drewski6

Bloom was a capable communicator, and very professional. He was just scared money at the poker table and too gun-shy.

I dont get why BTV has Paredes so low and Im not buying it. BTV is mostly good, but on certain players for some reason, the formula seems off. Right now casas has like 19 trade value units and paredes has like 11. It doesnt feel right.

How much drama we talking about here? They have better options than to give us a 125 OPS+ guy for someone with reliever risk. I would not entertain this if I was Houston, and they have some flexibility with their position player mix. They could send out Christian Walker and play Paredes or Correa at 1b, they could play Altuve in the outfield.... Tigers and/or Dbacks, I would imagine would be willing to top an offer of just Philips. Maybe Philips and Harrison.

Paredes would be a great get. If they get Arrenado, they should also get a DH with the cost savings from Bregman to Arrenado. If they get Arrenado for cheaper than Bregman was, they should be more willing to consider Yoshida's salary sunk. Geno starts making sense to me. Or maybe his ability to play third and remain healthy is higher than I credit, and hes a plug at 3b. I kind of see him as a DH, and not because I think defense is as or more important as hitting, but because Im concerned how a mid 30's body that isnt particularly slim holds up at 3b. Geno got a belly.

Got the wrong guy. Do not confuse Notins acceptance with his approval.

Paredes for Phillips sounds too good to be true. I dont love Duran for a backup catcher and a reliever.

It really does sound like our bres, doesnt it. Sitting there smug look, arms folded across the chest. I call your bluff! He declares. Okay, buddy, as Bregman walks out chuckling to himself.

Yeah, agreed. At this point, you start looking for anyone who can move the needle. At least in terms of free-agency. Probably still a few quality guys can be had via trade route

Relishing in his fellow fan's pain and disappointment

Yeah, I really dont see how the combination of 10m lighter vs cubs offer (but in actuality quite a bit lighter than that because of the excess deferrals) + A NTC Gets it done. Maybe they thought there offer was the most competitive, but nobody would sign here at a discount without a NTC. Whats the point? If someone is taking less to come here its becuase they want to be here not to let the sox trade them whenever to whomver.

Thats where Im at.

Exactly, on all of your points. I understand every dollar above 244 hurts more and more, but they dont start hurting much more after 264. After 244 you pay 1.3 for every dollar spent until 264 when that number bumps to 1.42 (for every dollar past 264 up to 284 where it bumps again). JH is still taking steps in the right direction. We will almost 100% be over 244. We are likely to be over 264 (my opinion). On a 263m payroll, our tax is 5.7M (30% of each dollar above 244, so 30% of 19m) On a 265m payroll our tax is 6.42m (30% of each dollar between 244M and 263.99, so 6m+ 42% of each dollar after 264M).

Another words, the darn yanks are in our crosshairs and i love it!

The red sox have an outstanding offer to bregman that pushes them above 264. If he says yes, i dont think we'll trade with the intention of getting under 264. If we like Lodolo more than duran, and that so happens to get us under the number thats one thing. But the 264 is barely a number. If you go over 244m thats a big deal, so it makes sense as number you want to circle because if you go over it , your tax for going over it again next year is higher. 284 is a nubmer because if you go over it, your draft picks move back. 264 does nothing. The difference in tax between 270 and 263 is very very very little. I dont think they can sign Bregman and stay under 264 for tax purposes. I think theyll be deferrals but not enough to get the cbt number THAT low. I think if bregman says yes, we'll be over 264. And JH already approved it, thats why there is an offer in bregmans hand. Theres only like 20m before 264. If the AAV of the outstanding offer to bregman was 20m (even net of deferrals) nobody would be calling it "aggressive" Right now, whether or not the sox go over 264 is up to bregman (my opinion) because if he says yes, i think we'll be over and stay over. Now to some of your other points....If lets say the phills sign Bo Bichette right now and then say we'll give Bohm away for free (like a prospect nobody has ever heard of). Then maybe we pull our offer for Breg and take Bohm for a non-prospect , prospect. Maybe the sox decide that if another option emerges like Bohm, theyd rather than than restricting future spending. Your point about is bregman worth restricting future spending? Its a good question and worth pondering. But none of this has anything to do with that 264 number.

mvp said something about "maybe cole back" for NYY, that was (I hate to admit this) music to my ears. I jsut assumed hed be back, and if i was wrong (and probably am cuz I trust MVP having an informed opinion vs my assumption) - that changes things and knocks NYY down significantly. ANd yes i could google gerrit cole injury timeline right now but i made this post instead.

no the point is that dudes are going to move around the diamond all year, get use to it.

we arent talking about valuing 3b vs 4th of'er we are talking about guys sticking to one position. My points is that we'll shuffle and we'll shuffle all season long Our defensive alignment will be fluid based on who is pitching that day, injuries, who is hot The days of "our first baseman is hurt, bring in backup 1b, keep everything else the same" are dead. Now if someone gets hurt, you move dudes around, if your backup 3b is better than your backup 1b. Positions arent rigid, is my point. If mayer and story are hurt AND Duran, Abreu, Cedanne, and Abreu are all swinging a hot bat, Cedanne is playing infield for a spell (not a game either). And thats not a 1% likely outcome either, its like 35% likely to happen. My point is that when you provided your who is playing where, injuries change that. But its not going to be, injured outfielder, replace with outfielder. If Nav gets hurt, Contreras will catch more. If multiple infielders get hurt, Cedanne will play more infield. Versatility is good.

Then mayer gets hurt?

Teams dont intentionally bid against themselves. Maybe rarely. I agree that the Red Sox wont intentionally give Bregman way more money than his second best offer, but whats that really saying. Yesterday you said that you would rather trade for marte at 15m , you dont think the sox would go over 264, and that you would rather trade for marte than sign bregman (and start trading Duran for players making less to get under 264) Today , you are saying that youd rather sign Bregman than pay the trade capital for Marte. Not trying to call you out , and you are allowed to change your mind....Im genuinely asking, 1 of 3 things happened here either 1. you changed your mind and think the sox are willing to go above 264 2. you still dont think sox would go above 264, but youd now rather sign bregman and trade to get back under that number and youd rather do that than trade for marte (change from yesterday) 3. you think the sox can ink bregman and stay under 264 CBT Im jsut trying to understand.

My order is prob: TOronto, NYY, Mariners, Sox, Orioles NYY and SEa are very close.

This order, and if you say yes, you know who is going to appear Say their name (Mariners) and he appears, I believe in Harmony

Im going to assume that our pitching coaches at the major league level are better than our pitching coaches at the minor league level. If he needs to tweak his changeup grip, or release point or any of that stuff, lets have him work with our best coaches to do it. Pitchers work in new pitches every year, sometimes between starts. Tolle needs to establish his identity but I think its more likely to happen at the major league level. I say, give him the chance to win the job.

I dont know what you mean by you dont think we'll pay bregman more than other teams will offer, we dont know what other teams have offered. When both were options (Bregman, Marte) of course theres a point of negotiation with either , where you start focusing on the other side....SO for example Bregman laughs in your fact at 170 (not saying he did or would) you start focusing with Arizona for Marte, Arizona demands Roman Anthony or nothing, you start focusing on Bregman (and other options).....I get all that. So sure, there is always a point where you start looking for alternatives. Obvs new news changes things - but would I rather sign Bregman or trade for Marte. It depends on the cost for both. Id rather trade Duran and Harrison than sign Bregman for 200m But Id rather sign Bregman for $150m than trade Roman for Marte And I know Im not using realistic, but the point remains.

And if story gets hurt? WHile all 4 OF'ers are playing great? They arent going to bench a hot player. Theyll shuffle.

Go Skubal!