). Kelly has a 2.9 WAR, and can pitch in October: two years ago he made four postseason starts with a 2.25 ERA.

Unless you're convinced Buehler or Houck or Harrison or Sandoval bounce back for two months of regular rotation turns, the Sox need to acquire more than a #5 starter. A 2013 Jake Peavy won't do it for a team that needs to make the playoffs in '25. As for trading Clarke or -- no, Tolle! -- some fans are wondering if Breslow's top two draft picks yesterday make it easier for him to part with a top arm for a MLB starter who is actually good this year...