poppysox

Like you...my first choice would have been Joc Pederson. Irrationally I don't want to give up anything to get him. I value defense more than some I guess. A noodle arm in RF scares me. All that said...I too am warming to the concept of Ozuna. Our lineup with Ozuna looks menacing.

Yes...but we are not done yet.

Apparently Eaton and Garcia will be getting lots of late inning playing time.

How would his arm play in RF?

Yikes!

No reason to be out on him if wheeler was worth 125. Probably wouldn't be enough but might not hurt to try. Limited # of teams with the cash...we're one of them.

I've been thinking Strasburg isn't as far fetched as I once thought. When KW and RH get mad about the Wheeler disappointment ...liable to go all in on a big one. Six years at 30 per might get it done.

If we are looking for a one year solution...Hunter Pence might fit the bill. A useful guy with lots of post season experience.

I'm starting to believe that if Avi didn't have a history with us...we would all be calling for him as a cost effective alternative. I am also wondering if Brett Gardner might end up as available. He would be a great one year solution.

Keuchel helps by putting a competent #4-5 on the mound until Kopech, Rodon and Dunning are back at full strength. Gio, Kopech, Cease, Lopez & Dunning all have the ability to be very good pitchers. Need someone like Keuchel and Ryu to weather the storm until everyone is back at full strength.

I think the odds of getting Ryu and/or Keuchel are quite good. We have both the money and the need. Their appeal for me comes in the fact that 3 year deals are possible.

Kole Calhoun is starting to feel like the easy way to greatly improve the position while not spending foolish money or giving up worthwhile prospects. I still prefer Pederson but only if the asking price is modest.

We've lost exactly 1 targeted free agent and we were the high bidder. I don't think this qualifies as a trend.

Castellanos and Ozuna both bat right handed. Castellanos can't catch the ball and Ozuna is recovering from shoulder injury. My guess would be Pederson.

Ryu and Keuchel each offered 3 years at 15 million would work for me at this point. Some risk but a fair degree of possible upside as well. Way better gamble than Bum at 100.

"confident we can resign Betts" ...where is this confidence going to came from?

I'm arguing that extensions are absolutely necessary. If you can't get them done...trades at the two year mark are absolute necessary. What Baltimore did with Manny Machado was GM malpractice.

What's he worth with two years?

Betts is a great player but sadly for Boston...one year rentals just don't have much value relative to the player being traded. I hope we remember this when Moncada, Robert and Anderson are two years out. We need to extend them or trade them while they still hold top value.

I'm thinking right along those same lines. MadBum is not worth 100 and just because agents talk up 100 and maybe more...just doesn't make it so. If FO thinks he is 5/80-90 that should be the offer. My preference would be Ryu but Bum is fine at sane money.

When you trade a teams best player it's predictable your fans will go nuts.

Your point is excellent. Robert, Madrigal, Lopez, Cease, Collins, Kopech, Rodon, as yet unnamed New RF & Pitchers are all unknown commodities. Without a doubt they will not be at their ultimate best for 2020. On the other hand... every one of those people will be an improvement over who they are replacing. They will get better with time...but they will be better than who they replace immediately. Since it's Dec. 5 and not Mar. 5...we don't know the names of 5 or 6 of these new people so it's hard to project how many wins can we expect in addition to 2019's 72 win total. I'm very confident that this group of new players takes us to the low eighties in win totals even at very modest performance levels. I'm hoping for better than minimum performance levels out of Madrigal, Robert and Kopech etc. but you are right it took Moncada several years so some of these new guys will probably disappoint at some level. So...can we compete in 2020...yep but things have to break right. I feel a low of 84-85 and high of 95 with hope that the pitcher RH can find will be at least above average. Our division isn't so tough that the top end of predictions wouldn't get us to the Division title. In 2021 we can contend for the whole ball of wax. Keep posting...I like how you think.

It's understandable to be disappointed but not mad at the FO imo.

I wouldn't mess with Moncada's head by putting him at 2nd...a position he wasn't very good at defensively.

We were heavy into Machado. The baseball Gods saved us from ourselves and gave us a better third-baseman. As I said earlier...if Moncada is willing to play right field I'm happy to get Rendon. Maybe this is the baseball Gods plan all along.