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Post by maxwellsdemon on Mar 5, 2024 14:18:14 GMT -5
Wow, the crape hanging around heere has gotten totally out of hand, what do we have a bunch of sports talk radio rejects joining the site to whine and complain? This team is transitioning to a young and exciting group with more on the way and they are going to bond on the fact that everyone is dissing them before the first pitch is thrown in anger.
On the other hand, how nervous are the Dodgers having committed over $1 BILLION to two pitchers (although Ohtani will recoup some of that as a batter) as they see yet another workhorse go down with an apparent season ending injury?
Hopefully we can at least wait until the games that count start before the "woe is us" drowns out the rest because reading this stuff ad infinitum is not my ides of a good time.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Feb 29, 2024 14:47:38 GMT -5
It's such a shame that Bobby Dalbec just doesn't have the contact skill because he has the RH power the team could use. Unfortunately it does ot appear that the Jarren Duran "miracle" will strike twice.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Feb 29, 2024 10:37:38 GMT -5
But is there really a change? Perhaps what happened - and what got Bloom fired - was a failure to carry out the vision which was: sell at the deadline in 2022 unless the playoff odds were high and restock the improving farm system to adjust payroll and gain assets to use on the field or in a trade. The same situation existed for 2023 because no progress was made in '22 and once again Bloom failed to execute believing (I guess) that the Sox had a playoff run in them. The result was two years of lost time in executing the vision thus it would be more a case of vision delayed than vision changed.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Feb 22, 2024 14:09:37 GMT -5
Heh, heh... look at all the pitchers in that list! Yeah, but they're all righties so the system needs to be downgraded!
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Feb 8, 2024 18:33:16 GMT -5
I think I'd take the over on 78 wins. Among other things with a younger team there is a reduced chance of injury (as probably most everyone on this site can attest. That and the fact that the rotation is really not worse than last year except for a partial season of Paxton and a very few Sale outings along with the fact there is significant upside potential for Story, Yoshida and Sale to go along with the natural maturation of Casas, Wong (maybe) and the addition of O'Neill and Grissom just makes for a better balanced offense with a stronger bullpen than last year. Not saying they are on the way to a pennant, just that the over/under at 78 seems asymmetric towards the over.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Feb 6, 2024 11:17:27 GMT -5
Here's a real change of pace (changeup?). A dear friend of mine, Nick Humez, passed away last year. Nick was a true polymath with talents too numeral to mention here, but among his skills many were musical. At one point he was teaching a class in Mythology at a New Jersey college and as an aid he wrote a number of songs. His students prevailed upon him to make a CD which he obliged. If you are into mythology (anyone else remember Edith Hamilton's book from their elementary school days?) or just looking for something completely different check out Myth Songs. www.pandora.com/artist/nick-humez/myth-songs/ALhmnbh97v9tr49?corr=knowledge_panel&part=googleIf you just want to try one or two I'd suggest The Oracle or The Olympian Dozen.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Feb 4, 2024 21:04:55 GMT -5
Second the Dewy Evans nomination. First manager I remember is "Pinky" Higgins although I had been taken to a few games in earlier years by my grandfather the only name I remember is Ted Williams and that may be only in the general miasma of age (I was born in 1947 so I'm lucky if I remember what, or if, I had for breakfast).
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 31, 2024 11:43:14 GMT -5
So apparently the Sox have been relying too much on Hamiltons when they should have focusing on the Jacksons.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 29, 2024 9:51:49 GMT -5
It seems that the decision the FO needs to make is whether tying up Monty/Snell for 5+ years, while giving them a better shot at the WC now, impedes the development of the Next Great Red Sox Team (NGRST) by using up $$ on what will likely be a fading asset by 2026.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 22, 2024 21:39:24 GMT -5
Nice revenge win against top 3 team.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 16, 2024 14:32:20 GMT -5
Wah, wah, wah - it's obvious that too many on this thread have no memory of Don Buddin, Ted Lepcio and Ike Delock. Outside of Ohtani who was neve coming here, there was no surefire long term difference maker available. Maaaybe Yamamoto but that is still TBD and at over $300mm a very dangerous TBD for a team that is not peaking right now. I will happily enjoy the emerging young talent the team has at both the MLB and MiLB levels at 77 years old I'm willing to wait til next year (or even the year after) for the promise that is right in front of us. JH has spent before, I have no doubt he will again when the time is right and the opportunity presents itself. The time (to spend) is not now unless everything breaks right during the season and the opportunities are not there - sorry but 2 years of Teoscar Hernandez isn't it. If they can get Monty/Snell on a 5 year or less deal knowing they will probably be a solid #3/4 by their 3rd year here ok if it doesn't hamstring them financially. Otherwise get a mid rotation inning eater on the cheap and let's play ball.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 13, 2024 12:09:52 GMT -5
OK 5 year $200mm paid as $4mm per year for 50 years with a $39mm opt out after 3 years. Present value with a 4% discount rate is about $85mm so tax hit should be about $17mm same as $4mm per year for 3 years with the opt out payment.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 12, 2024 22:41:44 GMT -5
Can BA be sued for plagiarism ? Call Bill Ackman as soon as his divorce is finalized.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 11, 2024 18:35:21 GMT -5
Really like that roster. Three pitchers who are #3 but who each could have a #2 season and two innings eaters to stabilize what looks like a very good pen. Improved overall defense, maybe not as much pop but decent/improved OBP and baserunning. Gives a good look to a number of young players in case a trade deadline deal emerges (either because the team is in serious contention or someone else offers something too good to miss). I will be excited to see how that teams works out.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 11, 2024 9:38:47 GMT -5
This makes the most sense. They have what may well be exceptional talents (C-Dan on D and Ro-Man on O) on the cusp in a year where nothing they do in the markets will vault them into the top tier. Along with Casas, Bello and maybe Teel etc they are truly in the "wait 'til next year" position and next year's FA class seems to offer plenty of opportunity to fill in the rest. Personally I'm content to enjoy the emergence of this next group and expect an entertaining season where, given the negativity around here, the surprises are more likely to be on the upside.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 7, 2024 21:00:57 GMT -5
Whether or not Bloom should have made that trade depends on the return. Trading Sale to the Braves was only good because we got Grissom in return, who seems like he can be a solid 2B going forward. But trading away players just for the sake of it never makes any sense to me, whether it's Sale, Story or now potentially Yoshida. And if it's true that the team who would have acquired him at the 23 deadline (I think it was 23, not 22) was actually going to take on his entire contract, the return probably would not have been great.
The Red Sox have money to spend. What they don't have is good players, and the players they can acquire with money aren't all that desirable in my eyes. Getting out of the Sale, Story or Yoshida contracts gives them more money, but then what? I don't think getting Sale off the books means they would have gotten Ohtani or Yamamoto. Which means we are in the same spot more or less but with more money and holes to fill. I don't really think that is a better position honestly.
This is a possibility that I don't think is being discussed enough. Just because you have money to spend doesn't mean that what you can buy is something you want. It's like getting a raise and your spouse wants to update everything in the house but you can only shop at Walmart. The way that the Sox seem to be waiting out the pitching market and holding the line at 2 years on Teoscar seems to me like they just aren't thrilled with what's on the shelves. The pitching market next year holds a lot more promise, particularly with all the 1-year and 2-year-with-player-option contracts being signed this winter. Yeah I think you're exactly right here. The problem is the Sox probably aren't ready to make a serious run this year. The addition of Teoscar would likely help this year and maaaybe next, but while he's a good piece to have on a contender now he's not the guy to lead them to the promised land and by the time the team is ready he will be an expensive bench player as he ages down the curve. It's better to see what they have in Rafaela, Abreu, Duran and O'Neill and have another year to see if Anthony is a true phenom that can looked to next season. So why spend of a player that isn't a real difference maker and that interferes with the decision on which of the OF can be counted on in 2 years and, by the way, are cheap and on the upswing? To a degree the same argument can be made for pitching except if you can get a proven MLB mid rotation or better start who projects to have some run left there should always be room.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 4, 2024 17:18:12 GMT -5
For perspective he had 89 PA (83 AB) while bouncing back and forth from the bench to CF, SS,2B and PH at the end of a long season. Ran into 2 HR and stole 3 bases and tailed off badly at the very end after a hot start. WIP, absolutely; totally overmatched, talk radio hot take. It's reasonable to think that at the MLB level he will be forced to correct things in his game that his natural talent has let him get away with in the minors. This seems like the perfect year to find out.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 4, 2024 12:32:18 GMT -5
The other piece of it, even if you want to roll with Rafaela, is depth. If he gets hurt or isn’t good they do not have a major league center fielder. There might be some mlfa depth available later, but they’re thin at the position now. Maybe they like Duran and O’Neill enough, but if we want good defense it’s a lot harder to achieve with those guys in center. But doesn't that imply that they should just be looking for a bench piece who can play CF? Roman Anthony may be ready by mid year if he keeps in his trajectory (big "if" I know). however it think the GFIN for 2024 is to go for seeing what these kids can do (and how Winc, Houck etc evolve along with Teel) so they can determine what needs to be done in 2025 in a true GFIN year.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 4, 2024 12:18:02 GMT -5
But isn't taking some risks exactly what the team needs (and what so many accused Bloom of NOT doing)? It seems from this thread that playing Ceddanne for one year is more or less the same as getting Bader with very little offensive downside and with upside potential, and oh by the way saving $9mm. If the concern is that Rafaela needs another year in AAA maaaybe you do it but it seems to me that it won't take a year it's basically make or break time for him, whether he is an MLB regular CF or a fourth outfielder with exceptional defense who can also back up the middle infield. The Teoscar deal seems to me one you make if he's the last piece in a playoff/pennant push not when you're settling in Duran, Abreu, Rafaela and O'Neill with Anthony (and let's not forget the toolsiest of all, Bleis) waiting in the wings.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Jan 2, 2024 17:51:00 GMT -5
In sports it is usually preferable to be underrated than overrated, just sayin'
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Dec 28, 2023 14:03:04 GMT -5
Or they saw him run and said, "Wait, what a waste of these wheels. He's an outfielder! It's an easy transition with that kind of speed!" Could be, but if so, I guess they didnt realize it wouldn't be such a natural transition. To his credit, Duran never quit working on getting better, offensively and defensively. Clearly an error on their part, after all when have they ever had a 2 baseman make a successful transition to the outfield?
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Dec 25, 2023 15:54:59 GMT -5
Yoshida - under contract for another 4 years Duran - several years of control Abreu - rookie Rafaela - rookie Anthony - a year away? Teoscar - contract possibly coming? I can’t speak to the wisdom of a Teoscar signing, but even if they don’t add him this is a crowded outfield picture both in the short term (I omitted O’Neill because he’s a rental) and long term. That’s a good problem to have, but I can see the logic of looking to trade some of these dudes as opposed to say, having certain guys not getting playing time or stuck consigned to Triple A. Yoshida - destined to DH at some point in the near future Teoscar - not signed yet, 20 million AAV likely
Rafaela - has not shown any ability to make consistent contact
Actually Rafaela's minor league K rate is a tad under 20% and his 89 plate appearances in MLB really doesn't tell us much. His problem is chasing out of zone too often and because he has such good bat to ball skills he makes weak contact all too often. He might be better off if he missed some of those bad pitches instead.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Dec 23, 2023 10:01:23 GMT -5
So does that mean they didn't make a competitive offer? Why can reporters not be clear about this? Or am I missing something?
But would they have though? As noted upthread, Yamamoto is undersized for an MLB pitcher and there have to be serious concerns about the longevity of his effectiveness the level of which has yet to be determined in the Show. If he proves to have the 4 year window of a Lincecum (and it's by no means certain he can achieve that level of success) that implies there is only a 2 and maybe 3 year window where the Sox' up and comers will arrive/mature into true solid major leaguers after which the team could be saddled with a very expensive severely underperforming "ace". The timing suggests that they might be better served waiting for Roki Sasaki to post by which time they will have (hopefully) solidified the team with the likes of Mayer, Anthony, Teel, Casa, Bello etc. Not saying they shouldn't have tried to land Yamamoto, but to believe that he was THE missing piece to put them over the top for years to come is a good bit of wish casting.
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Dec 21, 2023 9:30:40 GMT -5
"History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes." Nice story and here's hoping...
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Post by maxwellsdemon on Dec 19, 2023 14:58:21 GMT -5
Seems to me there are two ways only that this will go: 1. He signs with the Sox and we are elated (and hoping he's worth the commitment). 2. He signs with LA or MFY (or maaaybe the Muts) and the Red Sox spend the next 10 year +/- making him regret that he didn't sign with the team with a rising farm and the most passionate fanbase in a town that honors its champions and can parade them from the 4 major NA sports in this century.
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