Very glad ownership approved acquiring another decent position player. Contreras has a bit of pop and while being older he appears to have the spirit to lead a very young clubhouse along with Story. I was a bit disappointed that Matt Shaw wasn't acquired, but I'm sure the trade assets necessary were too rich for John Henry's blood. I believe this team does have the ability to possibly get into the WS, but not win it (this year).
In researching the transition the '66 Sox made going into '67 not a lot of change took place in the starting 9 except for Reggie Smith. Their pitching was OK with Lonborg, Santiago and Bell (from Clev), but the rest of the staff was run back from '66 (finished 72-90). One player had over 30 HRs...Yaz with 44 and the Triple Crown. Tony C with 20 got beaned in mid-August and only four other players hit 15 or more with George Scott leading that pack with 19. They finished 92-70 and came close in the WS.
The '25 Red Sox were lead by Trevor Story with 25 and Abreu with 22 and five other players hit 15 or more with Bregman (opt-out hostage taking mercenary piece of...I won't go any further since I don't want to get banned) hitting 18. They finished 89-73 and were bounced in the Wild Card. Boston made some significant changes with Contreras, Durbin (YES!), some utility infielders and a lot of quality or quality-expected pitching. The biggest difference maker will (unfairly) be Roman Anthony. As he goes, so to go the Sox just as Yaz was the heart and soul of his team.
The BIGGEST contrast between these two groups is the '26 Sox will, on paper, have a much superior pitching staff, so maybe they still get to the WS, but as I said earlier - they lose to LA...or do they?
Even if they do lose, it'll be a FUN year of kicking the living CRAP out of the New York YANKMEES!!!!
