JUSTgottaBELIEVE

He’s had a rough year at the plate but still a career 709 OPS as a just turned 25 year old isn’t that bad for someone with his defense. If he can get that OPS into the upper 700s, he’s 2016 Adam Eaton. Hit 20 homers in AAA in 2017 pre PED ball (12 homers in 427 PA in MLB last year) so the power is there and he has a decent 8.3% walk rate in MLB. I doubt the Cards give him away but I’d definitely trade a chip like Colome for him. Bader will likely end up more productive at the MLB level than any prospect they would receive in return.

No pop? 186 ISO in AAA in 2017, 158 in MLB last year and 145 this year. For reference, Eaton was 144, 144, 165 in his 3 seasons with the Sox in which he averaged 4.5 fWAR.

I think he’s a great buy low option. He’s been unlucky at the plate this year and just turned 25. I can definitely see him being a 775 OPS hitter and a RF in the mold of Adam Eaton with his speed and arm strength / elite defense.

Either guy can play CF or RF at an elite level. Bader has the arm for RF. Sure would be one way of compensating for Eloy’s lack of range in Lf...

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/video/statcast-bader-s-95-1-mph-throw

He and Robert could make for a dominant defensive pairing in CF/RF.

Cardinals just optioned Bader. What would it take for the Sox to trade for him? Does Colome by himself get it done?

Cubs improved 24 games between 2014 and 2015. Their primary additions to the 2015 team were Bryant and Russell via promotion (Robert and Madrigal), trading for Fowler (trade for RF?), and signing Lester and Lackey (sign Bumgarner and Ryu?). If the Sox end this season around 72 wins, even “just” a 15 game improvement next year puts them in the wild card conversation.

Feels weird to say but I’d guess Gonzales outperforms Q over the next 4 years.

I’d love to see a 6 man of Bumgarner, Giolito, Ryu, Cease, Kopech, Lopez. Rodon can work long relief/spot starter when he returns from injury.

I’d only consider one of those three free agent signings you mention as “second tier.” That would be Robertson. The other two were third/fourth tier guys. For example, I consider guys like Bumgarner, Grandal, Ryu, Didi, etc. second tier guys. Those would all be good signings and capable of contributing at a relatively high level for the next few years.

This team is on pace for a 10 win improvement from last year’s team with essentially zero contributions from free agency. Stay the course. Increased participation in free agency in 4 months, specifically signing second tier guys which they didn’t do last winter, combined with continued improvement from the young MLB guys and promotion of top minor league prospects should lead to another 10-15 game improvement next season. That puts them into the wild card conversation at a minimum.

I was praying Hiura would slip to 11th in that draft. Best bat in that entire draft imo and I didn’t even care if he had no position defensively.

Looks like Kimbrel was more money wasted by Theo...

If they’re willing to take a couple of our middling OF prospects, I’d be all over this.

Gladney has to be a WS top 25 prospect at this point no? Just turned 18.

Hard to call it a rebuild when they were carrying the second highest payroll in baseball on an annual basis...

That would be Joe Espada. Great fit in my eyes.

I already said Ricky sucks, not sure what you’re arguing? Fact is, Boone has had no problem inheriting that Yankees team and winning 100+ games each of his first two seasons. Again, Girardi is overrated.

Ricky would win an average of 90 games with the Yankees. Like I said, overrated. If the Sox are going outside the organization for the next manager give me Joe Espada or Carlos Beltran.

Ricky is awful. What does Ricky have to do with Girardi being overrated though?

Gerardi is overrated

I said it back in April that the Twins, not the Indians, are the Sox’ biggest competition within the division for the first part of their contention window (what else is new). The good news is that I think the Twins are peaking over the next couple years and the Sox are the likely division favorite starting in 2021.

I’m not at all worried about the Sox future offense. It’s going to be a powerhouse. The pitching is still a major question though.

Sox offense in two years will be better. The pitching on the other hand is a huge question mark. All financial resources need to be poured into pitching the next two winters.