JUSTgottaBELIEVE

But are the Sox a better team with Machado or Brantley + Cain? Money is about equal this year and next. My point is there is a path to success even with the second tier guys, which the Sox have almost NEVER signed over the past two decades so even doing that would be a big step up and provide them with much better odds of finding productive players. For reference, the two I mentioned above are making $16M AAV. The Sox have paid TWO players $16M or more in a season in the history of the franchise - Peavy (twice) and Abreu (once, this season). So the Sox have basically very rarely or almost never signed guys from the second tier of free agents. I’m looking to guys like JDM, Madbum, Gregorius, etc as that second tier in the upcoming FA class.

He said they would actively pursue them but I don’t recall him saying they would for sure sign one (link a quote if he did, maybe I missed it). Even if he did, who cares? That’s not the only way to build a winner. Often times the premier FA signings have backfired more than they’ve helped (from a production to cost basis). Just need to start signing the second tier guys over the next several seasons. Like i said the Cain’s and Brantley’s of the world. And those guys aren’t cheap either by any means ($16M AAV) but they also likely won’t hamstring a mid market franchise like a $300M contract that goes south could.

With that said, the Sox need to hit on the Cain’s and Brantley’s of the league, second tier guys that are still highly productive. It can be done.

Why is everyone so fixated on signing THE premier free agent in order for the rebuild to work? How often do the top free agent signings actually pan out? Sure there are examples where it has but I’d wager that more than half of the top signings over the last two decades ended up being regrettable within a couple years of the signing.

That’s why I’d hold on to him unless blown away by an offer. If the Phillies were offering Alec Bohm, for example, I’d take it.

I could definitely see that but after this season I’m not sure he finds more than a 2 year deal unless he turns things around in the second half.

Then I’d hold him. Especially since the closer free agent market this offseason is very weak.

Not starters but solid backups/depth on a contending team

That’s very debatable...

When’s the last time this organization had two position players that were all stars in the same season? Not sure they will make it this year but Anderson and Moncada are playing at that level already.

How so? More than half the guys I listed are already major leaguers.

Thought he has another season of arbitration though?

Everyone was so focused on Machado as the perfect fit that they lost sight of the fact that Harper was the better fit for this team all along. Sox really missed out on Harper at a reasonable rate of ~$25M AAV to boot.

Season nearly 40% complete and he’s basically been Yolmer Sanchez with a bit more power. The back half of this contract is going to look very ugly.

He’s in the same boat as Colome.

Sox should be targeting starting pitching in every trade they make the next several years.

Colome is now officially the top closer available on the market unless Toronto moves Giles.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out. Cubs were definitely desperate for a closer. They’ve paid through their nose to acquire their last four closers now between cash and young talent.

Haha. Thanks man but you didn’t answer the question.

Called it

He’s only 8 months younger than Eloy. They should be calling this kid up to the bigs soon. No way you should keep him down until late April if healthy.

Despite the terrible ERA, Nova is a serviceable #5.

Don’t pitch to Soto with first base open

Considering Yolmer’s dreadful start to the season, pretty amazing stuff there

The power isn’t there yet but Yolmer Sanchez has now passed Manny Machado in both batting average and on base percentage. Quickly closing the gap in wRC+ as well ?